Copyright ©1996-1998 by Axel Bürkle
PCGamepad2Amiga describes how to build an adapter for connecting a PC gamepad or joystick to the Amiga and use it as digital joystick. This new version now supports two fire buttons. There are Amiga games that support 2 buttons, e.g. Mortal Kombat 2. If you know of other games with 2 button support please let me know (see below).
Disclaimer:
Although I'm quite sure that this circuit doesn't do any harm to your equipment if set up CORRECTLY, I take NO responsibility for any damage, even if I got something wrong. This project demands a bit of experience, so please leave it, if you don't know what you are doing. You are making everything at your own risk!
Copyright:
The circuit design is copyright by Axel Bürkle. You are allowed to produce this hardware for your own use as long as you don't sell it commercially. If you want to do so, you need my written permission.
Introduction:
Some PC games are much better playable with gamepads than with normal
(analogue) joysticks. These gamepads work just like the digital joysticks
we know from Amiga/Atari ST/C64. But they got a circuit that converts the
digital signal into an analogue one so that the PC can handle them as analogue
joysticks. To use these gamepads with your Amiga you have two choises:
1. Open the gamepad and make some changes in it
2. Build an adapter so that you can use any PC gamepad without making
changes
Parts You Need:
1x DB15 female connector 1x DB9 female connector 2x 22K resistor 2x 8.2K resistor 2x 100K resistor 2x 120K resistor 2x 33K resistor 6x BC549C (transistor) or equivalent (like BC237C, BC238C, BC239C, BC547C, BC548C)
and optional (see below): 2x 82K resistor and 2x 100K potentiometer
You can set up the whole adaptor on one of these experimental-boards, so you don't have to solder anything (maybe except the wires to the connectors) and make sure it works. Afterwards you can solder the parts on a breadboard and put it in a suitable box.
Compatibility:
I have tested the adapter on two Amigas and on C64 with these gamepads: QTRONIX Orion 95, QuickShot Starfighter 5 (QS-191) and Gravis PC GamePad. It also works fine with my analogue PC joystick (QuickShot Warrior 5). Most analogue PC joysticks have trimmers for calibration that allow you to adjust them to the adapter. It should also work with digital PC joysticks like COMPETITION PRO, but I haven't tested that.
Nevertheless you could have a gamepad/joystick that produces other voltages than the above mentioned gamepads, that means you need to change at least two resistors. Therefore I included a more flexible version of the adapter, that lets you calibrate the circuit to work with your gamepad/joystick. You just have to replace the two 120K resistors with two 82K resistors and two variable resistors of 100K (see "Adjustable_Adapter.iff").
Note:
If you have the adapter connected to your computer without a gamepad/joystick
plugged in has the same effect as if you press a connected stick/pad back
and right. This is no bug, because if you move the pad or stick to the
right, there will be a voltage of 0V at pin 3 (PotY). Analogous with pin
6 (PotX).
Note for the usage of 4 button gamepads:
If you want to use all four fire buttons (as one Amiga fire button), you can
connect them to the Amiga like this:
PC gamepad:
Amiga game port:
fire 1 (pin 2) __________________________________________ fire (pin 6)
fire 2 (pin 7) ________|
fire 3 (pin 10) ________|
fire 4 (pin 14) ________|
Credits:
Thanks to my brother Michael for advice and to Axel Stahl for lending
me his Gravis Pad.
Special thanks to Tomek Zebik for telling me that Mortal Kombat II supports
2 fire buttons.
For comments, suggestions, bug reports or telling me your experiences with
this project, feel free to contact me.
Please also send me a message if you know of other Amiga games supporting
2 or more fire buttons.
Email: abuerkle@ira.uka.de
Schaltplan des Adapters:
Das komplette Archiv gibt's im AMINET und auf der CD AMINET 11.