Re: 16 pin joystick port questions

[Nick <spam@ix.netcom.com>]

Standard Atari Joysticks (2600 style) will probably not work well, if at all, on
an Apple.  Atari joystics function using membrane switches, rather than
potentiometers as Apple's joysticks do. Whatever the case, it would require an
extensive rig job to pull off.   So, when you move an Atari joystick to the
right, it closes a switch and causes a signal to be sent.  If it is a diagonal
pull, it will close two switches.  There is no directional gradient.  The Atari
paddles use pots, but it would be tough to use them as an apple joystick.  :-)

Wico made some replacement Joystics which were pot based for the Atari 5200
system.  I think they might actually work on an apple.  They had the same plug
configuration, and I am pretty sure the same pin-out.  To work on the 5200, they
needed an adapter cable which split for the original 5200 controllers to be
plugged in so that the keypad buttons could be used, after the Joystick controls
fried.  The original 5200 controls wore out quickly.

stephen e buggie wrote:

> Mention too, whether the fire buttons are "normally open" or "normally
> closed."   I've read that the diffoerent platforms varied on this
> parameter.
>
> Steve Buggie                    buggie@unm.edu
>
> Rubywand (rubywand@swbell.net) wrote:
> : Chris Underwood writes ...
> : >
> : > Was wondering if the 16 pin joystick ports found on the older Apple
> : > II's (II-IIe) were analog or digital...  Was wondering if I could make
> : > an adapter to use my old Atari joysticks (analog) on my IIe.
> : >
> : > If they are analog, anybody got a pinout?
> : >
> :      They are analog. The standard value of the pots is 150 kOhms max.
>
> :      Here is pinout information:
>
> :          Apple II Joystick
> :      (9-pin male connector)         (Old 16-pin IC-style plug)
>
> :          [2]---------------  +5V            ------- 1
> :          [7]---------------  Button 0       ------- 2
> :          [5]---------------  X-axis         ------- 6
> :          [8]---------------  Y-axis         ------- 10
> :          [1]---------------  Button 1       ------- 3
> :          [3]---------------  Ground         ------  8
>
> :      For more info, see http://home.swbell.net/rubywand/Csa2KBPADJS.html .
>
> : Rubywand