Re: Apple Joystick adapter for IBM port available? How to make?

[wernst@cris.com (Warren "Llama" Ernst)]

ttec@minn.net (Greg) wrote:

>I have an apple //c joystick and was wondering if anyone out there has
>made a cable/adapter to use it with an IBM joystick port.
>
>Thanks in advance!

There are 2 issues you will have to deal with here - I speak as a man
who almost got a converter working to use A2 sticks on a PC.

First, the good news: both machines use 2 buttons and two analog
axises (sp?) as the basic controller. Both use the same number of pins
in their jacks to accomplish this (but with different ports).

Next, the bad news: both machines use a different voltage in their
game ports - I DID get my kraft joystick to work in terms of moving it
around, but other sticks might not be able to handle the different
current. But the real killer is that PC stick buttons work on a "push
down to close the connection" while A2 stick buttons work on a "push
down to open the connection." Or vice versa - I forget which has what,
but you see what the problem is here: you'd have to always keep your
A2 buttons pressed and held down, and then momentarily release them to
fire a bullet (or whatever) in your game.

Back in the Late 80's, when PCs and A2s were sharing the same shelf
space in computer stores, you could occasionally find sticks that
worked on both machines via a little switch on the bottom and via a
cable converter, but I haven't seen one in years.

My advice: get a cheap jstick for $15 for your PC - I'm sure it will
be at least as good as a 10 year old Apple jstick.

Virtually,
Warr
former Beagle Bros tech support
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