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Announcing new 2600 controller USB adaptor


dualcam

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This may be a Stella emulator question, not sure but I'll try in this thread since it involves my 2600-dapter II.

I'm trying to play Star Raiders. I have a Stelladapter which I want to use for the joystick and the 2600-dapter II for the SR touch pad.

 

This doesn't seem to work and there really aren't any "knobs" I can see to change the behavior of Stella other than Stelladapter left/right, etc.

What's odd is that neither device seems to work in this configuration. Can't fire, and can't, for example, show the galactic map.

 

Has anyone successfully done this?

 

EDIT: Started over from scratch (plugging in first, starting Stella) and then changing the config to right/left and it seems to be working now.

Edited by telengard
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I've had mine for 2 1/2 years now. Grabbed the first incarnation when it was introduced. I must say I have not regretted it one bit.

 

My arcade cabinet is 100% better with the 2600-daptor hanging out the side waiting for a joystick to plug in and go! :)

 

I was so impressed I grabbed the Vision-daptor when he released it as well. I'll never go back to a keyboard or USB PS2 style pad for Atari and Intellivision gaming again!

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  • 1 month later...

Quick question for dualcam: I made a custom arcade style Atari controller a while back. Here's a photo:

9367189135_782fd77102.jpg

http://www.flickr.com/photos/30203515@N04/sets/72157629736738048/

 

Anyway, it has the option to enable paddles and joystick at the same time. There is also a cutoff to disable the paddle control. I just wondered if this dual function mode is supported by the USB adapter. I found the travel on the original stock Atari paddles way too short since barely 25% of the 1M pot is usable in most games, so I substituted 470k pots instead. These work great on my 4-switch Atari and I've yet to run into a game that exceeded the lower range of my pots. It actually make games like Night driver and Kaboom much easier for me somehow. Anyway, I need to know if the 0-470k range of my custom arcade controller is too small for the USB device.

 

Also, will this adapter work with Genesis controllers? Some homebrew games such as Princess Rescue are able to detect the "C" button on the Genesis controller by reading the paddle lines. I doubt it but I'm wondering if this mode would work with the USB adapter. If not it's no big deal as I already own a 6-button Genesis adapter. It also works equally well with 3-button Genesis and Atari joysticks, making the RetroUSB Atari model redundant:

http://www.retrousb.com/product_info.php?cPath=21&products_id=69

Still, I would get this just for paddle support. A "normal" USB controller (say PSX-to-USB with thumbsticks likely wouldn't work right.

 

If anyone can give feedback on how well the paddles behaves with Stella, I'd appreciate it. Also I would like to ask if the controller supports simultaneous presses of U+D (driving) or L+R (paddles). Because my current adapters read joypads as twin axis instead of digital buttons, none of them can properly map U+D or L+R.

Edited by stardust4ever
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No on the simultaneous output of both. The 2600-daptor maps the joystick U/D/L/R to the USB X/Y axis. This allows it to "just work" with pretty much any game/emulator. The paddles also get mapped to the same X/Y axis, so there is an auto paddle detection. If something is sensed on the paddles lines, it then switches to "paddle mode" and outputs the paddles on the X/Y axis instead.

 

Would be easy for me to make a special firmware for the 2600-daptor II that did simultaneous by outputting the joystick U/D/L/R on USB buttons. Or could output the paddles on a separate set of axis. Would only work with games/emulators that you could map accordingly.

 

The 0-470K looks like it would be OK. Trying Breakout in Stella and original paddles + 2600-daptor, 115K-340K is the range used to move from side to side. This might vary with some games, but I think most have the same range as Breakout.

 

The Genesis 6 button does not work as it makes the 2600-daptor think paddles are plugged in. You can get some functions (U/D/L/R + button B) with a 2600-daptor II in 7800 mode. Don't have a 3-button, but suspect it would have the same result. SMS works for U/D/L/R and 1st button.

 

I play paddle games, and took time calibrating these to give the same paddle behavior in Stella.

 

Simultaneous U+D (driving controllers) is supported by a "half down" on the Y-axis, which is what Stella expects (and also EMU7800 - don't know if any other emulators have this driving controller support). L+R from a joystick would give a "half right" on the X-axis. When paddles are plugged in and the 2600-daptor is in paddle mode, those inputs are then mapped to USB button 1 & 2, and no conflict with both on at the same time.

 

Tom

Edited by dualcam
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Cool beans. I've got a disconnect switch on the paddle lines to optionally disable paddle control on my custom joystick (although most joystick games ignore these inputs so it's safe to leave it turned on most of the time), so this adapter seems like it will come in handy. Unfortunately there is a bug with Stella that for some reason ignores the first four inputs on all my RetroUSB NES/SNES/Genesis adapters, making the NES and 3-button Genny controllers impossible to use for some reason. As a workaround, SNES "A" button (button 5 in the control panel; shows up as button 1 in Stella) works fine. Stella bugs excluded, the RetroUSB Atari adapter is redundant because the Genesis one already works with Atari joysticks (Fire button activates two separate inputs though), but I like the idea of using Paddle controls in Stella so I'm going to give your 2600 'dapter a try. Thanks for the quick response...

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Order placed for a 2600 'dapter v1 + USB cable. IMO, don't really need the fancy v2 because all I got is 2600 joystick, paddle, and driving controllers, plus I could just as easily use a keyboard for keypad or my existing USB-to-NES for 7800. I'm glad you provide those options however. Take care and thanks again... :D

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  • 2 months later...
  • 3 weeks later...

I've just received my 2600 daptor and I tried to make it work with MAME. Only Super Breakout works fine. Arkanoid series or Ghox have this issue : when you turn left or right on the paddle controller, the racket automaticly moves to the left or right of the screen without stopping. There is no way to stop, you just can move to the other direction, so you have absolutely no way to play the game accurately.

 

My question is simple : is it possible to play Arkanoid with some proper MAME settings ? I've tried to put joystick deadzone to 0 (it makes Super Breakout works fine) and saturation to 1.00, it has no effect, the game is still unplayable.

 

Thanks for your answers and sorry for my bad english.

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I've just received my 2600 daptor and I tried to make it work with MAME. Only Super Breakout works fine. Arkanoid series or Ghox have this issue : when you turn left or right on the paddle controller, the racket automaticly moves to the left or right of the screen without stopping. There is no way to stop, you just can move to the other direction, so you have absolutely no way to play the game accurately.

 

My question is simple : is it possible to play Arkanoid with some proper MAME settings ? I've tried to put joystick deadzone to 0 (it makes Super Breakout works fine) and saturation to 1.00, it has no effect, the game is still unplayable.

 

Thanks for your answers and sorry for my bad english.

MAME is reading the inputs as a self-centering analog thumstick. Analog controllers generally use a delta, meaning that the actual position of the thumbstick equals the change to the in-game coordinates. Pitch left to slide the cursor left, ditto for right. Centering the thumbstick halts all movement (delta of zero). Paddles do not operate in this manner, where the x-coordinate on the controller translates 1:1 to an X-coordinate in the game. Hopefully there is some setting that allows you to translate the input 1:1 to movement on screen. If no MAME setting exists for 1:1 input, than that is a MAME problem, not a 2600 daptor problem.

Edited by stardust4ever
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  • 3 weeks later...

Asked this on email but I thought I'd send it out to all:

 

Trying out a CX22 Trak-Ball with this, and I'm looking to figure out what firmware I am running. Works perfectly in joystick mode, but it's not working in mouse mode. The mouse DOES move ... but only down and to the right! Does that mean firmware upgrade time for me?

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In foresight, I should have got the v2, but I figured I'm never gonna use the 7800 controller or keypad. Well, I'm now the proud owner of a Best AV modded 7800. I've also converted an NES pad and am currently building a 7800 joystick for my new Atari. So if you're on the fence, for $5 more you could just get the v2 even if you think you'll never need it.

Edited by stardust4ever
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Asked this on email but I thought I'd send it out to all:

 

Trying out a CX22 Trak-Ball with this, and I'm looking to figure out what firmware I am running. Works perfectly in joystick mode, but it's not working in mouse mode. The mouse DOES move ... but only down and to the right! Does that mean firmware upgrade time for me?

 

There is a switch on the bottom of the trak-ball to select between joystick and trak-ball modes.

 

Tom

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  • 1 year later...
  • 1 month later...

I would like to purchase this item in the hopes that it will work with Mame and the arcade version of warlords.

 

If the answer is yes then I would like 4.

 

Also since the paddles controllers are usually dual(meaning two paddles and one connection) would I be better off finding single paddle controllers as they exist as well or perhaps using a coleco gemini controller that has both joystick and paddle in one.

 

Thanks for any and all help

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I would like to purchase this item in the hopes that it will work with Mame and the arcade version of warlords.

 

If the answer is yes then I would like 4.

 

Also since the paddles controllers are usually dual(meaning two paddles and one connection) would I be better off finding single paddle controllers as they exist as well or perhaps using a coleco gemini controller that has both joystick and paddle in one.

 

Thanks for any and all help

2-in-1 paddle/joystick will not work since the joystick input is disabled whenever +5 is detected on the paddle lines. Paddles are remapped to X/Y axis and fire is remapped to left/right inputs (which the paddles use). I inquired about this some time ago that joysticks with paddles built in will not function properly, nor will genesis controllers, which pull the paddle inputs high.

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I would like to purchase this item in the hopes that it will work with Mame and the arcade version of warlords.

 

If the answer is yes then I would like 4.

 

Also since the paddles controllers are usually dual(meaning two paddles and one connection) would I be better off finding single paddle controllers as they exist as well or perhaps using a coleco gemini controller that has both joystick and paddle in one.

 

Thanks for any and all help

 

 

These adaptors do work with mame and arcade warlords. As posted above, the gemini controller will not work. Both 2600 paddles work, so you only need 2 daptors and 2 sets of the 2600 paddles for 4 player warlords.

 

For purchasing, you can order off the web-site.

 

Tom

http://2600-daptor.com

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Ok Tom all paid for. 2 x adaptor II and 2 x usb cables. We normally play making of Lords of lunar disc(hidden 8 player pong game) on psx with 8 controllers but paddles and warlords will separate the men from the boys lol.

 

Thanks so much for creating this product.

 

I almost bit the bullet and bought a 5200, castle castle crisis then figured I needed adapters for the paddles as well so this is a better way to go IMO.

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  • 1 month later...

Got these off Tom but I can't get the adapter to recognize the second paddle in warlords using mame. what setting do I need to select?

 

You need to teach it. Go into the TAB menu, Input (this Game). Go down to Paddle 2 Analog, and hit Enter. Now move paddle 2. The setting should change to Joy 1 Y Axis.

 

You will also need to teach P2 Button 1.

 

EDIT:

Also in mame.ini, set -

joystick_deadzone 0

joystick_saturation 1

 

Tom

http://2600-daptor.com/

Edited by dualcam
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It works!!!!!!!.....I'M SOOOOO HAPPY TO PLAY 4-PLAYER WARLORDS AGAIN.

 

Dude we got a keg of beer and played till like 7 am this morning.

 

I used to own the 4 player warlords arcade cabinet and sold it for 100 bucks in 1998(now selling for 2900 on e-bay yikes) and have always regretted it ever since.

 

You've brought great joy into my life again Tom.

 

Thank-you for your patience and following up on my questions.

 

Thank-you for this wonderful product and restoring my faith in the classics as graphics and 3D can't beat solid gameplay.

 

You are a solid merchant with a solid product and worth every penny.

 

Thanks again.

 

Raoul Serrano in Canada

Edited by raoulserrano
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  • 3 weeks later...

Hey tom was there a trick to playing tempest on mame as I'm not having much luck or was there a compatibility list with the atari paddles with mane?

2600-dapter 2.0 supports CX-22 trackball mode as mouse emulation. Read the documentation and make sure you have the latest firmware. You might also need to adjust MAME settings.

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