Minimum paddle resistance

[Viso]

What is the minimum resistance that can be observed with a paddle controller? It is measurable between pins 7 & 5 and pins 7 & 9.

 

I'm asking because I'm working on a way to emulate paddle controllers with a digital device. If the resistance can go under about 2.7k Ohms, then I have a problem with too much current. If it stays above, everything gets easier.

[DanBoris]

I checked a set of paddles and the lowest reading on them was 82 Ohms on one and 284 Ohms on the other, but you don't have to turn them to far to get the reading up to 2.7K Ohms, so that might not be a problem.

 

You might be interested in the schematics on my web site (www.atarihq.com/danb) for the Atari 5200 trackball. This converts digital signals into an analog 5200 input which the 5200 uses for it's joysticks.

 

Dan

[Viso]

Thanks for the info! I looked over the schematic, but I'm having some trouble understanding it. I'm nor sure where the analog signal is generated. It looks like the signals are going to pins 4 & 5 on J2, but I don't understand how the signal is being made.

 

In any case, supplying a pulse input would not be my first choice. The microcontroller I'm using will be fairly busy, at lest for my abilities, making a time sensitive output difficult to manage, and I'd need four.

 

I'm working on some other possibilites, like using a different part that can handle the current, or a cheap microcontroller dedicated to the task of doing the timing.