8bitDO Genesis bluetooth adapter and Atari 8-bit

[+Eyvind Bernhardsen]

Final update: got it working by ripping out the electronics (literally, sadly also a trace) and jumpering pin 6 to pin 6 and pin 9 to pin 9. I also cut the trace between power and pin 7 on the Sega side for safety reasons; the 8bitdo controller seems to treat the floating input as if it was driven high, as it should.

 

My PS4 controller is now a two-button wireless Atari joystick!

[overgrouth]

You capible of making more and selling it? I would buy two

[+Eyvind Bernhardsen]

12 hours ago, overgrouth said:

You capible of making more and selling it? I would buy two

Unfortunately I’m not good enough at soldering to sell electronics. I did make a proper adapter in the end, though: 

 

 

It’s all open sourced, so if anybody else wants to produce and sell these they’re more than welcome to.

 

 

[overgrouth]

Ok can you send me the info to specifics so I can ask my friend to wire me up one.

[+Eyvind Bernhardsen]

There's not that much to making a two-button cable: connect pin 7 on the computer side to pin 5 on the controller side for power, leave pin 5 on the computer and pin 7 on the controller disconnected, and connect all the other wires (1-4, 6, 8, 9) straight through. You lose the third button, but there aren't many games that use it and even fewer that rely on it.

 

The proper adapter is more involved since you need to program the PIC and have a PCB fabricated. If your friend is up to it they should be able to glean everything they need from https://github.com/eyvind/sega-adapter/tree/master/kicad/compact.

[overgrouth]

Much appreciated. I will keep you uo to date on this project.

[Level42]

I never felt the need for wireless controller with my A8 because my setup is always close, TV, computer and joystick. I also wouldn’t want Bluetooth wireless because of this:

 

Lag test

Edited June 8, 2022 by Level42