Second Fire button?

[Video]

I got a question about..Uh, I think Omega Race, or something. I believe that's the one. Anyhow, some games used a 'Booster Grip' (I think that's what it was called) Anyhow. I was wondering if anybody could tell me exactly what this is, and what it does, I'm assuming it's just an additional fire button using a pin standard controllers don't.

 

Also, what pin does it use? And does it require any resistors or extra crap? Or is it just an extra button or something?

 

The reason I'm asking is for a while I've been building controllers for 2600 and selling them (locally only, but that's another story) And someone mentioned they thought it might be cool if the left button, instead of being a copy of the right button could have switches to 'program' button combinations on it. You know, flip a few switches, and instead of being a fire button, it pushes left and right at the same time? (wonder if that'd work on Decathalon...naw...that's stupid) I figured, scense I was going through the work of wiring 5 switches to the thing, I might as well add another for the 'second' fire button used only in Omega Race, that I'm aware of. And perhaps a 7th resistored switch to use it as an alternate fire for 7800 games.

 

Can you help me out?

[CPUWIZ]

Pin1: Pass-through to joystick /North

Pin2: Pass-through to joystick /South

Pin3: Pass-through to joystick /West

Pin4: Pass-through to joystick /East

Pin5: Front trigger (finger), fire

Pin6: Pass-through to joystick /Fire

Pin7: +5V--Activates triggers

Pin8: Pass-through to joystick GND

Pin9: Top trigger (thumb), thrust

[bjk7382]

That is a lot different than a regular controller. The joystick plugs have only 6 wires in them. So you would need to find either a 9 wire cable with the atari plug or the booster grip wire with 9 wires in it.

[Video]

Well, I use 9 wire cables anyways (the ammounts I buy don't make it worth the hastle of finding 6 wire cables)

 

Wow, I didn't know it used all nine wires. And it sounds from description that this adds 2 buttons to the controller, rather than just one. To bad I guess, that would envolve adding another button to the thing. Hmm... I'ma already adding switches to do everything. Might as well add another button.

[bjk7382]

Yeah, I guess if you just buy the Atari extensions. They have all nine wires in them.

[+Mitch]

Wow, I didn't know it used all nine wires.  And it sounds from description that this adds 2 buttons to the controller, rather than just one.  To bad I guess, that would envolve adding another button to the thing.  Hmm... I'ma already adding switches to do everything.  Might as well add another button.

 

Actually one of the buttons just emulates the standard fire button. I forget which though.

 

Mitch

[JB]

Wow, I didn't know it used all nine wires.  And it sounds from description that this adds 2 buttons to the controller, rather than just one.  To bad I guess, that would envolve adding another button to the thing.  Hmm... I'ma already adding switches to do everything.  Might as well add another button.

 

Actually one of the buttons just emulates the standard fire button. I forget which though.

 

Mitch

Without ever using one, I'd bet on the trigger.

[Eckhard Stolberg]

Actually one of the buttons just emulates the standard fire button. I forget which though.

It's not the controller that is responsible for that, though. It's Omega Race that accepts both buttons for the same function. Homebrew games could support three buttons with a booster grip joystick.

 

 

Ciao, Eckhard Stolberg

[Video]

Heh, now I'm just confused again.

 

Wait, I think what it is, is the game plays without the extra device anyways. With it, the game can use two buttons (both on the stick) and doesn't use the controller. Is that what your saying? Or am I just confused?

 

Hmm...Homebrews. If I could get the parts to do it with, I'd work on an analog controller with several buttons if a homebrew game would ever call for it. I doubt that though.

[JB]

Heh, now I'm just confused again.

 

Wait, I think what it is, is the game plays without the extra device anyways.  With it, the game can use two buttons (both on the stick) and doesn't use the controller.  Is that what your saying?  Or am I just confused?

 

There's 3 buttons, both physically and logically(2 on the booster, one on the stick). But Omega Race mirrors one of the new buttons to act the same as fire.

 

Hmm...Homebrews.  If I could get the parts to do it with, I'd work on an analog controller with several buttons if a homebrew game would ever call for it.  I doubt that though.

The max you can get on a VCS is 2 analog axes and 5 buttons, without any wierd hardware abuses(Video Touch Pad, Booster Grip) or dual-port connections(nothing actually DOES that, but it's possiblle).