2 Button Joystick Question - Gloom

[Daedalus]

Originally Posted by rabidgerry

I think I can disconnect the wire on pin five no problem, bit I cannot trace where button b goes to. It is obviously operating pin 2 somehow. I was also thinking if the pad is modified I might want to keep button b as a jump button. However I'd want button c to act as the second/alternative fire for side stepping in gloom instead. Currently I think button c does nothing for the Amiga, but I'd need to get it hooked up to pin 9 to get it to do what I want. Currently unable to identify which pin is which on the PCB.

The Megadrive pad uses a multiplexer chip to select between two banks of inputs - Left, Right, B and C are one bank, and A and Start (with left and right grounded for pad ID purposes) are the other bank. So to use with the Amiga, the bank with B and C active is the one to go for, because the other bank doesn't allow you to use the D pad. This is selected by setting pin 7 (of the pad) to 5V, which is what the resistor does in my diagram. You could easily add that resistor inside the controller and then not worry about where the button traces go

Because of this design, the button, left and right signals don't go directly to the 9-pin plug, but instead are run into a chip of some sort (original MD pads use a quad 2-1 multiplexer), so figuring out where they go might not do you any good. To do a permanent mod, you could remove the chip and use its pads for re-routing whatever signals you want with short wires.

[rabidgerry]

Forgive my caveman like mind, are you saying all I need to do is add a resistor? I might have a 1k one knocking about.

Also how easy/simpler would it be to mod the regular amiga pad to have an A and B button?

BTW thanks for all this info. I wish I knew about his stuff properly. I can do the mods, I just don't really understand it. Same with guitar stuff haha.

***edit*** I only have 2.7k resistor. I'll have to get a 1k this week sometime.

[Glen M]

Originally Posted by rabidgerry

Forgive my caveman like mind, are you saying all I need to do is add a resistor? I might have a 1k one knocking about.

Also how easy/simpler would it be to mod the regular amiga pad to have an A and B button?

BTW thanks for all this info. I wish I knew about his stuff properly. I can do the mods, I just don't really understand it. Same with guitar stuff haha.

***edit*** I only have 2.7k resistor. I'll have to get a 1k this week sometime.

When you say regular amiga pad what do you mean? I thought from reading this thread you only had a megadrive pad?

I have a techno swift plus amiga pad here that has 2 physical buttons but its only a 1 button pad with a turbo button. I could in theory cut the traces from the turbo button and wire it direct to pin 9 as button 2 or I could even add a switch to change operation between turbo and button 2 but then again I can't be arsed lol.

Try a Quickshot QS128F Maverick, it has settings for Amiga/Atari/MSX/Amstrad/Sega

If used in Sega mode on an Amiga it appears to work as a 2 button Master System Controller, Not sure if that's what you meant tho.
I have the Above Quickshot and yes it does work in 2 button mode under Sega , altho not tested it with Gloom Deluxe.

[Daedalus]

A 2.7K resistor should work fine, anything between 1K and 10K should do the job. well, you also need to swap pin 5 of the pad to pin 7, but that's essentially it.

[Glen M]

Originally Posted by xubidoo

Try a Quickshot QS128F Maverick, it has settings for Amiga/Atari/MSX/Amstrad/Sega

If used in Sega mode on an Amiga it appears to work as a 2 button Master System Controller, Not sure if that's what you meant tho.
I have the Above Quickshot and yes it does work in 2 button mode under Sega , altho not tested it with Gloom Deluxe.

Given that stick has MSX and Amstrad in the selection I'd guess its a master system stick and not a mega drive stick so set to Sega it should work fine with 2 button inputs. If set to Amiga does it refer to 1 button?

[rabidgerry]

Originally Posted by Glen M

When you say regular amiga pad what do you mean? I thought from reading this thread you only had a megadrive pad?

I have a techno swift plus amiga pad here that has 2 physical buttons but its only a 1 button pad with a turbo button. I could in theory cut the traces from the turbo button and wire it direct to pin 9 as button 2 or I could even add a switch to change operation between turbo and button 2 but then again I can't be arsed lol.

I have a Quickjoy megadrive pad and a Tecno plus swift like yourself. Pretty sure I mentioned the Tecno plus on previous messages. So since modding is the order of the day I figured I may as well mod that too.

Originally Posted by Daedalus

A 2.7K resistor should work fine, anything between 1K and 10K should do the job. well, you also need to swap pin 5 of the pad to pin 7, but that's essentially it.

Ok that's fine. I can do that alright. Already got 1k ordered so I'll use one when they arrive. This is going to give me a fire button "b" then? No need to trace the buttons path?

Originally Posted by xubidoo

Try a Quickshot QS128F Maverick, it has settings for Amiga/Atari/MSX/Amstrad/Sega

If used in Sega mode on an Amiga it appears to work as a 2 button Master System Controller, Not sure if that's what you meant tho.
I have the Above Quickshot and yes it does work in 2 button mode under Sega , altho not tested it with Gloom Deluxe.

That one actually appeared on my list of researched models that could possibly fit the bill. I also had used one is a kid but never knew what or how the selector switches behaved. I have already bought that Tecno plus scorpion which appears to be a re badged quickshot python. It has the selector switch on it too. I may grab the microswitched version of the maverick in the future though. Do me a favour try it out with Gloom and let me know how you get on thanks.

[Daedalus]

Originally Posted by rabidgerry

Ok that's fine. I can do that alright. Already got 1k ordered so I'll use one when they arrive. This is going to give me a fire button "b" then? No need to trace the buttons path?

Yep, assuming it behaves as a standard Megadrive pad, that's how it should go. Pin 5 from the controller to pin 7 of the Amiga, pin 7 of the controller to pin 7 of the Amiga via a resistor. Note that that will use buttons B and C of the Megadrive pad as Amiga buttons 1 and 2 respectively - buttons A and Start will be inoperative.

[rabidgerry]

Ok so the tecno plus hasn't enough wires for me to mod it.


On the Quickshot I think I have identified the pins wires.

Yellow is pin5

Red is pin7



So do I simply unsolder the yellow wire, then solder it to were the red wire is connected to on the pcb? But have the red wire going to the pcb via the resistor?



In my head this is what I am doing? Correct me if I am wrong. See modified picture.

[Glen M]

Disconnect the yellow wire and do not reconnect it anywhere.

Disconnect the red wire and connect it to where the yellow wire was.

Install 1k resistor between new position of red wire and old position.

[rabidgerry]

Originally Posted by Glen M

Disconnect the yellow wire and do not reconnect it anywhere.

Disconnect the red wire and connect it to where the yellow wire was.

Install 1k resistor between new position of red wire and old position.

@GlenM Seriously, excuse my lack of knowledge

Thanks for that. I'll be able to knock that out tomorrow hopefully. A Fellow Belfast man I see

Regarding the Tecno Plus. I think the only way I could mod it would be to salvage a completely different cable from another pad which has all the wires I would need then hard wire the Turbo button to pin 9 wire and cut the trace. Can't see that happening unless I find a broken megadrive controller or something going cheap on ebay.

Or get one of these and cut the male end off

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AMIGA-ATA...IAAOSwmUdUVfy2

[Daedalus]

Yep, Megadrive extension leads are a good source of moulded replacement cables that have all 9 pins connected. The quality isn't great, but it's good enough.

As an aside, swapping pins 5 and 7 allows the Amiga to read all the buttons on the pad, including A and Start, since it can now use pin 5 toswitch banks of buttons at will. But it needs specific game support, and doesn't get around the issue with a small number of games not being able to use the pad under certain Kickstart versions. I'm not entirely sure any games even support this arrangement...

[Glen M]

Originally Posted by rabidgerry

@GlenM Seriously, excuse my lack of knowledge

Thanks for that. I'll be able to knock that out tomorrow hopefully. A Fellow Belfast man I see

Regarding the Tecno Plus. I think the only way I could mod it would be to salvage a completely different cable from another pad which has all the wires I would need then hard wire the Turbo button to pin 9 wire and cut the trace. Can't see that happening unless I find a broken megadrive controller or something going cheap on ebay.

Or get one of these and cut the male end off

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AMIGA-ATA...IAAOSwmUdUVfy2

Yep extension cables are a good source of premoulded wires. I've a few SNES cables with male ends lying in a drawer after making some SNES to CD-i adapters for myself and others.

Good to see another local N.Ireland man. You heading to Amiga Ireland in January? Maybe one day if we can find enough locals we can organize a Belfast meet.

[rabidgerry]

Originally Posted by Daedalus

Yep, Megadrive extension leads are a good source of moulded replacement cables that have all 9 pins connected. The quality isn't great, but it's good enough.

As an aside, swapping pins 5 and 7 allows the Amiga to read all the buttons on the pad, including A and Start, since it can now use pin 5 toswitch banks of buttons at will. But it needs specific game support, and doesn't get around the issue with a small number of games not being able to use the pad under certain Kickstart versions. I'm not entirely sure any games even support this arrangement...

Aye butchering a cable seemed like an idea once I began to think of a way around needing the extra wire.



So by doing this mod I'm taking the 5v from the Amiga via pin 7 and distributing this also to wear the yellow wire was connected but after it's gone through the resistor right? I'm putting 5v to both points?

Originally Posted by Glen M

Yep extension cables are a good source of premoulded wires. I've a few SNES cables with male ends lying in a drawer after making some SNES to CD-i adapters for myself and others.

Good to see another local N.Ireland man. You heading to Amiga Ireland in January? Maybe one day if we can find enough locals we can organize a Belfast meet.

I did not know about Amiga Ireland. But that sounds interesting. I guess despite being into Amiga back in the day I'm new to the scene really. I didn't have any contact with Amiga heads back then and I was probably into it around the final few years of commodore. So it was literally my brother's machine I inherited and then his contact for getting cracked games and that was it. Then a few years ago my interest picked up again when I started finding videos of new hardware and lots off people who seemed to be part of a larger thriving scene. Then I got the A1200 a few months ago and here I am. It will probably take me a while to get a bit more immersed in what's going on.

[Daedalus]

Originally Posted by rabidgerry

So by doing this mod I'm taking the 5v from the Amiga via pin 7 and distributing this also to wear the yellow wire was connected but after it's gone through the resistor right? I'm putting 5v to both points?

Yep, that's it

I did not know about Amiga Ireland. But that sounds interesting. I guess despite being into Amiga back in the day I'm new to the scene really.
[...]
Then I got the A1200 a few months ago and here I am. It will probably take me a while to get a bit more immersed in what's going on.

Well, Amiga Ireland is an excellent event for getting to see what's possible, what's going on in the scene, and meeting loads of Amiga types from all over Ireland and beyond, and there's a great, friendly atmosphere with plenty of games, chats and drinks over the weekend. I'll be there too, giving a talk on ARexx programming on Saturday morning (while likely hung over).

[rabidgerry]

So finally I'm understanding it a bit!

Ok and what way is the pad wired without the mod? Megadrive pin 5 is meant to receive 5v right? But Amiga is sending via pin7 instead?

Amiga Ireland sounds great!! I wonder would I be able to go? I shall have to see. But it does look great. I was on the website.

Doin this mod in a we bit.

[Daedalus]

Yep, the Megadrive sends 5V power on pin 5, the Amiga sends it on pin 7.

[Glen M]

Originally Posted by rabidgerry

I did not know about Amiga Ireland. But that sounds interesting. I guess despite being into Amiga back in the day I'm new to the scene really. I didn't have any contact with Amiga heads back then and I was probably into it around the final few years of commodore. So it was literally my brother's machine I inherited and then his contact for getting cracked games and that was it. Then a few years ago my interest picked up again when I started finding videos of new hardware and lots off people who seemed to be part of a larger thriving scene. Then I got the A1200 a few months ago and here I am. It will probably take me a while to get a bit more immersed in what's going on.

My story is similar to yours in that I had my Amiga back in the day but its only the last few years that I've really gotten back into it and starting to get involved in the scene. This years event will be the first ever Amiga meet (or any meet of this type) that I've ever been to. I've been talking on and off to the organizer who seems a really nice guy and I've booked for the fully weekend (the hotel was bloody expensive though). I'll be bringing my CD32 at least 1 1200 and I did offer to also bring my C64 with floppy drive etc. Also bringing the wife (who has less than no interest in Amiga's) and err a bottle or 2

[Unkown]

Originally Posted by Retro-Nerd

Roughly 20 pounds is expensive?

At the end of the day its only worth what somebody else is willing to pay!

[rabidgerry]

Ok did the mod, but I've got the "a" button as fire "b" button still operates as forward or jump and "c" now also operates as a fire button as well.

I will post pictures later.

***edit***

Just tried that two button joystick with Gloom in sega mode. Guess what? It doesn't work either. The trigger fire button just seems to move me forward also. So now all I can say is f##k that!!

What other two button amiga games can I try to test if the pad mod has worked? As I mentioned button B is still moving forward/jumping and Button C is now a fire button like A.