NTPad XP

27 July 2002, 08:38

Yes. There comes a time in every Amigaboy's life when he must ask for help, so here goes:

I built the DirectPad Pro interface to connect a Atari/C64/Amiga joystick to the PC's parallel port. It works fine using the Directpad Pro drivers under Win9x....DirectPad Pro doesn't work under Win2k/WinXP though

I found suitable drivers for the very same interface at www.ntpad.com.ar . They install fine and can be detected by various programs, but it doesn't like me

I push the joystick button and it registers fine, but when I try to move the joystick around, I get nothing

I go into Control Panel -> Gaming Options and try to calibrate it, etc. but nothing registers, except for the button..

I've attached a pic of what I see in Control Panel....
Note how the right half thingy is pointed to the top left corner...I didn't do that. It does that by itself

Any help?

Akira · 27 July 2002, 14:18

Quote:

Originally posted by Amigaboy
I found suitable drivers for the very same interface at www.ntpad.com.ar . They install fine and can be detected by various programs, but it doesn't like me

There is your problem. It's an argentinian program! If I were you I would delete it right now, it might be trying to steal your cash or any other similar argentinian activity

Akira · 08 September 2002, 22:08

Hey meegaboy, did you make this work? Seems like new versions are out.

09 September 2002, 08:13

As I told Akira via PM, it still doesn't work
I did a bit more testing:

- When connected to my laptop (P120), using Windows 95 and DirectPad Pro, the software works perfectly
- When connected to my PC (1.3ghz Duron), using Win2k and NTPad, the software doesn't work, except for the button
- When connected to my PC, using Win98 and Directpad Pro, the software doesn't work, except for the button
- When connected to other PCs (Celeron 433 and Celeron 466), using Win98 and Win2k (and the relevant software), the software doesn't work, except for the button

So, there's 2 possibilities:

- Windows 95 is doing something that Win2k and Win98 do differently (doubtful!)
- The parallel ports in the machines we have now are different to the one in my laptop....Does anyone know anything about the PC parallel port (this is an area I haven't bothered with) ? Some way of testing it perhaps? A chart of some sort to show incompatibilites or something like that?

Has anyone else built the interface (the C64/Atari one) and gotten same, or different results? Please respond

Thanks guys 'n gals

Akira · 09 September 2002, 08:36

Most probably the parallel port... Pentium class machines have one very different to that of P2 and up ... This happens with the C64 xfer cable!

Check out the website, it has a REVISED interface, that I think will work in newer machines.

09 September 2002, 08:38

hmmm

My browser cache must obviously be screwy, because I don't see a revised one

The latest software I see there is 2.01 which was released in July (if I recall)

Akira · 09 September 2002, 08:43

Not the software, the interface cable

I messed up, its the Sega Genesis one. HOWEVER this one SHOULD work for both Genesis and C64 joysticks!

It says it works with new parallel ports.

Take a lookie:
http://24.232.29.41/genesis.html

09 September 2002, 08:46

I was hoping you screwed up and meant software, because I don't want to build another interface (too busy at the moment)

Nevetheless, I'll look into it

Meanwhile, I just found a similar tool called PPJoy at http://www.geocities.com/deonvdw/PPJoy.htm

It does the same thing for me. Anyone else?

Akira · 09 September 2002, 08:50

Ahh lazy git

I had to make mine twice and none of the times it worked, so I gave up for now

bippym · 09 September 2002, 12:09

Heheheheh that PPJoy is kewl!!!

I had a proper Amiga 4 Player adapter from my Amiga sat in a tool box, so I have no cables to make

09 September 2002, 12:28

Quote:

Originally posted by bippym
Heheheheh that PPJoy is kewl!!!

I had a proper Amiga 4 Player adapter from my Amiga sat in a tool box, so I have no cables to make

hmmm. I have a proper Amiga 4 Player Adaptor as well. I tried it with PPJoy and it didn't work (did less than the cable I made actually)

What's your system spec bippym?

bippym · 09 September 2002, 12:33

Not tried it yet!!! Was assuming, can't plug it in right now, someone is on the FTP

and I am dl'ing some Amiga CD's

Will let you know, but my spcs are:

Asus a7a266-E MB
XP1800
IBM Deskstar 60Gb & 80Gb ATA133-7200rpm HD's
Geforce 4 Ti 4400
512Mb DDR
Soundblaster Audigy SC
and a few other bits..

Will try it later and report back

bippym · 09 September 2002, 17:38

Right plugged it in, installed the software and went to the controller options and voilla there was my joystick

Tried it and it didn't work

SO I changed the joystick into the other port on the 4 player adapter and it now works perfectly

SWOS, Speedball2, Project X, etc.. HERE I COME!!!!!!!!!!!!

09 September 2002, 20:54

Quote:

Not the software, the interface cable

I messed up, its the Sega Genesis one. HOWEVER this one SHOULD work for both Genesis and C64 joysticks!

It says it works with new parallel ports.

Take a lookie:
http://24.232.29.41/genesis.html

Do you confirm that it works? I'd like to use my competition pros under windoz

Are there any better diagrams you know?

Akira · 09 September 2002, 21:01

Well, Genny pads work on C64s and Ataris, so this should be the same interface, only catering for the extra buttons.

This is the best one I know of.

bippym · 09 September 2002, 21:06

I used a standard Amiga parrallel 2 player adapter, it works fine

Been playing SWOS etc.. Which are really hard on analogue pads and joysticks

09 September 2002, 21:06

I thought C64 Joysticks were same with the Amiga ones. I don't have a 4 Player adapter on anything similar to that, can I just connect the joystick and use a driver like PPJoy?

bippym · 09 September 2002, 21:16

You will need to build an interface, goto the PPJoy site and view the diagram, it's quite simple to build and works wonders

C64 joysticks were the same as Amiga, using the old Atari connector (Used on the Atari 2600).

Later joysticks/pads etc had more buttons, but basically they should work the same

09 September 2002, 21:19

That's cool, thanks guys

09 September 2002, 23:44

Quote:

Originally posted by bippym

SO I changed the joystick into the other port on the 4 player adapter and it now works perfectly

SWOS, Speedball2, Project X, etc.. HERE I COME!!!!!!!!!!!!

My luck really sux then because I seem to be the only one on Earth with incompatible machines

27 July 2002, 08:38	#1
Amigaboy Posts: n/a	NTPad XP Yes. There comes a time in every Amigaboy's life when he must ask for help, so here goes: I built the DirectPad Pro interface to connect a Atari/C64/Amiga joystick to the PC's parallel port. It works fine using the Directpad Pro drivers under Win9x....DirectPad Pro doesn't work under Win2k/WinXP though I found suitable drivers for the very same interface at www.ntpad.com.ar . They install fine and can be detected by various programs, but it doesn't like me I push the joystick button and it registers fine, but when I try to move the joystick around, I get nothing I go into Control Panel -> Gaming Options and try to calibrate it, etc. but nothing registers, except for the button.. I've attached a pic of what I see in Control Panel.... Note how the right half thingy is pointed to the top left corner...I didn't do that. It does that by itself Any help? Attached Thumbnails

08 September 2002, 22:08	#3
Akira Registered User Join Date: May 2001 Location: # Posts: 12,593	Hey meegaboy, did you make this work? Seems like new versions are out.

09 September 2002, 08:13	#4
Amigaboy Posts: n/a	As I told Akira via PM, it still doesn't work I did a bit more testing: - When connected to my laptop (P120), using Windows 95 and DirectPad Pro, the software works perfectly - When connected to my PC (1.3ghz Duron), using Win2k and NTPad, the software doesn't work, except for the button - When connected to my PC, using Win98 and Directpad Pro, the software doesn't work, except for the button - When connected to other PCs (Celeron 433 and Celeron 466), using Win98 and Win2k (and the relevant software), the software doesn't work, except for the button So, there's 2 possibilities: - Windows 95 is doing something that Win2k and Win98 do differently (doubtful!) - The parallel ports in the machines we have now are different to the one in my laptop....Does anyone know anything about the PC parallel port (this is an area I haven't bothered with) ? Some way of testing it perhaps? A chart of some sort to show incompatibilites or something like that? Has anyone else built the interface (the C64/Atari one) and gotten same, or different results? Please respond Thanks guys 'n gals

09 September 2002, 08:36	#5
Akira Registered User Join Date: May 2001 Location: # Posts: 12,593	Most probably the parallel port... Pentium class machines have one very different to that of P2 and up ... This happens with the C64 xfer cable! Check out the website, it has a REVISED interface, that I think will work in newer machines.

09 September 2002, 08:38	#6
Amigaboy Posts: n/a	hmmm My browser cache must obviously be screwy, because I don't see a revised one The latest software I see there is 2.01 which was released in July (if I recall)

09 September 2002, 08:43	#7
Akira Registered User Join Date: May 2001 Location: # Posts: 12,593	Not the software, the interface cable I messed up, its the Sega Genesis one. HOWEVER this one SHOULD work for both Genesis and C64 joysticks! It says it works with new parallel ports. Take a lookie: http://24.232.29.41/genesis.html

09 September 2002, 08:46	#8
Amigaboy Posts: n/a	I was hoping you screwed up and meant software, because I don't want to build another interface (too busy at the moment) Nevetheless, I'll look into it Meanwhile, I just found a similar tool called PPJoy at http://www.geocities.com/deonvdw/PPJoy.htm It does the same thing for me. Anyone else?

09 September 2002, 08:50	#9
Akira Registered User Join Date: May 2001 Location: # Posts: 12,593	Ahh lazy git I had to make mine twice and none of the times it worked, so I gave up for now

09 September 2002, 12:09	#10
bippym Global Moderator Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Derby, UK Age: 37 Posts: 8,142	Heheheheh that PPJoy is kewl!!! I had a proper Amiga 4 Player adapter from my Amiga sat in a tool box, so I have no cables to make

09 September 2002, 12:33	#12
bippym Global Moderator Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Derby, UK Age: 37 Posts: 8,142	Not tried it yet!!! Was assuming, can't plug it in right now, someone is on the FTP and I am dl'ing some Amiga CD's Will let you know, but my spcs are: Asus a7a266-E MB XP1800 IBM Deskstar 60Gb & 80Gb ATA133-7200rpm HD's Geforce 4 Ti 4400 512Mb DDR Soundblaster Audigy SC and a few other bits.. Will try it later and report back

09 September 2002, 17:38	#13
bippym Global Moderator Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Derby, UK Age: 37 Posts: 8,142	Right plugged it in, installed the software and went to the controller options and voilla there was my joystick Tried it and it didn't work SO I changed the joystick into the other port on the 4 player adapter and it now works perfectly SWOS, Speedball2, Project X, etc.. HERE I COME!!!!!!!!!!!!

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09 September 2002, 21:01	#15
Akira Registered User Join Date: May 2001 Location: # Posts: 12,593	Well, Genny pads work on C64s and Ataris, so this should be the same interface, only catering for the extra buttons. This is the best one I know of.

09 September 2002, 21:06	#16
bippym Global Moderator Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Derby, UK Age: 37 Posts: 8,142	I used a standard Amiga parrallel 2 player adapter, it works fine Been playing SWOS etc.. Which are really hard on analogue pads and joysticks

09 September 2002, 21:06	#17
oldpx Posts: n/a	I thought C64 Joysticks were same with the Amiga ones. I don't have a 4 Player adapter on anything similar to that, can I just connect the joystick and use a driver like PPJoy?

09 September 2002, 21:16	#18
bippym Global Moderator Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Derby, UK Age: 37 Posts: 8,142	You will need to build an interface, goto the PPJoy site and view the diagram, it's quite simple to build and works wonders C64 joysticks were the same as Amiga, using the old Atari connector (Used on the Atari 2600). Later joysticks/pads etc had more buttons, but basically they should work the same

09 September 2002, 21:19	#19
oldpx Posts: n/a	That's cool, thanks guys