CompetitionPro Hacking

[Anakirob]

The Competition Pro is a single-button joystick, but as you probably know, there's more than one button on the device. I see a total of four (however 1 of the small ones is completely mashed on mine).

So surely it would be possible to hack it into a 2-button joystick.

I've had a peek inside my competition pro, those screws were ridiculouslly tight, and it seems like pretty simple stuff.

Surely all I have to do is create a circuit which connects the second button to the appropriate wire on the cable. I guess I'd be needing to replace the cable+connector, as the installed one does not have anything connected to button 2.

But I'm pretty inexperienced with a soldering iron. I would be a bit scared to start hacking my joystick without someone more experienced confirming my hacks are possible. Because there are some things I'm not sure about. Like...

Which pin would button two be? I guess it would be 5, but I imagine it could be 9.

And I figure while I'm in there I may as well add autofire, how might I go about doing this?

[prowler]

Hi Anakirob,

Are you referring to the Competition Pro Amiga joystick or the USB version?

[Anakirob]

AMIGA! Of course. Well, any system which will take a 9-pin joystick. Also, I think there's already a thread for hacking USB CompetitionPro. But if you read my post, all the clues are there. Here's two of them:

Which pin would button two be? I guess it would be 5, but I imagine it could be 9.

Indicative that I'm working with a 9-pin connector.

And I figure while I'm in there I may as well add autofire

I'm pretty sure the USB version already has autofire. So I must've been talking about the 9-pin and not USB version.

I think maybe I posted in the wrond section: it should be here: http://eab.abime.net/forumdisplay.php?f=99

[prowler]

Yes, of course. I wasn't thinking too clearly last night. The USB connector only has four pins.

Still, my reply was successful in bumping the thread.

Now then, would it not be possible just to physically swap over the two small buttons inside the joystick, so that the non-functional one becomes the one you don't use?

I would forget the idea of adding autofire for the time being. That would not be a trivial matter - especially for someone who admits to inexperience with a soldering iron.

[Anakirob]

*sigh* The CompetitionPro is a ONE BUTTON JOYSTICK.

There are four buttons, but all have the same function. There is a switch which enables/disables the smaller buttons. But there is only one 'fire button circuit' it seems.

Still, my reply was successful in bumping the thread.

That is true, sorry if my responses seem a little troll-like.

As for autofire, I have found a number of DIY projects for autofire. A couple in CU one in AF and several on Aminet. I guess I could follow a simple schematic.

This one in particular (see attached image) seems to answer my questions.

So button 2 is pin-9 then? Can someone confirm before I ruin a good joystick.

And are there any games which would use button 3?

[prowler]

Originally Posted by Anakirob

*sigh* The CompetitionPro is a ONE BUTTON JOYSTICK.

There are four buttons, but all have the same function. There is a switch which enables/disables the smaller buttons. But there is only one 'fire button circuit' it seems.

Ouch! I think I'd better go back to bed...

Thanks for posting the autofire circuit. I'll have a look later when I'm less hung over.

[prowler]

@Anakirob,

Okay, I've had a real good look at this and I can see everything clearly now, so here goes!

Amiga Mouse/Game Controller Ports

There are two DB9 male connectors on the back of the Amiga labelled either "JOY1" and JOY2" or "1. MOUSE" and "2. GAME", depending on the model.

To use a mouse to control the Workbench, you must attach it to the MOUSE port (port 1) or connector JOY1. However, you can attach joystick controllers to either of the connectors.

WARNING: Pin 7 on each of these connectors supplies +5 Volts DC power. Connect this pin ONLY if power from it is required by the external device.

The following table describes mouse and game controller/joystick connections:

Amiga 500. Connectors 1 and 2: Mouse Connections

Pin   Name             Description

 1    MOUSE V          Mouse Vertical
 2    MOUSE H          Mouse Horizontal
 3    MOUSE VQ         Vertical Quadrature
 4    MOUSE HQ         Horizontal Quadrature
 5    MOUSE BUTTON 2   Mouse Button 2
 6    MOUSE BUTTON 1   Mouse Button 1
 7    +5V              +5V DC Power (100mA)
 8    GND              Ground
 9    MOUSE BUTTON 3   Mouse Button 3
 
Amiga 500. Connectors 1 and 2: Game Controller

Pin   Name             Description

 1    /FORWARD         Controller Forward - Active Low
 2    /BACK            Controller Back - Active Low
 3    /LEFTM           Controller Left - Active Low
 4    /RIGHT           Controller Right - Active Low
 5    POT X            Horizontal Potentiometer
 6    /FIRE            Controller Fire - Active Low
 7    +5V              +5V DC POWER (100mA)
 8    GND              Ground
 9    POT Y            Vertical Potentiometer
 
Amiga 1200. Mouse/Game Controller Ports

Pin   Mouse/          Digital      Proportional   I/O
      Trackball       Joystick     Joystick

 1    V-Pulse         /Forward     Button 3 *     I
 2    H-Pulse         /Back        n/c            I
 3    VQ-Pulse        /Left        Button 1       I
 4    HQ-Pulse        /Right       Button 2       I
 5    Button 3 (M)*   n/c          Pot X          I**
 6    Button 1 (L)    /Button 1    n/c            I**
 7    +5V (50mA)      +5V (50mA)   +5V (50mA)     -
 8    GND             GND          GND            -
 9    Button 2 (R)    Button 2*    Pot Y          I**

* These buttons are optional.
** These pins canb also be configured as outputs.

The DB9 Pinout on your Rapid Fire schematic agrees with the A1200 Digital Joystick connections. So, all buttons on your Competition Pro joystick are presently connected to pin 6, yes?

In that case, button 2 will be pin 9, as you have assumed, and button 3 (optional) will be pin 5.

You will require three fire button circuits. All you have to do now is decide which of the three working buttons will be 1, 2 and 3, and also which ones you want autofire capable before wiring it up. Simple, eh?

Good luck!

[Rebel-CD32]

I wish I had noticed this thread back when it was started. I think it's really silly that the Competition Pro joysticks have four buttons that do the same thing, and a switch to turn two of them off... why not make that switch change between 1- and 2-button modes? I can't believe they chose to make them this way, knowing very well that many Amiga games (and ALL Sega Master System games, which these joysticks also plug into) use 2 fire buttons. It just seems illogical to me.

So I understand how you feel, Anakirob! And I wonder, did you ever complete the project and add a second fire button and rapid fire? As far as I know, no Amiga games supported the third button/middle mouse button, but a few games support the A and Start buttons on a modified Sega MegaDrive pad, but neither of those buttons is the same as the Amiga third fire button.

[Jope]

Originally the four button competition pros had autofire and slo-mo in the triangle shaped extra buttons.. So you're telling me that the speed-link repro version has them all as firebuttons? :-)

[Jonathan Drain]

Jope: I can confirm this. The reproduction Amiga one has four buttons all set to FIRE1 and the switch disables the triangle buttons, while the USB one has four buttons bound to different things and the switch enables autofire.

Would be interested in hooking the Amiga joystick up with autofire, if only to play Apidya. Perhaps my old broken Amiga joysticks will have the spare parts?

[nelsn68k]

There is a 2 button competition pro.