controller game pad?

Topics regarding the Uzebox hardware/AVCore/BaseBoard (i.e: PCB, resistors, connectors, part list, schematics, hardware issues, etc.) should go here.
havok1919
Posts: 474
Joined: Thu Aug 28, 2008 9:44 pm
Location: Vancouver, WA
Contact:

Re: controller game pad?

Post by havok1919 »

uze6666 wrote:Hmmm, I though we were trying for the SNES connectors? They are not much complicated than the NES ones, and there lot of SNES controller clones made for the FC twins and the like. Talking of which I just found that they have these right angle pcb mount SNES connector. Do you think you could find the sourcer of those connectors?
I was trying NES first since I thought that Andre had found a supplier of them and hence it might be easier to locate, but it sounds like he just did a mold himself.

The SNES is interesting in that I *know* those are made in China. (We sold those FCTwins at our arcade for a while-- too many quality problems though). The problem is in finding "the" place that makes them. Those could also be custom tooled if we had to, but the right-angle pins would definitely need to be custom made as well. In for a penny, in for a pound. ;-)

I'm going to have to go scrounge my old harddrive and see if I can find an email from when I bought my PSX connectors. I got those direct from the manufacturer, maybe we'll get lucky and they'll still have an SNES mold around...

-Clay
CompMan
Posts: 91
Joined: Mon Aug 25, 2008 3:48 am
Location: Kent, WA

Re: controller game pad?

Post by CompMan »

Don't rule out the NES connectors yet I think I may have found a supplier. I sent an email to a friend that works for Parallax and he was giving me the name of the HYDRA NES connector supplier in China. I can't guarantee anything but DON'T rule out NES connectors.

Compman
havok1919
Posts: 474
Joined: Thu Aug 28, 2008 9:44 pm
Location: Vancouver, WA
Contact:

Re: controller game pad?

Post by havok1919 »

(I swear, sometimes I post and it just never appears... Odd. So if this turns into a repeat, my apologies...)
CompMan wrote:Don't rule out the NES connectors yet I think I may have found a supplier. I sent an email to a friend that works for Parallax and he was giving me the name of the HYDRA NES connector supplier in China. I can't guarantee anything but DON'T rule out NES connectors.
That'd be way cool! Hopefully it works out and they don't have some outrageous minimums or anything!

I did some research today. We sell the RetroDuo at our arcade, so I stole one of those (I'm one of the owners, so I'm allowed to do stuff like that there) ;-) and tore it apart.

The SNES connectors they built look quite simple-- and nice, straight pins! I bounced it off my Solidworks/molding guy and he thinks it's be possible to do 'affordably' in Taiwan in small volume, so I'm going to send it to him for some modeling/modifications and quotation.

While I was there I also checked out one of the new 'reproduction' SNES controllers we sell. It's pretty nice-- a little 'stiff' on the buttons compared to the Nintendo version, but quite usable. As an upside, they're distributed in the US already and we buy enough stuff that they'd be easy to tack on to any order.

If neither the NES or custom SNES plans pan out, I've got a third option. The same distributor also has a 6-player SNES multitap that's cheap. One of those would yield enough connectors for ~3 UZEBOXen, so labor (and waste) aside, that's an option as well. :-)

All in all a pretty decent set of options now! Fingers crossed...

RetroDuo connector:

Image
Image
Image

(Gotta do some color other than 'blah grey' though...)

-Clay
Tinctu
Posts: 65
Joined: Sun Aug 31, 2008 2:22 pm

Re: controller game pad?

Post by Tinctu »

Yeah I will buy 4x of them.Well are there new SNES gamepads for sale too???
User avatar
uze6666
Site Admin
Posts: 4801
Joined: Tue Aug 12, 2008 9:13 pm
Location: Montreal, Canada
Contact:

Re: controller game pad?

Post by uze6666 »

Woa, that's great news...so many options now! I say, let's still aim at the SNES for the baseline, since it has more buttons and clearly differentiates us over that other retro console ;). NES could be another great controller option on the baseboards, just as SNES, PSX or DB9 (love to give people lots of options).
The SNES connectors they built look quite simple-- and nice, straight pins! I bounced it off my Solidworks/molding guy and he thinks it's be possible to do 'affordably' in Taiwan in small volume, so I'm going to send it to him for some modeling/modifications and quotation.
Would 90deg be much more complicated? It would look better and be more functionnal too if some wants to make casing in the future. Though, we would need to have bent pins, so I guess that more expensive to produce/assemble...Bah, never mind! In that case, we could also just mount 2 straight connectors on a small strip of PCB, a bit like the SNES. And it's already awesome if we have any kind of these connectors! :lol:

Btw, I just bough a PSX controller and implementing the code to read it and also laying down a joypad API. So that's officially another controller option for the Uzebox :D .

Uze
nubie
Posts: 36
Joined: Thu Sep 04, 2008 1:51 am

Re: controller game pad?

Post by nubie »

uze6666 wrote:Btw, I just bough a PSX controller and implementing the code to read it and also laying down a joypad API. So that's officially another controller option for the Uzebox :D .

Uze
Sweet, I am drowning in PSX consoles and controllers, that will make it easy for me :)

I kind of like the idea of using a few shift registers and simply re-wiring your own controllers (or putting them on-PCB for a handheld game ), so it will be a "Standard" NES/SNES circuit for the best compatibility as far as the code is concerned.

I fully understand how a standard controller connector is important for widespread adoption. But heck, with SNES/NES/PSX covered you are sitting pretty good as it is.
User avatar
uze6666
Site Admin
Posts: 4801
Joined: Tue Aug 12, 2008 9:13 pm
Location: Montreal, Canada
Contact:

Re: controller game pad?

Post by uze6666 »

I kind of like the idea of using a few shift registers and simply re-wiring your own controllers
As it is, no need for them (well unless you want two players for Amiga style controllers). It's now "universal" with the use of PORTA. How it's wired is pretty irrelevant if an API shields the programmers. It's already like this anyway, ie: " unsigned char ReadJoypad(1);" The bits are standardized so whatever the joystick plugged, "if(ReadJoypad(1) & KEY_LEFT){ ... }" will work as expected. As Clay proposed, the EEPROM could contain a few bytes describing what joysticks/functions are available. Thats why I aim for the SNES pads for baseline, they are much like the original PS1 controllers in term of button quantity and layout. PS2 would add 2 analog sticks for use in certain types of games like Arkanoid.

Uze
havok1919
Posts: 474
Joined: Thu Aug 28, 2008 9:44 pm
Location: Vancouver, WA
Contact:

Re: controller game pad?

Post by havok1919 »

uze6666 wrote:Would 90deg be much more complicated? It would look better and be more functionnal too if some wants to make casing in the future. Though, we would need to have bent pins, so I guess that more expensive to produce/assemble...Bah, never mind! In that case, we could also just mount 2 straight connectors on a small strip of PCB, a bit like the SNES. And it's already awesome if we have any kind of these connectors! :lol:
I think the FC Twin has right angle connectors and I was kinda fixated on them, but then it dawned on me... Why? These straight pins can just solder down to flat pads on the edge of the PCB! (no need for right angle mounted carrier board or anything.) The straight pins will be *much* easier to insert into the connectors too. (I'm thinking that to save money the pins will just press-fit in instead of being co-molded with the plastic.)

I did that on that little PSX adapter I made years back...

Image

If you look, you'll see the PSX connector has straight pins and they're just laying flat on top of the PCB and soldered in to place. Just to be extra rugged I think we'd put a couple of plastic mounting tabs on the connector and have screws go through the PCB. (like the tabs on a DB9 connector)
Btw, I just bough a PSX controller and implementing the code to read it and also laying down a joypad API. So that's officially another controller option for the Uzebox :D .
Yay! :D

-Clay
User avatar
uze6666
Site Admin
Posts: 4801
Joined: Tue Aug 12, 2008 9:13 pm
Location: Montreal, Canada
Contact:

Re: controller game pad?

Post by uze6666 »

These straight pins can just solder down to flat pads on the edge of the PCB!
Got it! I agree it's much simpler like that.

Uze
CompMan
Posts: 91
Joined: Mon Aug 25, 2008 3:48 am
Location: Kent, WA

Re: controller game pad?

Post by CompMan »

It is starting to look like Parallax makes the NES connectors in house. But they are willing to get some for me. I am still looking for a SNES connector supplier.

Compman
Post Reply