Special/Interesting controllers for MiSTer

[Sorgelig]

Here i plan to post interesting controllers i've got and successfully adopted to MiSTer.
I won't post generic gamepads as i'm sure modern USB gamepads are much better than any old generic one.

Paddle/Spinner controller:
Some cores are better with either spinner or paddle controller. I've used Atari 2600 driving controller (Atari 2600 paddle can be modded the same way):

spinner.jpg (493.97 KiB) Viewed 15108 times

Original spinner inside is pure rubbish, so i've replaced it with Arduino rotary encoder shield. Together with Arduino Micro it gives a good USB controller.

spinner_int.jpg (464.49 KiB) Viewed 15108 times

Arduino rotary encoder originally has clicking mechanism which is better to disable for free rotation and higher resolution (one click is 4 steps). Fortunately the rotary encoder is easy to disassemble, so i flattened the internal "pimple" and thus disabled the clicks.

Here is the mr.Spinner firmware project for Arduino Micro:
https://github.com/MiSTer-devel/Retro-C ... rollersUSB
Besides the spinner, it also emulates the paddle controller. So you get 2 in 1 controller. Project supports 2 controllers in a single board.

MiSTer detects this controller and overlays it on top of any other existing controller. So you may use for example DualShock4 as your main controller and mr.Spinner which adds additionally spinner and paddle the the same player.

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Super Famicom NTT gamepad:

ntt.jpg (521.5 KiB) Viewed 15108 times

It has many buttons, so can be useful in such cores as Coleco Vision, Intellivision where phone pad is used in controller. Or simply for some core requiring many buttons.

This is internals of the mod:

ntt_int.jpg (909.36 KiB) Viewed 15108 times

Firmware for Arduino Micro is here:
https://github.com/MiSTer-devel/Retro-C ... rollersUSB
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Mad Catz Arcade Stick 360:
This is nice gamepad giving many different ways to control the game. Here you can see traditional long analog stick, D-PAD, small analog stick, and even spinner - wow!

madcatz.jpg (385.6 KiB) Viewed 15108 times

Because my controller died from unknown reason, i've decided to revive it using Teensy 3.2. Mod looks quite messy, but it's just connection of every button/axis to the teensy:

madcatz_int.jpg (1.78 MiB) Viewed 15108 times

I've added some special modes like swapping the sticks, better spinner mode and paddle emulation. So overall now it's pretty much universal arcade stick.
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Namco Playstation JogCon:

This is wonderful controller! Not only it has spinner, it also has force feedback!

jogcon.jpg (709.75 KiB) Viewed 15108 times

After some exploration in undocumented features i've made the mod fully utilizing this controller:

jogcon_int.jpg (820.67 KiB) Viewed 15108 times

Not only it has paddle emulation, it uses the motor to show the limits, so you feel it like real paddle with stoppers. Also it has steering wheel mode where jog will automatically go back to center. Spy Hunter (and Turbo Tag) control is great with this mode.
Firmware for Arduino Micro is here:
https://github.com/MiSTer-devel/Retro-C ... /JogConUSB

[deepthaw]

That Super Famixom NTT controller is hilarious yet awesome. Seeing the JogCon made me remember the neGcon controller. God I loved that thing.

[Kreeblah]

Are there any schematics anywhere for building a Mr. Spinner from an off-the-shelf spinner knob and a button, rather than modding an existing controller?

[Sorgelig]

Are there any schematics anywhere for building a Mr. Spinner from an off-the-shelf spinner knob and a button, rather than modding an existing controller?

Schematic for buttons - are you kidding? Just connect the button and 2-phase spinner to pins mentioned in Arduino project file.

[mmmonkey]

You can make an external adapter for the JogCon, no modification of the actual pad necessary

Edit - just got home and found the picture I made as a reference...

JogConUSB-pinout.png (261.89 KiB) Viewed 14951 times

A note i left to myself after reading on the old forum was to use an ItsyBitsy board by Adafruit, as it has the correct 3.3v on it. I used a cheap PS1 to USB adapter for the housing and joypad port, it was a 2 player adapter, i don't have 3d printing skill or equipment so just cut some black plastic to shape and stuck it inside to block off where controller 2 was etc.

IMG_9555.jpg (91.05 KiB) Viewed 14951 times

IMG_9556.jpg (97.57 KiB) Viewed 14951 times

Pete

[LamerDeluxe]

That Super Famixom NTT controller is hilarious yet awesome. Seeing the JogCon made me remember the neGcon controller. God I loved that thing.

The neGcon works with MiSTer, when used with a Playstation controller USB adapter.

[lupin3rd]

A note i left to myself after reading on the old forum was to use an ItsyBitsy board by Adafruit, as it has the correct 3.3v on it.

Can you elaborate on what you meant specifically by "it has the correct 3.3v on it"? I have some spare Arduino nano boards lying about, and I was preparing to build the JogCon interface per Sorgelig's project. If they are incapable, or if there's an issue with the 3.3v on them, I'll order something else instead of using my surplus stock of nanos.

Thanks!

[sv650touring]

Would it work if I use a 3.3v/8mhz Pro Micro and pull 5v off the RAW pin? I've read the Playstation vibration motors run off of some voltage higher than 5v. Would there be any benefit to increasing the 5v to that voltage?

[Slein]

I made a small pcb for MrSpinner. It was an experiment in pcb cutouts, but maybe someone has a use for it.
The cutouts fit the cheap 600p/r rotary encoders from china and a 30mm arcade button.

Find the gerber files and a few more pictures at github.

top.jpg (194.99 KiB) Viewed 13740 times

[djsquare]

I made a small pcb for MrSpinner. It was an experiment in pcb cutouts, but maybe someone has a use for it.
The cutouts fit the cheap 600p/r rotary encoders from china and a 30mm arcade button.

Find the gerber files and a few more pictures at github.

top.jpg

I would totally buy one of these and probably buy 2 if it works with the Pong core. Fantastic work but I'm too dumb and doubt I could put one of these together myself

[Slein]

Sorry, i'm not into selling things.

Theres not much to it, i only layd down the wires to pcb traces. With the pcb its only soldering colored wires to the right places. The led and extra buttons are optional. I will add more info to the github page on what to solder where.

Many thanks to sorgelig for implementing all this stuff, to me this is reliving some of my very first memories.

MrSpinner works with the pong core, 2 player too.

[lomdar67]

Here i plan to post interesting controllers i've got and successfully adopted to MiSTer.
I won't post generic gamepads as i'm sure modern USB gamepads are much better than any old generic one.

Paddle/Spinner controller:
Some cores are better with either spinner or paddle controller. I've used Atari 2600 driving controller (Atari 2600 paddle can be modded the same way):
spinner.jpg
Original spinner inside is pure rubbish, so i've replaced it with Arduino rotary encoder shield. Together with Arduino Micro it gives a good USB controller.
spinner_int.jpg
Arduino rotary encoder originally has clicking mechanism which is better to disable for free rotation and higher resolution (one click is 4 steps). Fortunately the rotary encoder is easy to disassemble, so i flattened the internal "pimple" and thus disabled the clicks.

Here is the mr.Spinner firmware project for Arduino Micro:
https://github.com/MiSTer-devel/Retro-C ... rollersUSB
Besides the spinner, it also emulates the paddle controller. So you get 2 in 1 controller. Project supports 2 controllers in a single board.

MiSTer detects this controller and overlays it on top of any other existing controller. So you may use for example DualShock4 as your main controller and mr.Spinner which adds additionally spinner and paddle the the same player.

I tried to build one of these for myself. The spinner it self works fine but it seems the button is not working.
How do I hook up the orange button from the controller? I have connected one pin from the button to GPIO 6 on the Arduino and the other pin from the button to GND. When I press the button I have a connect from 6 to GND. Is this correct?

Best regards,
Michael

[lomdar67]

Sorry my bad. The buttons work fine. I'm having problems with the Atari 2600 core and real Spinner games like Indy 500. In Paddle Games like Circus Atari the button works just fine.

[bnjones]

Thanks for sharing your controllers! Unfortunately I don’t have the time these days to tinker much myself, so I’m hoping to find some off the shelf solutions. I’ve got a Namco volume controller and negcon, so I’m hoping that will cover my bases once my raphnet adapter comes in.

I’m also looking around for trackball solution, if anyone has suggestions on that. I’m thinking it would work really well on the Japanese Mega Drive version of Marble Madness since that one has mouse support.

Are there currently any arcade cores that would benefit from a twin stick control scheme?

[sonik]

Namco Playstation JogCon:

This is wonderful controller! Not only it has spinner, it also has force feedback!

After some exploration in undocumented features i've made the mod fully utilizing this controller:

Not only it has paddle emulation, it uses the motor to show the limits, so you feel it like real paddle with stoppers. Also it has steering wheel mode where jog will automatically go back to center. Spy Hunter (and Turbo Tag) control is great with this mode.
Firmware for Arduino Micro is here:
https://github.com/MiSTer-devel/Retro-C ... /JogConUSB

Been using it on MiSTer for some time now and it's amazing!
Thanks for doing the arduino firmware and for implementing paddle/spinner support on the cores.
I have modified a little my firmware to also support mouse mode and be compatible with mame. Mame (at least on windows) cant read the Dial and Wheel from the joystick.

[blacklistedcard]

I'm trying to get the Atari Paddles to work with the Arduino Micro code. So far I have not been successful.

Here is the pin-out when I beeped it out with a DMM.

DB9

PIN #1 ==> RED wire for POT
PIN #2 ==> BROWN wire for Button
PIN #7 ==> VCC ==> Black wire for Button
PIN #8 ==> GND ==> Yellow wire for POT

I also connected the third connection from the pot to the black wire on the button.

DB9 Arduino Micro pin
1 2 RED Wire
2 7 Brown Wire
7 VCC Black Wire
8 GND Yellow Wire

Un-used connector on POT to black wire on Button

[blacklistedcard]

I just finished off a JogCon controller. It's working really great. I could not figure out how to change the modes on the controller until I read the source code with the mode and button combinations.

[blacklistedcard]

I'm trying to get the Atari Paddles to work with the Arduino Micro code. So far I have not been successful.

Here is the pin-out when I beeped it out with a DMM.

DB9

PIN #1 ==> RED wire for POT
PIN #2 ==> BROWN wire for Button
PIN #7 ==> VCC ==> Black wire for Button
PIN #8 ==> GND ==> Yellow wire for POT

I also connected the third connection from the pot to the black wire on the button.

DB9 Arduino Micro pin
1 2 RED Wire
2 7 Brown Wire
7 VCC Black Wire
8 GND Yellow Wire

Un-used connector on POT to black wire on Button

I got the Atari paddles working. Yeah, the resolution is too low for most games.

[jd213]

You can make an external adapter for the JogCon, no modification of the actual pad necessary

Edit - just got home and found the picture I made as a reference...

A note i left to myself after reading on the old forum was to use an ItsyBitsy board by Adafruit, as it has the correct 3.3v on it. I used a cheap PS1 to USB adapter for the housing and joypad port, it was a 2 player adapter, i don't have 3d printing skill or equipment so just cut some black plastic to shape and stuck it inside to block off where controller 2 was etc.

Pete

Thanks for this, it seems to work pretty good in Arkanoid.

Was hoping it would work in rotary games like Jackal and Ikari Warriors, but couldn't get the core to recognize the spinner correctly (tried all the different modes but it would only recognize one of the directions), anyone know if there's a way to get them to work?

[sonik]

Thanks for this, it seems to work pretty good in Arkanoid.

Was hoping it would work in rotary games like Jackal and Ikari Warriors, but couldn't get the core to recognize the spinner correctly (tried all the different modes but it would only recognize one of the directions), anyone know if there's a way to get them to work?

Those games does not have emulated spinner support on MiSTer.

[cptnoe]

You can make an external adapter for the JogCon, no modification of the actual pad necessary

Edit - just got home and found the picture I made as a reference...

A note i left to myself after reading on the old forum was to use an ItsyBitsy board by Adafruit, as it has the correct 3.3v on it. I used a cheap PS1 to USB adapter for the housing and joypad port, it was a 2 player adapter, i don't have 3d printing skill or equipment so just cut some black plastic to shape and stuck it inside to block off where controller 2 was etc.

Pete

hello, did you use the jogcon.ino, or did you use another code??

thx

[jd213]

I believe you want to use JogConUSB.ino from https://github.com/MiSTer-devel/Retro-C ... /JogConUSB

[cptnoe]

Yes, i just did it this morning and it works perfectly, thx to mmmonkey and mister !!!!!!!!

[cptnoe]

hii, i'm back with a question, what does it really mens??

// Spinner pulses per step adjust
// by pressing "mode" button while holding up,right,down,left
if(data[2] & 0xF0)
{
if(data[2] & 0x10) sp_step = 1;
if(data[2] & 0x20) sp_step = 2;
if(data[2] & 0x40) sp_step = 4;
if(data[2] & 0x80) sp_step = 8;

It's about demultiplication ?? or other fonction??

thx for help