Spectrum Computing

Greetings chaps!
As title of post said, I look forward to take advantage of owning an old joystick that as you know, has RS 232 interface (COM)
Any advice? I.E. Tutorial, manual. . . Important to note that I mean using it on the COM port, ibmPC

Can't say I've seen one. The internet doesn't show me anything.

Got a photo?

OK I'll post photo soon

https://www.google.com/search?client=ms ... 1wOLgGMQ8M

I was going to shoot photo m yself but this is basically


as you can see, port is your average COM

Um, are you sure it connects to a RS232 serial port on a PC?

Back in the 1980s, most ‘PCs’ used a 25 way D connector for their RS232 serial ports. While ‘digital’ switched joysticks used 9 way D connectors. Inside a ‘digital’ switched joystick, there is no electronic circuitry at all (unless the joystick has an auto-fire feature). Switches detect the position of the stick.

To use a joystick on a PC back then, you bought a sound card that also had a joystick port, but these used a 15 way D connector p, because they used analogue joysticks that had pots (potentiometers - variable resistors) to detect the position of the stick.

I’ve never heard of a joystick that connects to a RS232 serial port before.

Following the link you provided, one image shows the box that the joystick was supplied in. The list of computers are those that use Atari style joysticks, which are switched joysticks with a 9 way D connector...

Mark

Isn't it using a standard Atari joystick plug, otherwise known as 9 pin din or DB9, like the other Quickshot joysticks ?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari_joystick_port

In that case you can use it on a Spectrum with most joystick adapters, or I'm using my Atari joysticks, paddles and Quickshot joystick using USB adapters that are not so hard to find. I got them working with Spectrum games using Retroarch, haven't really tried with the other emulators.

Just search on USB Atari joystick adapter

1024MAK wrote: ↑Sat Dec 19, 2020 11:43 pm Um, are you sure it connects to a RS232 serial port on a PC?

Mark

Of course. In fact it connects ' physically'
Problem is, there is no device drivers to make good use.
It's a DB9 typical COM. I wish it could run just like an ordinary old mouse.
With so many Youtube Tutorials I had the hope to be some related (if not in webpage format that I prefer).

To be more precise, I remember an old tuto in an Amstrad magazine to make a joy pad. Don't remember interface, it could be the proper DB9. It was 1989 or so.

It's NOT A COM PORT PLUG. It's an Atari-type joystick plug.
You need an Atari 9-Pin joystick to USB adapter if you want to connect it to a PC.

Joysticks and Joysticks ports

Here are three of my joysticks. They all have 9 way D connectors and are all ATARI compatible switch type joysticks. So are suitable with all 1980 and 1990 home computers that have 9 way D connectors wired to the Atari standard. That includes all the digital joystick interfaces made for the ZX Spectrum.

Quickjoy:



ZiPSTiK:



Terminator:



This has two connectors, one (the black one) is wired to the Atari standard, the other (the grey one) is wired to to suit the Amstrad made Sinclair +2/+2A/+2B/+3 computers.

Kempston joystick interface for the ZX Spectrum or ZX81:


Combined joystick and cartridge interface for the ZX Spectrum:


Both of these interfaces are wired for joysticks wired to the Atari standard.

Commodore 64C joystick (control) ports:

The Commodore 64C has control (joystick) ports that are also wired to the Atari standard.

ALL of the above equipment uses 5V digital ports, NOT serial RS232. If you plug a digital joystick wired to the Atari standard into a serial RS232 port, it will NOT work, and the computers serial RS232 port may be damaged.

Mark

Very kind your words, gentlemen (and your photos).

So it looks like I was hoping in vain to be everything this more straightforward.

The key is that being physically compatible to a DB9 COM I thought that was enough, while it's all wired internally in an Atari fashion.

Great to see so many models with that same interface.