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View Full Version : What consoles controller wiring would be closest to the Jaguars?



courtesi1
07-18-2011, 09:51 PM
Pro-Controllers are a bitch to find and even then I'm not entirely excited about them. I recently found one for sale and purchased it expecting a dramatic difference - like a 20%-30% reduction in size, better for small hands, etc..

It's different but not THAT different.

So I thought that since there are so many quality joysticks for other consoles that I could build an adapter that would allow me to piggy back onto the jags signal. Basically a "Y" adapter would probably be easiest. That way the pad would still be usable and if the controller breaks I can plug in another one.

So the question is which consoles wiring would be the easiest to tame?

goatdan
07-18-2011, 10:21 PM
So the question is which consoles wiring would be the easiest to tame?

I wouldn't look at wiring, I'd look at what has the same general layout. And from that standpoint, you're probably looking at Genesis or Saturn. Not much else has the three button layout that I can think of offhand that is also decent to hold.

I'd go with a 6 button Genesis controller. But, I also don't think it would be easy.

kedawa
07-18-2011, 10:58 PM
I don't understand why you'd want a y-adapter unless you want to connect one controller to two consoles(or vice-versa) at the same time.
I've seen mods to convert Genesis pads to other systems, like CD32, Sharp X68000, and FM Towns Marty, but I'm not sure about the Jag.

courtesi1
07-18-2011, 11:07 PM
I don't understand why you'd want a y-adapter unless you want to connect one controller to two consoles(or vice-versa) at the same time.
I've seen mods to convert Genesis pads to other systems, like CD32, Sharp X68000, and FM Towns Marty, but I'm not sure about the Jag.

The Jaguar controller is huge and the keypad is a big part of the reason. It would be nicer to leave the pad connected on the Y (connected to a single Jaguar) for those times when it is necessary to start a game. You would then control the rest of the game using a Genny/Saturn pad.

Thinking back on the Jags history they did sue Sega because they used their controller tech in the past so it can't be far off.

I'd like to know what the owners of Atari were smoking when they came out with it. I'm surprised no third party came out with an alternative controller. An arcade stick or a better/alternative pad would have sold like hot cakes.

goatdan
07-18-2011, 11:17 PM
The suing had to do, I think, with the Genesis controller using the same port as the Atari controller. I don't remember how it was settled though. Having said that, the Genesis controller is in no way like the Atari controller as far as I know.

I think the Jaguar controller has a chip in it to help convert the signal. If that is right, a simple Y adapter will not work. I've worked around in Jaguar controllers many times, but I really don't remember what they were like.

DogP
07-19-2011, 01:40 AM
Pro-Controllers are a bitch to find and even then I'm not entirely excited about them. I recently found one for sale and purchased it expecting a dramatic difference - like a 20%-30% reduction in size, better for small hands, etc..

It's different but not THAT different.

So I thought that since there are so many quality joysticks for other consoles that I could build an adapter that would allow me to piggy back onto the jags signal. Basically a "Y" adapter would probably be easiest. That way the pad would still be usable and if the controller breaks I can plug in another one.

So the question is which consoles wiring would be the easiest to tame?

http://uhaweb.hartford.edu/GAYNOR/touchtone.jpg
LOL seriously... the controller uses a matrix of rows and columns like the matrix on a touchtone phone for doing DTMF (keypads and keyboards typically use a similar matrix). I don't know of any consoles that used a similar system... by the time the more complex controllers came out, I think they all used ICs internally and sent the data serially. The Intellivision used a different system, by encoding/decoding button combinations on 9 pins.

BTW, here's the Jaguar matrix pinout and some details: http://emudocs.org/Jaguar/Controllers/jagcont.html

DogP

Stringfellow
07-20-2011, 11:45 PM
what would be awesome is finding a way to use a Jaguar pad on the 5200