USB game controllers and mice

[GUNHED]

Sorry, but the signals stay switched on for a time still way too long (1 second).


Please load FutureOS into your M4 card and move the mouse arrow. Then compare to version 1.0.6 (or more early). It's easy to see. Good luck!

[genesis8]

A french site was talking about another electronic device to do the same thing than the imperium, so I wrote a message about this cpcwiki thread.
https://www.minimachines.net/actu/mouster-91143/

[Gryzor]

A french site was talking about another electronic device to do the same thing than the imperium, so I wrote a message about this cpcwiki thread.
https://www.minimachines.net/actu/mouster-91143/

MouSTer looks nice, but aren't there USB solutions for the ST and the Amiga already?

[Duke]

MouSTer looks nice, but aren't there USB solutions for the ST and the Amiga already?

I think there is lots of PS/2 "USB" adapters, but true USB only recently.

[Gryzor]

Ah, ok. Is there an advantage though?

[Duke]

Ah, ok. Is there an advantage though?

Yes, many modern USB mouse do not support PS/2 mode. And of course you cant use USB gamepads either when you only have PS/2 interface.

[Gryzor]

Learn something new every day! Thanks!

[Duke]

Sorry, but the signals stay switched on for a time still way too long (1 second).


Please load FutureOS into your M4 card and move the mouse arrow. Then compare to version 1.0.6 (or more early). It's easy to see. Good luck!

Thanks @GUNHED , tested and working as it should again !

For anyone using mouse mode, please upgrade to v1.1.6 from here:
https://imperium.spinpoint.org

Look under "Firmware Downloads"

[GUNHED]

Good news: It works.

Addition: If I move the mouse slowly, then the device doesn't send a signal, so no move on screen.

[Duke]

No update, just some showing off..

Whenever I managed to build an Imperium Solo (non debug version) for myself, it wouldn't be many days before it was shipped out to a customer (build new one or send out existing? - it's like not doing your homework!).
Today I decided to spoil myself and integrated 2 Imperium Solos to my 6128 Plus, so I cannot (easily) ship them to a customer

A few pics if anyone is interested.

My 6128+ had a "tape" socket mod when I purchased it many moons ago, this was removed (I don't like tapes!), but there was a DIN socket hole in the case from this, which I re-used for the dual USB connector, that's why the hole is not a perfect fit square!

There is room for pinheaders next to each joystick port, the pinout, if not documented elsewhere:

PIN	JP01	JP02
1	GND	GND
2	UP	UP
3	FIRE 2	FIRE 2
4	DOWN	DOWN
5	FIRE 1	FIRE 1
6	LEFT	LEFT
7	COM	COM2
8	RIGHT	RIGHT
9	COM2	N/C

Happy new year.

[Gryzor]

Oh, can you sell me a 6128+ with two Solo integrated? 😀

[Duke]

Oh, can you sell me a 6128+ with two Solo integrated? 😀

Noooooooo!       

[Kristof]

Hi Duke,
Nice piece of hardware. I'm looking for one for my CD32.

[genesis8]

Can I use the photos on my web site ?

[Skunkfish]

First CPC with USB ports built-in?! 
So are the regular joystick ports still usable with this mod? (I mean, not at the same time as a USB controller/mouse - that would be mad!)

[Duke]

Can I use the photos on my web site ?

Of course.
I attached another one with two wireless pads connected if any use.

First CPC with USB ports built-in?!  So are the regular joystick ports still usable with this mod? (I mean, not at the same time as a USB controller/mouse - that would be mad!)

The regular Joystick ports still work yes and they also work simultaneously with the USB controllers.

[GUNHED]

Nice! That's a real plus 

[ajcasado]

Hi Duke,
I'm very happy with the pair of imperiums solos you sold me, they work great with a custom 14 diodes Y cable (http://www.cpcwiki.eu/index.php/File:Joystick.jpg).

I have a suggestion, may be someone else or you have also think about it, but it could be useful to have a mode in which the readings from the analog sticks or triggers are converted in a proportional PWM pulse sequence to drive the CPC joystick port to achieve some kind of pseudo analog response in games that can take profit from this kind of control (i.e. simulation games or driving games,).

Sometimes I play this kind of games using "manual PWM "  and it work well.

[Hammer]

A french site was talking about another electronic device to do the same thing than the imperium, so I wrote a message about this cpcwiki thread.
https://www.minimachines.net/actu/mouster-91143/

I just bought the MouSTer. It's availabel here. But it doesn't work on the Amstrad CPC, because it uses power supply provides by the joystick port itself. Which is no problem on the Commodore C64. But the device stays dead on the Amstrad due to it's lack of voltage. So question to the @Duke: is there a way to wire power supply to the joystick port?

[Duke]

A french site was talking about another electronic device to do the same thing than the imperium, so I wrote a message about this cpcwiki thread.
https://www.minimachines.net/actu/mouster-91143/

I just bought the MouSTer. It's availabel here. But it doesn't work on the Amstrad CPC, because it uses power supply provides by the joystick port itself. Which is no problem on the Commodore C64. But the device stays dead on the Amstrad due to it's lack of voltage. So question to the @Duke: is there a way to wire power supply to the joystick port?

You could make a bypass adapter and connect it to the PSU of the Amstrad as well.
Unless they have specific mode for the Amstrad, I doubt it will work though. Signals should only be driven when COMx is low.
So Amstrad CPC requires some more effort than other computers.

[MiguelSky]

Tried to experiment with a custom mode, for those interested below is a video of the result.
It's sending 5 bits of delta X and Y + sign bit, so 6 bits total for each delta coordinate and 1 bit to indicate if its X or Y.
The program I wrote quickly to test, is in mode 2 and only reads  the mouse once per frame.



The result is much better than my AMX mode test, also beware I am no artist

Here is the code to read the DX/DY values:

Code Select Expand

    ld a,0x49
    call key_scan

    bit 5,a        ; 0 = delta X, 1 = delta Y
    jr    nz,isDeltaY
   
    ld hl,(xpos)
    bit 6,a        ; check sign bit
    jr nz, dx_not_signed
    and 0x1F        ; keep lower 5 bits
    ld e,a
    ld d,0
    or a
    sbc hl,de
    ld (xpos),hl
    jr    delta_done
dx_not_signed:       
    and 0x1F        ; keep lower 5 bits
    ld e,a
    ld d,0
    add hl,de
    ld (xpos),hl
    jr    delta_done
isDeltaY:
    ld a,0x49
    call key_scan
    ...
    ; same stuff as for DX
delta_done:   
    ...
   
xpos: dw 0
ypos: dw 0


I will have to up the format to two more packet, as I don't have room for buttons in this mode when compatible with CPC plus (no fire3), the ID bit to be 2 bits (00, 01, 10)
So like this:
ID DATA
00 XXXX
01 XXBB
10 YYYY
11 YYBB

Also Basic wont like my packet sending when its scanning the keyboard, so need to figure out how to "enable" enhanced mode.. Maybe just a button on the PCB (yeah sucks) or press both mouse buttons when inserting (otherwise AMX mode).

Let me know what the you think.

@Duke:What happened with this? I tried today a bunch of games Syx patched to work with Amiga mice but they are not working with my Imperium Solo 😩

I asked SyX if would be possible also to patch to use with it and he says the solution needs to have that feature working, he could do the required fixing in those games patch.

Did you finally found any way to implement delta axis and buttons reading?

Greetings

[GUNHED]

There are solutions for the CPC Joystick-Port to read proportional values (f.e. the AtariST mouse adapter). It would be great if the 'new feature' could be compatible to something already existing.