Re: TI-H: Joystick connector

To: <ti-hardware@lists.ticalc.org>
Subject: Re: TI-H: Joystick connector
From: "Robert Brack" <reb@netride.com>
Date: Thu, 12 Feb 1998 18:40:15 -0500
Reply-To: ti-hardware@lists.ticalc.org

I know relays are awkward, but I couldn't figure out how to get a transistor
to do it right.  If anyone has any ideas, please send them.  As for messing
up your calc, there is a very simple way to do it.  Get some thin copper
wire (like phone wire) and strip about 1/16th of an inch off the end.  Take
apart your calc, and take out all of the screws holding the main board in.
Look on the front, find the buttons you want to use, and look at the
circuitry.  There are lots of little holes all over, find one connecting to
the button you want.  Stick the wire through and put JUST A LITTLE BIT of
solder on, just enough.  If you put a big ball on, the buttons may not work
right.  Make sure you put one on each side of the button.  Good luck to
anyone who tries it.
-----Original Message-----
From: Osma Suominen <ozone@clinet.fi>
To: ti-hardware@lists.ticalc.org <ti-hardware@lists.ticalc.org>
Date: Thursday, February 12, 1998 1:47 PM
Subject: Re: TI-H: Joystick connector


>
>Robert Brack wrote:
>
>>
>> It wouldn't really matter whether it was a 9 or 15 pin, but mine is a
>> 15-pin.  I found a joystick that I'm going to use, it is a SMALL 1in. X
1in.
>> X 2 in.!  Basically,  whenever the joystick is moved, a relay is pulled
and
>> then any key (whichever you solder the relay to) is pressed.  Pretty
simple.
>
>Using relays sounds pretty awkward. They use lots of power (compared to
>e.g. transistors) and take up much space. Besides, I doubt that people will
>want to mess with the internals of their calcs just to get a joystick
>connected to it.
>
>> Since joysticks have a calibration knob, this idea will work.  As for a
>> gamepad. . .  You would need a special port just for it.  You would have
to
>> double the wires going to the gamepad, because they will have to diectly
>> short the keys.  I will have plans soon for a port that can be used by
both,
>> with a modification to the gamepad.  Since a 15-pin port would be hard to
>> put on a TI-86 (or any other calc) and getting the cover to fit, I am
going
>> to use a small phone (or any other) port that will fit, but I will have
to
>> make an adapter.  I'm working on an interface for the link port, but I
>> haven't gotten that far, and I don't know if there are enough people who
>> would want that.  If you have any suggestions or comments, e-mail me at
>> reb@netride.com or, just reply to this message.
>
>I think using the link port is much more feasible, as it doesn't involve
>the risk of breaking your calc. Another option, as someone suggested, is to
>make a small stick and stick it to the center of the cursor keys, so that
>it presses the keys when it is moved. I think someone has already tested
>this, but I'm not sure.
>
>-Ozone
>
>--
>*** Osma Suominen *** ozone@clinet.fi *** http://www.clinet.fi/~ozone ***
>
>