Forgive me for I know not what I do....

[MichaelVanquish]

Hi there, I Googled for this, but since I am an absolute electronics novice, I don't even know what to type into Google so I didn't find an answer.

The question is, I'm trying to make a simple switch. The problem I want it to solve is this: I have a commodore 64 with two 9-pin din joystick inputs and one joystick. The joystick will work in either port, but I want to make a switch so I don't have to unplug the joystick when I want to change ports, I just want to flick a switch, for convenience but to save wear on the important part too, the 64 itself.

Is that explanation clear enough? Two input sockets, one joystick, a switch to choose which port it's connected too.

I don't know what your 64 knowledge is like but I'm pretty sure not all 9 pins are relevant for a joystick with only five switches.... one for each cardinal point and the fire button. Here is a diagram:

http://www.cbmitapages.it/tecnico/con3.gif

My basic idea is I should be able to buy two nine pin female din connectors, the kind you usually find on the plug end of a joystick lead, and one 9 pin male socket, the kind you usually find on the side of a 64. Between them I should be able to solder a switch which selects which port is connected to the joystick.

My first problem is I don't even know the correct terminology: What's the name of a switch which reroutes nine lines in either one direction or another? Is there such a thing? And what's the name for a cable with something like 6 or 7 wires running through it?

Mainly though, what do I need to do to make this little baby work???



Thanks in advance for any help you are willing to supply.



Mike.

 

[Gryd3]

Hi there, I Googled for this, but since I am an absolute electronics novice, I don't even know what to type into Google so I didn't find an answer.

The question is, I'm trying to make a simple switch. The problem I want it to solve is this: I have a commodore 64 with two 9-pin din joystick inputs and one joystick. The joystick will work in either port, but I want to make a switch so I don't have to unplug the joystick when I want to change ports, I just want to flick a switch, for convenience but to save wear on the important part too, the 64 itself.

Is that explanation clear enough? Two input sockets, one joystick, a switch to choose which port it's connected too.

I don't know what your 64 knowledge is like but I'm pretty sure not all 9 pins are relevant for a joystick with only five switches.... one for each cardinal point and the fire button. Here is a diagram:

http://www.cbmitapages.it/tecnico/con3.gif

My basic idea is I should be able to buy two nine pin female din connectors, the kind you usually find on the plug end of a joystick lead, and one 9 pin male socket, the kind you usually find on the side of a 64. Between them I should be able to solder a switch which selects which port is connected to the joystick.

My first problem is I don't even know the correct terminology: What's the name of a switch which reroutes nine lines in either one direction or another? Is there such a thing? And what's the name for a cable with something like 6 or 7 wires running through it?

Mainly though, what do I need to do to make this little baby work???



Thanks in advance for any help you are willing to supply.



Mike.

I started eye-balling the ground and power pins on those pinout... Do you know if the pins are active high or active low?

Depending on the behaviour of the wires, I would suggest using an IC and some logic instead of a 9 conductor switch... A simple switch could either enable or disable the IC (if it were a 'buffer') or work together with AND gates to route the button pushes.

 

[davenn]

I started eye-balling the ground and power pins on those pinout... Do you know if the pins are active high or active low?

Depending on the behaviour of the wires, I would suggest using an IC and some logic instead of a 9 conductor switch... A simple switch could either enable or disable the IC (if it were a 'buffer') or work together with AND gates to route the button pushes.

before doing that,
the first thing to do would be to open up the joystick and see exactly how many wires are in the cable going back to the din plug.
It's 20+ yrs since I was repairing Commodore and Atari computers and unfortunately all my info has long since disappeared in my previous country of residence.
But google is a wonderful thing ... typing in .... commodore C64 joystick wiring .....
I came up with 100's of hits for circuit/connector info for the joystick port to refresh my memory

The C 64 looks to be a 9 pin D- connector, not a DIN connector
compared to the C16 which is a DIN connector

so a 5pole 2 way switch would do the trick as you don't have to switch the ground

Dave

 

[Laplace]

This seems like it might be of interest:

http://pdxcug.org/commodore_joystick_switch.asp

 

[CDRIVE]

I may be all wet here but after looking at these images...
https://www.google.com/search?q=com..._VIoL9ggTqmIHACA&ved=0CB4QsAQ&biw=979&bih=461

I can't help but ponder if simply switching the GND (pin8) using a (far more common) SPDT switch would work?

Chris

 

[Gryd3]

I may be all wet here but after looking at these images...
https://www.google.com/search?q=com..._VIoL9ggTqmIHACA&ved=0CB4QsAQ&biw=979&bih=461

I can't help but ponder if simply switching the GND (pin8) using a (far more common) SPDT switch would work?

Chris

I'd say that entirely depends on if the ground between the two ports are common or not because the entire assemble will be connected to one or the other. Electrically if they are common, it won't matter which one is used will it?

I think the only option is to switch the signal lines... either with a multi-pole switch, or an SPDT with some digital logic on a little board.

Remember the op is wanting to use one joystick on both inputs of the console... so kind of like a KVM switch on a PC.

 

[CDRIVE]

Remember the op is wanting to use one joystick on both inputs of the console... so kind of like a KVM switch on a PC.

Ha, I transposed what he wanted to do. I thought he wanted to use 2 joysticks on one console. Maybe I'm getting too much fresh air!

Chris

 

[Gryd3]

Ha, I transposed what he wanted to do. I thought he wanted to use 2 joysticks on one console. Maybe I'm getting too much fresh air!

Chris

I figured that's what you thought
And that can happen with too little fresh air, too much.little sleep, too much anything. Don't worry about it