For Sale CD32-Compatible Automatic Joystick/Mouse Switcher

  • Thread starter Thread starter SukkoPera
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bozzerbigd said:
OK, so I've got one unit working as advertised with the CD32 music player but it's very twitchy and can work or not work depending on which of my official CD32 pads are plugged in (possibly different signal strengh or tolerances between pads?)!
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@SukkoPera

So what do you think is the solution? Making extenders out of copper wire/boosting the output signal? Troubleshooting the CD32 functionality? It would be easier to quality assure these if they fitted the standard Amiga joystick port layout without needing the extender you produce IMHO. Could the board be redesigned so that it extends further out to avoid the adjacent joystick plug?

Maybe you could offer a high quality 90 degree adapter that is proven to work as an option?
 
I'll take a unit to an Amiga show next week and do some more testing/ask for suggestions. Happy to help.
 
SukkoPera - Can you test the switcher with Base Jumpers (WHDLoad), for me the fire button to jump does not register at all however all other movements do. Setting the controller to either CD32 joypad or joystick in the options makes no difference too.
 
Sorry for being so slow at replying, but work, life and other projects got inbetween.

@jd64 Will do ASAP. Did you try controllers from both ports?

@bozzerbigd I have been thinking about it, as the problems you are experiencing go way beyond what I was expecting, even if I said "no returns", I offer you to send the adapters back to me so that I can retest them, make sure that they work up to par, and send them back to you (the latter at my own expense).
 
SukkoPera said:
@jd64 Will do ASAP. Did you try controllers from both ports?
Click to expand...

No, I will and report back. btw I'm using a short DB9 ribbon extension cable to attach the switcher to the Amiga's port. I can try attach the switcher directly and see if it makes any difference.
 
I plugged the switcher directly into the Amiga's port bypassing the extension cable and also tried swapping the mouse and joypad around on each port but unfortunately this made no difference, the joypad's fire button still doesn't get detected but the mouse left click is.
 
@SukkoPera

I could send one of the units with your extender unit back to you (and a 90 degree adapter of mine if that would be useful to you?) for you to test further. I am running the other unit in 2-button mode on my big box Amiga and that is OK to be honest as I seldom play CD32 games on it. Let me know if your offer to take a look at it and then return at your cost still stands. Thanks.
 
Declaring interest.
Hi ! Definitely interested in one or two of those for my Amiga 1200 + MiSTer arcade cab ! I'll use some extension cables after the adapter (not between the Amiga and the adapter).

I'll kinda miss the mousewheel but that's a compromise ;)

Thx so much !!
 
SukkoPera said:
Sorry for being so slow at replying, but work, life and other projects got inbetween.

@jd64 Will do ASAP. Did you try controllers from both ports?

@bozzerbigd I have been thinking about it, as the problems you are experiencing go way beyond what I was expecting, even if I said "no returns", I offer you to send the adapters back to me so that I can retest them, make sure that they work up to par, and send them back to you (the latter at my own expense).
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Following testing over the past couple of years, I have some ideas about what went wrong with this project. From monitoring mouse behaviour (95% reliable) the switcher is VERY sensitive to alignment issues especially when using the provided extender. I don't pretend to understand the tolerances at play but if the board is at slightly the wrong angle or not pushed in the right amount into the mouse port the adapter ceases to work reliably in the Y-axis, it also has a more stubborn issue with the Y-Axis control (even if it is generally working) once the right mouse button is pushed hence making menu control a nightmare! There does seem to be an optimum angle/insertion condition that causes these issues to cease. These seem like connection issues that could be ironed out with future revisions. Obviously, any third party cable extender greatly amplifies these problems and the switcher really has to be plugged directly into the Amiga, although I have had success with the board plugged into a right angled adapter first with it running in standard 2-button mode.

I don't know whether you are still working on this but I would guess that you were close to greatness and a further revision possibly with the extender built into the unit would have made this 99.9% reliable even with the CD32 controller as planned!
 
Thanks for your feedback after so much use :). I'm not working on this thing nor on any other Amiga-related stuff, but I can tell you I have recently sold the two adapters I had built from scratch for testing after your issue reports and the buy seems happy with them.

This fact, together with your report seems to indicate that the issues you are facing might be due to a bad connector (I mean the female DB-9 connector on the board). I don't remember what connectors I used but I might have had a bad batch of those when I built yours and jd64's boards. Any chances of getting those replaced? That might fix all your issues.
 
SukkoPera said:
Thanks for your feedback after so much use :). I'm not working on this thing nor on any other Amiga-related stuff, but I can tell you I have recently sold the two adapters I had built from scratch for testing after your issue reports and the buy seems happy with them.

This fact, together with your report seems to indicate that the issues you are facing might be due to a bad connector (I mean the female DB-9 connector on the board). I don't remember what connectors I used but I might have had a bad batch of those when I built yours and jd64's boards. Any chances of getting those replaced? That might fix all your issues.
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Where do you recommend sourcing 'better' connectors?
 
SukkoPera said:
You can get this one for instance: https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/norcomp-inc/182-009-213R181/858348

(Thanks @sampedenawa)

I think shipping will be expensive for just a couple of connectors though, you might also look for something on eBay. Either that or anything that has more or less the same dimensions and comes from a reputable manufacturer, like Norcomp, Amphenol, etc.
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Where did you get yours from then? What was that manufacturer or just generic Chinese parts? Just need to know what to avoid. Does this likely affect your extenders too!
 
I have a bit of both, "good parts" I buy from Mouser or other well-known sellers and also Chinese stuff. Honestly I can't recall which ports I used in your switchers but they are probably from China (you can easily check, those from reputable suppliers generally have an embossed logo).

Nevertheless, I only had one case where a Chinese port caused trouble (over hundreds I assembled, and the port did not work at all), so I assume they are rather reliable (unlike electrolytic capacitors, batteries or SD cards for instance, never buy those from China!). But well, that's the only explanation I can come up with in your case, so you might be the 2nd troublesome case.

(This still sounds odd though, since I remember I had actually tested those switchers, and the 2 more I built (which the guy seems to be happy with) were likely built with the same components as those were what I had on hand at the moment...).

This might also apply to the extenders, for sure, but I never had any problems at all with those ports.
 
The two switchers I have generally work fine however some games like Base Jumpers the fire button doesn't register at all, not sure why this is the case. It's unlikely the DB9 connectors are faulty either if some games register the fire button but some don't?
 
@SukkoPera - Just a quick update, I tested my Competition Pro CD32 joypad with the switcher and it is working fine, no problems at all. The problems I were experiencing with BaseJumpers seem to down to my Ktrl joypad rather than the switcher itself, for some reason it is not fully compatible with the switcher. I had the same problems with Swos, the fire button not registering but again this is all working fine on my other joypad.
 
jd64 said:
@SukkoPera - Just a quick update, I tested my Competition Pro CD32 joypad with the switcher and it is working fine, no problems at all. The problems I were experiencing with BaseJumpers seem to down to my Ktrl joypad rather than the switcher itself, for some reason it is not fully compatible with the switcher. I had the same problems with Swos, the fire button not registering but again this is all working fine on my other joypad.
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Are you using the port extenders! Is the switcher in CD32 or 2-button mode? The limitations are more obvious using the mouse than the joystick however the fact signals fon't always get through cleanly may explain why the CD32 mode is so flakey in my experience.
 
I tested with and without port extenders plus CD32 mode and normal mode but the result were the same either way, so I think it's just down to some incompatibility with my Ktrl joypad as my competition pro pad works just fine. The switcher is really great and useful when paired with this and a mouse, works perfect.

You're right about the port extenders tough as I have noticed that my mouse, especially movement can act glitchy when port extenders are used. It really needs good contact or this can happen.
 
jd64 said:
I tested with and without port extenders plus CD32 mode and normal mode but the result were the same either way, so I think it's just down to some incompatibility with my Ktrl joypad as my competition pro pad works just fine. The switcher is really great and useful when paired with this and a mouse, works perfect.

You're right about the port extenders tough as I have noticed that my mouse, especially movement can act glitchy when port extenders are used. It really needs good contact or this can happen.
Click to expand...
So we are in agreement that if the shape of the circuit board was amended so that extenders were not necessary this would probably work great! I need to use a 90 degree adapter on my one Amiga and definitely need the extender on the other so this IS sub-optimal for me sadly. Any drop in signal quality affects this greatly!
 
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