robxbl69
Active member
Just wanted to share with you all something I put together over Christmas. PCB's arrived yesterday and I'm pleased (relieved) that all works as expected.
So what is it? Some weeks ago I was on AliExpress and came across this...
Looking at the pinout of the NeoGeo 15 pin connector it seemed perfect to interface with the Amiga and C64. So after a bit of experimentation and my first attempt with KiCad, this is the result. I wanted to make this simple to build, with all through hole components. I know I could have used a resistor network for the pullups etc, but for the first version I wanted to be able to use parts I already had.
I've tested it with my 8BitDo Pro 2 Controller and also with (my sons) XBox Series Controller, PS5 Controller and Nintendo Switch Pro Controller. Although they all call the buttons something different, the button mapping (physical position) is the same on all. See last attached image. The mapping of the top button to UP (forward) can be disabled by cutting JP10 on the rear of the PCB, although I have no idea why you'd want to do this.
One of the many great things with the 8BitDo Pro 2 Controller is that you can remap the buttons using the phone app, so you can easily make the bumper/shoulder buttons duplicate buttons 2 and 3. However if using another controller I've added jumpers to do this.
Another thing you can do with the 8BitDo Pro 2 Controller is swap the D-Pad and the left stick which is so handy depending on the game being played.
In my tests I had trouble powering the NeoGeo interface from my A500+. Although I have healthy +5v on IC's and drives etc, at the joystick port I was only getting around 4.6v and whilst this did make it look like it was working, it wasn't and actually held a number of the pins on the port low. Hence the jumper to power from external USB or from Port 2. The C64 powers it just fine from the joystick port, however one advantage of powering from USB is that the controller doesn't loose connection with the interface if you need to power cycle the C64. For the USB port I gave the option of USB B or using the pin header at the bottom of the board you can use a USB C or Mini/Micro USB break out board (as I've done on the "Amiga Only" version).
As you can see from the pictures, a lot of the components are there for the C64, so I think the next step is to make a much smaller and simpler Amiga only version.
So what's all the extra C64 stuff I hear you ask? The resistors are there to "pull up" the outputs from the NeoGeo interface (the Amiga has internal pullups) and the diodes are there to stop the +5 from the pull up "getting to" the joystick port as the joystick ports on the C64 share the same chip as the keyboard. Best case (without the diodes) is that this stops the keyboard from working, worst case you could cause damage to the C64.
The transistors are there to make the board compatible with games that have been patched for 2/3 buttons, such as...
github.com
I chose not to implement the Select and Start buttons, but this could be added on a future revision if needed?
Port 1 on the board is for C64 games that have not been patched. Taking advantage of the keyboard and joystick ports sharing the same chip, by connecting to the other joystick port on the C64, pressing button 2 presses "Space" and button 3 presses "Return" (along with some other keys). So for example on 100% stock unpatched DropZone button 2 activate the Strata Bomb and button 3 enables/disables the cloak and in Commando button 2 throws a grenade
Button 3 can press other keys (if needed) by cutting a jumper on the rear and soldering across another pad.
Any comments good or bad appreciated. Hopefully all makes sense and there are minimal typo's. Any questions, please ask.
Rob
So what is it? Some weeks ago I was on AliExpress and came across this...
Looking at the pinout of the NeoGeo 15 pin connector it seemed perfect to interface with the Amiga and C64. So after a bit of experimentation and my first attempt with KiCad, this is the result. I wanted to make this simple to build, with all through hole components. I know I could have used a resistor network for the pullups etc, but for the first version I wanted to be able to use parts I already had.
I've tested it with my 8BitDo Pro 2 Controller and also with (my sons) XBox Series Controller, PS5 Controller and Nintendo Switch Pro Controller. Although they all call the buttons something different, the button mapping (physical position) is the same on all. See last attached image. The mapping of the top button to UP (forward) can be disabled by cutting JP10 on the rear of the PCB, although I have no idea why you'd want to do this.
One of the many great things with the 8BitDo Pro 2 Controller is that you can remap the buttons using the phone app, so you can easily make the bumper/shoulder buttons duplicate buttons 2 and 3. However if using another controller I've added jumpers to do this.
Another thing you can do with the 8BitDo Pro 2 Controller is swap the D-Pad and the left stick which is so handy depending on the game being played.
In my tests I had trouble powering the NeoGeo interface from my A500+. Although I have healthy +5v on IC's and drives etc, at the joystick port I was only getting around 4.6v and whilst this did make it look like it was working, it wasn't and actually held a number of the pins on the port low. Hence the jumper to power from external USB or from Port 2. The C64 powers it just fine from the joystick port, however one advantage of powering from USB is that the controller doesn't loose connection with the interface if you need to power cycle the C64. For the USB port I gave the option of USB B or using the pin header at the bottom of the board you can use a USB C or Mini/Micro USB break out board (as I've done on the "Amiga Only" version).
As you can see from the pictures, a lot of the components are there for the C64, so I think the next step is to make a much smaller and simpler Amiga only version.
So what's all the extra C64 stuff I hear you ask? The resistors are there to "pull up" the outputs from the NeoGeo interface (the Amiga has internal pullups) and the diodes are there to stop the +5 from the pull up "getting to" the joystick port as the joystick ports on the C64 share the same chip as the keyboard. Best case (without the diodes) is that this stops the keyboard from working, worst case you could cause damage to the C64.
The transistors are there to make the board compatible with games that have been patched for 2/3 buttons, such as...
GitHub - crystalct/5plusbuttonsJoystick: 5+1 Buttons Joystick for CBM 64/Vic 20
5+1 Buttons Joystick for CBM 64/Vic 20. Contribute to crystalct/5plusbuttonsJoystick development by creating an account on GitHub.
github.com
I chose not to implement the Select and Start buttons, but this could be added on a future revision if needed?
Port 1 on the board is for C64 games that have not been patched. Taking advantage of the keyboard and joystick ports sharing the same chip, by connecting to the other joystick port on the C64, pressing button 2 presses "Space" and button 3 presses "Return" (along with some other keys). So for example on 100% stock unpatched DropZone button 2 activate the Strata Bomb and button 3 enables/disables the cloak and in Commando button 2 throws a grenade
Button 3 can press other keys (if needed) by cutting a jumper on the rear and soldering across another pad.Any comments good or bad appreciated. Hopefully all makes sense and there are minimal typo's. Any questions, please ask.
Rob
