Joystick identification

[blanning]

I had a joystick attached to my 500 back in the 80s.  It had a black base that was molded to fit your hand rather than a normal flat base you could set on a table.  It had a red stick with microswitches that made a nice clicky sound.  It also had two red fire buttons in the side of the molded case right where the index and middle finger were.

Does anyone remember this joystick, what it was called, and if anyone happens to still sell these?  I'm not sure what key word to search ebay for.

brian

[beller]

Other than the "two switches in the side of the molded case" this sounds like an Epyx 500XJ joystick.   They also made one in a light grey color.    You can view a picture here!

[SamuraiCrow]

It's the Mindscape Powerplayer.  I have some of these becuase they were the last ones that were in stock at the company where I bought Amiga software.  If you could offer a trade for some other Atari-style joystick, I could send you one of mine.  (I'm assuming the shipping wouldn't be astronomical.)

[beller]

The Mindscape also doesn't have two switches.  Here's a page with a picture and you can buy one new for $14.00.  Here's the link...

[Tricky]

The Mindscape appears to have a pistol grip, which doesn't fit the description the way I read it.  I remember seeing an Epyx 500XJ back in the day, that seems to match the description better.  I thought I remembered it with two buttons when I read this post but the picture just reminded me of the blank space where the other fire button should be!  Maybe there is a two-button version of this in existence.  It's a shame more joysticks weren't produced with two buttons (as in two different buttons, not just wired together on the same pin!), and games written to use them both.

Personally, I use Sega Megadrive pads.  Good on Sega for using a pre-existing standard!  Although pins 7 and 9 are unfortunately the wrong way round for the Amiga to access buttons A and Start.  An adapter would be easy though.

[blanning]

Thats it exactly!  Thanks.

I wonder why i remembered it as two buttons.

brian

[Ilwrath]

There may be a two-button Epyx digital joystick.  

I have a two-button Epyx ANALOG joystick.  Exact same size, shape, colors and decal stripes as the XJ500, but with two digital click buttons and an Amiga analog stick where the digital click-stick is normally.  Plus it has a recalibrate button just below the analog stick.  

It was killer for Fighter Duel Pro.  :-)

[blanning]

Do you have the model number?

Also, how do you attach an analog joystick to an amiga?

brian

[ajlwalker]

blanning wrote:
Thats it exactly!  Thanks.

I wonder why i remembered it as two buttons.

brian

I think the Konix Speedking had two buttons and looked exactly like those already posted.

[Ilwrath]

Do you have the model number?

Also, how do you attach an analog joystick to an amiga?

Ya know, I was wondering that, myself.  I don't remember it having any model number on it at all.  I should dig it out and get a few shots of it for the gallery here.  (I should do that for a lot of my hardware, really...  but that's another story.)  

Anyhow, it just plugged into the joyport like any other Amiga/Commodore/Atari stick.  It would only work with games you could specify ANALOG for, though.   The only game I remember supporting it without hacking around was Fighter Duel Pro.  But, if you wanted to start modding a few files, there was a 3rd party patch to shut off the steering assist and use analog control on Microprose F1GP, though.  Talk about a massive improvement!  That made it a whole new game!

[beller]

ajlwalker wrote:

I think the Konix Speedking had two buttons and looked exactly like those already posted.

Brian...you made me look!  Never heard of the Konix.   You're right, it did look exactly like the Epyx but, still only one button.  And the connector wasn't a standard Atari style.  Here's a picture of the Konix Speedking

[beller]

A bit of further research (ain't google great) found a Konix Speedking analog with two buttons.  The picture is here...

The website has a great collection of information on joysticks!

Bob

[Tricky]

My Dad used to use an analog stick on a lot of flight sims without any software hacks.  That was a PC analog stick through an adapter that he made.  Even though the PC joystick port of the time had a lot more than 9 pins, it didn't seem to need any of them, as it was a straight pin-to-pin!

I wanted to make an adapter to connect Playstation pads to the Amiga.  Should be do-able.  I'm using a USB optical mouse on my miggy through a USB to PS/2 adapter and a PS/2 to Amiga gameport thing that we made.  That's kind of fun and makes people go "eh?"  It's only a circuit off the internet... oh all the stuff you can do with a PIC!

[Ilwrath]

A bit of further research (ain't google great) found a Konix Speedking analog with two buttons.

Wow.... Yep, that's exactly like mine.  I don't remember it saying Konix on the back, though.  I DO remember it saying SpeedKing on the top, now that I see it.  :lol:  I also forgot about that switch on the top.  It turns on and off the spring loaded auto-center.

[motrucker]

Then there's the adapter that allows using IBM type joysticks (analog, of course) on your Amiga!
 I just happen to have one up for auction on eBay right now, really cheap ( Item number: 170220939742  )  (I know, what a shameless plug) but these things make playing flight sims a whole new game on the Amiga!