Joysticks in CD32

[Guille64]

Hello!

Yesterday, I have tried to start the CD32 with a joystick instead of CD32pad (Competition pro), and the menu turned crazy, making impossible to select anything. I wonder if it is impossible to use a joystick in the CD32. Sometimes, or in certain games, it's better use a joystick to play them.

Anyone knows what can I do?

Thanks and regards.

[skilgannon]

I use a competition pro joystick in my CD32.  Seems fine.  I just plug it in after the system is on though - so maybe that's the difference.  With games, I have found very few that I really need the extra buttons on the D-Pad for so it's always being used with the Comp Pro.

[skilgannon]

Just thought - you don't have "autofire" switched on do you?

[Cammy]

NEVER PLUG OR UNPLUG ANYTHING ON A CD32 WHILE IT'S TURNED ON!!!

That's how you blow up your audio capacitors and start a whole bunch of other problems. The same thing goes for A1200s!

[skilgannon]

LOL take it easy Cammy, I've had Amiga's for decades and my CD32 since it came out.  I've always plugged / unplugged controllers into them with no issues.  Am I just lucky?

Do you also belong to the school of "always hold a CD by the edges" and are you plugged into an earthing cable while upgrading your computer?

[save2600]

LOL take it easy Cammy, I've had Amiga's for decades and my CD32 since it came out.  I've always plugged / unplugged controllers into them with no issues.  Am I just lucky?

Yes! It's well documented that's how you blow the circuitry that is responsible for the
in/out communication with the ports. So common that there's fuse mods and fuses for
the +5v line going to the joystick ports on some Amiga models.

Do you also belong to the school of "always hold a CD by the edges" and are you plugged into an earthing cable while upgrading your computer?

[/quote]

Umm... both are common sense  :-)  

While you may not "need" an earthen ground connected while you are working with
solid state devices, you SHOULD always ground yourself out to discharge any static
you may (and probably are) harbouring.

And CD's?? Are you kidding? I have never understood how peoples collections can look
so ratty. I've got CD's from the early 80's that still look like new. And yes, a bunch of
tiny little scratches does make the error correction circuitry work harder - which results
in digital sounding that much more harsh.

So you're of the ilk that actually touches the bottom of the CD's? I just don't get why
anyone would feel the need to do that. I mean, go out their way to ruin their stuff.
This is why I NEVER lend out my CD's, DVD's, etc. Even LP's back in the day would be
returned in poor shape. The average joe just doesn't care - and it shows!

[skilgannon]

LOL nice response Save  I'm well and trully slapped down hehe

Now - I don't actually hold the bottom of CD's - I always stick my fingre through the hole in the middle (seems easier somehow) and I know that "it makes sense" to use a grounding cable but touching the metal casing before you do any work will discharge you anyway.  I guess I am a little bit of a risk taker but seriously, i've done it with care.  I've build PC's since 386 sx's were around; I'm a certified Compaq Engineer (not that that counts for anything these days of course), I'm also Cisco and Microsoft certified to the hilt so have been around the IT block and now I just manage folk like I used to be but I can honestly say I've never had any issues.  Luck maybe.

I do also get what you're saying about the quality of the cd's after they start to get scratches (which is why I only use copies of my CD's for the car for instance).  I have reference audio equipment and it's very unforgiving to cd's and dvd's that are scratched.

[Guille64]

Maybe you are right Skilgannon, I am not in my house now, but I remember that the competition pro has a slide button on the rear. Do you think this is autofire?

[skilgannon]

Yeah it is an autofire switch.  I remember seeing similar things happen to my CD32 when it was switched on.  Hope it is that - as it's easily fixed

Remember not to plug in your controler with the machine on

skil

[Guille64]

Thank you!

[amigadave]

NEVER PLUG OR UNPLUG ANYTHING ON A CD32 WHILE IT'S TURNED ON!!!

That's how you blow up your audio capacitors and start a whole bunch of other problems. The same thing goes for A1200s!

Good advice that would be very wise to follow (skilgannon).  As Save2600 stated it is very well documented that the mouse and joystick ports can be easily blown if removal and/or installing to those ports while the power is on.

[swoslover]

I must be lucky too, I always plug and unplug pads when my console/computer is on.  CDs and DVDs are so cheap they can be easily replaced, a few scratches show they have been loved!!  Deep scratches I don't get, that's almost like going out of your way to destroy them.

I always thought that only the Commodore and Competition pro pads worked in the Cd32.

[Cammy]

I'm not positive, but some Amigas don't seem to be affected by plugging/unplugging while turned on, like the A500, which seems even more indestructible than the military-spec A2000 (with its ticking time-bomb RTC battery inside). But I have first hand experience with the problem occurring on two of my A1200s, two CD32s and my A600. Each time it has been the same problem, and always after a plug was pulled out or pushed in while it was turned on.

I only wish I could afford to get these poor A1200s, CD32s and A600 fixed. I can't solder myself.

[Cammy]

By the way, in the case of one of the CD32s it was a dodgey PS/2-AT adapter in the AUX port I was using for an A2000 keyboard that caused the problem, so it's not just the joystick ports that can harm your Amigas.

[skilgannon]

Hi Guille64, did you get your comp pro to work properly?