I got this a while ago actually but just tried it out today, it's a little dongle for allowing you to safely connect a Sega Megadrive / Gensis controller to a C64, Atari, etc. I've read that people do just connect them directly but there is some risk in doing that apparently. The other option is to open the controller and cut a wire to make it compatible but I'd prefer not to do that. I'm using it with a clone 3 button controller and it works well:

^ supposedly there is some 5v feedback going back to the CIAs or something but there are way too many people using sega pads for decades without any problems. Better safe than sorry though 😀

badmojo wrote:

I got this a while ago actually but just tried it out today, it's a little dongle for allowing you to safely connect a Sega Mega […]
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I got this a while ago actually but just tried it out today, it's a little dongle for allowing you to safely connect a Sega Megadrive / Gensis controller to a C64, Atari, etc. I've read that people do just connect them directly but there is some risk in doing that apparently. The other option is to open the controller and cut a wire to make it compatible but I'd prefer not to do that. I'm using it with a clone 3 button controller and it works well:

Faced with the same challenge, I just used a Master System pad... 😜

There's a good explanation here: http://www.floodgap.com/retrobits/ckb/display.cgi?26

I posted about this on OCAU, here's a copy paste:

I'm lacking a joystick for my Amiga so I dug up an old 3 button sega megadrive controller.

These use the same 9 pin interface that Commodore/Atari joysticks used. However since its actually got a couple of extra buttons and the interface normally only supports 2 buttons, these gamepads had an extra chip inside to multiplex the signals.

This chip's select line is connected to the +5V line of the joystick port. There's a dedicated +5V line in the controller, but in a commodore/atari this isn't connected, everything is powered through the select line. Normally it will work with most games, but some games get confused and won't activate the second button.

The fix is quite easy - cut the select line, and wire the +5V line on the controller into the +5V line from the joystick port. The select line has a pullup resistor connected to +5V which will pull its logic state high, even if the wire is cut, so you can still use the d-pad and the B and C buttons.

Since button A is unused, I cut its output line and wired it to UP on the d-pad. This is because a lot of older games required you to hold UP on the joystick to jump or accelerate - most joysticks of the time only had a single button, used for other purposes. So now I have a jump button plus two fire/action buttons

DonutKing wrote:

I posted about this on OCAU, here's a copy paste: […]
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I posted about this on OCAU, here's a copy paste:

I'm lacking a joystick for my Amiga so I dug up an old 3 button sega megadrive controller.

These use the same 9 pin interface that Commodore/Atari joysticks used. However since its actually got a couple of extra buttons and the interface normally only supports 2 buttons, these gamepads had an extra chip inside to multiplex the signals.

This chip's select line is connected to the +5V line of the joystick port. There's a dedicated +5V line in the controller, but in a commodore/atari this isn't connected, everything is powered through the select line. Normally it will work with most games, but some games get confused and won't activate the second button.

The fix is quite easy - cut the select line, and wire the +5V line on the controller into the +5V line from the joystick port. The select line has a pullup resistor connected to +5V which will pull its logic state high, even if the wire is cut, so you can still use the d-pad and the B and C buttons.

Since button A is unused, I cut its output line and wired it to UP on the d-pad. This is because a lot of older games required you to hold UP on the joystick to jump or accelerate - most joysticks of the time only had a single button, used for other purposes. So now I have a jump button plus two fire/action buttons

It's better to use an interface than to hack up a classic game controller.

SquallStrife wrote:

badmojo wrote:

Faced with the same challenge, I just used a Master System pad... 😜

There's a good explanation here: http://www.floodgap.com/retrobits/ckb/display.cgi?26

I don't see anything mentioned in your link about the difference b/w the megadrive and master system pads - are master system pads 100% compatible with the atari interface? They have less buttons than the megadrive of course. Reading posts like hat reminds me of why I bought this adapter in the first place, there's a lot of information out there but I don't have a good enough understanding of electronics to translate it, so I decided to spend some money on a purpose built device.

The 64jPX allows for different modes too apparently, selected via the 'start' button. I couldn't get that to work but I am using a dodgy clone controller, and I only tried it in one game.

sliderider wrote:

It's better to use an interface than to hack up a classic game controller.

A 3 button mega drive pad is a 'classic' game controller?

They're as common as air; I have two spares, plus two 6 button controllers which I actually use on my mega drive.

The interface wouldn't have given me the jump button mod either.

The journey is its own reward; where's the fun in paying for an adapter when you could mod it yourself and feel like you've accomplished something?

badmojo wrote:

SquallStrife wrote:

badmojo wrote:

Faced with the same challenge, I just used a Master System pad... 😜

There's a good explanation here: http://www.floodgap.com/retrobits/ckb/display.cgi?26

I don't see anything mentioned in your link about the difference b/w the megadrive and master system pads - are master system pads 100% compatible with the atari interface? They have less buttons than the megadrive of course. Reading posts like hat reminds me of why I bought this adapter in the first place, there's a lot of information out there but I don't have a good enough understanding of electronics to translate it, so I decided to spend some money on a purpose built device.

The 64jPX allows for different modes too apparently, selected via the 'start' button. I couldn't get that to work but I am using a dodgy clone controller, and I only tried it in one game.

No, sorry, that was poorly explained. The link was to explain how Mega Drive pads can kill C64 CIA chips.

The Master System pad is a completely passive thing. Pins 5 and 7 are NC, pin 8 is ground, the the rest of the pins are just 1:1 with the buttons. Button 2 goes to pin 9, which is NC in the Atari scheme, and that's the only difference.

Anyhow, back to vintage goodies!

Gravis Analog Pro!

Paradise AutoSwitch EGA2

Not vintage itself, but for my dual socket 7 system, a SCSI 50-pin/SCA to hot-swap adaptor

And lastly, not hardware but retro as, a DOS 6.22 + WFW 3.11 package:

DonutKing wrote:

A 3 button mega drive pad is a 'classic' game controller? […]
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sliderider wrote:

It's better to use an interface than to hack up a classic game controller.

A 3 button mega drive pad is a 'classic' game controller?

They're as common as air; I have two spares, plus two 6 button controllers which I actually use on my mega drive.

The interface wouldn't have given me the jump button mod either.

The journey is its own reward; where's the fun in paying for an adapter when you could mod it yourself and feel like you've accomplished something?

What does being common have to do with something not being a classic? The Atari 2600 joystick was made in the millions and are still readily available everywhere, is it not a classic controller? What about the NES control pad or the SNES dogbone controller or the 1st generation Playstation controller (the one without the analog sticks)?

Well by your definition, what's wrong with modding a 'classic' controller? I have no qualms about modding any of those controllers you listed.

In fact, I also mod my own consoles, usually for 50/60Hz switches or RGB/composite output. I have a modded SNES, master system and mega drive, all done by myself.

I totally disagree that its better to use an adapter instead of modding a controller, if you have the skills. Sure, if you aren't sure how to do it, or don't have the time/patience to do it yourself, an adapter is great. But otherwise, nothing wrong with modding them.

If it was rare, and not easily replaced, maybe I could understand your point. But for common stuff go wild.

I just bought this: any idea what is it exactly ?, I have not received yet.

Snagged a Tyan S1562D (Dual socket 7 HX board).

SquallStrife wrote:

Paradise AutoSwitch EGA2 […]
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Paradise AutoSwitch EGA2

Hey I have one of those, too! If possible, could you try it with a monochrome monitor (5151) for me sometime? I had hoped it would be a cheap Hercules alternative but mine doesn't seem to do all that much, a few green flashes and that's it 🙁

vmunix wrote:

I just bought this: any idea what is it exactly ?, I have not received yet.

Why would you (or anyone) buy something without knowing what it is...?

The "Sounding Board" is otherwise known as the "LANtastic Voice Adapter," and provides basic 8-bit AD/DA functionality. Other than DIGPAK support, there's not much gaming applicability here.

Cloudschatze wrote:

vmunix wrote:

I just bought this: any idea what is it exactly ?, I have not received yet.

Why would you (or anyone) buy something without knowing what it is...?

The "Sounding Board" is otherwise known as the "LANtastic Voice Adapter," and provides basic 8-bit AD/DA functionality. Other than DIGPAK support, there's not much gaming applicability here.

Maybe it was cheap and he thought he could resell it to someone who knew what it was and was willing to pay more than he did?

Got a boxed XGI Volari Z7 (StarTech) for just $8.

jwt27 wrote:

SquallStrife wrote:

Paradise AutoSwitch EGA2

Hey I have one of those, too! If possible, could you try it with a monochrome monitor (5151) for me sometime? I had hoped it would be a cheap Hercules alternative but mine doesn't seem to do all that much, a few green flashes and that's it 🙁

That's what I was planning to do with it. I'm going to have a stab at it this weekend, I'll let you know how I go! 😀

Not sure if this is "retro" enough but I got another Asus a7v600 NEW on ebay for $38 😀