cyberluke wrote on 2022-08-16, 22:25:
In Windows game, it will disconnect and button is not working. When moving back to center with stick, it will be enabled again.
The analogue gameport works a bit like this.
There are multiple 555 timer ICs (or one 558?) inside for the axis.
Depending on how fast their associated capacitors get charged/discharged,
the the values of the X/Y axes are made.
Now, inside the joystick, there are variable resistors installed in a simple matrix.
These variable resistors are wired through the joystick cable to the gameport controller in your PC.
Inside, they are wired to to the capacitors/tge NE558.
Now to the interesting bit:
These variable resistors, socalled potentiometers, have a specific value, a specific resistance, depending how far they are turned (how much the joystick is moved).
That value goes from 0 Ohms to a few Kilo Ohms.
Which is read by the gameport as 8-Bit values going from 0 to 255.
(The gameport is like a crude Analog/Digital Converter).
The problem, you see, is when the potentiometers are delivering a very low value.
To the gameport or Windows, it's as if the joystick isn't there.
If the joystick goes back to center, even if badly adjusted, it will produce a digital value somewhen between 70 to 200 (guessed), at least.
Edit: Just checked, the ideal center value should be 127/127.
Edit: And since the X/Y axes are defined by how quickly these capacitors are charged/dischared, there is a timing problem.
On very fast PCs with non-speed compensating gameports, the values cannot be read correctly.
The Pro Audiospectrum 16 was one of the earlier cards that were speed-compensated, I vaguely remember.
Simpler gamecards had a little knob on the back to manually adjust the speed.
Modern soundcards, of course, don't need that anymore.
So you're likely safe here.
Here's one vintage card with the knob attached to a cable.
http://www.cyberg8t.com/f2comp/prodacm.htm
Unfortunately, I can't find a picture with the card with a knob.
Best I could find was an ad of the "Gamecard III", which had a switch with three sensitivity (speed) settings. It's attached below.
"Time, it seems, doesn't flow. For some it's fast, for some it's slow.
In what to one race is no time at all, another race can rise and fall..." - The Minstrel
//My video channel//