From: earl@tenrec.cig.mot.com (Brent R. Earl)
Newsgroups: rec.games.video.arcade.collecting
Subject: Re: Sinistar joystick source?
Date: 26 Sep 1994 04:36:05 GMT

From: crawford@fslcd2.physics.fsu.edu (Lee Crawford)
Newsgroups: rec.games.video.arcade
Subject: Do it yourself SINISTAR joyrod...
Message-ID: <C78AGp.MI6@mailer.cc.fsu.edu>
Date: 18 May 93 15:17:12 GMT
Sender: usenet@mailer.cc.fsu.edu
Organization: Florida State University ACNS
Lines: 77

Howdy,

  I've had request-o-plenty for my SINISTAR joystick adaptation (Adapts a
cheapie standard 8-way joyrod to SINISTAR which fancies a snazzy trillion
position optical joyrod).

  So here it is:

------------these-------------are-------------hyphens-------------------
        This file contains instructions for adapting a standard 8-way
joystick for use as a Sinistar controller, replacing the multi-
position optical controller installed in dedicated machines.

        For any questions regarding this conversion/adaptation, send
email to crawford@fslcd2.physics.fsu.edu.

        A standard Sinistar machine uses an optical joystick that
senses direction as well as the speed of motion of the joystick in
 that direction. Last time I checked these controllers were selling
 for 129$ from Wico Corporation and unavailable from any other
 distributor. Note that this is the same controller as used in
 Williams later game Arch Rivals. The following instructions tell
 how a standard joystick (~ 8$) may be adapted and used instead of
 the regular controller. I haven't been able to tell any significant
 difference in game play using this poser controller.

        In that this is limited to ascii text, i will merely mention the
 connections which must be made. Most of these are made in
 reconfiguring the joystick to use the switches as logic as opposed
 to simple direction indicators. On the bottom of the joystick you
 should find three connectors: COM or GROUND the ground pin, NO the
 normally open circuit and NC the normally closed circuit. Note that
 joysticks lacking the normally closed circuit will not be adaptable
 using these directions.

        The only wires coming from the Sinistar controller board that
 are required are GROUND, UP-DOWN SWITCH B1, LEFT-RIGHT SWITCH
 B1, UP-DOWN DIRECTION and LEFT-RIGHT DIRECTION.

CONNECTIONS TO THE SINISTAR CONTROLLER BOARD:

1       Connect the GROUND of the DOWN switch to GROUND from the controller
board

2       Connect the NO of the DOWN switch to the UP-DOWN DIRECTION
 from the controller board

3       Connect the NO of the LEFT switch to the RIGHT-LEFT
 DIRECTION from the controller board

4       Connect the NC of the RIGHT switch to the RIGHT-LEFT SWITCH
 B1 of the controller board

5       Connect the NC of the UP switch to the UP-DOWN SWITCH B1 of
 the controller board

INTERNALL CONNECTIONS ON THE JOYSTICK:

1       Connect the GROUND of the LEFT switch to the GROUND of the
 DOWN switch (which is already leading to GROUND on the controller
 board)

2       Connect the NC of the DOWN switch to the GROUND of the UP
 switch

3       Connect the NC of the LEFT switch to the GROUND of the RIGHT
 switch

        Now you are done. Please remember that when you look at the
joystick from the base, the RIGHT switch is on your left and the
LEFT switch is on your right.


That's all, and remember, it
s all fun and games until somebody loses an eye....

--------------------

- Brent -
earl@rtsg.mot.com (Brent Earl) Motorola CIG +1-708-632-5830
** Panic! Could not locate coffee - Operator halted **