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                    Linux Joystick parport drivers v2.0

               (c) 1998-2000 Vojtech Pavlik 

               (c) 1998 Andree Borrmann 

                             Sponsored by SuSE

        $Id: joystick-parport.txt,v 1.1.1.1 2004-04-15 02:32:42 phoenix Exp $

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

0. Disclaimer

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Any information in this file is provided as-is, without any guarantee that

it will be true. So, use it at your own risk. The possible damages that can

happen include burning your parallel port, and/or the sticks and joystick

and maybe even more. Like when a lightning kills you it is not our problem.

1. Intro

~~~~~~~~

  The joystick parport drivers are used for joysticks and gamepads not

originally designed for PCs and other computers Linux runs on. Because of

that, PCs usually lack the right ports to connect these devices to. Parallel

port, because of its ability to change single bits at will, and providing

both output and input bits is the most suitable port on the PC for

connecting such devices.

2. Devices supported

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Many console and 8-bit computer gamepads and joysticks are supported. The

following subsections discuss usage of each.

2.1 NES and SNES

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  The Nintendo Entertainment System and Super Nintendo Entertainment System

gamepads are widely available, and easy to get. Also, they are quite easy to

connect to a PC, and don't need much processing speed (108 us for NES and

165 us for SNES, compared to about 1000 us for PC gamepads) to communicate

with them.

  All NES and SNES use the same synchronous serial protocol, clocked from

the computer's side (and thus timing insensitive). To allow up to 5 NES

and/or SNES gamepads connected to the parallel port at once, the output

lines of the parallel port are shared, while one of 5 available input lines

is assigned to each gamepad.

  This protocol is handled by the gamecon.c driver, so that's the one

you'll use for NES and SNES gamepads.

  The main problem with PC parallel ports is that they don't have +5V power

source on any of their pins. So, if you want a reliable source of power

for your pads, use either keyboard or joystick port, and make a pass-through

cable. You can also pull the power directly from the power supply (the red

wire is +5V).

  If you want to use the parallel port only, you can take the power is from

some data pin. For most gamepad and parport implementations only one pin is

needed, and I'd recommend pin 9 for that, the highest data bit. On the other

hand, if you are not planning to use anything else than NES / SNES on the

port, anything between and including pin 4 and pin 9 will work.

(pin 9) -----> Power

  Unfortunately, there are pads that need a lot more of power, and parallel

ports that can't give much current through the data pins. If this is your

case, you'll need to use diodes (as a prevention of destroying your parallel

port), and combine the currents of two or more data bits together.

           Diodes

(pin 9) ----|>|-------+------> Power

                      |

(pin 8) ----|>|-------+

                      |

(pin 7) ----|>|-------+

                      |

           :

                      |

(pin 4) ----|>|-------+

  Ground is quite easy. On PC's parallel port the ground is on any of the

pins from pin 18 to pin 25. So use any pin of these you like for the ground.

(pin 18) -----> Ground

  NES and SNES pads have two input bits, Clock and Latch, which drive the

serial transfer. These are connected to pins 2 and 3 of the parallel port,

respectively.

(pin 2) -----> Clock

(pin 3) -----> Latch

  And the last thing is the NES / SNES data wire. Only that isn't shared and

each pad needs its own data pin. The parallel port pins are:

(pin 10) -----> Pad 1 data

(pin 11) -----> Pad 2 data

(pin 12) -----> Pad 3 data

(pin 13) -----> Pad 4 data

(pin 15) -----> Pad 5 data

  Note that pin 14 is not used, since it is not an input pin on the parallel

port.

  This is everything you need on the PC's side of the connection, now on to

the gamepads side. The NES and SNES have different connectors. Also, there

are quite a lot of NES clones, and because Nintendo used proprietary

connectors for their machines, the cloners couldn't and used standard D-Cannon

connectors. Anyway, if you've got a gamepad, and it has buttons A, B, Turbo

A, Turbo B, Select and Start, and is connected through 5 wires, then it is

either a NES or NES clone and will work with this connection. SNES gamepads

also use 5 wires, but have more buttons. They will work as well, of course.

Pinout for NES gamepads                 Pinout for SNES gamepads

           +----> Power                   +-----------------------\

           |                            7 | o  o  o  o |  x  x  o  | 1

 5 +---------+  7                         +-----------------------/

   | x  x  o   \                            |  |  |  |          |

   | o  o  o  o |                           |  |  |  |          +-> Ground

 4 +------------+ 1                         |  |  |  +------------> Data

     |  |  |  |                             |  |  +---------------> Latch

     |  |  |  +-> Ground                    |  +------------------> Clock

     |  |  +----> Clock                     +---------------------> Power

     |  +-------> Latch

     +----------> Data

Pinout for NES clone (db9) gamepads     Pinout for NES clone (db15) gamepads

        +---------> Clock                    +-----------------> Data

        | +-------> Latch                    |             +---> Ground

        | | +-----> Data                     |             |

        | | |                              ___________________

    _____________                        8 \ o x x x x x x o / 1

  5 \ x o o o x / 1                         \ o x x o x x o /

     \ x o x o /                          15 `~~~~~~~~~~~~~' 9

    9 `~~~~~~~' 6                             |     |     |

         |   |                                |     |     +----> Clock

         |   +----> Power                     |     +----------> Latch

         +--------> Ground                    +----------------> Power

2.2 Multisystem joysticks

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  In the era of 8-bit machines, there was something like de-facto standard

for joystick ports. They were all digital, and all used D-Cannon 9 pin

connectors (db9). Because of that, a single joystick could be used without

hassle on Atari (130, 800XE, 800XL, 2600, 7200), Amiga, Commodore C64,

Amstrad CPC, Sinclair ZX Spectrum and many other machines. That's why these

joysticks are called "Multisystem".

  Now their pinout:

      +---------> Right

      | +-------> Left

      | | +-----> Down

      | | | +---> Up

      | | | |

  _____________

5 \ x o o o o / 1

   \ x o x o /

  9 `~~~~~~~' 6

       |   |

       |   +----> Button

       +--------> Ground

  However, as time passed, extensions to this standard developed, and these

were not compatible with each other:

        Atari 130, 800/XL/XE               MSX

                                         +-----------> Power

      +---------> Right                  | +---------> Right

      | +-------> Left                   | | +-------> Left

      | | +-----> Down                   | | | +-----> Down

      | | | +---> Up                     | | | | +---> Up

      | | | |                            | | | | |

  _____________                        _____________

5 \ x o o o o / 1                    5 \ o o o o o / 1

   \ x o o o /                          \ o o o o /

  9 `~~~~~~~' 6                        9 `~~~~~~~' 6

       | | |                              | | | |

       | | +----> Button                  | | | +----> Button 1

       | +------> Power                   | | +------> Button 2

       +--------> Ground                  | +--------> Output 3

                                          +----------> Ground

        Amstrad CPC                        Commodore C64

                                         +-----------> Analog Y

      +---------> Right                  | +---------> Right

      | +-------> Left                   | | +-------> Left

      | | +-----> Down                   | | | +-----> Down

      | | | +---> Up                     | | | | +---> Up

      | | | |                            | | | | |

  _____________                        _____________

5 \ x o o o o / 1                    5 \ o o o o o / 1

   \ x o o o /                          \ o o o o /

  9 `~~~~~~~' 6                        9 `~~~~~~~' 6

       | | |                              | | | |

       | | +----> Button 1                | | | +----> Button

       | +------> Button 2                | | +------> Power

       +--------> Ground                  | +--------> Ground

                                          +----------> Analog X

        Sinclair Spectrum +2A/+3           Amiga 1200

    +-----------> Up                     +-----------> Button 3

    | +---------> Fire                   | +---------> Right

    | |                                  | | +-------> Left

    | |   +-----> Ground                 | | | +-----> Down

    | |   |                              | | | | +---> Up

    | |   |                              | | | | |

  _____________                        _____________

5 \ o o x o x / 1                    5 \ o o o o o / 1

   \ o o o o /                          \ o o o o /

  9 `~~~~~~~' 6                        9 `~~~~~~~' 6

     | | | |                              | | | |

     | | | +----> Right                   | | | +----> Button 1

     | | +------> Left                    | | +------> Power

     | +--------> Ground                  | +--------> Ground

     +----------> Down                    +----------> Button 2

  And there were many others.

2.2.1 Multisystem joysticks using db9.c

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  For the Multisystem joysticks, and their derivatives, the db9.c driver

was written. It allows only one joystick / gamepad per parallel port, but

the interface is easy to build and works with almost anything.

  For the basic 1-button Multisystem joystick you connect its wires to the

parallel port like this:

(pin  1) -----> Power

(pin 18) -----> Ground

(pin  2) -----> Up

(pin  3) -----> Down

(pin  4) -----> Left

(pin  5) -----> Right

(pin  6) -----> Button 1

  However, if the joystick is switch based (eg. clicks when you move it),

you might or might not, depending on your parallel port, need 10 kOhm pullup

resistors on each of the direction and button signals, like this:

(pin 2) ------------+------> Up

          Resistor  |

(pin 1) --[10kOhm]--+

  Try without, and if it doesn't work, add them. For TTL based joysticks /

gamepads the pullups are not needed.

  For joysticks with two buttons you connect the second button to pin 7 on

the parallel port.

(pin 7) -----> Button 2

  And that's it.

  On a side note, if you have already built a different adapter for use with

the digital joystick driver 0.8.0.2, this is also supported by the db9.c

driver, as device type 8. (See section 3.2)

2.2.2 Multisystem joysticks using gamecon.c

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  For some people just one joystick per parallel port is not enough, and/or

want to use them on one parallel port together with NES/SNES/PSX pads. This is

possible using the gamecon.c. It supports up to 5 devices of the above types,

including 1 and 2 buttons Multisystem joysticks.

  However, there is nothing for free. To allow more sticks to be used at

once, you need the sticks to be purely switch based (that is non-TTL), and

not to need power. Just a plain simple six switches inside. If your

joystick can do more (eg. turbofire) you'll need to disable it totally first

if you want to use gamecon.c.

  Also, the connection is a bit more complex. You'll need a bunch of diodes,

and one pullup resistor. First, you connect the Directions and the button

the same as for db9, however with the diodes inbetween.

            Diodes

(pin 2) -----|<|----> Up

(pin 3) -----|<|----> Down

(pin 4) -----|<|----> Left

(pin 5) -----|<|----> Right

(pin 6) -----|<|----> Button 1

  For two button sticks you also connect the other button.

(pin 7) -----|<|----> Button 2

  And finally, you connect the Ground wire of the joystick, like done in

this little schematic to Power and Data on the parallel port, as described

for the NES / SNES pads in section 2.1 of this file - that is, one data pin

for each joystick. The power source is shared.

Data    ------------+-----> Ground

          Resistor  |

Power   --[10kOhm]--+

  And that's all, here we go!

2.2.3 Multisystem joysticks using turbografx.c

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  The TurboGraFX interface, designed by

        Steffen Schwenke 

  allows up to 7 Multisystem joysticks connected to the parallel port. In

Steffen's version, there is support for up to 5 buttons per joystick.  However,

since this doesn't work reliably on all parallel ports, the turbografx.c driver

supports only one button per joystick. For more information on how to build the

interface, see

        http://www2.burg-halle.de/~schwenke/parport.html

2.3 Sony Playstation

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  The PSX controller is supported by the gamecon.c. Pinout of the PSX

controller (compatible with DirectPadPro):

  +---------+---------+---------+

9 | o  o  o | o  o  o | o  o  o | 1               parallel

   \________|_________|________/                  port pins

    |  |      |  |  |   |

    |  |      |  |  |   +-------->  Clock    ---  (4)

    |  |      |  |  +------------>  Select   ---  (3)

    |  |      |  +--------------->  Power    ---  (5-9)

    |  |      +------------------>  Ground   ---  (18-25)

    |  +------------------------->  Command  ---  (2)

    +---------------------------->  Data     ---  (one of 10,11,12,13,15)

  The driver supports these controllers:

 * Standard PSX Pad

 * NegCon PSX Pad

 * Analog PSX Pad (red mode)

 * Analog PSX Pad (green mode)

 * PSX Rumble Pad

2.4 Sega

~~~~~~~~

  All the Sega controllers are more or less based on the standard 2-button

Multisystem joystick. However, since they don't use switches and use TTL

logic, the only driver usable with them is the db9.c driver.

2.4.1 Sega Master System

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  The SMS gamepads are almost exactly the same as normal 2-button

Multisystem joysticks. Set the driver to Multi2 mode, use the corresponding

parallel port pins, and the following schematic:

    +-----------> Power

    | +---------> Right

    | | +-------> Left

    | | | +-----> Down

    | | | | +---> Up

    | | | | |

  _____________

5 \ o o o o o / 1

   \ o o x o /

  9 `~~~~~~~' 6

     | |   |

     | |   +----> Button 1

     | +--------> Ground

     +----------> Button 2

2.4.2 Sega Genesis aka MegaDrive

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  The Sega Genesis (in Europe sold as Sega MegaDrive) pads are an extension

to the Sega Master System pads. They use more buttons (3+1, 5+1, 6+1).  Use

the following schematic:

    +-----------> Power

    | +---------> Right

    | | +-------> Left

    | | | +-----> Down

    | | | | +---> Up

    | | | | |

  _____________

5 \ o o o o o / 1

   \ o o o o /

  9 `~~~~~~~' 6

     | | | |

     | | | +----> Button 1

     | | +------> Select

     | +--------> Ground

     +----------> Button 2

  The Select pin goes to pin 14 on the parallel port.

(pin 14) -----> Select

  The rest is the same as for Multi2 joysticks using db9.c

2.4.3 Sega Saturn

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Sega Saturn has eight buttons, and to transfer that, without hacks like

Genesis 6 pads use, it needs one more select pin. Anyway, it is still

handled by the db9.c driver. Its pinout is very different from anything

else.  Use this schematic:

    +-----------> Select 1

    | +---------> Power

    | | +-------> Up

    | | | +-----> Down

    | | | | +---> Ground

    | | | | |

  _____________

5 \ o o o o o / 1

   \ o o o o /

  9 `~~~~~~~' 6

     | | | |

     | | | +----> Select 2

     | | +------> Right

     | +--------> Left

     +----------> Power

  Select 1 is pin 14 on the parallel port, Select 2 is pin 16 on the

parallel port.

(pin 14) -----> Select 1

(pin 16) -----> Select 2

  The other pins (Up, Down, Right, Left, Power, Ground) are the same as for

Multi joysticks using db9.c

3. The drivers

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  There are three drivers for the parallel port interfaces. Each, as

described above, allows to connect a different group of joysticks and pads.

Here are described their command lines:

3.1 gamecon.c

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Using gamecon.c you can connect up to five devices to one parallel port. It

uses the following kernel/module command line:

        gc=port,pad1,pad2,pad3,pad4,pad5

  Where 'port' the number of the parport interface (eg. 0 for parport0).

  And 'pad1' to 'pad5' are pad types connected to different data input pins

(10,11,12,13,15), as described in section 2.1 of this file.

  The types are:

        Type | Joystick/Pad

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

          1  | SNES pad

          2  | NES pad

          4  | Multisystem 1-button joystick

          5  | Multisystem 2-button joystick

          6  | N64 pad

          7  | Sony PSX controller

  The exact type of the PSX controller type is autoprobed, so you must have

your controller plugged in before initializing.

  Should you want to use more than one of parallel ports at once, you can use

gc_2 and gc_3 as additional command line parameters for two more parallel

ports.

3.2 db9.c

~~~~~~~~~

  Apart from making an interface, there is nothing difficult on using the

db9.c driver. It uses the following kernel/module command line:

        db9=port,type

  Where 'port' is the number of the parport interface (eg. 0 for parport0).

  Caveat here: This driver only works on bidirectional parallel ports. If

your parallel port is recent enough, you should have no trouble with this.

Old parallel ports may not have this feature.

  'Type' is the type of joystick or pad attached:

        Type | Joystick/Pad

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

          1  | Multisystem 1-button joystick

          2  | Multisystem 2-button joystick

          3  | Genesis pad (3+1 buttons)

          5  | Genesis pad (5+1 buttons)

          6  | Genesis pad (6+2 buttons)

          7  | Saturn pad (8 buttons)

          8  | Multisystem 1-button joystick (v0.8.0.2 pin-out)

          9  | Two Multisystem 1-button joysticks (v0.8.0.2 pin-out)

         10  | Amiga CD32 pad

  Should you want to use more than one of these joysticks/pads at once, you

can use db9_2 and db9_3 as additional command line parameters for two

more joysticks/pads.

3.3 turbografx.c

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  The turbografx.c driver uses a very simple kernel/module command line:

        tgfx=port,js1,js2,js3,js4,js5,js6,js7

  Where 'port' is the number of the parport interface (eg. 0 for parport0).

  'jsX' is the number of buttons the Multisystem joysticks connected to the

interface ports 1-7 have. For a standard multisystem joystick, this is 1.

  Should you want to use more than one of these interfaces at once, you can

use tgfx_2 and tgfx_3 as additional command line parameters for two more

interfaces.

3.4 PC parallel port pinout

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

                  .----------------------------------------.

   At the PC:     \ 13 12 11 10  9  8  7  6  5  4  3  2  1 /

                   \  25 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 /

                     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

          Pin | Name    | Description

        ~~~~~~|~~~~~~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~

            1 | /STROBE | Strobe

          2-9 | D0-D7   | Data Bit 0-7

           10 | /ACK    | Acknowledge

           11 | BUSY    | Busy

           12 | PE      | Paper End

           13 | SELIN   | Select In

           14 | /AUTOFD | Autofeed

           15 | /ERROR  | Error

           16 | /INIT   | Initialize

           17 | /SEL    | Select

        18-25 | GND     | Signal Ground

3.5 End

~~~~~~~

  That's all, folks! Have fun!