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Geek Culture / Building a simple, serial joystick from scratch - where to start?

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Arkheii
21
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Joined: 15th Jun 2003
Location: QC, Philippines
Posted: 17th Jul 2006 15:20
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I'm gonna try to build a simple joystick, but I need a place to start. I have no idea about scratch built hardware or circuit design, and I don't know what kind of knowledge I need to start off. I thinking of communicating to the serial port directly using assembly.

Got any recommended websites?

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monotonic
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Joined: 24th Mar 2006
Location: Nottinghamshire, England
Posted: 17th Jul 2006 15:54
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Try searching google, or nip down to your local p.c hardware shop and buy one, I got mine for £20 not the best but it has throttle controls and many twiddly knobs and buttons.

I know the voices aren't real, but they have good ideas!
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Arkheii
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Posted: 17th Jul 2006 16:10
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Thanks, though I'm more interested on figuring out what it means to build hardware that can communicate with the serial port. Something along the lines of explaining the integrated circuit, etc. I'm out of Google keywords.

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monotonic
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Location: Nottinghamshire, England
Posted: 17th Jul 2006 16:15 Edited at: 17th Jul 2006 16:16
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Ok, here is a link to a good book for doing this sort of stuff, I havn't read the book but I have had a good browse through it while in p.c world it has some really interesting stuff and its full of information not just step-by-step guide to do this and that.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0596003145/103-7934727-7901445?v=glance&n=283155

EDIT: one of the projects is building your own arcade machine

I know the voices aren't real, but they have good ideas!
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Arkheii
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Location: QC, Philippines
Posted: 17th Jul 2006 16:29
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Thanks. I remember seeing some book about converting consoles to portables. Controller input looks relevant, but I don't know how that would apply to building one for a serial port.

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monotonic
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Location: Nottinghamshire, England
Posted: 17th Jul 2006 16:33
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Quote: "Something along the lines of explaining the integrated circuit"


I just thought that it might help you with this aspect becuase it is very hardware specific, serial input/output is very, very simple.

I know the voices aren't real, but they have good ideas!
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Three Score
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Joined: 18th Jun 2004
Location: behind you
Posted: 17th Jul 2006 19:03
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Quote: "serial input/output is very, very simple"

well it is until you start messing with stuff like flow control and parity

JouleOS and friends
FREE HOSTING! FREE virtual serial ports!
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monotonic
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Posted: 17th Jul 2006 19:05
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@Three Score

Even so it is still easy.

I know the voices aren't real, but they have good ideas!
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Van B
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Joined: 8th Oct 2002
Location: Sunnyvale
Posted: 17th Jul 2006 19:05
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You can get full joystick kits for about $30, the sort they use in arcade machines, and a gazillion times better than anything you would buy.

X-Arcade are probably about the best make for this stuff, you will never break one of their sticks.

http://www.x-arcade.com/arcade_parts.shtml

Aegrescit medendo
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