Thanks for the info guys. I don't know if the computer has a game card. Also don't know if VCFed has any available. However, Adam told me we have at least two compatible joysticks. Untested but chances are at least one works or could be fixed. New question then: can someone bring a game card in case we need it? At least for us to borrow through HOPE-time. On Mon, May 28, 2018, 8:54 AM Dean Notarnicola via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
Jeff is right. Older DOS machines could use 15-pin game ports on ISA sound cards or multi I/O cards. Best to look for one of these.
There is a way to build an interface to the parallel port, but it is non-standard and existing drivers are only for Windows and Linux.
D
On Mon, May 28, 2018 at 8:02 AM Jeff Galinat via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
On Mon, May 28, 2018 at 2:51 AM, Evan Koblentz via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
VCFed needs a joystick that is compatible with the Compaq Portable III (parallel connector, but I don't know how many pins). This is for the Lego demo station so I can do some kid-friendly classes starting this summer (and also for my HOPE lecture).
Can somebody bring a known-good one to the next workshop?
We may have some in the warehouse but I'd like to have a known-good unit for testing. If one of ours works, we'll use that; if not, then perhaps yours could be a donation.
Evan, I am far from an early PC expert but every early IBM compatible joystick I have ever seen attached via a 15 pin "game port" provided by means an expansion card such as an AST SixPack, a sound card or other interface card. I don't recall ever ever seeing one that attached via parallel port. The thing is you need an analog to digital converter to read the joystick so a straight parallel port would not work since IBM style joysticks are analog not digital such as those from an Atari VCS. Regards, Jeff