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 Koblentz, executive director Vintage Computer Federation a 501(c)(3) educational non-profit evan@vcfed.org (646) 546-9999 www.vcfed.org facebook.com/vcfederation twitter.com/vcfederation instagram.com/vcfederation
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
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
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
If you can't source a sound card, I have a 2 port game card you can have. On Mon, May 28, 2018 at 2:04 PM, Evan Koblentz via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
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
-- Jason Perkins 313 355 0085
Good to have a safety net! Hoping to find out next weekend whether the computer has one, or if any of our other PCs have one that I can swap in. On Mon, May 28, 2018, 6:27 PM Jason Perkins via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
If you can't source a sound card, I have a 2 port game card you can have.
On Mon, May 28, 2018 at 2:04 PM, Evan Koblentz via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
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
-- Jason Perkins 313 355 0085
On Mon, May 28, 2018 at 6:26 PM, Jason Perkins via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
If you can't source a sound card, I have a 2 port game card you can have.
That's really the way to go, for a Compaq III. Find any old IDE soundcard and the associated DOS drivers. The old IBM game adapter is for the IBM PC, no point in doing that when there is a much easier and cheaper option. Search Ebay or craigslist for things like Creative Labs Sound Blaster 16 Bit ISA Sound Card BIll
If you can't source a sound card, I have a 2 port game card you can have. That's really the way to go, for a Compaq III. Find any old IDE soundcard and the associated DOS drivers. The old IBM game adapter is for the IBM PC, no point in doing that when there is a much easier and cheaper option. Search Ebay or craigslist for things like
Creative Labs Sound Blaster 16 Bit ISA Sound Card
Just got off the phone with Jason P. -- he's got a NIB two-port game card to donate -- I agree that it would be even better to have a combo sound/game card. Next time I'm door there, I'll find out what if any cards are already in the computer + what we might have in other systems in the warehouse. Bottom line, now I have a project for the next workshop :) and I'm feeling optimistic about getting the computer configured exactly as we need it.
Curious, why do your want sound? On Mon, May 28, 2018 at 7:50 PM Evan Koblentz via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
If you can't source a sound card, I have a 2 port game card you can
have.
That's really the way to go, for a Compaq III. Find any old IDE soundcard and the associated DOS drivers. The old IBM game adapter is for the IBM PC, no point in doing that when there is a much easier and cheaper option. Search Ebay or craigslist for things like
Creative Labs Sound Blaster 16 Bit ISA Sound Card
Just got off the phone with Jason P. -- he's got a NIB two-port game card to donate -- I agree that it would be even better to have a combo sound/game card. Next time I'm door there, I'll find out what if any cards are already in the computer + what we might have in other systems in the warehouse. Bottom line, now I have a project for the next workshop :) and I'm feeling optimistic about getting the computer configured exactly as we need it.
> Curious, why do you want sound?
Because programs with sound are more fun than programs without sound. :)
Not a deal-breaker or anything. Just a preference. I'm looking forward to seeing what we already have next time I am down there. Portable III could end up being more perfect for this application that I initially realized ... all-in-one; backpack add-on fits two cards which is exactly what we need. I wish Apple made a lunchbox computer in the II series :) .... not just that unicorn LCD .... I'm sure it has been done but maybe a homebrew project for another time! (Not interesting Mac + Apple II card.)
Does it have the optional expansion chassis? On Mon, May 28, 2018 at 8:14 PM Evan Koblentz <evan@vcfed.org> wrote:
> Curious, why do you want sound?
Because programs with sound are more fun than programs without sound. :)
Not a deal-breaker or anything. Just a preference.
I'm looking forward to seeing what we already have next time I am down there. Portable III could end up being more perfect for this application that I initially realized ... all-in-one; backpack add-on fits two cards which is exactly what we need.
I wish Apple made a lunchbox computer in the II series :) .... not just that unicorn LCD .... I'm sure it has been done but maybe a homebrew project for another time! (Not interesting Mac + Apple II card.)
Does it have the optional expansion chassis?
Yep. We got one as a donation shortly before the last workshop. Rich and Ian made the computer work from parts of two systems. Haven't tested the backpack but hopefully that should "just work". Without the backpack none of this would be possible.
participants (5)
-
Bill Degnan -
Dean Notarnicola -
Evan Koblentz -
Jason Perkins -
Jeff Galinat