A Simple A600(HD) Games Port Adaptor.

Barry Walker



The Story So Far... :)


(Sounds like StarWars dunnit eh!... :)

Well,  I think many of us have been there; wanting to use the A600(HD) Games Port for something else BUT....... YUP,  you guessed it.......

NO, STANDARD, 9 Way ~D~ Type sockets fit into the A600(HD)'s games port, so you either have to raid an OLD joystick OR mouse for the SLIM moulded socket and cable OR NOW THIS SIMPLE PROJECT IS HERE FOR YOU TO MAKE YOUR OWN THAT SPECIFICALLY SUITS THE A600(HD)... :)

There is a drawing and some photographs for your guidance and this text file plus some others.

This little add-on opens up new avenues that I bet you never knew existed for a bog-standard A600(HD) and a standard full OS2.0x installation, see later in this text for a few examples of what I have already done!... :)

Have fun and build simple solutions to often difficult problems... :)

(REMEMBER!,  even IA(x)86 architrcture machines can have very simple add-ons to make life much easier, and in turn make the ~PC~ a much more versatile tool.  There WILL be a project coming soon, see later in this text also... :)

Ability age range for this project is from 10-12 years old, upwards...

~Super Glue~ is used so adult supervision MAY BE required for the age range 10-15 years.  This is left to the discretion of the parent/guardian or adult in charge.





General Assumptions:-


That You Should Have A Basic Knowledge Of:-

1)  How to set up the AMIGA.
2)  How to BOOT up the AMIGA into either a CLI, (Command Line Interface), or a WorkBench screen.
3)  How to use the Keyboard.
4)  How to use the Mouse.
5)  How to start programs from the CLI or WorkBench.
6)  The general operation of WorkBench, windows and requesters etc...
7)  How to format a floppy disk.
8)  How to create a BOOTABLE floppy disk.
9)  Safely connecting ANY external equipment to the AMIGA.





Parts List:-


1)  1 off, 9 Way ~D~ Type Plug.
2)  1 off, 9 Way ~D~ Type Cover/Shell assembly for Item 1).
3)  1 off, 9 Way ~D~ Type Socket.
4)  9 lengths of different coloured wire.
5)  Various sizes of Heat Shrink Sleeving.
6)  Super Glue,  WARNING!!!,  THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS STUFF, SO BEWARE!!!.


Tools:-


The same as for the previous project(s).
PLUS....
1)  A hair drier to shrink the heat shrink sleeving.
2)  A battery powered drill to drill out the holes in the flange of the 9 Way ~D~ Type SOCKET.
3)  A 5mm, (3/16"), drill bit.
4)  A multimeter.


Specifications:-


1)  Cheap.
2)  Childishly easy to build.
3)  Is this the only version available!?
!





Some Projects I Have Uploaded To AMINET That Uses The Games Port:
-



               Project.                                   Multitask.
               --------                                   ----------
  1) TestGear3.lha, Project9A ............................    Yes.
     A slow Logic Probe, that uses simple graphics.
  2) TestGear5.lha, Project14 ............................    No.
     A 2.5MHz Frequency Counter, this is capable
     of 10MHz when used on a STOCK A1200(HD) but
     is limited to 2.5MHz on a STOCK A600(HD).
  3) TestGear5.lha, Project15 ............................    Yes.
     A dual Analogue to Digital Converter complete
     with a simple DC voltmeter.
  4) TestGear7.lha, Data Logger/Transient Recorder .......    Yes.
     This is primarily aimed at WinUAE, the AMIGA
     emulator, using the PC Games Port. Also classic
     AMIGA Parallel Port OR Games Port.

  WinUAE Specific Games Port BUT Also Works On Classic AMIGA Games Ports:-
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------

  1) WinUAE-ADC.lha, a special Analogue to Digital Converter for use with
     WinUAE. This is a slow ADC but works, and enables WinUAE to accept 8
     bit binary data into it.
  2) WinUAE-AFW.lha, an add-on for WinUAE-ADC.lha to measure 0.1W to 100
     Watts RMS of audio power output.
  3) WinUAE-RFW.lha, another add-on for WinUAE-ADC.lha to measure 0.1 to
     10 Watts of RF power output, from 1MHz to 520MHz, calibrated inside
     the amateur bands.
     

(I'll lay odds on that you never even thought that these were possible but I can assure you they are and that they work... :)

All are easily built on the kitchen table with simple tools and with readily available components at the time of writing.

Now you can see why this simple A600(HD) Games Port adapter is useful.

In the NEXT issue of the magazine there will be a simple construction project for a PC to AMIGA adaptor cable for the ~WinUAE-ADC.lha~ ADC project to work under WinUAE.  It is ONLY for this application AND NOT a universal cable for ALL conditions.

(These TestGear projects will probably be described in future articles. :)







Construction:-



(Refer to the drawing AND the photographs.)




   





1)  Using the battery drill and 5mm drill bit, drill out the two holes in the 9 Way ~D~ Type SOCKET flange(s), NOT the plug!.
2)  Remove the two metal flanges and discard.
3)  Ensure the pins are seated in one half of the SOCKET correctly.
4)  WITH GREAT CARE!!!, use a SMALL amount of super-glue an cement the two halves of the socket together. Allow a small amount of time to dry!.
5)  Using the 9 different colours of wire, wire up each pin of this SOCKET and leave the other end of each wire free. The prototype used lengths of wire about 75mm, (3"), long.
6)  Place a length of small diameter heat shrink sleeving over this wire ~cable form~.
7)  Place a larger diameter heat shrink sleeving over this smaller heat shrink sleeving.
8)  Wire up the other ends of the coloured wires, (the same PIN NUMBERS as the SOCKET), to the 9 Way ~D~ Type plug, leaving enough of the smaller heat shrink sleeving to be hidden inside the ~D~ Type cover/shell. That is Pin 1 to Pin 1, Pin 2 to Pin 2 and so on...
9) Now partially place the larger diameter heat shrink sleeving over the the 9 Way ~D~ Type SOCKET, see photographs.
10) Using the hair drier heat up the heat shrink sleeving for a short while until it has shrunk to size. BEWARE!!!, DO NOT burn yourself.
11)  Allow a few minutes to cool.
12)  Fit the ~D~ Type cover/shell assembly over the 9 Way ~D~ type PLUG.
13)  Using the multimeter Ohms range, check that the wiring is good.
14)  Check again!!!
15)  Check for shorts across each and any pin.
16)  If all is OK, the unit is ready for testing, below...





Testing:-


(This has got to be the easiest testing proceedure ever... :)

1)  Switch OFF the AMIGA, (A600(HD)? :), and all peripheral gear.
2)  Remove the mouse socket from the computer.
3)  Plug in this adaptor, (socket end), into the mouse port.
4)  Plug the mouse socket into the free, (plug), end of the adaptor.
5)  Power up the AMIGA, (A600(HD)? :), and all peripheral gear and boot into Workbench.
6)  Use the mouse as normal.
7)  If the mouse responds correctly then all is well. IF NOT, then immediately switch of the AMIGA, (A600(HD)? :), remove the adaptor, check your wiring and correct from the plug end, as the other end will be permanently sealed due to the heat shrink sleeving.
8)  This will test 8 out of the 9 inter-connections inside the adaptor. These are Pins 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8 and 9.   It can be assumed that the 9th connection, Pin 5, will be OK also. :)
9)  Use for a while in this state and if you are satisfied with the result then switch OFF the AMIGA, (A600(HD)? :), and peripherals and remove this adaptor from the mouse port.
10)  Refit the mouse socket to the mouse port.
11)  Fit this adaptor to your A600(HD) Games port and it is ready for use with any item that needs the Games port.
12)  Re-start the AMIGA, (A600(HD)? :), and peripherals and use as normal.

Now wasn't that easy eh!... :)


URL:-http://homepages.tesco.net/wisecracker/G0LCU.HTM

Author of the ~TestGear?~ projects in the ~hard/hack~ drawer of AMINET.







© RIYAN Productions