Questions tagged [input-devices]
Retro input devices generally; also, less common devices (like paddles, gamepads, steering wheels, drawing tablets) and entirely unconventional input devices. Use [mouse], [keyboards], [joystick] instead if appropriate.
22 questions
6votes
1answer
404views
Reading a key in MSX without blocking?
Turbo Pascal 3.3 for MSX apparently didn't didn't have graphics, sound or other useful functions to write games, however it allows inline machine code to be injected by using the reserved word "...
- 1,696
7votes
1answer
2kviews
Did anyone ever try making a 3D mouse for the PC? [closed]
I'm actually wondering about things that were tried a long time ago and couldn't be done, and then now they could be simple cheap peripherals. Like, in the 486 days when I worked at a disreputable ...
2votes
1answer
396views
How to fix the inaccurate mouse movement in the Eye of the Beholder for C64 under VICE? [closed]
I'm trying to play the C64 and C128 versions of the Eye of the Beholder by using the VICE emulator on Windows 11, but the mouse movement is too inaccurate and it constantly flutters on a moving ...
- 563
5votes
3answers
1kviews
What is this "switch register - display" and what was it used for?
At my work we have a bunch of old computer and logic stuff. I figured it would be best to ask about it here, since the original owners have long since retired. Any ideas what this thing is and what it ...
- 3,727
4votes
1answer
583views
How can I make use of a Genius HiSketch 1212 serial-port drawing tablet on a modern PC?
I have a friend that still uses Windows 98 because of a drawing tablet (Genius HiSketch 1212) that he is not able to install in modern systems. He has Windows 98 installed in an old PC that's always ...
5votes
1answer
337views
Which early computer games supported "English" from the paddle controller?
In relation to this answer about the "English" control of the Magnavox Odyssey, I am wondering if the concept found its way into other games for later computers and consoles that supported ...
- 61.7k
7votes
6answers
1kviews
What happened to Spatial Freedom and the Astroid controller?
I've been doing some research into 3D mice. Pretty much the only game in town is the space mouse from 3Dconnexion. In doing this I discovered that its original designer John Hilton left after the ...
- 255
19votes
3answers
5kviews
Which retro system controllers are compatible with Amiga out of the box
I read an article that people were using various means of user input in their Amiga 500 computers as an alternative to joystick. Most notable, Sega Mega Drive, Sega Master System, CD32 / Competition ...
- 4,262
8votes
1answer
288views
Did the keyboard "scancodes" available to Commodore PET software differ between models?
As mentioned on my Were there any standard tricks to fix PET upper/lower case differences? question, I'm trying to figure out what to expect when running software generically labelled as "PET&...
- 2,997
10votes
2answers
584views
Could the BBC micro's analogue input be used to sample sound?
Reference: BBC Micro analogue in A custom connector would be required between this D-shape rows of pins port and a standard input socket for phono/rca or 3.5inch or 1/4inch jack. What would be the bit ...
4votes
1answer
644views
How does the rotary control button of Forgotten Worlds/Lost Worlds encode rotation?
How does the rotary control button of Forgotten Worlds/Lost Worlds encode motion? How does it create a binary signal for game software to know how far and which direction to rotate the player's game ...
- 525
7votes
1answer
628views
Player 1 / Player 2 input for Space Invaders
According to the Computer Archeology page on Space Invaders, port 1 presents "player 1's shoot/left/right" input to the CPU, whereas port 2 presents player 2. Playing around the code in an ...
- 2,820
12votes
3answers
1kviews
What pointing devices were available for C64/C128?
Apart from 1351 mouse what other official Commodore C64/C128 pointing devices were available, or notable 3rd party like Mouse Cheese. Joysticks and controllers are out of question. C64-wiki seems to ...
- 4,262
47votes
2answers
6kviews
Why are paddles called paddles?
A paddle is a sort of input device, common on early video game consoles and home computers, consisting of a handheld wheel with one or more fire buttons. Unlike dial boxes, which spin freely, paddles ...
- 7,771
9votes
4answers
1kviews
Did any devices use the Commodore 64 joystick ports as outputs or two-way communications ports?
Looking at the schematic and explanation of how the C64 joystick ports work, it seems clear that the stick direction and button lines (JOYA0, through JOYA3 for port 1 and JOYB0, through JOYB3 for port ...
- 28.5k
