DaemonBite-Retro-Controllers-USB/PaddleTwoControllersUSB/README.md

mr.Spinner - Spinner and Paddle USB adapter for MiSTer

Introduction

It's a simple adapter for 2 independent input devices in a single Arduino Micro (ATmega32U4) board.

Paddle

For paddle you need a linear potentiometer with 10K-1M resistance and a button. You can use Atari 2600 paddles, but you need to add a simple modification to paddles. You need to connect unconnected 3rd pin of potentiometer to a black wire of button (ground pin).

Spinner

You can use almost any 2-phase spinner. Hight-PPR (300+) spinners provider more smooth scroll while even simple minniature Arduino shield spinner with 20PPR is fine. PPR value includes 4 steps of 2-phase encoder, so 20PPR spinner means 80 steps. This adapter is splitting PPR to steps, so 20PPR spinner gives 80 pulses to the FPGA core. Thus even 20PPR is good enough to play all spinner games. However minniature passive spinners line the one used in Arduino shield has clicking mechanism (one cleak per PPR) which making hard to use it for playing the games. Luckily, you can disassemble such spinner (carefully strighten those 4 V-locks to remove the top part) and flatten the pimple to eliminate the clicks. After this modification you can use 20PPR spinner to play the games.

Standard Atari 2600 driving controller is 4PPR spinner which is not acceptable for using. However you can try to mod it by installing 20-40PPR passive micro spinner inside.

Optical 360-600PPR spinners are supported as well. You just need to provide the 5V power to such spinner.

Connecting/Assembling

If you use Atari 2600 paddles, then just use standard DB9 connector. If you use driving controller then you will need 2 DB9 sockets.

Connector 1:

DB9	Arduino Micro pin	Beetle pin	Function
1	TXO(1)	TXO(1)	Spinner_A
2	RXI(0)	RXI(0)	Spinner_B
3	3	10	Paddle2 Btn
4	4	11	Paddle1 Btn
5	A0	A0	Paddle1 Pot
6	6	9	Spinner Btn
7	VCC	VCC	VCC
8	GND	GND	GND
9	A1	A0	Paddle2 Pot

Connector 2:

DB9	Arduino Micro pin	Beetle pin	Function
1	2	3	Spinner_A
2	7	2	Spinner_B
6	15	15	Spinner Btn
7	VCC	VCC	VCC
8	GND	GND	GND

Notes

1. You need to set correct SPINNER_PPR value in source according to used spinner.
2. Spinner emulates the paddle as well, So bassically the spinner is the only you need for both spinner and paddle control. If you don't need paddle emulation then comment out (or remove) the line #define PADDLE_EMU
3. Adapter switches to paddle by pressing the button on paddle. It switches to spinner if spinner is moved or spinner button has been pressed.

License

This project is licensed under the GNU General Public License v3.0.