Using Microsoft Sidewinder Pro Precision?

[pastelpony]

I found one of these for free and instantly thought, "Maybe I can use this for FRC!" Unfortunately, upon looking at the port, it turned out to be a very strange 9-pin gameport connector (I initially thought it was RS-232 until looking at the very odd arrangement of the pins.) Does anyone with experience with this controller know if there is an adapter for the strange 9-pin connector on the Microsoft Sidewinder Precision Pro? This joystick feels a lot more fluid than my Logitech Extreme 3D Pro.

[AllenGregoryIV]

It's a game port controller. They were used before USB. The old IFI Robot controller used them exclusively.

There are adapters available for 15 pin game port to USB. I've never used them.

[pastelpony]

Originally Posted by AllenGregoryIV

It's a game port controller. They were used before USB. The old IFI Robot controller used them exclusively.

There are adapters available for 15 pin game port to USB. I've never used them.

Yeah but this example uses a 9-pin game port connector (unlike the DB15 I'm familiar with) and I'm pretty sure it isn't RS-232. I'll see if they're compatible.

[AllenGregoryIV]

Originally Posted by pastelpony

Yeah but this example uses a 9-pin game port connector (unlike the DB15 I'm familiar with) and I'm pretty sure it isn't RS-232. I'll see if they're compatible.

Do you have a picture? The only 9 pin joysticks I can recall are Atari joysticks but I doubt Microsoft made an Atari joystick.

[AdamHeard]

Originally Posted by pastelpony

Yeah but this example uses a 9-pin game port connector (unlike the DB15 I'm familiar with) and I'm pretty sure it isn't RS-232. I'll see if they're compatible.

Is it physically a 15 pin connector, with some pins omitted making it 9 total?

I had a similar microsoft joystick (possibly the same one) and it was a 15 pin gameport (but didn't have all 15 pinned out).

[pastelpony]

Originally Posted by AdamHeard

Is it physically a 15 pin connector, with some pins omitted making it 9 total?

I had a similar microsoft joystick (possibly the same one) and it was a 15 pin gameport (but didn't have all 15 pinned out).

Physically yes it's a gameport, but it's missing pins in several locations bringing the total to 9. Is this the standard Microsoft pinout?

I'd take a picture but CD won't let me upload for some reason.

[AllenGregoryIV]

Originally Posted by pastelpony

Physically yes it's a gameport, but it's missing pins in several locations bringing the total to 9. Is this the standard Microsoft pinout?

I'd take a picture but CD won't let me upload for some reason.

Yes it is probably a standard game port connector. If you look at a game port connector pin out you can see that several pins are duplicates of 5v or GND and the joystick only needs to connect to one of each of those. Also if the joystick doesn't need all the digital or analog inputs they could omit some of those as well.

Edit:
Actually it's a standard game port connector but Microsoft multiplexes some of the pins to allow for more buttons. It's on the first wikipedia article that I linked too. You will probably need special drivers to be able to use it with full functionality.