Joystick for computer from keyboard

We have already made a similar homemade product on our own, only in it we coordinated the joystick from the Dandy console with the computer hardware using a special program. Here we will simply convert an ordinary computer keyboard into a joystick.

What do we need? Any keyboard (preferably with a USB bus for convenience), but of course a working one. Any joystick from any console, from any manufacturer, even a non-working one is possible. The main thing is that another board on top fits inside it.

I took this “chubby” joystick.

I’ll tell you our problem briefly, I think you’ll understand everything.

I don’t know whether you know or not that the keyboard and joystick work in a similar way. Namely, each of these devices uses the principle of command encryption. This is done so that as few wires as possible can be removed from the device. For example, if you connect at least one wire to each button on the keyboard, you will end up with a lot. And so it was decided to encrypt them and convert them into impulses.

In the keyboard, unlike the joystick, the principle of cross-connection of buttons is used, that is, about a dozen buttons go to the keyboard board, and 4 or 5 from the board, depending on the device interface.

Let's get down to action. We take out the board from the joystick and use a screwdriver to cut off all the contacts from the original microcircuit.

 

Next, solder a pair of wires to each contact. And we solder these pairs to the computer keyboard board.

 

Accordingly, you need to find out in advance which contacts on the board are responsible for which buttons.

The work is a bit complicated, it requires careful attention.

Here is the result.

 

I want to say that it didn’t work out for me right away.

And decide for yourself which buttons to connect, for example, for me, “W” is equal to the joystick up button. "S" - down, "A" - left, and so on.

In our past COMPUTER JOYSTICK You can download an archive with games for the joystick if you don’t have your own. There are more than 300 games for dandy, shogi, and Nintendo. The best games for the 90s generation.

Good luck!