Basically when a joystick is connected they are always going down (3's or 8's across the screen)
Had it open and cleaned all contacts, inspected for any shorts and tested continuity, all good, could it be that IC in there?
Yep, joysticks fine, works in my +3 and with a RAM turbo on the same machine im trying the IF2 out on. Also, the edge connector on the IF2 has been polished within an inch of its life and gleams (just in case it was poor contacts, which it wasnt)
Hmm. but without joystick no 3s and 8s on the screen?
But, connection a good working joystick without moving the stick does not make any contacts at all anywhere. Basically connected joystick is invisble. So, if joystick is okay but problem happens only when joystick is connected the problem is with the connector itself. Maybe, just maybe, something is broken there and when you connect the stick it just shorts. I recently replaced 2 db9 connector of kempston interfaces too. But those just did not work, nothing weird.
Are you by any chance plugging a Sinclair branded joystick (or a joystick made for a Spectrum +2 or +3) into your Interface 2?
Only a Sinclair branded joystick (or a joystick made for a Spectrum +2 or +3) has non-standard wiring.
A Sinclair Interface 2 works with joysticks wired to the Atari standard.
Pin-out for the Sinclair branded joystick (or a joystick made for a Spectrum +2 or +3)
PIN FUNCTION
1 not used
2 common JOYSTICK 1 and JOYSTICK 2 sockets
3 not used _____________________
4 fire / 1 2 3 4 5 \
5 up \ o o o o o /
6 right \ 6 7 8 9 /
7 left \ o o o o /
8 common \_______________/
9 down
Atari and Sinclair Interface 2 pin-out:
PIN FUNCTION
1 Up
2 Down JOYSTICK 1 and JOYSTICK 2 sockets
3 Left _____________________
4 Right / 1 2 3 4 5 \
5 not used or +5V \ o o o o o /
6 Fire \ 6 7 8 9 /
7 not used \ o o o o /
8 Common or GND \_______________/
9 not used or Fire 2
! Standby alert !
“There are four lights!”
Step up to red alert. Sir, are you absolutely sure? It does mean changing the bulb!
Looking forward to summer in Somerset later in the year :)
Im plugging a Sinclair wired joystick in, basically the same stick i use in my +3's Joystick ports
Thats the problem. The joystick ports on the +2 and +3 were slugged so that they would only work with Amstrad-made Sinclair-branded joysticks. (Although obviously some others copied the format, and some makers made dual-format sticks with both types of connector.)
Plugging an Amstrad-style "Sinclair" joystick into a standard joystick port (which is everything that isn't a +2 or +3) will result in incorrect operation, exactly you have described. On a Amstrad-Sinclair joystick pins 2 and 8 are common, which on a normal interface will look like a joystick that is in permanent 'down' mode.
Hang on, instead of that Ive already tried an Atari stick i wired myself to the exact sjs configuration, that also produces the same effect (I cant put my hands on the sjs at the minute, its somewhere, just dont know where!)
So all these years ive believed that only Sinclair standard can be used in IF2's? When I could just plug any old Atari stick in there? Really? If so im a bigger numpty than I thought i was!
yes you are :razz: don't use sinclair sjs branded ones or anything that you've wired to work on a +2/a/3, you need an good old fashioned quickshot or any standard atari D plug
or if you can get one with a grey and black D plug, which will work on either machine (black for standard atari, grey for amstrad made speccies)
or you could have text me and I could have nipped down for a cuppa
So all these years ive believed that only Sinclair standard can be used in IF2's? When I could just plug any old Atari stick in there? Really? If so im a bigger numpty than I thought i was!
LOL. The IF2 predated the "Sinclair" standard (that Amstrad cobbled together) by many years!
Proper facepalm moment right there! All these years ive thought differently! Anyway, rigged up my rubber key with IF1+2 connected and tried a Zipstick (with atari connector), first to port 2, 67890, check! port 1, hmm, nothing, maybe sometimes a 2 or 3, ok, try this comp pro (atari black and sinclair/amstrad grey) works just fine 12345, port two with this though, same as the zipstick in port 1, how odd?
Comments
But, connection a good working joystick without moving the stick does not make any contacts at all anywhere. Basically connected joystick is invisble. So, if joystick is okay but problem happens only when joystick is connected the problem is with the connector itself. Maybe, just maybe, something is broken there and when you connect the stick it just shorts. I recently replaced 2 db9 connector of kempston interfaces too. But those just did not work, nothing weird.
Only a Sinclair branded joystick (or a joystick made for a Spectrum +2 or +3) has non-standard wiring.
A Sinclair Interface 2 works with joysticks wired to the Atari standard.
Pin-out for the Sinclair branded joystick (or a joystick made for a Spectrum +2 or +3) Atari and Sinclair Interface 2 pin-out: Mark
Repair Guides. Spanish Hardware site.
WoS - can't download? Info here...
former Meulie Spectrum Archive but no longer available :-(
Spectranet: the TNFS directory thread
! Standby alert !
“There are four lights!”
Step up to red alert. Sir, are you absolutely sure? It does mean changing the bulb!
Looking forward to summer in Somerset later in the year :)
Thats the problem. The joystick ports on the +2 and +3 were slugged so that they would only work with Amstrad-made Sinclair-branded joysticks. (Although obviously some others copied the format, and some makers made dual-format sticks with both types of connector.)
Plugging an Amstrad-style "Sinclair" joystick into a standard joystick port (which is everything that isn't a +2 or +3) will result in incorrect operation, exactly you have described. On a Amstrad-Sinclair joystick pins 2 and 8 are common, which on a normal interface will look like a joystick that is in permanent 'down' mode.
or if you can get one with a grey and black D plug, which will work on either machine (black for standard atari, grey for amstrad made speccies)
or you could have text me and I could have nipped down for a cuppa
LOL. The IF2 predated the "Sinclair" standard (that Amstrad cobbled together) by many years!