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                      Ŀ
                              Circuit Diagrams         
                      
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 The circuits described in this document, and others within this package, 
 are free to be used by any person or business.

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 I authorise any person or business to distribute this software with 
 adapters they produce.

 I do, however, request;
 
   1) That the software is not altered in any way.
   
   2) to be informed, by mail, of their intent to manufacture these 
      adapters.
   3) regular updates on the number of adapters they sell.
 
 I don't require payment, now or at anytime in the future. I simply wish to
 keep track of its popularity.

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 Ŀ
  General Notes/Changes. 
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 SNES PRO! V1.50 represents a major change in direction. After discussion
 with several games authors, a decision has been made to support the 
 NINTENDO MULTITAP (6 player adapter). This means a quality device will
 available to any IBM user wanting the multiple player option. 
 
 The ciruits which accompanied the previous versions (EXT3,EXT6,INT6.GIF)
 have been withheld, for modification to suit the MULTITAP, and will be
 re-released with GAMEPAD PRO! V1.0. Expected release Mid-August. GAMEPAD
 PRO! V1.0 will also support SEGA and GRAVIS Gamepads.
 
 Circuit changes effect mutiplayer options ONLY. This shouldn't effect 
 anyone as the multi-player SNES PRO! hasn't been released yet. Anyone who 
 has already built one of the PASS-THROUGH adapters in the previous versions 
 of SNES PRO! will only need to make small modifications in order to add 
 MULTITAP adapter compatibility.

 Below are the basic circuits to connect an SNES Gamepad to your PC.

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 Ŀ
  Single Player Adapter. 
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 Description.
 The Single Player Adapter allows one SNES gamepad to be connected to a PC's
 parallel port. This adapter is the least expensive to buy or build. Our 
 version has the appearance if a 'dongle'. 

 Method.
 This adapter can be built by a) mounting the SNES pins on some 'veroboard'
                                 and soldering it to the DB-25 connector.
                              b) Buying an SNES extension cable and using
                                 only one end of it, mounting the components
                                 in the DB-25 backshell.

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        PARALLEL                GAMEPAD                                      
          PORT (DB-25)             1                   
         Ŀ                                        
   Data3  05 >Ŀ           
     |    |  >Ĵ          Ŀ               
   Data7  09 >Ĵ 1  +5Vcc                          
   Data0  02 Ĵ 2  Clk                             
   Data1  03 Ĵ 3  Reset                
   Ack    10 Ĵ 4  Data In 1                 
                                5  Reserved 
                                6  Reserved  
   GND    18 Ĵ 7  GND      
    |     |  Ĵ                                      
   GND    25                                          
                                                                               

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 Ŀ
  Power Adapter - Gameport 
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 Description.
 Two types of power adapter are available. This one and the keyboard version
 below. Both work well but this one is easier to build. Power is taken from
 pins 1 (5Vcc) and 5 (Gnd).
 
 Method.
 Connect a male and female DB15, back to back, and solder all connections.
 Solder the lead that has the 2.1mm Plug on it accross pins 1 and 5 of the
 DB15.
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                         2.1mm 
                         DC Power Plug.
                         Ŀ                        
                   Ĵ 01  +5Vcc. (Inside/Tip)
                     Ĵ 02  Gnd.   (Outside)
                       
                     
         DB-15         DB-15 
         Plug          Socket    
         Ŀ        Ŀ                   
          01 ĳĴ 01  
          02 ĳĴ 02  
 <-- To   03 ĳĴ 03  From     <---
     PC   04 ĳĴ 04  Joystick.
          05 Ĵ 05  
           |        |  
           |        |  
          15 Ĵ 15  
                   
 
 
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 Ŀ
  Power Adapter - Keyboard 
  f1
 Description.
 The KEYBOARD power adapter works as efectively as the gamepad version above
 but isn't as neat.
 
 Method.
 Wire a cable between a 5 pin din Plug and Socket as shown below.
 Solder the lead that has the 2.1mm Plug on it accross pins 5 and 4 of the
 DB15.
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                         2.1mm 
                         DC Power Plug.
                         Ŀ                        
                   Ĵ 01  +5Vcc. (Inside/Tip)
                     Ĵ 02  Gnd.   (Outside)
                       
                     
         5 Pin         5 Pin 
         Din Plug      Din Socket
         Ŀ        Ŀ                   
          01 ĳĳĴ 01  
          02 ĳĳĴ 02  
 <-- To   03 ĳĳĴ 03  From     <---
     PC   04 ĳĴ 04  Keyboard
          05 Ĵ 05  
                   

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 Ŀ
  N O T E S   
  f1


 NOTES: 1) Power is supplied via; 
            1) Diodes from pins 5-9 of the IBM parallel port. These can be 
               any type (but preferably a Germanium Type).    
            2) or an external power cable
        
        2) All Able Solutions adapters will have a 100 to x00 uf     
           Electrolytic capacitor across pins 1 and 7 of the SNES connector.
        
        3) SNES Connectors can be made from PCB pins, 1.2mm (diameter) by
           10mm. Available in Australia from;  
                                               Rod Ivrving Electronics
                                               A'beckett st                 
                                               Melbourne, 3001.
                                               Ph (03) 663 6151

        4) Pin 1 of the Nintendo connector is the FLAT end. Pin 7 is the 
           ROUND end. 
        
        5) When using an external adapter without a power source, problems  
           may arise under the following conditions.
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                1) Using Infa Red (IR) type controllers.          
                2) Using certain Arcade type controllers.
                3) Connecting too many hand controllers. 
                   NOTE: This would be rare if using the circuits above.
                   I've tested most handheld controllers and have had any 
                   two working at the same time with no problems.
 f1
 If any problems are experienced you can can bet it will be with a lack of
 power. This is because the standard IBM printer port does not have a 
 dedicated power supply pin. 
 
 As the circuit explains, power for the SNES Gamepads is taken from six of 
 the data pins. Three problems may accompany this approach.
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    1) The output volatage of these data pins may not reach 5V. (Which is
       the standard supply from a SNES games console). 

    2) The diodes will drop an extra .2V (Germanium) or .6V (Silicon) off 
       that total.
       
    3) The current from these pins may not be enough, even after chaining 
       five pins together.
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 While all this is starting to sound a bit disappointing, the good news is 
 that the majority of gamepads use very low current (3 to 6 mA). Even
 better, the IC's (little black thingies) inside are CMOS and only require
 about 3V to work OK.

 So if your printer port only puts out 4V and you use a silicon diode, 
 your still .4V ahead. Yes thats pushing your luck, BUT I haven't had 
 problem running three regular handheld gamepads on the several printer
 cards that I've tried. My larger games console used a little more power 
 than the handheld (only due to the LEDs) on the front but it still didn't
 present any problems.

 Also, the majority of users will only be using one gamepad. Many may
 use two (for fighting games etc.). So that will also be in your favour.

 Infared devices, those cordless jobs that work in a similar way to your
 video's remote control, may have a problem. I haven't tried one as yet
 but I expect that their power requirement will be 5V, more mA's and won't 
 except any less. 
 
 ALL THIS CAN BE SOLVED by building, or buying, one of the external power
 cables above. They simply plug into the gamepad adapter and source their 
 power from 1) the GAME Port or 2) KEYBOARD connector. 

 Initially, only the Single player adapter (with optional power cable) will 
 be available from Able Solutions. I have the first version available as 
 this software is released. It is a little primitive (not as professionally 
 finished as I would have liked) but it is solid and will work forever. 
 
 A decision has been made to support the SUPER NINTENDO MULTITAP device. It
 allows up to 6 players to be connected. This device is available as an 
 accessory for the Super Nintendo (Famicom) Entertainment Console and is 
 widely stocked in many stores where video games accessories are sold. NOTE 
 it will require the optional power adapter.

                        * * E N D   O F   F I L E * *                          

