Competition Pro Retro by icomp.de

Enlighted (6976)

16-05-2017, 18:50

Has anyone bought a Competition Pro Retro joystick from ICOMP ?
The joystick seems advertised as msx compatible
http://wiki.icomp.de/wiki/Competition_Pro_Retro
but it lacks the second button (button B).
It has two couples of buttons (one upper and one lower on the basis) and a switch (4 buttons + 1 switch total). Sadly, all buttons insist on the same A line and the switch can only activate or deactivate the upper couple of buttons.
Is there someone who modified it to support the msx second button?
;(

By Louthrax

Prophet (2496)

16-05-2017, 20:29

I've not done that with this model of joystick, but this should be super-easy to do, even with beginner soldering skills. In the worst case, you'll just need a new 9 wires cables (if you don't have enough wires in the existing cable), and a DB9 plug (if all pins are not wired inside the existing plug). The wiring logic should not be too difficult for you Artrag

By gdx

Enlighted (6431)

17-05-2017, 00:37

Thanks Artrag for the feedback. I modified the wiki.

By ARTRAG

Enlighted (6976)

17-05-2017, 07:48

If I succed into hacking the second button (I have stopped soldering many years ago) I will add a 'how to' guide.

By NYYRIKKI

Enlighted (6092)

17-05-2017, 08:23

I think it should be the gray wire you should connect to B-buttons.

Here is quite a lot of information.

... too bad they didn't use Abiko connectors as in older Competition Pros.

By ARTRAG

Enlighted (6976)

17-05-2017, 23:55

Good finding! thanks! I will give a try this weekend with my new solider

By ARTRAG

Enlighted (6976)

18-05-2017, 23:11

Success! I've desoldered the wire from the lower buttons to the upper bottons and soldered them to the gray wire
Now the upper buttons work as button B when active.

By Louthrax

Prophet (2496)

18-05-2017, 23:31

Hi Artrag,
Nice work! I'm curious: how does this joystick model "feel"? Have you tried shmups like Gradius or Aleste with it?

By Konamito

Paragon (1041)

19-05-2017, 00:43

Hi, I hacked this joysticks back in the years and they work fine for me (they support second button feature).

I love to use them por playing on my MSXs. They are a little bit hard at the beginning but you get used to it in a couple very fast. And they are really STRONG.

By ARTRAG

Enlighted (6976)

19-05-2017, 06:42

IMHO this joystick is too noisy, the switches do a lot of click click.
I was a bit disappointed

By ARTRAG

Enlighted (6976)

19-05-2017, 08:32

I will try a mod of a sega gamepad...