FM-Towns joystick

Prophet (2419)

30-01-2020, 22:48

Hi all,
Would somebody have an FM-Towns joystick to do some tests at Nijmegen this Saturday? I’d like to check some things with the real hardware.

Por sd_snatcher

Prophet (3517)

31-01-2020, 12:36

Tip: From what I heard, the three FM-Towns joypads behave differently.

It was said that it goes like this:

- FMT-PD102: this is the older 2+2 button pad, and would have the common pin connected to pin-9 (GND)
- FMVTW-PAD: this is the newer 2+2 button pad, and would have the common pin connected pin-8 (SELECT)
- FMT-PAD601: this was their latest pad with 6+2 buttons. It would have the common pin connected to pin-8 (SELECT), to select which set of buttons will be read.

It would be nice to confirm whether this is true.

Por gdx

Enlighted (5595)

31-01-2020, 14:20

Here is the FM Towns Technical Data Book:
https://retrocdn.net/images/4/47/FM_TOWNS_JP_Technical_Data_...

Controller schematic is in page 238 and pinout of connector is described in page 649. Pinout is identical to MSXs.

This schematic is the only one I know. If there are other controller types I think these are specific (but usable on MSX with with adequate software and vice versa).

Por sd_snatcher

Prophet (3517)

31-01-2020, 15:11

Thanks, gdx! This is a nice (and hard to find) reference doc.

Besides the lack of the newer joysticks, it’s also sad that it doesn’t seem to mention which pins of the FM-Towns joystick port are input, output or bidirectional. Well, at least not in the English texts, since I cannot read Japanese.

Por gdx

Enlighted (5595)

31-01-2020, 16:22

I/O are shown on the mouse schematic in next page (240). MSX mice are 100% compatible. The only difference is the connector of FM towns mice that is a little longer because the connector of the unit is in a hollow.

http://www.msx.org/wiki/Fujitsu_FMM-MO301
http://www.msx.org/wiki/Fujitsu_FMT-PD104

I have been using the Marty mouse on MSX for years.

Por sd_snatcher

Prophet (3517)

31-01-2020, 20:45

Interesting! The FMVTW-PAD seems to be a newer revision of the FMT-PD104.

Por gdx

Enlighted (5595)

02-02-2020, 12:38

The FMT-PAD601 works like a Genegis controller by using an 74HC157. When the pin 8 is low we can read the directions, A and B, when high C, X, Y, Z, A and B.

Marty joypad have an extra button but I don't know what it is, probably C.

Por Danjovic

Master (222)

02-02-2020, 14:23

gdx wrote:

The FMT-PAD601 works like a Genegis controller by using an 74HC157. When the pin 8 is low we can read the directions, A and B, when high C, X, Y, Z, A and B.

Marty joypad have an extra button but I don't know what it is, probably C.

Circuit with hc157 (link)

Por buharka

Supporter (1)

21-09-2020, 21:43

gdx wrote:

Marty joypad have an extra button but I don't know what it is, probably C.

Marty joypad doesn't have any ICs and no, it doesn't work as C. It's a special button to switch between lo-res and hi-res display modes in some games (for the cases the one set automatically looks bad on TV).

That's the only image I could find. Judging by the traces it connects VCC with GND?

https://gamesx.com/wiki/doku.php?id=controls:x68crazyclimber - and this is an XPD-1LR schematics (a special pad bundled with and used for Crazy Climber and Libble Rabble on X68000 and Libble Rabble on FM Towns/Marty).

Por sd_snatcher

Prophet (3517)

21-09-2020, 22:52

buharka wrote:

That's the only image I could find. Judging by the traces it connects VCC with GND?

From what I'm seeing Vcc doesn't seem to be used. But by elimination, that shoulder button connects the pin-8 of the joystick port to the GND.

This means that this FM-Towns controller should never be connected directly to the MSX without an adapter, or it can fry the PSG when the shoulder button is pressed.

Por Danjovic

Master (222)

03-10-2020, 23:31

Board connections:

Button    Pin(s) (CN1)
UP          8
DOWN        5
LEFT        6
RIGHT       7
A           2
B           1
SEL         8/5 (through D1)
RUN         7/6 (through D2)
SW          4
COMMON      3

Diagram