Author Topic: Dual Avenue 6 pads  (Read 814 times)

Deezdrama

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Dual Avenue 6 pads
« on: May 13, 2023, 06:16:54 PM »
 I imported 2 avenue 6 pads from japan along with a multitap.
When testing one 6 button pad on my core grafx all buttons worked fine. The 2nd pad worked fine too when testing alone on the console.
Then I plugged in my multitap and tried both pads. Its like all the inputs got crossed. A punch button on player 2 might make player 1 crouch , player 1 jump might make the game pause, etc etc.

I thought the cords or connections could be bad so swapped in brand new cords in the pads, cleaned and de-oxidized everything.....same issue.

Took the tap apart, cleaned, checked esr of cap, same issues.

Tried again and then tested on my supergrafx, same crossed input behavior.

Then ordered another tap and same behavior.

Several months later I got my mister and have 2 m30 2.4gHz 6 button pads I fired up the turbo core expecting to finally be able to play 2 player sf2 on pce/tgx with 6 button pads but was greeted with the same exact crossed input behavior as I had with original hardware and the avenue6 pads so I concluded it was just the way it was that there couldnt be enough inputs to support 12 buttons across 2 pads as even a turbo tap with 5 players would only have the input channels for 10 unique action button signals and two 6button pads would require 12.

But then I read about the input polling for pce on 6 button games and the game looks for a double pulse signal almost like interlacing the input signals.... So its not a lack of input paths. I read the 6 button pads send signals on the low voltage side so could it be an issue of signal degradation? Will two 6 button avenue 6 pads work on a multitap? Ive had this conversation with others and cant find any example on the net of anyone using 2 of these pads at the same time.
If it indeed does work then what would cause mister fpga to behave the same way with crossed inputs when trying to use 2 6 button pads?

JPEngine

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Re: Dual Avenue 6 pads
« Reply #1 on: May 13, 2023, 11:10:12 PM »
I have two of these controllers and have used them simultaneously via tap with no issues.

If I recall correctly, the 6-button mode on these is accomplished by essentially mimicking the inputs of two controllers back and forth in sequence (the extra four buttons are mapped to the second “emulated” controller’s I, II, run, and select buttons). This is why the controllers have a toggle for 2 and 6 button modes, and it’s also why the game has to specifically support 6 button controllers.

It sounds to me like there’s a mismatch between the 2/6 button setting on the controllers you’re using and the 2/6 button setting on the game you’re playing (or a core setting on the mister).

Sorry in advance if my explanation is technically incorrect. Someone else please correct if necessary.

Keith Courage

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Re: Dual Avenue 6 pads
« Reply #2 on: May 18, 2023, 10:48:28 PM »
You should most definitely be able to use both controllers together at the same time and unfortunately I have no idea what is causing the problem. Are you maybe using an extension cable with either controller or the tap? I've heard of weird things happening with extension cables before.

turboxray

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Re: Dual Avenue 6 pads
« Reply #3 on: May 20, 2023, 06:42:33 PM »
I just tested a combination of hori 6, ave 6, and the RX 6 button with two different taps. One of my taps is geeky - because if you just breathe on it with a 2nd pad plugged in - it starts to wig out (random button presses). It doesn't matter which port the 2nd pad is plugged into. Probably needs a re-cap on the tap. It has the behavior sort of what your described. And when that does happen, I have to switch the 2nd pad back to 2button and then back again to 6 button to fix it (or sometimes reset the game). As in the game logic detection gets in a weird state (because it can dynamically change back and forth between the two configurations).

 I tried with my 2nd tap and it was rock solid - no issues (I smacked the hell out it if too). I don't have any mods on the system, but I am running a TeD Pro is which does draw some current over stock. A tap with extra pads it going to as well.

 Try re-capping your TAPs. Not sure if the 6 button controllers have any caps.


FYI -
 The 6 button uses a counter as a flip flop circuit, so the odd reads of the same controller gives a directional input reading of ALL directions (an impossible state). It's how it knows what is a stock "read", and which read is for the extra buttons (you look at the directional state when looking at the button states). I mean, this does require an extra IC in the controller two work properly when in 6 button mode. I only have 1 AVE-6 pad, so I can try two of those specific ones at the same time.