15pin (DA-15) gameport to usb on modern pc?

[retroborg]

Hello,
Recently I bought a new M/B (Asus p5b), only to find out that it does not feature the old 15pin gameport (DA-15), so I can't connect my two MS Sidewinder 10button pads.

I also noticed that none of the modern mainstream, Creative Soundblaster cards have the 15pin gameport either! (At least it is not mentioned in their descriptions at the creative home site. Please correct me if I'm wrong)

I searched the web and found a few 15pin to usb adaptors, but most don't support 8-10 button pads, nor the 10 button MS Sidewinder pad!

So, what are my options to connect my two 15pin MS Sidewinders to my new pc?

Please, any help will be highly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.

[foxyshadis]

Hmm. Find an old AWE32 or SB16 from a used shop with one, maybe? They're installable on XP, according to the internet, though likely not ever on a 64-bit OS. Assuming you can find a PCI version or ISA-to-PCI bridge.

Or you can get an old USB Sidewinder (http://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-SideWinder-Game-Pad-USB/dp/B000069JX9), or perhaps just go for a new Saitek instead. (I love Saiteks, could never get into MS and Gravis ones.)

[CWR03]

You should have the MIDI/game port option with the onboard audio - Gigabye, for example, includes it on their motherboards but doesn't include the backplate adaptor so you can use it. It has to be purchased separately.

[squid_80]

Gigabye, for example, includes it on their motherboards but doesn't include the backplate adaptor so you can use it. It has to be purchased separately.
Old AT machines are good sources for those backplates. A lot of them had two backplates connected to their I/O card - one plate had the serial ports (D9 and male D25) and the other had game and parallel (D15 and female D25).

[retroborg]

Somebody suggested that I get an XBOX 360 pad, since it will work on WinXP just fine? Interesting, are they any good, or at least as good as the MS Sidewinder pads?

And most importantly, is the directional D-PAd (Cross) of the 360 better than the sucky SONY PS1/2/3 D-Pad?! I've always hated that D-Pad, it's too hard and stiff, totally useless for semi-circle moves in 2D Beat Em uPs like Street Fighter & King of Fighter series and for 2D Shoot Em Ups (Raiden,RayStorm,etc..)

Will this work in 2D PC Emulators MAME,ZSNES,etc...?

Thanks in advance

[CWR03]

There's an XBox 360-style game pad made specifically for use with the PC, but I don't believe the one for the game console will work directly with a PC.

Edit: I did check out Soundblaster cards, and only the lowest-end ones do not have a MIDI/game port.

[foxyshadis]

If you're thinking about getting a new one, the best thing you can do is to go to a store and hold one - you can't get a sense of how it feels in your hand from photos. And actually the 360 vs PC controllers are exactly the same, the driver disc is the only difference. (It's available on Microsoft.com.) There's two versions with two different d-pads, one a cross, one round, so get the one you prefer. Even the wireless one is supported.

Any gamepad that supports directinput (which is everything since at least 98) will work in all windows games, plus it has the usually key-mapping program for those that don't support pads at all.

CWR03, you mean the port that shows up in pics like this (http://images.soundblaster.com/ISS/images/products/headers/prod14066_hdr_1_6_2.jpg)? That's a 26-pin external digital amp output, won't work as a gameport.

Audigies came with the same sort of backplate squid_80 was talking about, it looks like the Live! series was the last that bundled them on the cards (in which case there's lots of PCI versions floating around). Oh, wait, it looks like it's at least on the Audigy 2 ZS as well. Interesting. But overkill for a gameport (and little better audio).

[squid_80]

PS1 analog pads can be hooked up to the parallel port with a bit of soldering. Add a 9 volt plugpack and you can even get force feedback working.

[ssjkakaroto]

The wired version of the Xbox360 controller is compatible with winxp, but be sure to use the XBCD (http://matt-land.com/xbcd/) driver instead of the m$ one (it sucks).

PS: I also have 2 Sidewinder Gamepads that I can't use because of this damned port. Currently I have a 2 PS(2) -> USB adapter that is working fine but the sidewinders were one of the best gamepads, ergonomicaly speaking.