Joystick - Revision history

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2018-12-13T15:10:50Z

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			[[Category: Device Basics‎‎]]

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2018-11-04T17:45:35Z

Clarify

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	The [[Whirlwind]] computer tried joysticks early on, but testing showed that it was slow and difficult to zero in on a selected item, so they invented the light pen. Some other early computers also had joysticks, often for games. Joysticks became popular with the advent of [[personal computer]] games.		The [[Whirlwind]] computer tried joysticks early on, but testing showed that it was slow and difficult to zero in on a selected item, so they invented the light pen. Some other early computers also had joysticks, often for games. Joysticks became popular with the advent of [[personal computer]] games.

	The simplest implemention provided only 4 bits of output (for the 4 directions), but better ones included two potentiometers (variable [[resistor]]s). The output was fed into an [[analog-to-digital converter]]; often, a very simple one was used, which used a [[voltage]] source and a [[capacitor]], and a counter to measure how long it took the voltage to reach a fixed level.		The simplest implemention provided only 4 bits of output (for the 4 directions), but better ones included two potentiometers (variable [[resistor]]s), to give the X-Y coordintes of the current stick location.

			The output of the latter type was fed into an [[analog-to-digital converter]]; often, a very simple one was used, which used a [[voltage]] source and a [[capacitor]], and a counter to measure how long it took the voltage to reach a fixed level.

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Jnc: An OK start

2018-11-04T17:42:51Z

An OK start

New page

'''Joysticks''' were the earliest pointing input devices, before [[light pen]]s and [[mouse|mice]]. It is based on the similar control device used in airplanes.

The [[Whirlwind]] computer tried joysticks early on, but testing showed that it was slow and difficult to zero in on a selected item, so they invented the light pen. Some other early computers also had joysticks, often for games. Joysticks became popular with the advent of [[personal computer]] games.

The simplest implemention provided only 4 bits of output (for the 4 directions), but better ones included two potentiometers (variable [[resistor]]s). The output was fed into an [[analog-to-digital converter]]; often, a very simple one was used, which used a [[voltage]] source and a [[capacitor]], and a counter to measure how long it took the voltage to reach a fixed level.

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