ms sidewinder

I have an old Microsoft sidewinder with a ninepin plug. If I bought a converter to usb would it work in ROF?

I'm not cheapskating but am replacing my g940 with a better system and am still in research mode.

I was only able to get mine to work through a SB Sound Card on XP. I was not able to get Windows 7 to enjoy it on the same sound card. I spent probably 2-3 hours on it. The adapter did not work. If you have the same one as me, I think its not sending "hey look at me!" that USB things look for.

Depends on the model.

For the SideWinder 3D Pro and the earliest Precision Pro revisions (with "3D Pro Plus" on the bottom), you'll need a specialized 3DP-Vert adapter. Maybe the original Force-Feedback Pro too, but I'm not certain there.

For the later SideWinder Precision Pro revision, it should have come with a USB adapter already. It actually has the USB interfacing hardware built-in, and the USB adapter in question just connects certain pins to the corresponding ones on the USB plug. Said adapter won't work on the sticks mentioned above.

In neither case would I suggest using a typical gameport-to-USB adapter, since those are built for analog gameport interfaces. The SideWinder line uses a digital gameport interface (when it isn't USB), along with many other Logitech and Gravis offerings from the same time period, and will not work on those adapters at all. (Well, you might have a bit of success with the 3D Pro in analog emulation mode, but again, I'd suggest a 3DP-Vert for that since it was specially built to handle the 3D Pro in native digital mode.)

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00000JDDR/ref=...mp;linkCode=asn


This is the sidewinder I had, if its as old this one, It sure doesn't seem digital. (AFAIK)

That one might actually be an analog gameport stick. I've seen a few in thrift stores, but never actually looked into it enough to find out if it used an analog or digital gameport interface since it was such a basic stick.

The vast majority of SideWinder sticks with gameport interfaces use a digital gameport interface, though.

Had a closer look at mine. It is obviously later than Rakov's and has 3d pro plus on base. Would it be safe to try a ninepin to usb converter?

This Ms Sidewinder 3D PRO as two operation mode: digital (use pins reserved to MIDI in gameport) and a analog emulation, to emule the reference joysticks at time, selectable with switch under base:

CH Flighstick (3 axis, 4 buttons, HAT).
Thrustmaster FCS (2 axis, 4 butons, HAT).

Are chance that in this mode work with generic Gameport>USB adapters, since these emulate this above joysticks and some gamepad.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_SideWinder#3D_Pro

3D PRO is the first stick that I buy. And and the worst, due this low travel in X and Y axis that use opticial sensors, causing overcontrol.
Lots or headache in Warbirds 2.7x since the stick are not full compatible with DirectX 5!!! used by game, generating phantom buttons in his native mode. He worked well in emulation mode (CH/Tm), but in these base butons dont work (on that time).

Some guys developed a DIY adapter to USB - with Sidewinder Force Feedback PRO only return to center force work.

http://www.descentbb.net/viewtopic.php?t=15526
http://grendel.koolbear.com/3dpro.htm

Sokol1

He said "3D Pro Plus", though. That's an early revision of the Precision Pro that lacks internal USB support (and might have an issue with the rudder axis going left or right when just moving along X and Y), so the USB adapters made for later Precision Pros won't work. They also lack the analog emulation mode of the 3D Pro.

However, the 3DP-Vert linked above does work with those sticks.