Setting up old hardware on XP.....

[Bob Smith]

Hello, I dug up some old hardware for some fun. The hardware is
sidewinder force feedback pro which is almost in "mint" condition. I
still have the installation disk. Also it has a male port plug, my
mobo has a male plug too. I have done a "google" and have seen
adaptors that go from port plug to USB. My question is, will
SideWinder work properly using that adaptor? TIA.

 

[Harden Thicke]

Ask the sidewinder people.

 

[pjp]

Hello, I dug up some old hardware for some fun. The hardware is
sidewinder force feedback pro which is almost in "mint" condition. I
still have the installation disk. Also it has a male port plug, my
mobo has a male plug too. I have done a "google" and have seen
adaptors that go from port plug to USB. My question is, will
SideWinder work properly using that adaptor? TIA.

Price of adapter might as well just buy a new joystick but that said ... I
have a PS2 to USB adapter that allows me to use a PS2 joystick on the pc. It
works flawlessly, all 12 buttons, both axis, the d-pad and force feedback
all work as expected. I'm thinking adapter will set you back least $20
(Can.) and you can pick up a Logitech Rumblepad or similar (e.g. much better
unit also) for < $40 so ???

That said, you mention your motherboard has the "male plug" by which I
assume you mean the two row 15 pin old style joystick-midi port used to be
common on sound cards and till recently motherboards as well if they had
included sound. Seems odd that the sidewinder wouldn't have a "female end"
as it was designed to plug into that male port. You can get an adapter to
change their sex though with that style port being so old now that may not
be easy to find.

 

[VanguardLH]

Hello, I dug up some old hardware for some fun. The hardware is
sidewinder force feedback pro which is almost in "mint" condition. I
still have the installation disk. Also it has a male port plug, my
mobo has a male plug too. I have done a "google" and have seen
adaptors that go from port plug to USB. My question is, will
SideWinder work properly using that adaptor? TIA.

"male port". Might that be a DA-15 gaming port? Like the one shown at
the pics on the site below (found through Google Images) or described at
the wiki site?

http://www.ioffer.com/i/MICROSOFT-SIDEWINDER-JOYSTICK-barely-used-139758345
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D-subminiature#Game_controller_ports

If the matching "male port" is on the backpanel for the mobo, why are
you even considering going through a hardware conversion from serial to
USB? Just connect the Sidewinder to the serial port.

Don't bother with the software for the Sidewinder. As I recall, it
won't install and wasn't made for Windows XP. Just go into Control
Panel and use the Game Controllers applet to add the device using the
drivers already embedded in Windows XP. Which one you pick depends on
what Sidewinder version you have. That's where it comes in handy to
Google or check in forums for current Sidewinder owners as to which
config works best with the Sidewinder.

I haven't used the Sidewinder in maybe 8 years so the above is from
memory. I do remember having to use the embedded drivers in Windows XP
and could not use the install disk that came with the device nor the
downloads available from Microsoft's site (which might not even be
available anymore).