Re: Covert old Joystick to USB?

LMO wrote:
Hello all. I just bought MS Flight Sim X Deluxe. I have an older Sidewinder joystick that I would like to use with it. Problem is the stick is an older model that plugged in to a sound card. My new system does not have the female plug for this card. Is there any way to convert an older model sidewinder to a USB plug?
I have a newer model sidewinder, also, but the older one worked better.
Thanks all.


Many USB/game port adapters only work with the "analog" sticks that used the game port's circuits that were originally designed for dual two button sticks. Unfortunately a lot of "digital" joysticks used the bidirectional serial data transmission capabilities of the port's MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) circuits. Force Feedback controllers NEED the two way capabilities of the MIDI circuits and will ALWAYS require "digital" communication with the computer via MIDI, USB or a serial port. Compatibility with different ports vary with different Force Feedback controllers.

Some Microsoft sticks featured a switch that allowed operation in the user's choice of digital or analog modes. Others came with a special USB adapter with MIDI capabilities. I don't recall which models had which.
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