8BitDo Controller and Genesis bluetooth adaptor hack for the ST

[Icky]

Today's hack has been going round my mind for quite a while since I got hold of a free 8BitDo controller around 2 years ago. I know they have been doing bluetooth dongles for most of the major consoles like the Nintendo and Sega and I have been thinking it would be good to have a dongle for the Atari ST to use my 8BitDo. The other day realising that the Sega Genesis controller uses the DB9 connector and that the 8BitDo Genesis dongle was available I thought I would take the plunge and get the dongle knowing it would probably need some hacking.

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Well there wasn't much to it. First to power the dongle the Genesis puts VCC (+5V) out on PIN 5 where as the ST puts VCC out on PIN 7. Thus the hack had to be around those two pins as PIN 7 on the Genesis is a SELECT line that uses a multiplex.

Simply put, I needed to unsolder and lift the PIN 5 & 7 from the PCB and bend them up. Take the PIN 7 from the DB9 (ST 5V) and wire it to the PCB PIN 5 (Dongle 5V). No other hack was needed as the floating PCB PIN 7 the select line is pulled-high and sets the dongle into thinking its got a 3 button Genesis controller thus working on the ST as an Atari. Lastly added some insulating tape between the PCB and PINs that were lifted.

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The dongle looks elegant plugged into the keyboard but its just a little too long to sit in the case joystick / mouse port area. Either using it without the case or filing down 2-3mm on the corner where the 8 of the 8BitDo logo is in the picture below allows it to fit.

EDIT: look at later post where the dongle was not seated properly it does fit in the mouse / joystick area neatly.

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Well to test it all out I have been playing Magic Pockets most of the afternoon. :)

[exxos]

Interesting :)

[Icky]

Interesting :)

Yep, and this dongle is not constrained to 8BitDo controllers they also work with PS4, PS3, Xbox Bluetooth, Switch Pro, Wii U Pro, Wiimote, Joy-Cons controllers. List taken from 8BitDo Genesis dongle info - https://www.8bitdo.com/retro-receiver-g ... ega-drive/

[Icky]

I just noticed looking at the picture the dongle wasn't seated in the DB9 socket properly there was about 2-3 mm sticking out. Pushing it in fully it seems the dongles fits in the mouse / joystick area but its a tight fit.

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