DE-9 Connector: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 20:16, 31 August 2025

Pinout

Male Connection / Female Solder	Female Connection / Male Solder
Front of Male Connector	Front of Female Connector
Back of Female Connector	Back of Male Connector
The male connector is on the computer/console, whilst the female connector is on the joystick/controller.

Device Configuration

Legend:

Colour	Meaning
Green	Common joystick default across most DE-9 implementations (Up, Down, Left, Right, Button 1, +5 V, GND)
Red	System-specific, conflicting, or non-standard assignment
Grey	Unused / Not connected

Pin	Chameleon	Atari 800 Atari VCS	Atari 7800 (*1)	Atari ST (*2)	VIC-20 C-64 C64GS (*3)	Amiga	CD32 (*4)	Amstrad CPC	MSX X68000 (J-PC)	Master System (*6)	Mega Drive (Genesis) (*6)	Saturn (*6)	Sinclair (*7)
1	Up	Up	Up	Up	Up	Up	Up	Up	Up	Up	Up	GND	Unused
2	Down	Down	Down	Down	Down	Down	Down	Down	Down	Down	Down	Down	GND
3	Left	Left	Left	Left	Left	Left	Left	Left	Left	Left	1Y (-, Left)	Up	Unused
4	Right	Right	Right	Right	Right	Right	Right	Right	Right	Right	2Y (-, Right)	+5 V	Button
5	Button 3	Paddle B	Button Right	Unused	Button 3 (POTY)	Button 3 (POTX)	Shift Load OUT	Button 3	+5 V	+5 V	+5 V	Select OUT 1	Up
6	Button 1	Button	Button common	Button 1	Button 1	Button 1	Fire, Clock OUT	Button 2	Button 1	TL (A)	TL (A, B)	Select OUT 2	Right
7	+5 V	+5 V	+5 V	+5 V	+5 V	+5 V	+5 V	Button 1	Button 2	TH (Unused)	TH (Select OUT)	Right	Left
8	GND	GND	GND	GND	GND	GND	GND	GND (Row 9) (*5)	Strobe OUT	GND	GND	Left	GND
9	Button 2	Paddle A	Button Left	Button 2	Button 2 (POTX)	Button 2 (POTY)	Serial Data IN	GND (Row 6) (*5)	GND	TR (B)	TR (Start, C)	+5 V	Down

(*1) The Atari 7800 uses independent button wiring not compatible with the standard Atari joystick pinout. Adapters or rewiring are required for full button functionality.

(*2) On the Atari ST, pin 9 of port 1 (right mouse button) is shared with pin 6 of port 2 (fire). This means only port 1 supports two mouse buttons, and only if port 2 is unused. The Atari STe and Falcon have DE-15 Extended Joystick Ports, which can accept two DE-9 joysticks with a passive adapter (see here). The Atari Jaguar also uses DE-15 connectors, but with a completely different button matrix pinout (see here).

(*3) On Commodore machines, the second button (right mouse button) is wired to the POT X line, and the third button (middle mouse button) to POT Y. Unlike the other lines, these must be pulled to +5 V through the button.

(*4) The Amiga CD32 supports a “gamepad mode”, activated by pulling pin 5 high. CD32 controllers include active circuitry. Standard Atari-style joysticks work on the CD32, but CD32 pads are not compatible with older machines such as the C64 (see here and here).

(*5) On Amstrad systems, GND lines are pulled low to select the respective “row”. A regular joystick uses row 9.

(*6) Sega controllers cannot be converted into Atari controllers simply by rewiring them. Unlike regular Atari sticks, they contain pull-up resistors on each signal line (which may interfere with scanning the keyboard on a C64). Some controllers contain active circuits and will not work without the +5 V supply. The Mega Drive controllers use an active circuit (see here or here). The Saturn controllers also contain an active circuit and are wired completely non-standard. Mega Drive controllers can be used as Atari controllers with a simple adapter (see here). Sega’s documentation also refers to certain pins by signal names: TL (“Trigger Left”) is the main trigger input (commonly Button B), and TH (“Test Harness”/“Select”) is a console-driven line used to multiplex additional buttons on 3- and 6-button controllers.

(*7) Pinout refers to Interface Two (Sinclair +3 compatible models).

@@ Line 181: / Line 181: @@
 |}
-(*1) The Atari 7800 buttons require special wiring.
+(*1) The Atari 7800 uses independent button wiring not compatible with the standard Atari joystick pinout. Adapters or rewiring are required for full button functionality.
-(*2) Pin9 (RMB) of the first port is shared with Pin6 (Fire) of the second port to be able to use a mouse with two buttons (in the first port). On the second port, Pin9 is not connected. That means only the first port supports two buttons, and only when the second port is not used at the same time. Atari STe and Atari Falcon have two DE-15 Extended Joystick Ports, which could with a passive adapter be connected to two DE-9 joysticks (see [http://info-coach.fr/atari/hardware/interfaces.php here]). Atari Jaguar Controllers also have DE-15 connectors, but with different pinout which exposes a button matrix (see [https://www.gamesx.com/controldata/ejp_faq.htm here]).
+(*2) On the Atari ST, pin 9 of port 1 (right mouse button) is shared with pin 6 of port 2 (fire). This means only port 1 supports two mouse buttons, and only if port 2 is unused.
+The Atari STe and Falcon have DE-15 Extended Joystick Ports, which can accept two DE-9 joysticks with a passive adapter (see [http://info-coach.fr/atari/hardware/interfaces.php here]).
+The Atari Jaguar also uses DE-15 connectors, but with a completely different button matrix pinout (see [https://www.gamesx.com/controldata/ejp_faq.htm here]).
-(*3) For the second button/right mouse button the POT X line is used (and for 3rd button/middle mouse button POTY), which - different to the other lines - must be pulled to VCC via the button.
+(*3) On Commodore machines, the second button (right mouse button) is wired to the POT X line, and the third button (middle mouse button) to POT Y. Unlike the other lines, these must be pulled to +5 V through the button.
-(*4) The CD32 supports "gamepad mode" and uses pin 5 to switch to it (it is pulled to active high by the CD32). Actual CD32 controllers have active components. Regular "Atari" joysticks will work at the CD32, but CD32 controllers will not work on, for example, a C-64 (see [http://gerdkautzmann.de/cd32gamepad/cd32gamepad.html here] and [http://www.hardwarebook.info/Joypad_%28Amiga_CD32%29 here])
+(*4) The Amiga CD32 supports a “gamepad mode”, activated by pulling pin 5 high. CD32 controllers include active circuitry. Standard Atari-style joysticks work on the CD32, but CD32 pads are not compatible with older machines such as the C64 (see [http://gerdkautzmann.de/cd32gamepad/cd32gamepad.html here] and [http://www.hardwarebook.info/Joypad_%28Amiga_CD32%29 here]).
-(*5) The respective GND lines are pulled low to select the respective "row". Regular Joystick uses row 9.
+(*5) On Amstrad systems, GND lines are pulled low to select the respective “row”. A regular joystick uses row 9.
-(*6) Sega controllers cannot be converted into Atari controllers simply by rewiring them. Unlike regular Atari sticks, they contain pull-up resistors for each signal line (which might interfere with scanning the keyboard on C64) and some controllers may contain active circuits and will not work without the +5 V. The Mega Drive controllers use an active circuit. (see [http://gamesx.com/wiki/doku.php?id=controls:megadrive_genesis_controller_3 here] or [http://segaretro.org/Control_Pad_%28Mega_Drive%29 here]). The Saturn controllers also contain an active circuit and are wired up completely non-standard. Mega Drive controllers can be used as Atari controllers with a simple adapter, see [https://blog.hpz.pw/c64-sega-genesis-joystick-adapter/ here]. Sega’s technical documentation also refers to certain pins by signal names: '''TL''' (“Trigger Left”) is the main trigger input (commonly Button B), and '''TH''' (“Test Harness”/“Select”) is a console-driven line used to multiplex additional buttons on 3- and 6-button controllers.
+(*6) Sega controllers cannot be converted into Atari controllers simply by rewiring them. Unlike regular Atari sticks, they contain pull-up resistors on each signal line (which may interfere with scanning the keyboard on a C64). Some controllers contain active circuits and will not work without the +5 V supply. The Mega Drive controllers use an active circuit (see [http://gamesx.com/wiki/doku.php?id=controls:megadrive_genesis_controller_3 here] or [http://segaretro.org/Control_Pad_%28Mega_Drive%29 here]). The Saturn controllers also contain an active circuit and are wired completely non-standard. Mega Drive controllers can be used as Atari controllers with a simple adapter (see [https://blog.hpz.pw/c64-sega-genesis-joystick-adapter/ here]).
+Sega’s documentation also refers to certain pins by signal names: '''TL''' (“Trigger Left”) is the main trigger input (commonly Button B), and '''TH''' (“Test Harness”/“Select”) is a console-driven line used to multiplex additional buttons on 3- and 6-button controllers.
+(*7) Pinout refers to Interface Two (Sinclair +3 compatible models).
-(*7) Pinout refers to Interface Two (Sinclair aka +3)
-The Apple-II uses analog joysticks and can '''not''' use the common digital joystick with the pinout shown above, see [[DB9-Paddle|here]].
-Like Sega Saturn controllers, the ColecoVision and Intellivision II controllers work entirely different. (see eg [http://arcarc.xmission.com/Web%20Archives/Deathskull%20%28May-2006%29/games/tech/cvcont.html here] and [http://arcarc.xmission.com/Web%20Archives/Deathskull%20%28May-2006%29/games/tech/intvcont.html here])
-The Sinclair-QL has completely different controller ports. (The US and German versions of the QL later made by Samsung both had standard 9 pin serial and joystick ports, meaning that any Atari standard joystick could then be used.)
-The Commodore C16/C116/Plus4 have two mini-DIN ports which are electrically compatible with standard DB9 ports, so they can be used with an adapter.
-The Covox Sound Master is a rare PC Soundcard that has two Atari-compatible DB9 joystick ports.