Apple IIc Joystick - DB 9 Pin connector
The Apple IIc (introduced 1984) provides a single 9-pin D-type miniature (DE-9) female socket on its rear panel that serves as the combined hand controller and mouse port. In joystick or paddle mode it exposes two analogue inputs (PDL0 and PDL1), each driven by a 150 kΩ variable resistor to +5 V, and two digital pushbutton inputs (GAMESW0 and GAMESW1); the analogue signals feed an NE556 dual 555-type timer RC network (0.022 µF capacitors) whose decay the software times to determine pot position. Unlike the Apple IIe’s internal 16-pin game connector, the IIc’s external DE-9 port carries no annunciator outputs and exposes only two analogue channels, with pins 4 and 9 unused in hand controller mode. The same connector doubles as the mouse port, in which mode pins 1, 4, 5, 7, 8, and 9 carry MOUSEID, XDIR, XMOVE, MSW, YDIR, and YMOVE signals respectively.
| Pin | Signal | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | GAMESW1 | Switch input 1 (sometimes called paddle button 1). |
| 2 | +5V | total current drain from this pin must not exceed 100mA. |
| 3 | GND | System ground. |
| 4 | Not Used for hand controller. | |
| 5 | PDL0 | hand controller input. Must be connected to a 150K ohm variable resistor connected to +5V. |
| 6 | N.C. | Not connected. |
| 7 | GAMESW0 | Switch input 0 (sometimes called paddle button 0). |
| 8 | PDL1 | hand controller input; must be connected to a 150K ohm variable resistor connected to +5V. |
| 9 | Not used with hand controller. |
Notes
The connector is a female DE-9 (9-pin D-type miniature) socket mounted on the rear panel of the Apple IIc. The maximum current that may be drawn from the +5 V supply pin (pin 2) is 100 mA. Pins 4 and 9 are unused in hand controller mode but are repurposed when a mouse is attached (XDIR and YMOVE respectively). PDL2, PDL3, and Pushbutton 2 — available on the Apple IIe’s internal 16-pin game port — are not wired to this external connector. The Apple IIc Plus (1988) uses an identical DE-9 hand controller port with the same pin assignments.
Signals
- GAMESW0 — pushbutton 0 (the primary fire button); active low switch input.
- GAMESW1 — pushbutton 1 (secondary button); active low switch input.
- PDL0 — analogue paddle/joystick X-axis input; requires a 150 kΩ variable resistor connected between this pin and +5 V.
- PDL1 — analogue paddle/joystick Y-axis input; requires a 150 kΩ variable resistor connected between this pin and +5 V.
- +5V — 5 V supply to the hand controller; total current draw must not exceed 100 mA.
- GND — system ground return.
- N.C. — pin 6 is not connected.