Joystick Protocols

What are they ?

The protocol is what a joystick uses to identify how the information is transferred from the Joystick to the Computer. The joystick port on your computer has four analog and four digital connections, plus a power and a ground. Without getting overly complicated an Analog connection can use varying amounts of power, while a Digital connection is just simply On or Off.

How they work.

The Generic protocol uses the simplest of the configurations. It will allow two Joysticks and up to four buttons. Each joystick uses two of the analog connections, one for the forward/backward movement and one for the left/right movement.

The CH protocol uses all of the connections for one joystick by using the first two analog connections for the forward/back and the left/right. The next two connections are for the Throttle and Rudder. What they do with the four Digital connections I personally find fascinating. They have taken the four Digital connections and treated them as chords. When you press button one it sends a signal over the connection #1, when you press button #2 it sends a signal over connection #2 and so on. When you get to button five (remember we only have four digital connections) you can see where they have to chord the connections. When you press button 5 what they do is send a signal over connection #1 and #2. Button six would be connection #1 and #3. What this allows them to do is use the four digital connections to simulate 15 buttons. The only draw back to this is that if you want to press two buttons at a time you can't.
NOTE: These examples are not intended to be accurate as to the connections actually used with the particular button press.
ALSO: The CH F-16 Fighter Stick can be keyboard mapped which will allow multible button presses at the same time (actually it is just so close that it really does not matter).

The TM Protocol is similar to the Generic protocol except that they do not allow two joysticks and instead of a second joystick they have added rudder capability (with the analog connection #3) and a four way hat switch (with the analog connection #4). They have not chorded the buttons and this allows you to select any or all of the four digital connections (buttons) at the same time.

Why they are used.

I think it was part necessity and part creative inspiration. With the Flight Simulations and the Action games there are a lot of reasons to have selectable weapons, guidance and communication buttons available. On the other hand there are times when you do not need a lot of buttons but need to press more than one at a time.

Are there others ?

At the present time we do not know of any other protocols although there are still a few possibilities.

Which protocol is the best ?

That really depends on what you are using the joystick for. If you are playing a Flight Simulator you may want the maximum number of buttons you can get (CH or Keyboard input). Or you may want to use a set of rudders (TM). Let's say that you need to Jump and Shoot at the same time, you better be using a TM protocol joystick (remember the CH can not press two buttons at the same time). If you are playing a side scroller (remember Duke Nukem #1) or a 2D fighting game, you will want a Gamepad and that uses the generic protocol.

Now that that is out of the way I have to bring up another possibility. There are Joysticks in both protocols that have Keyboard input options. The way these joysticks work is that they will require you to plug your keyboard into the Joystick and have a second cable that attaches into your computers keyboard port. They all (as far as I know) have a program that you use to configure the individual buttons to keyboard presses.

Which Joystick should you buy ?

So, with all this information you still do not know what type of joystick to buy ? Think about this…
One of the most important aspects to a joystick is how it feels. If the joystick is too large or too small for your hand you will find it very uncomfortable during those late and or long hours of gameplay. Think about what you are going to be using the joystick for? Do you need a lot of buttons? Or will just two or four buttons be enough? Go to your local retailer and check out their selection. Actually put your hand on the joystick and feel it. Pretend that you are playing a game and move it around just like you would if you were really going at it. Some retailers will even have computers set up with joysticks attached (or ask them if you can attach one) so you can really test it out.

Personally, since I am using the Assassin 3D and playing mostly First-Person Games (ok Quake) I do not want to have to take my hands off of the two controllers to hit some key on the keyboard. What this means is that I use a joystick with a lot of buttons and Keyboard input. (Thrustmaster F-16 FLCS at home and CH Products F-16 Fighter Stick at work)

This document was prepared by Vincent W Savoldi and the opinions are my own and may not reflect the opinions of the joystick manufacturers and or First-Person Gaming Inc.

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This page was last updated 06/13/04