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TurboGrafx/Duo/PC-Engine Controller Data

[8-pin Mini DIN]
Duo Connector
[8-pin DIN]
TurboGrafx Connector
There wasn't as much information on this controller available as some other controllers (like the Genesis controller, so we did something about it!! As always, if you've got any additional info, email us!  This pinout was originally written by Steve Marsh, the technical information was written by Robert Kemmetmueller and the fabbo people at Game Station X.

[74HC157 chip]
The TG-16 controller uses a 74HC157 IC, which is a quad 2-line-to-1-line data selector/multiplexer with noninverting output. The console does a "double-poll", getting the values of the U D L R pad switches once, and then the R S I II buttons.

The controller uses a resistor array to hold every button 'high' until pressed, at which point a 'low' is received by the chip, and returned to the system when polled. See our Controller Tech Primer for more info on this.
Now something odd we've discovered: the console pin #7 goes to the Enable line of the 74LS157 chip, and also to the clock line of the 74HC163 (rapid fire) chip. Seems the 74HC163 chip is being used for autofire, and every time the system checks the controller, the '163 is incremented. Every 4th and 8th check the chip 'pulses' the fire buttons, allowing for two different speeds of autofire.
[74HC163 Rapid Fire Chip] The TurboGrafx controllers (not the original PC-Engine controllers however) included turbofire - a pretty unusual option at the time. NEC added another chip to the controller (a 74HC173) to control the rapid-fire. The chip would theoretically allow for four speeds of rapid-fire, although only two were used. As you can see, only a few pins were used. Both the Fast and Slow outputs apply to both I and II buttons.
[8 Pin Chip] 
	Pin 1 - Select	Pin 16 - Vcc (+5V)
	Pin 2 - 1A	Pin 15 - ENABLE (Ground)
	Pin 3 - 1B	Pin 14 - 4A
	Pin 4 - 1Y	Pin 13 - 4B
	Pin 5 - 2A	Pin 12 - 4Y
	Pin 6 - 2B	Pin 11 - 3A
	Pin 7 - 2Y	Pin 10 - 3B
	Pin 8 - Gnd	Pin 9  - 3Y
[8 Pin Chip] 
	Pin 1 - /RST	Pin 16 - Vcc (+5V)
	Pin 2 - CLK	Pin 15 - RCO
	Pin 3 - P0	Pin 14 - Q0
	Pin 4 - P1	Pin 13 - Q1
	Pin 5 - P2	Pin 12 - Q2
	Pin 6 - P3	Pin 11 - Q3
	Pin 7 - ENP	Pin 10 - ENT
	Pin 8 - GND	Pin 9  - /LOAD
The Avenue6 pad uses three of those ICs, one to "double-poll" the usual (U D L R, R S I II) buttons, another to "double-poll" the (- - - -, III IV V VI) buttons, and the third IC continuously switches WHICH of those ( ) sets is sent when the console polls.

The software running on the console never knows which set it'll get on any given poll, but it can TELL which set because the "- - - -" means all 4 directions were pushed. Older titles don't know how to handle that. (Watch Bomberman go spastic when your controller is set to type "B"!)

$1000 write

bit 0: select high/low nibble
bit 1: reset the counter in the multitab
$1000 read

bit 0-3: read values
bit 6: Country mode
(1=US, 0=Japan)

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