Understanding GC Analog Sticks?

[marie]

Hello, I am curious as to how these work. Does anyone know?
I've read that they are Axial Potentiometers- my understanding of this is that as the joystick is moved, varying levels of voltage is passed to a microcontroller which converts the voltage into digital commands to be sent to the console.

Here's a photo of an N64 stick (I'm assuming their similar):
http://www.modded-by-bacteria.com/images/joy1.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The VCC is connected to the power supply and this is where the voltage comes from? So the microcontroller sees voltages varying from 0 to 3.3V? The X and Y leads on the diagram pass voltage on to the microcontroller? How does it determine whether you're going left or right / up or down?

Any insight or references would be greatly appreciated.


Thank you,

marie (:

[kasar]

hey marie

I dont know lot of this subject,so there is a chance this info will be not correct, anyway I think you are correct about your theory.

The VCC is connected to the power supply and this is where the voltage comes from? So the microcontroller sees voltages variating from 0 to 3.3V?

yes, I think the VCC is the one gets voltage in, and the X and Y lines output different voltages, not sure about the exact values, but I made this diagram using the volts you said.



I think the X or Y output different voltages depending of the stick position (see picture), when the controller/system recive the signal,then it detect those values and get a "movement direction."

; )