How to use D-Pad controllers on the C64

While I was a big gamer on 8-bit machines back in the early 80s, joysticks always hurt my hands after playing a while. When I got my first console, a Nintendo Entertainment System, I realized how nice it was to use a D-Pad for extended game sessions. Here are two ways to use a D-Pad on the Commodore 64 (and other machines) which makes playing much more ergonomic.

NOTE: PadSwitcher64 control software now works perfectly both NTSC and PAL machines, thanks to the author for fixing that issue!

0:00 Intro
0:49 PadSwitcher64 Unboxing
2:57 Using the PadSwitcher64
21:57 How to modify a real NES controller for use on an 8-bit machine

--- Video Links

PadSwitcher64:
github.com/Hojo-Norem/PadSwitcher64

Modifying a blob NES controller for use on a C64:
youtube.com/watch?v=71HCFKvDby0

--- Tools

Deoxit D5:
amzn.to/2VvOKy1
store.caig.com/s.nl/it.A/id.1602/.f

Jonard Tools EX-2 Chip Extractor:
amzn.to/2VazxDS
jonard.com/Products/EX-2-DIP-IC-Extractor-24-40…

Wiha Chip Lifter:
amzn.to/3a9ftWw
wihatools.com/precision-chip-lifter

O-Ring Pick Set: (I use these to lift chips off boards)
amzn.to/3a9x54J

Elenco Electronics LP-560 Logic Probe:
amzn.to/2VrT5lW

Hakko FR301 Desoldering Iron:
amzn.to/2ye6xC0

Rigol DS1054Z Four Channel Oscilloscope:
rigolna.com/products/digital-oscilloscopes/1000…

Head Worn Magnifying Goggles / Dual Lens Flip-In Head Magnifier:
amzn.to/3adRbuy

TL866II Plus Chip Tester and EPROM programmer: (The MiniPro)
amzn.to/2wG4tlP
aliexpress.com/item/33000308958.html

TS100 Soldering Iron:
amzn.to/2K36dJ5
ebay.com/itm/TS100-65W-MINI-Digital-OLED-Progra…

EEVBlog 121GW Multimeter:
eevblog.com/product/121gw/

DSLogic Basic Logic Analyzer:
amzn.to/2RDSDQw
ebay.com/itm/USB-Logic-DSLogic-Basic-Analyzer-1…

Magnetic Screw Holder:
amzn.to/3b8LOhG
harborfreight.com/4-inch-magnetic-parts-tray-90…

Universal ZIP sockets: (clones, used on my ZIF-64 test machine)
ebay.com/itm/14-16-18-20-24-28-32-40-pin-IC-Tes…

RetroTink 2X Upconverter: (to hook up something like a C64 to HDMI)
retrotink.com/

Plato (Clone) Side Cutters: (order five)
ebay.com/itm/1-2-5-10PCS-Micro-Scissor-125mm-PL…

Heat Sinks:
aliexpress.com/item/32537183709.html

Little squeezy bottles: (available elsewhere too)
amzn.to/3b8LOOI

--- Links

My GitHub repository:
github.com/misterblack1?tab=repositories

Commodore Computer Club / Vancouver, WA – Portland, OR – PDX Commodore Users Group
commodorecomputerclub.com/

--- Instructional videos

My video on damage-free chip removal:
youtube.com/watch?v=XQVjwPsVFd8

--- Music

Intro music and other tracks by:
Nathan Divino
@itsnathandivino

Outro Music:
Abyss by | e s c p | escp-music.bandcamp.com
Music promoted by free-stock-music.com
Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/