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Bliss-Box Blog #1 intro.

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What is the 4-Play - The first and only adapter that allows a gamer to use a wide range of original peripherals intended for the console on a computer. We stop at none when it comes to adding to our already massive controller support. All controllers are converted to USB and use the same code, so the mapping is global. All the power to the 4-Play is in the box, the cables are just wires. Many gamers make their own cables and the adapter can be sold separately. The 4-Play is packed full of features and is the last and only USB adapter you will ever buy.

How it works - Since the dawn of the micro-controllers and some time before, electronics needed a way to communicate. Like our own verbal language electronics has had many different "languages" if you will. Although with electronics you have really two main options; analog and digital. Each have their advantages but both serve as a way to listen and talk back to other components and chips. When you break it all down, it is all analog data in the form of fluctuating voltages and resistances.

When dealing with controllers you have this very thing occurring. Controllers will speak a known langue, a basic communication, or its own dialect of languages. It many cases some manufactures decided to create their own new langue.

Some of these controllers have a wire for each button where others send out a data string to show the state of buttons.

The 4-Play is constructed of 4 adapters each able to communicate with many controllers. Unlike most adapters it has a few stages and modes making it a lot more like a system then an adapter. Stages are (but not limited to); Boot up, USB setup, detection of controllers, communication mode, searching mode, IO operations, API handler, restart, etc... When you first plug in the 4-Play USB cable there is a lot of magic going on inside to make sure it does its job.

All of this work is done in a fraction of a second and ready to use the minute you plug it in. Though it does not stop there, the features of the 4-Play are just getting started. Ever wonder why so many adapters need drivers, lack rumble, or other features? To put it short, lazy. The 4-Playspared no expense. Drivers? Who needs them... it's a HID, rumble sure we got that, features? Bring it on. The 4-Play was developed to take advantage of the HID system. HID has already built a mechanism to deal with these sorts of things. Bliss-Box was one of the only companies to use the HID FFB system that the Microsoft Sidewinder used. As for the other features like memory cards and LCD writes, it uses the USB control transfer process. As a matter of a fact, the 4-Play will even allow you to tunnel the native controller language thru USB. What does that mean? Well, it means talking Gamecube lingo inside a shell that gets sent from the controller thru the USB and opened on the other side (the emulator). So,in essence the controller and the emulator are talking directly.

How can this be any more attractive? Why not allow an API? An API is an Application programming interface. Meaning, a way to interface with the 4-Play adapter in code. This can be done in a number of ways from writing applications or just sending bat commands. Either way the goal is the same. Want to send LCD data to the LCD screen on the DreamCast controller, make a controller rumble, set your own mappings... You Can with the API and so can Emulators. So now it is possible for an emulator to send this type of data and get it back. Bliss-Box and RetroArch have been working together for a year. The two projects have built a way to allow these communications to take place. Other emulators may follow but you cannot beat the drive of RetroArch and the team. Down to earth and very motivated in bring emulation to a computer of all kinds. So it only makes sense that Bliss-Box is part of that and, it is.

Thx for reading.


signal images taking from WIKI ttps://
video Background Music: OC ReMix #2091: Final Fantasy V 'The Path to Glory' [Main Theme of FINAL FANTASY V] by Sixto Sounds ReMixer: Sixto Sounds
other images are free to use artwork.

Updated September 17th, 2018 at 17:53 by ulaoulao

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Computer Games , Internet & Technology , Emulators


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  3. Brooklyn's Avatar
    Play like a pro! I bought this bliss box and it was fantastic. The greatest advantage in owning a 4-play or Gamer-Pro is that you’ll never need to buy another retro controller USB adapter again.

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