Paddle (game controller)

A paddle is now scarcely used analog input device for computers and video games. It essentially consists of a rotary knob and one or more fire buttons. The knob is usually used to control a playing object about an axis (e.g., the moving direction of a car ).

The word paddle known in English, inter alia, a table tennis bat. Since such a racket is controlled by a knob in the first successful video game Pong, the name was transferred to the control unit.

How it works: The knob is usually connected to a potentiometer. In the connected computers a capacitor is charged through this. At the same time running a counter. From the time consumed until the capacitor has reached a certain voltage (that is, from the count ), the position of the knob can be determined, because the higher the resistance, the longer it takes to charge. However, such a measurement will take even at maximum resistance, only a few microseconds, and may therefore be repeated very frequently. Analog joysticks, as for the PC game port, work on the same principle.

Well-known video games, which were controlled by means of paddles, for example, were Pong, Breakout and Night Driver.