Has anyone really been far even as decided to use even go want to do look more like?

What an odd post! it's like you're rushing to get everything off your chest!!

You've clearly got a whole lot of projects going on and not enough time... any chance you could share the pin outs for the SNES gamepad converter?
Thanks!

USB FDD may be useful for PCs, but not for other retro users. I have a ZX Spectrum +3 and an Amstrad CPC 6128 and an "external" 3.5 FDD, and any USB FDD won't be able to copy 180k disks (for those thing, you'll need an "authentic" FDD controller). I've been looking for a PCI FDD controller, but it seems they doesn't exist anymore (someone told me that some were manufactured in 486 - Pentium era).

I've got a PS2 to USB convertor, and I must advice to be careful when buying one of those. Not all convertors will accept UP/DOWN or LEFT/RIGHT digital buttons simultaneously. Most people won't notice that but my wife used this convertor with Stepmania and a dance mat, so it's perfectly normal to use UP and DOWN at the same time.

I've got a Thrustmaster Dual Trigger 3-in-1, and I like it because it's comforable and very robust. It's a shame that it doesn't work with XInput, and newer models from Thrustmaster (those that support XInput) doesn't look as robust as the older models.

You don't need a mainboard with LPT ports. Unless you don't have free slots, it should be easier to get a LPT/serial PCI card. I bought one of those, and it seems that can be configured for working at "legacy" ports (i.e.: 0x378).

Some other things you could be interested:

- HxC floppy emulator. I use one of those with my Spectrum +3, so I can store disk images in an SD card. It supports almost any disk scheme (that includes C64, if you've got a 1541), but the main drawback is that it plugs into a FDC (so you couldn't be able to connect it to newer computers).

- An Atari to USB convertor, for using those Competition Pros in your PC. Also, I bought a Competition Pro with USB connection.

- A PCI video card. Yes, that means PCI. I've got one ATI Rage to test boards (if I got any doubt about AGP or PCI-e video cards).

- A PCI-e to PCI convertor. Handy for that PCI video card, and it will be useful when motherboards doesn't have PCI slots (in a not-so-far future).

- CF or SD to IDE convertor. Useful with my ZX Spectrum and my divIDE, and useful with most older computers that doesn't need big hard disks. Also you could buy a SATA to IDE convertor, in case you badly need to connect a real hard disk for a computer (IDE HDDs are getting rarer).

@Machine_1760
Pinouts? Just do a google search for joystick-parport and you will find all necesary documentation. I made the simplest version, without any diodes. At that moment I had just some NES clones gamepads, those with DB15 connector, so this is what I used at the other end of the cable. Later I adapted my first PS gamepad (one of the old models, no force feedback or analog sticks) by sectioning the cable and soldering 2 DB15 connectors at each end; this way I could use it with the LPT adapter or with the PS1.

@Zup
Generally I like the Thrustmaster, it fits well in my hands. The things I do not like about it are the Dpad, which is harder to press than either Trust or Dual Shock, and the size and shape of the analog sticks. Small and concave. I like better the analog sticks of Dual Shock controller, they are larger and convex.

@Zup
1. I use only gamepads, so the UP/DOWN LEFT/RIGHT issue is of no importance to me.
2. I already have the LPT gamepad/joystick adapter, made by me own hand 😉 . With minor modifications I can make it work with Atari-type joysticks.
3. I have many PCI video cards. PCI, not PCI-e.
4. I have 1 CF to IDE and 2 SD to IDE adapters, 44 pins. First was used in my Amiga 1200, with a 1 Gb card. The SDs I ebayed recently, one to replace the CF inside the A1200, the other for my old laptop, an IBM Thinkpad 600E; is quite good for DOS games, in fact is my mobile DOS gaming box. The old 6 Gb HDD is both small and slow, so I plan to replace it with a 16 Gb SD card. On the A1200 I will use a 4 Gb card, the max size that does not need OS patches.
I was thinking to get some SD to IDE 40pins and SATA-IDE adapters. They would be useful.

Last but not least... I would love an HxC, but is too pricey for me. Can't afford to pay that much for an item which I will use just on occasions. I live in the country with lowest wages in the EU.