diff --git a/src/mess/drivers/vc4000.c b/src/mess/drivers/vc4000.c
index 5f019e5c877..6788d5582db 100644
--- a/src/mess/drivers/vc4000.c
+++ b/src/mess/drivers/vc4000.c
@@ -114,25 +114,25 @@ READ8_MEMBER( vc4000_state::vc4000_key_r )
 	switch(offset & 0x0f)
 	{
 	case 0x08:
-		data = ioport("KEYPAD1_1")->read();
+		data = m_keypad1_1->read();
 		break;
 	case 0x09:
-		data = ioport("KEYPAD1_2")->read();
+		data = m_keypad1_2->read();
 		break;
 	case 0x0a:
-		data = ioport("KEYPAD1_3")->read();
+		data = m_keypad1_3->read();
 		break;
 	case 0x0b:
-		data = ioport("PANEL")->read();
+		data = m_panel->read();
 		break;
 	case 0x0c:
-		data = ioport("KEYPAD2_1")->read();
+		data = m_keypad2_1->read();
 		break;
 	case 0x0d:
-		data = ioport("KEYPAD2_2")->read();
+		data = m_keypad2_2->read();
 		break;
 	case 0x0e:
-		data = ioport("KEYPAD2_3")->read();
+		data = m_keypad2_3->read();
 		break;
 	}
 	return data;
diff --git a/src/mess/includes/vc4000.h b/src/mess/includes/vc4000.h
index 6a1b4a5a485..31ffab7b989 100644
--- a/src/mess/includes/vc4000.h
+++ b/src/mess/includes/vc4000.h
@@ -72,8 +72,25 @@ class vc4000_state : public driver_device
 {
 public:
 	vc4000_state(const machine_config &mconfig, device_type type, const char *tag)
-		: driver_device(mconfig, type, tag),
-	m_cass(*this, CASSETTE_TAG)
+		: driver_device(mconfig, type, tag)
+		, m_cass(*this, CASSETTE_TAG)
+		, m_maincpu(*this, "maincpu")
+		, m_keypad1_1(*this, "KEYPAD1_1")
+		, m_keypad1_2(*this, "KEYPAD1_2")
+		, m_keypad1_3(*this, "KEYPAD1_3")
+		, m_panel(*this, "PANEL")
+		, m_keypad2_1(*this, "KEYPAD2_1")
+		, m_keypad2_2(*this, "KEYPAD2_2")
+		, m_keypad2_3(*this, "KEYPAD2_3")
+#ifndef ANALOG_HACK
+		, m_io_joy1_x(*this, "JOY1_X")
+		, m_io_joy1_y(*this, "JOY1_Y")
+		, m_io_joy2_x(*this, "JOY2_X")
+		, m_io_joy2_y(*this, "JOY2_Y")
+#else
+		, m_joys(*this, "JOYS")
+		, m_config(*this, "CONFIG")
+#endif
 	{ }
 
 	DECLARE_WRITE8_MEMBER(vc4000_sound_ctl);
@@ -98,6 +115,25 @@ public:
 	virtual void palette_init();
 	UINT32 screen_update_vc4000(screen_device &screen, bitmap_ind16 &bitmap, const rectangle &cliprect);
 	INTERRUPT_GEN_MEMBER(vc4000_video_line);
+
+protected:
+	required_device<cpu_device> m_maincpu;
+	required_ioport m_keypad1_1;
+	required_ioport m_keypad1_2;
+	required_ioport m_keypad1_3;
+	required_ioport m_panel;
+	required_ioport m_keypad2_1;
+	required_ioport m_keypad2_2;
+	required_ioport m_keypad2_3;
+#ifndef ANALOG_HACK
+	required_ioport m_io_joy1_x;
+	required_ioport m_io_joy1_y;
+	required_ioport m_io_joy2_x;
+	required_ioport m_io_joy2_y;
+#else
+	required_ioport m_joys;
+	required_ioport m_config;
+#endif
 };
 
 /*----------- defined in audio/vc4000.c -----------*/
diff --git a/src/mess/video/vc4000.c b/src/mess/video/vc4000.c
index 8b4f59f0d64..cdf476c12c9 100644
--- a/src/mess/video/vc4000.c
+++ b/src/mess/video/vc4000.c
@@ -115,21 +115,21 @@ READ8_MEMBER( vc4000_state::vc4000_video_r )
 
 #ifndef ANALOG_HACK
 	case 0xcc:
-		if (!activeS2650_FO)) data=ioport("JOY1_X")->read();
-		else data=ioport("JOY1_Y")->read();
+		if (!activeS2650_FO)) data = m_io_joy1_x->read();
+		else data = m_io_joy1_y->read();
 		break;
 	case 0xcd:
-		if (!activecpu_get_reg(S2650_FO)) data=ioport("JOY2_X")->read();
-		else data=ioport("JOY2_Y")->read();
+		if (!activecpu_get_reg(S2650_FO)) data = m_io_joy2_x->read();
+		else data = m_io_joy2_y->read();
 		break;
 #else
 
 	case 0xcc:      /* left joystick */
-		if (ioport("CONFIG")->read()&1)
+		if (m_config->read()&1)
 		{       /* paddle */
-			if (!machine().device("maincpu")->state().state_int(S2650_FO))
+			if (!m_maincpu->state_int(S2650_FO))
 			{
-				data = ioport("JOYS")->read() & 0x03;
+				data = m_joys->read() & 0x03;
 				switch (data)
 				{
 				case 0x01:
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ READ8_MEMBER( vc4000_state::vc4000_video_r )
 			}
 			else
 			{
-				data = ioport("JOYS")->read() & 0x0c;
+				data = m_joys->read() & 0x0c;
 				switch (data)
 				{
 				case 0x08:
@@ -166,9 +166,9 @@ READ8_MEMBER( vc4000_state::vc4000_video_r )
 		}
 		else
 		{       /* buttons */
-			if (!machine().device("maincpu")->state().state_int(S2650_FO))
+			if (!m_maincpu->state_int(S2650_FO))
 			{
-				data = ioport("JOYS")->read() & 0x03;
+				data = m_joys->read() & 0x03;
 				switch (data)
 				{
 				case 0x01:
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ READ8_MEMBER( vc4000_state::vc4000_video_r )
 			}
 			else
 			{
-				data = ioport("JOYS")->read() & 0x0c;
+				data = m_joys->read() & 0x0c;
 				switch (data)
 				{
 				case 0x08:
@@ -202,11 +202,11 @@ READ8_MEMBER( vc4000_state::vc4000_video_r )
 		break;
 
 	case 0xcd:      /* right joystick */
-		if (ioport("CONFIG")->read()&1)
+		if (m_config->read()&1)
 		{
-			if (!machine().device("maincpu")->state().state_int(S2650_FO))
+			if (!m_maincpu->state_int(S2650_FO))
 			{
-				data = ioport("JOYS")->read() & 0x30;
+				data = m_joys->read() & 0x30;
 				switch (data)
 				{
 				case 0x10:
@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@ READ8_MEMBER( vc4000_state::vc4000_video_r )
 			}
 			else
 			{
-				data = ioport("JOYS")->read() & 0xc0;
+				data = m_joys->read() & 0xc0;
 				switch (data)
 				{
 				case 0x80:
@@ -243,9 +243,9 @@ READ8_MEMBER( vc4000_state::vc4000_video_r )
 		}
 		else
 		{
-			if (!machine().device("maincpu")->state().state_int(S2650_FO))
+			if (!m_maincpu->state_int(S2650_FO))
 			{
-				data = ioport("JOYS")->read() & 0x30;
+				data = m_joys->read() & 0x30;
 				switch (data)
 				{
 				case 0x10:
@@ -261,7 +261,7 @@ READ8_MEMBER( vc4000_state::vc4000_video_r )
 			}
 			else
 			{
-				data = ioport("JOYS")->read() & 0xc0;
+				data = m_joys->read() & 0xc0;
 				switch (data)
 				{
 				case 0x80:
@@ -593,7 +593,7 @@ INTERRUPT_GEN_MEMBER(vc4000_state::vc4000_video_line)
 
 	if (m_irq_pause>10)
 	{
-		machine().device("maincpu")->execute().set_input_line(0, CLEAR_LINE);
+		m_maincpu->set_input_line(0, CLEAR_LINE);
 		m_irq_pause = 0;
 	}
 
@@ -639,7 +639,7 @@ INTERRUPT_GEN_MEMBER(vc4000_state::vc4000_video_line)
 		(m_video.sprites[1].finished_now) |
 		(m_video.sprites[0].finished_now)) && (!m_irq_pause))
 		{
-			machine().device("maincpu")->execute().set_input_line_and_vector(0, ASSERT_LINE, 3);
+			m_maincpu->set_input_line_and_vector(0, ASSERT_LINE, 3);
 			m_irq_pause=1;
 		}
 }