Calling all wiring/electrical experts, please advise.....(SOLVED)

[Uncle Monkey]

I'm, getting ready to build a set of one-player fighter stick\ CPs for use on my PS3. My question is this, "What would be a good way to make it so that I can flip a switch on the back of the CP, and have it work on a different system, like a wii or xbox(hacked controller)?"

[BadMouth]

No personal experience with it, but seems to be built for the job.
http://www.focusattack.com/paewang/

Not sure if they make an all-in-one controller that also works with wii.

[Green Giant]

No personal experience with it, but seems to be built for the job.
http://www.focusattack.com/paewang/

Not sure if they make an all-in-one controller that also works with wii.

I was thinking you would either have to use x-arcade with some hacking or hack a gamepad.

That thing is sweet.

[Uncle Monkey]

ok, but i'm kinda looking to switch between 2 gamepad hacks......There has got to be a way to have the buttons/stick wired to something that's wired to two (or more) encoders/hacks and that then allows you to flip a switch or turn a knob in order to switch between the different encoders. I just don't know enough about the world of DIY electronics (yet) to know what I need.

[Uncle Monkey]

Edited to remove my bad idea, northerngames gave me the solution......

[HaRuMaN]

I can't see the picture.

You may have to install blocking diodes on each line to keep the signals out of the inactive pcbs.

[Uncle Monkey]

I can't see the picture.

You may have to install blocking diodes on each line to keep the signals out of the inactive pcbs.

Yeah, some people have trouble, if you would be willing, PM me and I'll email the pic to you.....

[northerngames]

you making a arcade joystick setup or are they going in a arcade cab with control panel?

wich systems like ps2 pc xbox etc. and how many buttons each?

[Uncle Monkey]

you making a arcade joystick setup or are they going in a arcade cab with control panel?

wich systems like ps2 pc xbox etc. and how many buttons each?

Standalone one-player arcade stick. Primary use will be fighting games on PS3, but I'd also like to use PC and wii.....

[northerngames]

pc and ps3 can be hooked up to either direct the way it would sit.

what are all the functions you need to get out of the wiimote?

[Uncle Monkey]

it would actually be a hacked gamecube controller

[northerngames]

you plan on using the Ipac for the pc?

are you using a ps3 arecade stick a ps3 controller or a ctulu board or?

using a actual ps3 console and wii console also or?

I need to know everything part for part really.

[Uncle Monkey]

actually....no, i was just illustrating an example. i'd probably use the GP WIZ-40, since it acts as a HID-compliant gamepad.....

[northerngames]

to be clean and safe but also a long process I would use a db15 vga switch box.

wire your controls to a male db15 and write down each pin and what they are.

then it plugs into the input on the switch box.

then for the output use another male db15 again and use your wire pinout you wrote down and run each wire to their correct spot in the ipac gp wiz or whatever for the pc.

say the switch box is a 3 channel A B C

say C for computer.

say B for xbox and you would wire the same pinout to the xbox controller or xbox controller pcb emu thing if there even is one.

say A for wii then wire the wii controller up with another db15.

it is alot of work and time consuming but when done everything is clean, you know what and where every wire goes.

if there is ever a problem instead of going through tangled mess's and perhaps soldering desoldering or crimping etc. this way you just unplug the harness from the DB box and the console can be removed with ease and attached back with ease like in seconds not hours so it pay's off in the end.

want too go from pc to xbox just flick the switch.

I decase the controllers solder them up with the wires and then hot glue them and seal them in radio shack project box's so there safe dust free and in the end you have a clean black box with the db15 harness coming out of one end to the switch box and the console's controller cable that goes to the console coming out the other.

you can also unplug your whole arcade cp this way and pull it right outta the machine in no time but it takes time getting it all setup my way.

you dont want to share any signal lines or ground with 2 or more system pc's or what not at once.

some where along the line something is bound do be very goofy, not work, or possibly ruin something where you loose complete control function.

dreamcast no likey any of that for sure.

before you even get into the controls for the systems do a run on the video first if your using a arcade monitor and also use a db15 vga switchbox for the video as your not just getting away with the controls only if your going with a arcade monitor you need to do the same as above but it is less complex and easier to learn when their is just the HV RGB GND.



 

[Uncle Monkey]

@northerngames, thanks, that's exactly what I need. You're right, DB connectors are a HASSLE. I may try and de-case the switch box and run each wire to a barrier strip.....If not, i'll do the DBs to connect to the box and run those cables to the barrier strips.....

[northerngames]

there not really a hassle just time consuming for the very first run only and IMHO the only way to quik connect/disconnect multiple console's correctly and neatly and the time invested pay's for itself many times over down the road when It comes to mateniance.

have a pic or link to these barrier strips becuase if there anything like I am thinking it would be no different then soldering all 3 console's together unless you plan on wiring and unscrewing each system and then screwing them back in each and everytime you want to switch out different console's.

[Eddie_Brock]

While it would take away from the 'build it yourself' aspect, X-Arcade controller may be the easiest thing.

http://www.xgaming.com/store/category/arcade-joysticks-and-game-controllers/

[northerngames]

I never knew they were that cheap that tank stick with couple adapter for less then $300.00 is pretty good with shipping.

never played on one so I dont know hpw well they feel to a real arcade setup but if there happ parts then I would not be able to see much if any of a difference.

[MacGyver]

I was going to chime in, but northern came close to what I was thinking.  Have you looked into the old Centronics LPT switchers? 25 wire in/outputs that can be switched to 1 to 4 out/inputs.

$26 http://www.amazon.com/Cables-To-Go-03292-4-Port/dp/B0000512C5

[Uncle Monkey]

So correct me if I'm wrong, but I should be good with one wire for common, one per button and four for the joystick (SANWA JLF with microswitches) Which puts me at 16.....

[MacGyver]

I would say no. Even if one controller did, the other ones would have to share the same wiring config, maybe they would, maybe not
For a keyboard encoder, yes, but for a joypad, not so much.  There is no telling how they decided to wire up the switches for each action.
That's why I posted the 25 wire switch.  6 buttons would be 12 wires, 4 way joystick could be up to 8 wires more, now we're up to 20 wires, 2 wires for "start", 2 wires for "select", puts us at 24 wires, and that is just one player.


There might be a way to use transistors, but it has been a long time since I played with that. 
You could maybe use a micro-relay across each "button" of the joypads, and then drive all 3 (PS3,XBOX,WII) of the micro-relays from one arcade panel button. Repeat that for each button.  Micro-relays are expensive, but it should work. 

I don't think the diodes idea would work due to the different controller wiring configurations.

[Uncle Monkey]

As fascinating as this discussion has been, (I've learned a lot ) I think I'm going to go with the Toodles MC Cthulhu since I can use it on my PS3/PC with a simple USB and the wii with a different cable. Plus it supports a bunch more consoles with special cables......