DIY Xbox Controller Interface on a budget *UPDATED and with Video*

[rablack97]

I guess the vendor has more than what he was letting on to, i thought these were about to be extinct....I just checked the HAMA link and it says more than 10 available.

Degenetron, did the spoof work with the HAMA?

I ordered my caps and resistors for the other project, got them all for around 10.00 for packs of 50 100 and 25...so not bad...

The terminals should be in next week....so i just about have all i need to get going.....good to see will have multiple options

[degenatrons]

Hey ark_ader,  I beat you to it.  I got my HAMA thing, and had it in bits about 10 minutes after it arrived ...

It uses a different chip to the smartjoys so it is not a derivative, it is a different design, it uses atmel chip instead of cypress.  I think it has a lot better build quality and there are LED's and complex circuitry.
I connected it up and it worked straight away with my PS/2 keyboard as input.  The key mappings are different to the smartjoy but that doesnt really matter.
A significant difference is that this device has key mappings for left and right sticks and for mouse/trackball input the analog is true analog i.e. it has multiple values,  rather than just on/off like the smartjoy.

I haven't done an encoder hack on this yet,  but I took some pics.

If you are going to do a hack you will need to check for blocking when using multiple inputs.  It uses different keymappings to the smartjoy and I havent checked these out or tested yet.  I think I can get around any blocking issues by adding diodes but not tested this yet.

It's not the easiest box to open,  you need to remove 4 screws and then pull off the green plastic clips from either side.  Squeeze these tight and pull out.
You can remove the HAMA logo at the top to provide exit hole for wiring.  No reason to remove the memory card slot on this one.

Here are some pics...

[degenatrons]

I guess the vendor has more than what he was letting on to, i thought these were about to be extinct....I just checked the HAMA link and it says more than 10 available.

Degenetron, did the spoof work with the HAMA?

Vendor had 10 left,  I spoke to them earlier in the week.  They will have 9 now after arkader placed his order.  These HAMA things are going to be extinct soon.  I couldn't find any other suppliers.

I haven't hacked it yet.  These devices shouldn't need a mouse plugged and this looks like good build quality,  so my guess is that this will just work.

[ark_ader]

I guess the vendor has more than what he was letting on to, i thought these were about to be extinct....I just checked the HAMA link and it says more than 10 available.

Degenetron, did the spoof work with the HAMA?

Vendor had 10 left,  I spoke to them earlier in the week.  They will have 9 now after arkader placed his order.  These HAMA things are going to be extinct soon.  I couldn't find any other suppliers.

I haven't hacked it yet.  These devices shouldn't need a mouse plugged and this looks like good build quality,  so my guess is that this will just work.

Probably 6 now I have just bought another. 

[HaRuMaN]

Not trying to be rude here, but how is buying a keyboard adapter (SmartJoy) and then a keyboard encoder that all has to be hacked together preferable to hacking an actual Xbox controller?

I've been wondering the same thing but didn't want to say it, lol.

[degenatrons]

Not trying to be rude here, but how is buying a keyboard adapter (SmartJoy) and then a keyboard encoder that all has to be hacked together preferable to hacking an actual Xbox controller?

I've been wondering the same thing but didn't want to say it, lol.

LOL.  I have been wondering the same thing too.

I could get the smartjoy things for £2 and encoder chip for £1 so thought it would be a good cheap basis for a hack.
It still needs some work, and at the moment I can see where you are coming from with that question.  For me,  I just got tired of pad hacks and wanted to try something different, plus I learned a bit about what makes these devices tick and this will help when I revisit an AVR solution for xbox.

Benefits IMO:
Cheap
Super easy to solder to legs on IC chip
Could be adapted to be entirely solderless and potential to make a PCB to simplify build - rablack is looking at this.
supports PS/2 and USB trackball

It is still early days.  
Hopefully this will develop and improve some,  or something better will come out of this process.

[rablack97]

Its a viscious cirlce, why hack a xbox pad when you can buy a fight stick?

Xbox pad hacks started because it was cheaper to take what you already have and mod it.  Pad hacking is not that easy to everyone, hence the reason folks outsource it to those who know how.

There's no rhyme or reason to doing this, as degentron said, its cool and a learning experience.  At this point it takes less than $6.00 bucks to get one of these up and running....and the end result will have terminals to connect to instead of just random wires.  It also cuts out having to ground loop all your buttons.

So theres pros and cons either way......the concept was to give folks other options and say hey i built that.....really it's just for the fun of it....

[rablack97]

Absolutely none at all..........

Keep being that guy man....you crack me up.......you bring alot of stuff to the light......

[ark_ader]

Not trying to be rude here, but how is buying a keyboard adapter (SmartJoy) and then a keyboard encoder that all has to be hacked together preferable to hacking an actual Xbox controller?

I've been wondering the same thing but didn't want to say it, lol.

When I solder I burn everything with the iron, especially my fingers. 

[rablack97]

Worked on the PCB this weekend.....

This board was done from scratch......I etched and added the parts and soldered everything and this is the end result.










I connected and it works to an extent....Something is blocking UP, DOWN, and RIGHT.   Left and all other button work like a charm......

I'm still troubleshooting the board to see if i can find the issue, i breadboarded the setup and all worked fine but i think the traces on the PCB dont mimic the breadboard setup.

This is still a WIP, i have some spacing issues on the terminal blocks, and i'm gonna have to order a few 4 hole terminla blocks, so it evens out at the end.

Not bad for a beginner!!!!

[degenatrons]

Awesome work on this rablack 

If you have some inputs working then we can safely say that the PS/2 lines and components are connected up right.  The problem must be incorrect wiring/traces between IC and terminal, or there could be a short. 
Have a real close look at your soldering to see if you can see any shorts.  I can't see enough detail on these pics to help with that.

Do you get any inputs when you plug in the device without connecting terminals/bridging pins ?

Also,  try bridging the up, down and right pins on the IC legs with a piece of wire.  If this works,  then you know it is a fault with the traces.

Nice job for a first attempt.  Well done mate.

[rablack97]

I think theres a blocking issue somewhere....i check continuity from the block to the IC leg it gives me tone for each connection.

The board with no pins doesn't show any button presses when plugged up alone.

I'll double check again this evening........

Also, need some feeback....

Should we stay with the PS/2 input header or just wired a cord directly to the pcb......with the header you would need a male to male cord.  The other way you could take a male to male cord, chop it in 2 pieces and make 2 pcbs out of one cord and plug it into a pin header on the board......

I've orderd some 6 prong headers to see how it looks.....but just wanted some more insight on what would be best....

[degenatrons]

I think theres a blocking issue somewhere....i check continuity from the block to the IC leg it gives me tone for each connection.

The board with no pins doesn't show any button presses when plugged up alone.

I'll double check again this evening........

Also, need some feeback....

Should we stay with the PS/2 input header or just wired a cord directly to the pcb......with the header you would need a male to male cord.  The other way you could take a male to male cord, chop it in 2 pieces and make 2 pcbs out of one cord and plug it into a pin header on the board......

I've orderd some 6 prong headers to see how it looks.....but just wanted some more insight on what would be best....

I like headers for PS/2 connection on the board itself.  You would only need 4 way header as 2 PS/2 lines are unused.

[rablack97]

I like headers for PS/2 connection on the board itself.  You would only need 4 way header as 2 PS/2 lines are unused.
[/quote]

I have this thing about chopping wire and leaving the little nubs of exposed wire. I ordered 6 to keep it clean, the 2 unused just wont have traces...

[rablack97]

Woohoo success!!!!!!!!

The board is fully functional all buttons work.......

I forgot i had reprogrammed some of the settings trying to get the start+back function to work.

I hit F1 to change back to my normal settings and the missing functions all worked........

Also I nixed the start+back all in one button....I figured i would just have start and back next to each other on the front of the CP with instructions to press simultaneously to exit the current game.

My next quest is to fix the terminal spacing so they are side by side, rearrange a few things and mount the smartjoy on the underside of the pcb, add room for the mouse encoder and resistors, solder everything internally.  End result should be, 1 unit no ps/2 cords to hack up and 1 cord directly to the xbox and terminals to connect too....

Recieved my encoder resistors today, waiting on the mouse encoders to breadboard and test.......

[SNAAKE]

..how much?

[rablack97]

It's still a WIP, there are different variations of the board that can be fabricated.

The simple version requires you to use Degentrons matrix to wire up your buttons so it will look like a rats nest but it works.






The version above, the rats nest is the traces and all you do is wire according to the legend embedded on the board, no matrix needed.

As far as price, hadn't really thought about it, Degentron stated the xbox encoders are dying out which is why he's concentrating on the DIY keyboard encoder for MAME, so this was a for fun project.

If there is a small demand for it, could probably do kits and or fully assembled units once its complete.

As far as price I'd have to consult with Degenetrons, this was his idea and I just ran with it......Although if you've kept up with his other threads he's all about creating things and making things available to other hobbyists well below the cost of the major manuf's.....

I'll be posting more updates as it comes along...

[ark_ader]

I'd pay $20.  Well it would be safer..

I just managed to take the top of my thumb off cutting my cab bezel.  Funny thing is I did the same damn thing to my other thumb a couple of months ago.  I'm still getting laughs from that.

I'm not sure what danger I am to myself if I turned on the soldering iron or etched a board..........

[degenatrons]

I'd pay $20.  Well it would be safer..

I just managed to take the top of my thumb off cutting my cab bezel.  Funny thing is I did the same damn thing to my other thumb a couple of months ago.  I'm still getting laughs from that.

I'm not sure what danger I am to myself if I turned on the soldering iron or etched a board..........

Ha Ha,  so you'll need one without thumb buttons   

[degenatrons]

It's still a WIP, there are different variations of the board that can be fabricated.

The simple version requires you to use Degentrons matrix to wire up your buttons so it will look like a rats nest but it works.






The version above, the rats nest is the traces and all you do is wire according to the legend embedded on the board, no matrix needed.

As far as price, hadn't really thought about it, Degentron stated the xbox encoders are dying out which is why he's concentrating on the DIY keyboard encoder for MAME, so this was a for fun project.

If there is a small demand for it, could probably do kits and or fully assembled units once its complete.

As far as price I'd have to consult with Degenetrons, this was his idea and I just ran with it......Although if you've kept up with his other threads he's all about creating things and making things available to other hobbyists well below the cost of the major manuf's.....

I'll be posting more updates as it comes along...

Glad that you figured out the blocking issue rablack  .  I remember you saying that you had reprogrammed F1 to use my matrix.  I assume that this will now boot up as the default for you after the change - I don't have your version of smartjoy to test.  Hopefully it will come soon along with a load of other stuff i'm waiting on.

I'm cool if you want to make these up to sell.  You done a pretty good job on these and it will help to aid the self harmers out there - although for some it will come a little too late
If you're willing, then I would like to add schematics for your PCB to my site for download on the resources page,  but I know you still got some work to do with that.

[rablack97]

Right, so like $20 or what?

Shoot, I forgot you were following this thread.  I'm sure you frustrated by my answer.

I just wanted to get approval from the innovator first.

Ok, I'm throwing this out as this thing has alot of options...

I would say no more than $30.00 but that's for the full blown assembled unit, im working on now.  Which is one cord to XboX.  No plugging into the smartjoy or having to add a mouse. 


The simple version can be sold as kits for around $10.00 bucks and assembled for  $15.00, and thats, pcb plugs into smartjoy smartjoy plugs into xbox. 

It's still a WIP, there are different variations of the board that can be fabricated.

The simple version requires you to use Degentrons matrix to wire up your buttons so it will look like a rats nest but it works.






The version above, the rats nest is the traces and all you do is wire according to the legend embedded on the board, no matrix needed.

As far as price, hadn't really thought about it, Degentron stated the xbox encoders are dying out which is why he's concentrating on the DIY keyboard encoder for MAME, so this was a for fun project.

If there is a small demand for it, could probably do kits and or fully assembled units once its complete.

As far as price I'd have to consult with Degenetrons, this was his idea and I just ran with it......Although if you've kept up with his other threads he's all about creating things and making things available to other hobbyists well below the cost of the major manuf's.....

I'll be posting more updates as it comes along...

Glad that you figured out the blocking issue rablack  .  I remember you saying that you had reprogrammed F1 to use my matrix.  I assume that this will now boot up as the default for you after the change - I don't have your version of smartjoy to test.  Hopefully it will come soon along with a load of other stuff i'm waiting on.

I'm cool if you want to make these up to sell.  You done a pretty good job on these and it will help to aid the self harmers out there - although for some it will come a little too late
If you're willing, then I would like to add schematics for your PCB to my site for download on the resources page,  but I know you still got some work to do with that.

Sure just let me know what you need and its yours man...Yeah i'm gonna do some more testing to make sure being unplugged kicks it back into default mode. 

These are ballpark figures guys, input for fair price points are welcome. 

[degenatrons]

There once was a man named James
That liked to play video games.
He played with his thumbs
and then with his gums
and now he's toothless and maimed.

Awesome!  You should have that printed on t-shirts.  Got any more pearls?

[ark_ader]

I like the $15 version, and my poor thumbs should be OK by then. 

[rablack97]

Ugh, tore down the smartjoy........removed the memory pins and the PS/2 ports(those were a beotch to remove).....

wired leads to the pads and now the darn thing doesn't work anymore........everything traces back to the chips onboard the smartjoy and the hot, clock, data and ground but something was removed that the smartjoy did approve of.....

These finicky smartjoys and this mouse compatability is making those smartboxes look more appealing......dunnno maybe degentron and sharpfork can figure something out that I missed on these things.

[rablack97]

More progress today.  I found a guy that resells computer and electronic stuff.  Goldmine in hiding....

He has a pallett load of ps/2 mouse roller ball, .75 cents a piece, gonna try to get them for .50 cents on the next go round(great for testing)...Bought a overhead projector for 5 buck to help with lining up the circuits for the PCB's.

I tore down the smart joy, pulled the ps/2 plugs and the dismanted a few of the mice.  So far so good no plugs needed, i've found all the traces needed to solder each component together.  The PCB board works perfectly with the setup with no cords.....so it's progress to a one cord unit....

I have some mouse encoders on the way, so eventually the mouse circuit board will be nonexistant.  The Mouse IC will be embedded in the PCB with traces back to the smart joy and connected via headers.

I plan on spacing the board out a bit more the so the encoder and smart joy can fit in the center of the keyboar encoder via standoffs...The ps/2 on the keyboard ecoder will eventually be removed as well, there for testing purposes now.

[rablack97]

I thought ark_ader mentioned a few that worked earlier in the thread....

I've never hacked a mouse before to a trackball, and i dont have a spare one to even test it out on coinops...

The ones i have are HP compaq models.....

[sharpfork]

Has anyone tried a mouse or trackball with one of these things in CoinOPs?

I tried my xArcade and sparkfun ps2 trackballs and can't get anyhting playable in coinops.  I only tried for about 45 minutes with the default Joyfrag settings.  I have the same model as rablack97.  If someone else has evlautated this, I'd prefer not to avoid 

[degenatrons]

The smartbox/smartjoy maps the ps/2 mouse input to the left or right analog stick.  I have tested in the gamepad test tool and this works for me with all PS/2 and USB mice that I have tried - except for a really cheaply made mini mouse I bought from a pound store. 
You can see me test with 2 mouse devices in the video.

If CoinOps is looking for a connected mouse then it will not find it.  This is mapping input to analog sticks.

[rablack97]

Cool Update....

I ordered mouse encoders and they will be in this week...In the meantime I got bored waiting, and started pulling the cheap .75 cents mouse circuit boards apart.

I followed the traces and pulled all the needed caps and resistors from the board and put it all back together on the bread board and I'll be damned if it didn't work.....woohoo

I've already redesigned to PCB to contain the smartjoy board with one cord total in the unit to plug into the xbox...So hopefully i'll have a fully operational board in the next few days..

[degenatrons]

Thanks for the update rablack.  

Your smartjoy arrived and I did some testing and...it just won't have it.  Blasted thing.  This version needs a real mouse connected.
The smartjoy expects acknowledgement back that something is plugged in the mouse port.  This is proper PS/2 protocol implementation.

The cheapo version of the encoder (smartbox) which I used can be spoofed because it is not built to the same standard and obviously cut some corners.

If you build your PCB around the smartbox,  it would save you the trouble of adding the mouse encoder chip and circuit.

but, having said that,  it is still great to see that you have worked around the problem.  Nice job  

 

[rablack97]

Did you hear anything back from that vendor in regards to costs for the Smartboxes.  Things would be easier if I could use the spoof.

If not, I guess availability and price of the smartjoy vs. the smartbox will be a factor.  Now that I know I can use the endocders from the junk mice, the spoof isnt that big of an issue.  My junk guy has a whole box of those things, and the getting the pieces of the board doesnt take long.

I'm gonna be etching and soldering tonight......So we will see what happens....

[sharpfork]

Your smartjoy arrived and I did some testing and...it just won't have it.  Blasted thing.  This version needs a real mouse connected...

I have the same version as rablack97.  I might just focus on seeing if I can use the thing to get decent, predictable trackball working in coinops then look at whatever you guys come up with.

[rablack97]

Ok fellas,

Finally done....few minor tweaks to the structure and trace placement....But the prototype is operational....woohoo....

All in one smartjoy mod encoder.

This thing is fun to build.  This version has the ps/2 inputs removed, I'm thinking about leaving them on and adding a dip switch to shut down the onboard keyboard encoder, so that you can modify your smartjoy inputs via a keyboard if need be.  Although it works perfect with Degentrons matrix as is.

Comments are welcome!!!

[degenatrons]

Great stuff Rablack:D You did a really good job of adapting the hack to a PCB and have overcome some big technical issues. Well done and kudos for seeing this through to completion.

Time for some play testing

[degenatrons]

RIP smartjoy hack.

The mother of all encoders is on the way...

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,122023.msg1296749.html#msg1296749