PC -> Console encoder project?

[Lilwolf]

Not knowing the hardware behind a keyboard encoder...

I was wondering...

Is the information about console controls well known enought that a open source project (or something similar) could be started to allow people with a keyboard encoder to work with other consoles?

I know its possible because a ton go in the other direction... But they are usually to USB (serial -> serial).  I dont know how different the ps2 data is.

So I guess the questions are these (encoder builders... please pipe in

1) Is the connection and protocol to consoles known and accessable?  IE if we had everything else... could we attach to them safely with compatiblity?

2) Could we come up with an inbetween protocol / connection type that would be easy to move to each of the consoles?  (So we spend time on one box to go from an encoder -> our standard... then a small converter from our standard -> each of the consoles)... Or would it be easier to build them all into one circuit?

3) would it be easier to create a different converter for each instead of going for a universal design?  

4) would it make more sense to just create an encoder?  I LOVE my MK64... hoping to keep using it for what it does great...

4) Any of the encoder guys (Andy? Ron? ((damn who makes the keywiz again?))) working on anything like this?  I heard Andy was working on a converter to get to the XBox.  

Anyway... just wondering if it's possible... I'm pretty sure there would be a LOT of interest...

I would really like to see something like this for a setup.

controls -> your encode -> converter circuit -> (pc, dreamcast, ps2, xbox, ect)... and a way to toggle between them... maybe 4 leads coming in... Also, it's own power might help some of those grounding issues...

[gnateye]

sounds a little like this

http://www.arcadecontrols.org/yabbse/index.php?board=15;action=display;threadid=11709

[Tiger-Heli]

Q1 - I would say it must be "do-able" as that's basically what you get with the X-Arcade.  How "well known" and accessible the info is, I have no idea, I would guess "not very" or we would see it more often.

Q2 - RandyT makes the KeyWiz.

Q3 - Gnateye, that isn't the same project.  They are trying to take old SNES controls to the USB port.  LilWolf is trying to take true arcade controls to an SNES (or PS/X, X-box, Gamecube, etc.)

[gnateye]

ah. gotcha

[Lilwolf]

Yes... the thought is a keyboard encoder -> a standard interface... Then the standard interface -> each console.

Mainly to be able to plug multiple consoles and a pc to your cabinet without having a different hack for each.

[Dave_K.]

Lilwolf, this doesn't answer your question, but gives you an idea of the logic some other people have against using keyboard controllers for cabinet setups which involve multiple interfaces.

joystick/control panel -> hacked Playstation2 pads -> Converter to USB-PC or other console

This 3 step chain lets you use your cabinet for anything.  The PS2 pad being that "common interface" which you were talking about.  Its pretty much an industry standard, and converters from PS2 to anything are out there (except very old consoles of course).

To compare with the IPAC, the PS2->PC-USB interface gives you 2 analog x/y inputs, plus 16 button inputs per player! More than enough inputs for any game.   And at a cost of (at most) $10 per converter, we are talking 4 analog inputs, and 32 button inputs for $20 for a 2 player cabinet.  Of course with the IPAC there isn't any "hacking/soldering"...and that is a major plus, but people like Infrasonic are making ipac like PS2 interface (http://www.arcadecontrols.org/yabbse/index.php?board=15;action=display;threadid=12941).

Given the above, I think it may be easier to consider going this route than adding another "universal" link to the converter chain (fronted with a keyboard interface).  Just my opinion.

[DarkKobold]

I'd have to agree with Dave, your basically encoded and decoding pointlessly. To use keyboard inputs, you have to encode the data to be read by the computer, and then decode again to be re-encoded for the console.

I think Dave K had the best solution. Since the majority of consoles are already emulated, and PSX adapters are available for the rest of the systems, this would be a simple hack.

The console encoding/decoding is well known, but the effort it would take to code for each one would be a daunting task.

[Lilwolf]

I know how to hack controls.  But if you wanted to do each system.. you have a LOT of hacked controsl with wires around... hand have to unplug everything....  And been done.

The question of if you had a keyboard encoder already hooked up.  How hard would it be to build a circuit to go to a console?  (not many would ever consider doing it... but it might be really easy).

[Dave_K.]

I know how to hack controls.  But if you wanted to do each system.. you have a LOT of hacked controsl with wires around... hand have to unplug everything....  And been done.

I may have read your comment incorrectly, but what I posted was only one set of hacked playstation2 controllers.  For each system/console, you use a PS2 converter cable.  And if you looked at the link I posted, the hacking of pads may become a thing of the past if infrasonic continues his advancements.  

As for the unplugging things, I don't see the difference if you need to reach inside the cab to turn off one sytem and power one another.  Its like an extra 10 second to unplug one converter and plug the ps2 into another.  I guess you could make a psx switchbox, but that seems a little overkill (but completely possible).

To bring this discussion back in line with your original question, each console uses a unquie joystick protocol (unique to that console), so going from a ps2-keyboard to each type of console would require a lot of microcode programming on mutliple PIC (programmable IC) type chips to do the conversions.  Even going to one console protocol would seem pretty hard to me.  Maybe infrasonic can chime in with the PSX chip he worked on.

[Lilwolf]

The console I'm interested is a dreamcast.   There is console -> pc converters... but none the other way around.  The question is if its only because nobody but us would ever want one... it might be easy to do...  And let you have one solution for all/multipl consoles and pc