Gravis Gamepad Pro USB hack?

[Warborg]

Just wondering what people's successes/failures have been with this configuration...  I plan on hacking a gamepad pro USB for player 1, and a keyboard for player 2 and the various buttons I will need to operate the cabinet.

Any info on how well this has worked for people would be appreciated...

[Warborg]

Nobody on the boards has hacked one of these, or a similar item??

[MameFan]

I've hacked a Gamepad Pro USB... The black ones with 4 D inputs, 4 top button inputs, 4 shoulder inputs and 2 start/select inputs?

I just soldered leads to each side of the pad base (Note: I dont think you can have a "common" ground on these).  I tested it and worked great in a test rig.

I'm about to start building my machine after moving everything this weekend into a Space Fury (CongoBongo/Zaxxon type) cabinet a friend is hauling down to me.   I likely will know how hot-swapping will work (I plan to disconnect the full USB cable, not provide mating up to the hacked pad)... Worried a bit about USB ID issues not syncing right/etc.. but I will see.

I posted elsewhere on one of these forms about how good that pad is to hack, and it's cheap too.. $10 on sale occassionally.. I have a few I bought at $15 stacked up ready to go for my swapable panels when I begin.

[Warborg]

Ok, thanks...  I guess my main concern was if it worked well, was responsive, etc...  I don't even know if I am really going to worry about hot swapping...  Most likely once my controller is in place that's where it's going to stay.

[CthulhuLuke]

I was going to hack one originally for my 4-way pac man joystick, but I noticed that you can't just have a common all the way around, you actually have to solder to each common individually and each positive individually, which takes like twice as long as just getting yourself a Sidewinder or something like that. ( http://shop.store.yahoo.com/surpluscomputers/micsidjoy.html if you want one for $5, it's a gameport version though)
 If you're into spending hella time wiring each ground, then go for the Gravis USB gamepad, it'll work fine and everything, and almost every emulator sees it as a fine gamepad.
    -CthulhuLuke

[Warborg]

Thanks...  I feel comfortable with the soldering, and the extra amount of time really doesn't bother me, so I think I'll go this route...  Or at least, will use it for player 1 and a PS/2 keyboard hack for player 2 and various buttons, and then have a USB keyboard hidden away in the cabinet in case I need a full keyboard to work on the system...  

[gnateye]

alright i got this all drilled and soldered but i am wondering , there seems to be only one ground wire that goes to the usb cable? can i just daisy chaing all my grounds to this (black) wire? i can do one ground for each player but one for each button is just too much rewiring! am i on hte right track?

will i be able to do the same thing when i get my madcatz dreamcast controllers?