HELP: Xbox Controller to Custom Arcade Stick

[phantompower]

All,

With the announcement of Capcom vs SNK 2 to XBox Live on November 15, I am interesting in taking my soldering project (Dreamcast and PS/PS2 arcade stick) and adding XBox functionality.  I need some help with this approach.

I have never seen a Microsoft (or third party) Xbox controller disassembled and would like to avoid actually doing on of mine until I have exhausted all of the resources I can to tell me [read 'show me'] what that PCB might look like and how big the solder pad is.  

My two scenarios as I know them are the following:

1.  Create a new arcade stick where I solder (similar to the DC and PS PCBs to the arcade buttons)...assuming that the Xbox contollers have decent contact points on the PCBs.

2. Use my DC/PS arcade stick and buy an adapter that converts the DC/PS controller to the Xbox.  Only concern that I have with these adapters (like the "Magic Box") is that I don't know what the button mapping is and whether or not the games I want to use the arcade stick for will allow mapping.

CD_Vision, feel free to chime in here.  It was your site that planted the idea of soldering standard console controllers and I have now gone crazy with it, creating interchangeable systems, etc.

I am now ready to take this to another level with the XBox support and would like to have something ready to go before November 15.

Any and all help is MUCH appreciated.

Chuck
Home of the www.leafstation.com

[Dave_K.]

I can't say much about the converters other than that you can always just re-wire the buttons around on the control panel if the game you are playing won't allow for in-game remapping.  Yeah its a pain in the arse if you already have the button layout a particular way for DC/PS games, but its an option.

What I can say is that I've taken apart both the original Microsoft pads, and the Madcatz pads.  The MS pads are not hackable at all IMHO...they use surface mount componants and similar sized solder connections (micro small).  The Madcatz pad, is completely hackable (soldering wise).  The analog buttons use simple resistance to ground, so use a multimeter to see which is non-ground, and then trace to an appropriate place to solder.  I believe the d-pad part is not analog (at least on this version of the madcatz pad...and it was about 6-months ago when I did this hack so I don't quite remember).  

I was able to do my hack without damaging the pad itself (so I can still use it until my control panel is done) and made all the controls accessable through a db25 connector (ala Radio Shack).

[phantompower]

Dave,

Excellent reply.  Thanks so much for the help.  I think I will take the path of purchasing the Mad Catz stick and going from there.

Will be nice to have the authentic feel with the XBox as well.

Regards,
Chuck