Questions about X-Arcade BYO Kits

[Pb]

I'm probably going to buy one of these soon and make an KOF-esque 2-player controller and save myself the money it would cost to buy a pre-assembled one.  I basically want to have a USB and Dreamcast compatible stick, but Xbox/PS2/GCN compatibility would be nice as well.
Anyways, my first question is if it's possible to hack a DC pad (there's a guide on this site to doing so) to make a arcade stick but also be able to use it with MAME or other emulators via USB.
Second question, if I do choose the BYO Kit (which I kinda wish I won't have to, it seems kind of overpriced and isn't as hardcore as hacking a DC controller), what kind of buttons and joysticks will I be able to use with it?  Any generic kind?  Do you guys know of any places to get said kind cheap, new or refurbished?
Thanks in advance to whoever tries to help this newbie out

[odysseyroc]

Why not go with the infamous SpiffyShoes "solderless dualshock hack"? You can pick up one of those cotrollers at EB Games for $4.00. Radio Shack has a PSX to USB adapter, and you can get PSX to Dreamcast adapters off of ebay.

You can buy Happ buttons and Joysticks from forum member Ponyboy. Check out his thread in the Buy/Sell/Trade forum.

Good luck with your Control Panel!

Oh heres the link to the control hack.home.comcast.net/~spiffyshoes/DualShockHack/

[oldsage]

I'm probably going to buy one of these soon and make an KOF-esque 2-player controller and save myself the money it would cost to buy a pre-assembled one.

[Felice]

Hacking the SpiffyShoes "solderless dualshock" looks like it should maybe possible to do even for me.

But what about the potentiometers. Do I need to buy new ones. Are these included in analogue joysticks from f.e. Happ; and which joysticks do I need for the analogue sticks?

[oldsage]

Hacking the SpiffyShoes "solderless dualshock" looks like it should maybe possible to do even for me.

But what about the potentiometers. Do I need to buy new ones. Are these included in analogue joysticks from f.e. Happ; and which joysticks do I need for the analogue sticks?

Most people in these threads use digital sticks, like in the arcade... Which is similar in function to 4 pushbuttons being pressed by the joystick... Analog joysticks are very expensive (i think they cos at least $50 from happ), and are incompatible with most MAME games anyway... I would suggest to either drop the analogs and stick with the D-pad for older PS1 games, or make a console only stick... (oh, and yes, the pots are included...)

[Felice]

I would suggest to either drop the analogs and stick with the D-pad for older PS1 games, or make a console only stick... (oh, and yes, the pots are included...)

I want to build an arcade-unit only for my XBox. So I need at least 2 joysticks: 1 digital and 1 analogue. Is this possible to make with a gamepad hack? And which joystick and potentiometer do I need for the analogue stick. Or can I make the analogue stick work as digital? (A lot of XBox-games need 2 stick at the same time).

[oldsage]

I would suggest to either drop the analogs and stick with the D-pad for older PS1 games, or make a console only stick... (oh, and yes, the pots are included...)

I want to build an arcade-unit only for my XBox. So I need at least 2 joysticks: 1 digital and 1 analogue. Is this possible to make with a gamepad hack? And which joystick and potentiometer do I need for the analogue stick. Or can I make the analogue stick work as digital? (A lot of XBox-games need 2 stick at the same time).

Actually, i dunno if it is possible/how hard it is to hack a gamepad and connect analog sticks to it, as most people hack a digital stick to the d-pad and not use any analogs, although there are a few people on this board that did it... Maybe check out the post about making a PS2 controller for a quadriplegic, they are prolly hacking a PS2 DS, and i think Zinfari allready hacked a dualshock to an analog stick...
I would think a "standard" analog from happ would be good, but again, i have never done this...
Zinfari is probably who you should contact, he might be able to help with the analog part...
Also, i would suggest hacking a PS2 controller and using a converter - i hear they are much easier to hack...
I also heard that arcade pots and console pots are different...
You should also try the console forum...