Playstation/PS2 gamepad encoder?

[Timstuff]

Out of curiousity, does anyone sell pre-hacked controllers or interfaces so that you can connect your arcade conntrols to a PS2 or other game systems without having to hack the controllers yourself? If not, is there a good writeup somewhere for hacking controllers yourself? I'm toying with the possibility of eventually making it so I can switch my arcade controls from running to the PC keyboard interface to running on a PS2 controller hack or interface. Being able to hook up a PS2 would be great for when I want to play a Naomi-based or 3D fighting games since doing that on my PC probably ain't gonna happen. If it's possible to set it up so I can switch between the PC keyboard interface and PS2 controller interfaces with just the flip of a switch inside the CP box, the prospect would be even more enticing.

[Dire Radiant]

Might be expensive but there's always the X-Arcade option which to my mind is the X-Arcade's great advantage.

[Hoagie_one]

Quasicon?

[Timstuff]

Both of those are neat, but what I want is just an encoder that can go inside of my CP box. I'm not so keen on buying a pre-made CP.

[SirPoonga]

then you are probably going to have to solder one yourself.

[Timstuff]

Yeah, you're probably right. But I'm really shocked that no-one sells multi-system control interfaces like the ones used by X-Arcade and Quasimoto. I'm sure there's plenty of people who want them, but it looks like for now the only way to get arcade controls on your game system is to buy a pre-made CP or hack your own.

[SirPoonga]

There isn't a really good way to do it.  Where could you mount screw terminals and such.

[SteveJ34]

I believe Snaake was offering prehack PSx pads at one point in time for something in the neighborhood of $20 or so.

Might send him a PM to see if that is something he still has to offer.

Steve

[Dire Radiant]

You can buy just the encoder from the X-Arcade folks for $60 plus $20 for the PS2 adapter and use that with a home built or existing CP. Even comes with a wiring harness. http://www.xgaming.com/byoarcade.shtml

[Timstuff]

Yikes, $60 seems a little rich for my coffers, especially with the adapters costing $20 each. I'd end up spending $100 just on the "guts" of my CP, and I'm not sure if that's a bullet I'm ready to bite. I guess it's best just to wait on that one. Who knows, maybe I'll eventually come up with my own playstation controller hack.

[Tiger-Heli]

I believe Snaake was offering prehack PSx pads at one point in time for something in the neighborhood of $20 or so.

Might send him a PM to see if that is something he still has to offer.

Steve

I think I heard that as well.  Also see: 

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,7825.0.html

[zaphod]

There is a Master Converter list thread stickied at the top of this forum that might help you some.  Interesting forum, BTW, and I believe Snaake also frequents that one, too.

http://www.shoryuken.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=177

[spiffyshoes]

Just use the A-Series Hack.  It is just as easy as any of the encoders I've seen.  Either use separate wires like in my tutorial or just grab a Hard Drive or Floppy Cable and plug it into the Ribbon Terminal.

[Timstuff]

I think I heard that as well.  Also see: 

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,7825.0.html

Wow, that's really cool. I'd check out the links you other guys provided too, but my internet connection is being a little stubborn right now, so the pages won't show up. If I did use playstation controller hacks, I'd probably go with some nice and cheap third party controllers. It doesn't matter if they have really poor exterior design or inadiquet rumble, since I'd only be using the circuit boards and cables anyway.

But another big question is how to hook things up so that I won't have to re-wire everthing or flip 20 something switches every time I want to go from PC mode to Playstation mode.

[markb]

How about hacking a Playstation pad and using a convertor so that when you want to run it on a PC you just have to plug it in to the convertor and it will go straight into the USB port, costs around

[Timstuff]

While I could technically skip the keyboard encoder altogether and just use a playstation USB adapter, there are some compelling reasons not to.  Namely that I wouldn't be able to wire up the escape and pause keys in MAME, or wire up the coin doors to give me virtual credits. A playstation pad has 10 buttons, but my panel will have 11 on each side, three of which will corrospond with keyboard key functions rather than joystick buttons. So the most logical thing to me it seems would be to buy a Keywiz Max and 2 really cheap playstation controllers, and either wire the Keywiz Max and PS pads to a set of Molex connectors that have connect to the buttons simeltaniousely, or wire the controls so that I can open up the panel and flip a switch to go between them. The former option sounds more convinient, but I'm not an electrician so I don't know if it's safe to be wiring three wires together for a do-it-yourself Y connection. If this concept of wiring both the keyboard encoder wires and playstation encoder wires to the same set of wires that are connected to the arcade controls is safe and will work, I think I'd be happy going with it.

Also, Lik-Sang and several other sites sell adapters that connect playstation controllers to Gamecube and Xbox. If my plans for making my controls Playstation compatable will work, I could also use my cabinet with GCN and Xbox just by buying a few adapters!

[Tiger-Heli]

I don't completely follow what you're trying to accomplish.

While I could technically skip the keyboard encoder altogether and just use a playstation USB adapter, there are some compelling reasons not to.

Haven't studied this in depth - 10 buttons plus joystick, how many were you wanting for action buttons, and how many are left?

Namely that I wouldn't be able to wire up the escape and pause keys in MAME, or wire up the coin doors to give me virtual credits.

Ermmmn, why not?  Reconfigure MAME so Escape is Joy1Button10, Pause is Joy1Button9, Coin 1 is Joy2Button9, Coin 2 is Joy2 Button10.  Switch on coin door goes to pad input for Joy2Button9, etc.

The former option sounds more convinient, but I'm not an electrician so I don't know if it's safe to be wiring three wires together for a do-it-yourself Y connection. If this concept of wiring both the keyboard encoder wires and playstation encoder wires to the same set of wires that are connected to the arcade controls is safe and will work, I think I'd be happy going with it.

I think you would be okay, especially if the playstation pad uses common ground, and almost certainly if the PS was off when the MAME computer was on, and vice versa.  You might want to check with someone else, though.

Also, Lik-Sang and several other sites sell adapters that connect playstation controllers to Gamecube and Xbox. If my plans for making my controls Playstation compatable will work, I could also use my cabinet with GCN and Xbox just by buying a few adapters!

Or with MAME with the USB adapters - what am I missing?

[Timstuff]

For my controls, I'm going to have 8 action buttons per player, player 1 and 2 start buttons, an exit button, a pause button, and the coin door will be wired to the control interface for coin ups on player 1 and 2. If I was only using 7 or 6 action buttons, I'd have enough buttons on the PS1 controller to still have coin ups. But because I want to have plenty of buttons to go around, I don't think I'm gonna get out of using a keyboard encoder.

[Tiger-Heli]

For my controls, I'm going to have 8 action buttons per player, player 1 and 2 start buttons, an exit button, a pause button, and the coin door will be wired to the control interface for coin ups on player 1 and 2. If I was only using 7 or 6 action buttons, I'd have enough buttons on the PS1 controller to still have coin ups. But because I want to have plenty of buttons to go around, I don't think I'm gonna get out of using a keyboard encoder.

It could still be done.  For PS2 you will want 8 action buttons, but for MAME you won't.  You could wire the microswitch on the coin door and P1 and P2 Button 8 to the same input.  Of course, pressing the Button 8 switch would now also deposit coins in mame, and pressing the coin buttons would activate button 8 in the PS games.

You could also hack a third PS2 pad and have Joypad3 Button1 is Coin1, Joypad3 Button2 is Coin 2.

You could also get the solderless version of the KeyWiz Eco, which is $11 less than the MAX and no more work than hacking a PS2 pad.

Just giving you options . . .

[markb]

Other options include using a Ipac VE for the utility buttons only in mame then 2 PS2 joystick hacks with the USB convertors for the action buttons.

Ipac Ve =

[Crowquill]

If you're planning on using it with adapters, your best bet is to stick with a Sony pad. I can't get any of my third-party controllers (about 7 of them) to work with my Game Elements adapter for Gamecube (the XBox part of the adapter isn't as sensitive to this). With Spiffyshoes' PS1 hack it's pretty easy and cheap ($4 at EB) to use Dual Shocks.

RedOctane used to just sell the board part of their joystick for somewhere around $10, but it seems to have disappeared off of their website.

[Timstuff]

Yikes! PS1 Dualshocks are only $4 at EB games! I can easily add PS2 compatability to my cabinet for about $10. It doesn't really matter that I'm using a Keywiz Max ontop of it, because it's only going to be $10 more than I was originally planning so it doesn't make much difference to me. I can use both and it won't affect the cost a whole lot. A little more soldering and connecting, sure, but it'll be worth it to be able to use my sweet arcade controls with modern and Naomi based fighting games.

[Crowquill]

The tricky part is that you have to find the revision A pads. If you look on the back, there will an "A" in the bottom-right corner of the information right above "made in Korea". It's hard enough sometimes finding Sony-branded pads, much less the right version. I hit about 5 stores before finding one. Your odds may vary.

This mod also is solderless, so people like myself that aren't too good with a soldering iron can even pull it off.

Spiffyshoes' tutorial is great. It gives plenty of detail.

[Timstuff]

Yeah, it'd probably be best to check the mall for the gamepads. There's at least four game stores at the local mall, and most of 'em sell used stuff. One specializes in it, and another one has used stuff plus lots of overstocked items from other game stores.