Possibility of an Act-Labs to GunCon conversion...

[kspiff]

I finally found my small philips head screwdriver a few days ago () so I took apart my PS1 GunCon and my old gameport A-L lightgun to check out the possibility of a conversion.

Before I comment on that, I just want to say that the GunCon totally owns the A-L lightgun as far as component quality and design.. it's really laughable as to the difference in component quality and craftsmanship.. and GunCons are pretty much $10, too.. what's up with that?  I guess I'll see if the new TV USB gun is better but I doubt it..

Anyways, the GunCon and the A-L gun's innards are vaguely similar.. 2 buttons and switches.. 1 photosensor.. 1 trigger and switch.. the only difference is that the GunCon's inputs are routed through a small PCB with a chip (with the photosensor mounted to this PCB).  The components for both guns are pretty much just harnesses, though, that can be easily removed from the plastic shells and transferred.

So it seems that all that's likely required is to: remove the A-L gun's innards; remove the trigger and button switches from the A-L harness; remove the GunCon's innards; remove the the trigger and button switches from the GunCon harness; wire the trigger and button switches from the GunCon harness to the A-L harness; and place modified A-L harness into GunCon shell.

The best part (and the part that worried me the most) is that the photosensor looks like it would also line up perfectly in the slot on the GunCon (but would probably need a piece of electrical tape and a dab of hot glue for stability).  Those with more experience (and assuming the GunCon and A-L guns have an identical photosensor -- anbody know how to tell?) could probably even remove most of the GunCon PCB's components and use its stock photosensor, which appears to be of much higher quality.

Anybody with a USB lightgun and GunCon wanna try it out?  It would be a waste to try this with my gameport gun and I'm waiting for the TV compatible version now.  Also worth mentioning is that GunCons can usually be had for < $10 used (at least this one was from GameS[hi]top).

[Siris]

I also had a peek inside my Act-Labs gun the USB version.
You can see pics here.

http://www.geocities.com/ld_mame/gun.html

[kspiff]

Yup.. wiring may be different (can't tell from the pics), but the components are the same.. seems like they took away one of the trigger springs (probably a good thing -- mine was always super stiff) and added.. oh, just what I was hoping for!  More hot glue on everything!

So, cool, I can place an order for a TV gun (maybe 2, but I'll wait for a review on that functionality).  I think I better buy an extra GunCon, though.. seems like a shame to break up a 2P set..

[brandon]

Yup.. wiring may be different (can't tell from the pics), but the components are the same.. seems like they took away one of the trigger springs (probably a good thing -- mine was always super stiff) and added.. oh, just what I was hoping for!  More hot glue on everything!

So, cool, I can place an order for a TV gun (maybe 2, but I'll wait for a review on that functionality).  I think I better buy an extra GunCon, though.. seems like a shame to break up a 2P set..

I hate to go OT but while you are talking about Guncon I have to ask... Does anybody know where I can find old gun games for PS1?  I have had any luck at all.. I bought a gun but the only game I found was Jesse James... I want to find Time Crisis Area 51, Lethal Enforcers... all that stuff... but no luck.......

[kspiff]

Just go to ebworld.com and get preowned copies.. or -- if you're less scrupulous -- get an easynews subscription and try a.b.c.i.playstation, I bet somebody posted at least Time Crisis in the last month

Probably the only choice for a new copy is ebay.. caveat emptor..

The only real must have gun games for Playstation are Time Crisis + Project Titan, Elemental Gearbolt, and the Jap/Eur-only Oh!! Bakyuun (aka Golly Ghosts!).  I really can't think of any others worth the money.