What's a good controller to hack for the PS2?

[Paul Marschall]

I know this isn't a computer made joystick, but i cant seem to find a good forum to ask this question too.

I need to know what controllar to buy, and if you know of a good website that demonstrates how to hack it.

thanks,
Wendigo77

[planetjay]

What's cheap?  

[toilet]

Hey,

If you don't plan on doing anything with the analog sticks, you should think about picking up a PS1 controller. They're compatible, and if all you need is the dpad, start/select, and 8 buttons it's the best choice.

3rd party cheap ones are the easiest to modifiy. Don't try modifying the Sony ones, they have this carbon film over the contacts that you can't solder over without some serious scraping.

[Paul Marschall]

A ps1 controllar sounds nice, but aren't ps1 controllars not compatable with the ps2. I'm almost sure they aren't.

[Jakobud]

PS1 controllers ARE compatible with the PS2.  However, the difference between the Dual Shock 2's and the PS1 controllers is that the Dual Shock 2's have all analog buttons.  Every button and both joysticks are analog (except the directional pad...I think...don't quote me on that).  On the PS1 controllers, all buttons were digital. So to answer your question, you can still use a PS1 controller on a PS2, but you lose analog use for the games that need it.  An example is Metal Gear Solid 2, you can peek around corners using the shoulder buttons.  Because the PS2 controllers are analog, the harder you press the shoulder button the farther Solid Snake peaks around the corner.  Now with a PS1 controller you can still use the shoulder button to peek around the corner, but there is no analog feel to it.  Only digital.  Yes. No. On. Off. 1. 0.  Nothing inbetween.  So you can still play the game, but you lose a little bit of the experience by using the PS1 controller.  But the advantage for you is that the PS1 controller would be WAY easier to hack.

Jakobud

[Jakobud]

Oh yeah, I forgot that even though the PS1 contollers are compatible with the PS2, the PSOne multitap is INCOMPATIBLE with the PS2.  You can only use the Multitap 2.  The reason for this is because the new multitap will only read PS2 memory cards and the old multitap will only read PS1 memory cards.  So Sony decided to just make the PS1 multitap incompatible.

Jakobud

[toilet]

Yeah, forgot to mention the analog buttons too, which is a another reason the basic PS1 controller would be easier with its simpler setup.

If you're hesistant over the complexity of this, don't fret. It's really simple. If you're comfortable soldering, heck even if it's your first time, it isn't that tough to wire up some custom controller.

If you're looking for the pin outs of the cable, check out:
http://www.gamesx.com/controldata/psxcont/psxcont.htm

[darkmanx]

according to sony ps1 controls are NOT compatible with all ps2 games. some will work but others will not. they will work with any ps1 game used on a ps2, but not all ps2 games.

[Jakobud]

darkmanx, yes that is probably true, as some ps2 games actually require the use of analog controls.

jakobud

[SirPoonga]

A ps1 controllar sounds nice, but aren't ps1 controllars not compatable with the ps2. I'm almost sure they aren't.

They are compatible witht eh ps2 but only with ps1 games, weird, huh?

[SirPoonga]

I know this isn't a computer made joystick, but i cant seem to find a good forum to ask this question too.

I need to know what controllar to buy, and if you know of a good website that demonstrates how to hack it.

thanks,
Wendigo77

just get a cheap ps2 controller form like lik snag or madcatz or performance.