Author Topic: Dreamcast control pad hacking (Read 2723 times)

anthony691 · « **on:** May 20, 2003, 09:33:41 pm »

I was wondering how hard it is to hack a 6 button DC control pad, and if any of you have messed it up a few times?

Thanks for your input; it looks like I may have to do this

Generic Eric · « **Reply #1 on:** May 20, 2003, 10:01:24 pm »

Have you looked at CD_Visions page?

http://www.darkravenwind.com/cdvision/madcatz.htm

anthony691 · « **Reply #2 on:** May 20, 2003, 10:51:58 pm »

I don't know, I have soldered before, but I am not the GREATEST. Do I need a Madcatz pad or would a normal one be reasonable?

anthony691 · « **Reply #3 on:** May 20, 2003, 10:54:44 pm »

Better yet, with his instructions and a Madcatz pad, would it be fairly easy?

Generic Eric · « **Reply #4 on:** May 20, 2003, 11:13:58 pm »

The MadCatz and other 3rd party manufacturers are supposed to be better suited because the have larger holes on the circuit board for soldering components. This makes it easier to connect it to the arcade controls.

Hope this helps.

mastercave · « **Reply #5 on:** May 21, 2003, 01:56:25 am »

heres a good tip that i read somewhere and then tried out and it works great! get a small drill bit, very small like a pin-vise. drill holes at the location where you will be soldering so you can just stick the wire into the hole and it will hold there by itself. you can then just solder and it will be a better hold than just laying it onto the circuits. just make sure your drilled holes are going through the metal parts.

SNAAAKE · « **Reply #6 on:** May 21, 2003, 02:57:06 am »

if it helps.

there are 2 versions of madcatz pad and I cant remember which one already had holes.
I am around 75% sure that the earlier version of madcatz dreampad had holes already.
BUT both are real easy to hack so go ahead and try.

use a 1/32 drill bit if you need to drill some holes to put the wire through.

anthony691 · « **Reply #7 on:** May 21, 2003, 07:19:39 am »

What about the AstroPad (I already own one of these) If I mess it up they are only ~ 3$

SNAAAKE · « **Reply #8 on:** May 21, 2003, 02:45:01 pm »

Quote from: anthony691 on May 21, 2003, 07:19:39 am

What about the AstroPad (I already own one of these) If I mess it up they are only ~ 3$

I never had to ba!!z to "try" other pads then madcatz pads because hacking the analog shoulder buttons is sort of hard to hack.
I know its possible because I visited a site where the guy explained how to do astro pads but I dont have the link.

I suggest you dont "try" stuff because you might end up blowing out the dreamcast controls port.happend to me LONG time ago.
you got some here for $4.99 a piece...not bad.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/stores/offering/list/-/B000023MCN/all/ref=dp_pb_a/104-9260175-1231964
you dont order then I will order both.

anthony691 · « **Reply #9 on:** May 21, 2003, 04:38:11 pm »

Quote from: SNAAAKE on May 21, 2003, 02:45:01 pm

Quote from: anthony691 on May 21, 2003, 07:19:39 am
What about the AstroPad (I already own one of these) If I mess it up they are only ~ 3$
I never had to ba!!z to "try" other pads then madcatz pads because hacking the analog shoulder buttons is sort of hard to hack.
I know its possible because I visited a site where the guy explained how to do astro pads but I dont have the link.

I suggest you dont "try" stuff because you might end up blowing out the dreamcast controls port.happend to me LONG time ago.
you got some here for $4.99 a piece...not bad.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/stores/offering/list/-/B000023MCN/all/ref=dp_pb_a/104-9260175-1231964
you dont order then I will order both.

Can I dibs the Madcatz pads? How do you blow the controls port!? I think I am in over my head on this one! SNAAKE, did you do it on your first try?

armad1ll0 · « **Reply #10 on:** May 21, 2003, 05:07:51 pm »

I usually hack the sega ones and then use a wire wheel attachement on my dremel to expose the copper. It's not hard.

As for the analog buttons. I found them easy to hack into. There are four possible contacts to solder to. I think that the analog works on a principle of a magnet or something. The further you pull the trigger the closer the magnet came to this small "chip" with four contacts on it. I wired up the ground and then poked around a plugged in controller. I found the propper contact to hack into for the triggers. Now the analog triggers act digital for my button presses.

anthony691 · « **Reply #11 on:** May 21, 2003, 05:24:35 pm »

Quote from: armad1ll0 on May 21, 2003, 05:07:51 pm

I usually hack the sega ones and then use a wire wheel attachement on my dremel to expose the copper. It's not hard.

As for the analog buttons. I found them easy to hack into. There are four possible contacts to solder to. I think that the analog works on a principle of a magnet or something. The further you pull the trigger the closer the magnet came to this small "chip" with four contacts on it. I wired up the ground and then poked around a plugged in controller. I found the propper contact to hack into for the triggers. Now the analog triggers act digital for my button presses.

You are ovbviously skilled! Everyone else said it was really hard and they broke a few! Do you know how the controller port would break?

I wish you could do it at a price I could afford (I need 2)... but I am broke! Do you accept trades (in general)? If I mailed you a DC pad could you go any cheaper? Sorry if I am being unreasonable... I can't afford that right now : (

I spent a ton of money to buy a device that does Video in to a Monitor with a remote and stuff. It is called the ProView. It even has a remote! Now I just need to figure out the damn controls!

armad1ll0 · « **Reply #12 on:** May 21, 2003, 05:28:48 pm »

Dissassemble the controllers, pull the cable off of them, ship them to me. I'll wire up 15 wire cable to them with about 18" on there and zip tie the cable to the encoder board. (I always do this so that movement doesn't tear the wires off the encoder board.

I'll then ship them back and email you the wire color code. (incase you can't read the board)

$20 total for labor/parts plus $5 shipping.

email me for shipping address.

anthony691 · « **Reply #13 on:** May 21, 2003, 05:53:49 pm »

Quote from: armad1ll0 on May 21, 2003, 05:28:48 pm

Dissassemble the controllers, pull the cable off of them, ship them to me. I'll wire up 15 wire cable to them with about 18" on there and zip tie the cable to the encoder board. (I always do this so that movement doesn't tear the wires off the encoder board.

I'll then ship them back and email you the wire color code. (incase you can't read the board)

$20 total for labor/parts plus $5 shipping.

email me for shipping address.

WOW! You will do this for me for 20$! FOR BOTH?! It isn't even worth me trying for that price! I'll E-Mail you. THANKS SO MUCH! Can you gaurantee I won't fry my DC though? I don't suppose you could because of shipping and stuff... (read as: will you test them?)

These are 6 button too (plus start and D-Pad), right? Grounds wired too and all? Wow, thanks dude! So one cable coming off for ground?

I need to come up with 25$ first! (I bought a LCD monitor, the VGA video in thing, a 10,500 RPM 10GB HD, A 20GB laptop HD, (2) 1 GB IBM Micro Drives... and SO ON! (read as: it may take me a day or so)

SNAAAKE · « **Reply #14 on:** May 21, 2003, 06:00:01 pm »

Quote from: anthony691 on May 21, 2003, 04:38:11 pm

Can I dibs the Madcatz pads? How do you blow the controls port!? I think I am in over my head on this one! SNAAKE, did you do it on your first try?

very easy to blow up dreamcast ports.
Work on the pad while the console is on and you have the pad connected.
there ya go !

Okay it was over 2 years ago..I didnt know.

Actually my first try was all good then I thought I had too much skills so I tried hacking the "official" dreamcast pad and ended up blowing out the controls port.
what the heck !

anyway it was under warrenty so sega fixed it free !

armad1ll0 · « **Reply #15 on:** May 21, 2003, 06:00:20 pm »

yes, it'll have 15 wire cable but 3 will be dead as they are unused. Maybe I'll just pull them out.

I test all of my stuff. I can wire all of that up in less than an hour. I just did two Sega controllers the other day so it's easy for me. I'll just mirror the wire code and test it once.

No guarantees but I will test it on my DC to make sure that they work. It's more shipping if you are in the UK.

anthony691 · « **Reply #16 on:** May 21, 2003, 06:13:29 pm »

Quote from: armad1ll0 on May 21, 2003, 06:00:20 pm

yes, it'll have 15 wire cable but a 3 will be dead as they are unused. Maybe I'll just pull them out.

I test all of my stuff. I can wire all of that up in less than an hour. I just did two Sega controllers the other day so it's easy for me. I'll just mirror the wire code and test it once.

No guarantees but I will test it on my DC to make sure that they work.

Sounds good, it is gonna take me awhile to sell some stuff and get some cash. You arn't going anywhere are you?

armad1ll0 · « **Reply #17 on:** May 22, 2003, 01:26:49 pm »

Oh about the Dreamcast controller port. You can break it by overloading a resistor there. It can be easily fixed by replacing the resistor, which acts like a fuse. 12 screws and the daughter board is out. Radio Shack the resistor...

nah, not going anywhere but if you don't act quick, the price will be negotiable as I may get more busy with the new house and as our game gets closer to shipping...

anthony691 · « **Reply #18 on:** May 22, 2003, 04:31:17 pm »

Quote from: armad1ll0 on May 22, 2003, 01:26:49 pm

Oh about the Dreamcast controller port. You can break it by overloading a resistor there. It can be easily fixed by replacing the resistor, which acts like a fuse. 12 screws and the daughter board is out. Radio Shack the resistor...

nah, not going anywhere but if you don't act quick, the price will be negotiable as I may get more busy with the new house and as our game gets closer to shipping...

Well, I'll see what I can do to get this done ASAP (within the next 2 weeks

) THANKS SO MUCH MAN!

Molloy · « **Reply #19 on:** May 22, 2003, 08:01:44 pm »

Don't play-asia and liksang just sell converters for DC pads so you can plug them into a Pc, PS2 etc?

anthony691 · « **Reply #20 on:** May 22, 2003, 08:28:35 pm »

Quote from: Molloy on May 22, 2003, 08:01:44 pm

Don't play-asia and liksang just sell converters for DC pads so you can plug them into a Pc, PS2 etc?

Yea, but his DC to JAMMA is like 200$! (I assume it does video though)

armad1ll0 · « **Reply #21 on:** May 23, 2003, 04:42:35 am »

actually they sell adaptors to go from PSX to DC and USB, you've got it backwards.

The problem is that the L2, R2 and select buttons go dead so that if you have a normal PSX layout, your Capcom 6 is not complete and you'll be missing the heavy kick button.

I have a toggle switch in one of my joysticks that switches the L1 w/ R2 so that I can use a proper PSX or Dreamcast layout.


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