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Author Topic: $9 'Super Easy' USB Controller hack for MAME  (Read 52672 times)

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dmworking247

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Re: $9 'Super Easy' USB Controller hack for MAME
« Reply #40 on: September 29, 2008, 10:11:42 pm »
Yes the wireless one works with PC using those adaptors. I've already tested this after hacking the controller, I just haven't installed it into a control panel yet.

slapaham

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Re: $9 'Super Easy' USB Controller hack for MAME
« Reply #41 on: October 02, 2008, 07:33:09 pm »
Okay... I'm new to hacking controls myself so please bare with me...

you say you have one ground point which you daisy chain with the microswitches... by this, do you mean you would have multiple wires coming from this point acting as one of the two wires going to each microswitch or am I totally misunderstanding?

I know, I know!

HaRuMaN

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Re: $9 'Super Easy' USB Controller hack for MAME
« Reply #42 on: October 02, 2008, 08:44:35 pm »
you say you have one ground point which you daisy chain with the microswitches... by this, do you mean you would have multiple wires coming from this point acting as one of the two wires going to each microswitch or am I totally misunderstanding?

You have it right.  Microswitches have three pins: common, NO, NC.  Your common ground will be daisy-chained from your pcb to all the common pins on each switch.  Each button and direction wire will go to the correct NO pin on your arcade buttons and joystick.

dmworking247

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Re: $9 'Super Easy' USB Controller hack for MAME
« Reply #43 on: November 27, 2008, 12:20:46 am »
I thought I'd update this thread since I did eventually (successfully) hack the wireless PS2 controller mentioned earlier in this thread.

The results were posted in my Desktop Controllers Thread, look for the Green "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" control panel (reply #18).

jholman76

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Re: $9 'Super Easy' USB Controller hack for MAME
« Reply #44 on: June 16, 2009, 01:08:54 am »
Sorry to ressurect an old thread, but I just wanted to add that I got the game pads from GGG and they are super easy to hack. wow. Thanks alot.

I think I got it all done in about 1hr and that included cutting/striping/tinning the wire, cardboard box CP and all.

Nice and easy solder points and a common ground.

abzman2000

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Re: $9 'Super Easy' USB Controller hack for MAME
« Reply #45 on: June 20, 2009, 03:53:33 pm »
just to interject, dealextreme just got in some $6 12 button controllers with no rumble or analog sticks to mess with.  I'm probably getting between 1 and 4 in my next order to dealextreme

IG-88

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Re: $9 'Super Easy' USB Controller hack for MAME
« Reply #46 on: June 20, 2009, 04:46:11 pm »
I wonder if these ^^ are as easy to hack?
"I know what a HAL 9000 is... I was wondering if HAL 7600 was his retarded cousin or something..."
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sinkhead

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Re: $9 'Super Easy' USB Controller hack for MAME
« Reply #47 on: June 22, 2009, 07:03:51 pm »
I wonder if these ^^ are as easy to hack?
I just added one to my order using my points, I'll make sure to take detailed photos when it arrives.  :)

The $6 version, that is.

IG-88

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Re: $9 'Super Easy' USB Controller hack for MAME
« Reply #48 on: June 22, 2009, 07:20:30 pm »
Ya, I went ahead and ordered one too.

I wonder, would a mobo or o/s recognize one of these if you plugged it into the ps/2 port....?
"I know what a HAL 9000 is... I was wondering if HAL 7600 was his retarded cousin or something..."
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sinkhead

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Re: $9 'Super Easy' USB Controller hack for MAME
« Reply #49 on: June 30, 2009, 08:18:53 am »
It arrived and I took it apart. I took some photos for you. I don't know what to do now because I don't have any controls, but I do have a multimeter if anyone wants me to test anything.

HaRuMaN

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Re: $9 'Super Easy' USB Controller hack for MAME
« Reply #50 on: June 30, 2009, 09:11:07 am »
Oh that'll be a super easy hack.  Points to solder to already available, and a common ground.  Good deal.

supadave

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Re: $9 'Super Easy' USB Controller hack for MAME
« Reply #51 on: June 30, 2009, 10:21:02 am »
Simple question for something I'm not understading about this.. In the very first post you mention what you get..

"With this controller, you can get 4 directions + 10 buttons (4 face buttons, 2x2 trigger buttons, plus start and select). This could be used to give you a 1 player, 8 button with credit & start.
or 2 players with one button each, and a single credit / start button."

What I'm unclear about is the part about 4 directions? Does that mean you do NOT get an 8-way controller effect? No diagnal motions? or am I just totally not understanding? (example of a diagnal usage would be jumping in fighting games)

Thanks

Ginsu Victim

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Re: $9 'Super Easy' USB Controller hack for MAME
« Reply #52 on: June 30, 2009, 10:29:56 am »
8-way only uses four directions. It just hits diagonals, like UP plus LEFT. A 4-way stick doesn't hit the diagonals.

supadave

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Re: $9 'Super Easy' USB Controller hack for MAME
« Reply #53 on: June 30, 2009, 10:47:36 am »
So this hack would use the up and left as a diagonal then? 4 directions 8 way.. Not a true 100% 4 way. (which is fine by me) I need the diagnal to work for fighting games and such and I like this option but I just wanted to be certain. The obvious thought in my mind is that it would work fine but you know what they say.. never ASSume.. 

8-way only uses four directions. It just hits diagonals, like UP plus LEFT. A 4-way stick doesn't hit the diagonals.

Ginsu Victim

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Re: $9 'Super Easy' USB Controller hack for MAME
« Reply #54 on: June 30, 2009, 11:01:25 am »
8-way sticks only have 4 switches. They use two switches at once for diagonals. That is how it works and has worked for decades. There are no shortcuts being taken here.

Edit: Look at the switches on the Happ Competition (8-way). There are only four switches.



2nd edit: Here's a Wico 8-way leaf switch stick

« Last Edit: June 30, 2009, 11:06:13 am by Ginsu Victim »

_Iz-

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Re: $9 'Super Easy' USB Controller hack for MAME
« Reply #55 on: June 30, 2009, 12:22:48 pm »
The difference between 4-way and 8-way has nothing to do with the number of switches.

A 8-way stick is unrestricted and can hit 2 switches at once to register the diagonals.

A 4-way stick has a metal or plastic plate built into the base of the joystick (or a different sized actuator on the bottom of the shaft) that will not allow the stick to press 2 switches at once. It can only hit Up or Left or Right or Down, not combinations that make diagonals.

The cheaper 4-ways use the different sized actuator method (ie: Happ Supers can be set to 4 or 8way by flipping the actuator).

The better quality 4-ways use the metal or plastic plate method. This is generally preferred because it allows you to feel the corners and eliminates the tendency to drift from the direction you're trying to go.
« Last Edit: June 30, 2009, 12:26:58 pm by _Iz- »

Ginsu Victim

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Re: $9 'Super Easy' USB Controller hack for MAME
« Reply #56 on: June 30, 2009, 12:23:53 pm »
Which I already pointed out.

_Iz-

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Re: $9 'Super Easy' USB Controller hack for MAME
« Reply #57 on: June 30, 2009, 12:29:03 pm »
Which I already pointed out.

You did, but to someone that is having trouble grasping the concept it's helpful to point out how it actually does work as well as how it doesn't...

Ginsu Victim

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Re: $9 'Super Easy' USB Controller hack for MAME
« Reply #58 on: June 30, 2009, 12:30:03 pm »
I just didn't go too much into detail. I thought if he still didn't grasp it, I would.

supadave

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Re: $9 'Super Easy' USB Controller hack for MAME
« Reply #59 on: July 02, 2009, 08:31:26 am »
I totally grasped it and that is what I thought 100% all along.. It was just one of those momment where I thought I might be over thinking it and sure enough that was the case.. Thanks everyone for your in-depth descriptions.

jholman76

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Re: $9 'Super Easy' USB Controller hack for MAME
« Reply #60 on: July 02, 2009, 07:47:43 pm »
wow, that looks deliciously easy to hack. how is the USB cable connection to the PCB? is it solid? the last pad I got from DX actually came apart there so I had to re-solder and hot glue it down.

IG-88

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Re: $9 'Super Easy' USB Controller hack for MAME
« Reply #61 on: July 02, 2009, 10:12:26 pm »
Got mine today too. Can't wait to try this baby out. Got a bartop just sitting & waiting for it  ;D
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dmworking247

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Re: $9 'Super Easy' USB Controller hack for MAME
« Reply #62 on: July 02, 2009, 10:58:38 pm »
It arrived and I took it apart. I took some photos for you. I don't know what to do now because I don't have any controls, but I do have a multimeter if anyone wants me to test anything.



Just a word of warning (based on looking at this picture). It will be super easy to solder to these dedicated solder points, and the fact that the shoulder buttons have three wires (not four) is good because it means they are not part of a matrix and can be chopped off if not required.

HOWEVER, that D-Pad looks like many others I have hacked and appears to be matrixed, NOT a common ground... which means it may give you a little bit more trouble (need to figure out which is the ground for up/left, and which is the ground for down/right, and which/whether either of those is the same ground for the buttons and select/start etc.

The one I originally linked to in this thread is definately one ground. Many aftermarket playstation2 controllers are common ground for everything except the select/start/analog button... but many 'super cheap' chinese controllers have matrixed (not common ground) d-pads, as this one appears to have.

jholman76

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Re: $9 'Super Easy' USB Controller hack for MAME
« Reply #63 on: July 03, 2009, 12:36:48 am »
Interesting to know.

I can vouch for the GGG pads having a common ground for everything. Been "testing" it out for a good few weeks. she plays SFII, KI, and everything else without a hitch!

abzman2000

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Re: $9 'Super Easy' USB Controller hack for MAME
« Reply #64 on: July 03, 2009, 02:15:18 am »
It seems to me that the up/right have there ground as the little horizontal jumper, and the rest all have a common ground.  It doesn't seem to be a problem to connect both grounds (since the 2 grounds connecting doesn't make a button press) but I may be very wrong...


edit: actually it would cause a problem (both the left and right would have the same button press) but if you just don't use 2 of the buttons then the entire controller has a common ground, otherwise there are 2 grounds. 
« Last Edit: July 03, 2009, 02:18:55 am by abzman2000 »

Beretta

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Re: $9 'Super Easy' USB Controller hack for MAME
« Reply #65 on: July 03, 2009, 05:46:30 pm »
guys dont discount the analog sticks, i can think of a lot of useful hacks for not one but TWO analog sticks not to mention all the inputs you can squeeze out of a single pad.

example: one of the projects i'd like to do is find a dead positional gun cabinet.. terminator 2, rev-x, etc

they use analog joysticks they're not real light guns, a single pad could supply 2 guns + all control/coin/service buttons needed.

although i've never done it since i dont have a positional gun to toy with it should be a simple matter of wiring up the pot's

and although it's not "arcade authentic" you could use positional guns in place of actual light guns for light gun games, then no worries about what kind of display you have or rather or not your gun will work.

btw does anyone know where you can buy positional gun replacements? preferably t2 since it has recoil? i know a few people have made hacks for recoil in mame with t2.

nice condition gutted t2 cab on ebay for like 75bucks but way to far for me to drive :(
Anyone got change for a dollar?
PLEASE HELP NEED Fastmame .70 and .9* releases

sinkhead

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Re: $9 'Super Easy' USB Controller hack for MAME
« Reply #66 on: July 03, 2009, 07:05:47 pm »
wow, that looks deliciously easy to hack. how is the USB cable connection to the PCB? is it solid? the last pad I got from DX actually came apart there so I had to re-solder and hot glue it down.
Yep, it's solid. There's already glue over the connection on the back.

wachin

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Re: $9 'Super Easy' USB Controller hack for MAME
« Reply #67 on: July 09, 2009, 07:38:11 pm »
Thanks for the updates w/ the $6 controllers!  I just got mine and found them really easy to hack.  I just soldered 1 common ground for Left, Down and the 10 buttons and then a separate ground for the Up & Right and all is good.  Now if only my order for my joystick and buttons from Lizardlick would arrive... even with the SF4 backorders, I was sure that a LL order would get here much sooner than a Dealextreme order...

IG-88

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Re: $9 'Super Easy' USB Controller hack for MAME
« Reply #68 on: July 09, 2009, 10:05:22 pm »
Ya, mine took 11 days.

Forgive my ignorance but why couldn't you use just one ground?
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wachin

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Re: $9 'Super Easy' USB Controller hack for MAME
« Reply #69 on: July 09, 2009, 11:39:07 pm »
Like its been mentioned before, the D-pad is matrixed, so when you look at the leads, the Left & Right are the same.  This is also the case with the Up & Down.  Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I guess the thinking here from the manufacturer is that it's impossible to press both Left & Right simultaneously.  Same for Up & Down.  So they're actually the same but the uncommon ground differentiates the two (or something along those lines?)

Anyway, the attached photo shows where I soldered my 2 grounds and the directional buttons.

Beretta

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Re: $9 'Super Easy' USB Controller hack for MAME
« Reply #70 on: July 11, 2009, 05:31:54 pm »
thanks for the picture.

those pads look like a cheap way to wire up your controls.. not the easiest or even the cleanest but certanly a cost effective one.. at their price you could just mount them under your control panel if you have one your swap.

cost per input with these: 46 cents
keywiz eco: 65
ipac4: 1.25
Anyone got change for a dollar?
PLEASE HELP NEED Fastmame .70 and .9* releases

IG-88

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Re: $9 'Super Easy' USB Controller hack for MAME
« Reply #71 on: August 05, 2009, 03:26:40 pm »
Found these on ePay:   http://tinyurl.com/lboc27


I think they are the exact same thingas the DX ones above. Buying 6 at a time w/free shipping brings the price down too $4.50 a piece. Not to shabby.  Maybe I'll order some and see if the innards are the same, if there is any interest.  :dunno
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Beretta

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Re: $9 'Super Easy' USB Controller hack for MAME
« Reply #72 on: August 05, 2009, 03:43:15 pm »
hmm 4.50 each with free shipping.. not bad, kinda sucks you gotta buy 6 of them though.. but if you got several projects these would be a cheap way to go.

btw their description is wrong "12 Fire Button 4 Axis "
it would be 2 axis 10 button. (left/right is one axis + -, same for up/down)

i recently bought a pair off ebay, a little more then the ones you found but can get 2 instead of 6, (2 for 10)
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=370227266989

these was SUPER easy to hack, and will be using them again.
they look very similar to the ones GGG is carrying now.
Anyone got change for a dollar?
PLEASE HELP NEED Fastmame .70 and .9* releases

IG-88

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Re: $9 'Super Easy' USB Controller hack for MAME
« Reply #73 on: August 05, 2009, 03:49:04 pm »
I like those too. Just .45c more each and you only get 2. Nice find.  :applaud:
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Re: $9 'Super Easy' USB Controller hack for MAME
« Reply #74 on: August 10, 2009, 02:41:22 pm »
Like its been mentioned before, the D-pad is matrixed, so when you look at the leads, the Left & Right are the same.  This is also the case with the Up & Down.  Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I guess the thinking here from the manufacturer is that it's impossible to press both Left & Right simultaneously.  Same for Up & Down.  So they're actually the same but the uncommon ground differentiates the two (or something along those lines?)

Anyway, the attached photo shows where I soldered my 2 grounds and the directional buttons.


Did you just remove these 2 little boards then?

And I forgot to ask, what do you use to remove the ??lacquer?? from the solder points? Cant you just lightly sand them to insure a good joint?
« Last Edit: August 10, 2009, 02:47:10 pm by IG-88 »
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Re: $9 'Super Easy' USB Controller hack for MAME
« Reply #75 on: August 10, 2009, 03:20:01 pm »
Use a variable speed Dremel with a wire wheel, set at the lowest speed.  Use gentle pressure.  Clean the area with rubbing alcohol once you have removed the lacquer.

Beretta

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Re: $9 'Super Easy' USB Controller hack for MAME
« Reply #76 on: August 10, 2009, 04:10:22 pm »
you can remove those 2 solder button boards, they only give a platform for the buttons to press against.. since you're hacking it and just using wires this is'nt needed.

carefully desolder the wires running to the main boards, usually there will be 3 wires, although sometimes more, on these particular pads there is only 3.

if memory servs the center is ground and on either side is one of the buttons.

once you've desoldered htem you can run your wire though the holes on the main board.. this makes for easy and strong joint.

this is where i tapped into the ground.. you can do one side or you can do both sides if you wanted 2 grounds.. but you only need 1 ground.

as for cleaning the board, some fine sand paper.. i suggest doing this by hand and not a dremel.. infact you can probably get by with just rubbing alcohol..

anyway take some fine sand paper.. say 500+ rub it a few times.. be gentle you only need a little.. then clean it with alochol.. then put some solder on the traces like you're tinning  wire.. you just need a dab to gain a foot hold on the board.

then tin your wire and solder it to the tab thats on the board.

what i did was then use zip ties to try and secure the wires to the board.. i wrapped the wire around the zip tie so that they would'nt easily be yanked off the board..

then i used the zip ties as mounts of sort and put staples though them mounted to a piece of scrap MDF.. they're not sold on there but they're not gonna go anywhere.

the pads i was working had a cap on the back which prohibited flush mounted with screws.

i plan to finish it up with some terminal block's

as for the D-pad these ones are matrix as some one pointed out..

you can't have an axis without a + and a -, there for it can only be one or the other at a time.

what you do is solder either up or down, and left or right.. you only need to do this 1 wire per axis.

next follow the circuit you'll see one side is linked to common ground for all other buttons.. and 1 side is linked to a secondary ground, it may possibly be the same ground with a resistor on it, as iirc this secondary ground is 2.5v while the common ground is 5v

i had not tested with a resistor but why bother when it's already done on the board.

there is a pro and con to this.

the pro is you only need 14 wires for the whole pad, you have 2 grounds but also only need 2 wires for directional pad.

the con is your forced to use the dpad as either the joy stick which can't acuate more then 2 of those directions at a time.. or asign them to buttons that wont be pressed at the same time.

for most uses this is not a problem, since most will have 4 or 8 ways which this situation can never arise.

all and all these are still great pads for hacking.

a little tip when it doubt break out your multi meter and set it to DC 20 or just DC if it's auto ranging.

on these the positive side is the one that has a circular spot in the trace close to the button.

thats what makes these great because it's very easy to solder to, just connect to to ground and voila you got a button press.
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HaRuMaN

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Re: $9 'Super Easy' USB Controller hack for MAME
« Reply #77 on: August 10, 2009, 04:12:16 pm »
as for cleaning the board, some fine sand paper.. i suggest doing this by hand and not a dremel.. infact you can probably get by with just rubbing alcohol..

I hack about ~100 controllers a year.  Believe me, the Dremel works like a dream.

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Re: $9 'Super Easy' USB Controller hack for MAME
« Reply #78 on: August 10, 2009, 05:01:17 pm »
if you want to take off a bunch of material sure, you dont need to.. it's over kill 4 or 5 gentle swipes with some 500 grit is plenty.

these already have exposed areas for soldering, you're just trying to clean the contact area. thats all.
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Re: $9 'Super Easy' USB Controller hack for MAME
« Reply #79 on: August 11, 2009, 03:24:58 pm »
they look very similar to the ones GGG is carrying now.


I just wanted to make it clear that these boards are very different from the ones in the pads on our store.  There are no matrix / analog shenanigans with ours.  Only common ground on all of the inputs, in case that's important to you.  I wouldn't have stocked them otherwise ;).

RandyT