Trying to hack into xbox360 controller for CP.. triggers? Ipac?

[Organic Jerk]

Hey all...

So I'm trying to figure out how to hack up a 360 controller... 

I'm using this page as a guide, and I have the exact same controller...
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/blog.php?b=5439


Does anyone know if it's possible to map the trigger buttons to a pushbutton?

They're analog but there has got to be some way to simulate an "all the way up" and "all the way down" push, right?

Also, I assume I can wire the controller and Ipac to the same buttons, no?

[Franco B]

I just asked Haruman the exact same thing about the triggers in BYOAC chat

There are three pins on the pot/pad. If you look at the pad as if you are holding it, bridge the bottom two pins with a 10k resistor. Attach a ground wire to the bottom pin and attach the NO terminal of the buttons microswitch to the top pin.

See the attached pic.

I think thats how I understood it. I'm sure i'll be corrected if not.

[Organic Jerk]

I *think* I understand....

I seem to also have a problem with ground wires...

I have both a pushbutton and an xbox button meeting up inside the ipac... where do I put the ground wires for each?  Xbox ground and ipac ground dont seem to like being connected at the button at the same time, as the xbox button stops working when I do that.

It seems like the 360 controller wants an exclusive connection to the ground of the pushbutton, or else it wont play nice...

It's obvious I don't have this whole electrical thing figured out yet, but I'm trying...

EDIT:
I think I may be totally off in thinking that a button can be connected to a 360 controller and an ipac at the same time....

[Namco]

I *think* I understand....

I seem to also have a problem with ground wires...

I have both a pushbutton and an xbox button meeting up inside the ipac... where do I put the ground wires for each?  Xbox ground and ipac ground dont seem to like being connected at the button at the same time, as the xbox button stops working when I do that.

It seems like the 360 controller wants an exclusive connection to the ground of the pushbutton, or else it wont play nice...

It's obvious I don't have this whole electrical thing figured out yet, but I'm trying...

EDIT:
I think I may be totally off in thinking that a button can be connected to a 360 controller and an ipac at the same time....

I didn't think you would want to do that either, tying the grounds of the Xbox controller and the IPac together. If you use wired Xbox controllers, you can use them in Windows too you know. Then all you need to switch between the two is a USB switch or KVM. I've already tested and found that the Xbox will recognize two wired USB controllers through a USB hub if that helps any.

In my cab I have the Xbox controllers wired up to my control panel and have to switch between the MAME box and the XBox manually. Kind of a pain, but I haven't played much MAME since I put the XBox in there.

[Organic Jerk]

I didn't think you would want to do that either, tying the grounds of the Xbox controller and the IPac together. If you use wired Xbox controllers, you can use them in Windows too you know. Then all you need to switch between the two is a USB switch of KVM. I've already tested and found that the Xbox will recognize two wired USB controllers through a USB hub if that helps any.

In my cab I have the Xbox controllers wired up to my control panel and have to switch between the MAME box and the XBox manually. Kind of a pain, but I haven't played much MAME since I put the XBox in there.

Thanks, man... but I already have my Ipac set up and everything is configured...

Looks like theres no xbox on this CP for me! lol..

Chalk it up to my own electrical ignorance   

[Sir Headless VII]

You could try using one of these with a keyboard switch to switch between the x-box and the PC. I am planning on doing something similar with my PS2.

[r3ll1k]

Hey all...

So I'm trying to figure out how to hack up a 360 controller... 

I'm using this page as a guide, and I have the exact same controller...
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/blog.php?b=5439


Does anyone know if it's possible to map the trigger buttons to a pushbutton?

They're analog but there has got to be some way to simulate an "all the way up" and "all the way down" push, right?

Also, I assume I can wire the controller and Ipac to the same buttons, no?

You can do all of this. If you leave the existing potentiometer for the triggers in place all you have to do is connect a wire to the the #1 and #2 contact points. You don't need to use resistors unless you remove the existing potentiometer. If you are planning on using an ipac or more than one PCB for a CP then you have to make sure that both are powered. You do this by connecting the + from the xbox controller to the + on the ipac and the - from the xbox controller to the - on the ipac. Hope this helps.

[Organic Jerk]

If you are planning on using an ipac or more than one PCB for a CP then you have to make sure that both are powered. You do this by connecting the + from the xbox controller to the + on the ipac and the - from the xbox controller to the - on the ipac. Hope this helps.

Hrm...  I'm under the impression that I did exactly that, and it wouldn't work.... unless I was doing it wrong, I guess.

[Organic Jerk]

You could try using one of these with a keyboard switch to switch between the x-box and the PC. I am planning on doing something similar with my PS2.

Yeah... I may end up going that route for a ps3 or ps2... Although the 360 has a much better arcade gametype lineup right now, Andy says that a adapter for the ipac will most likely never happen because of microsoft restrictions

[Organic Jerk]

You can do all of this. If you leave the existing potentiometer for the triggers in place all you have to do is connect a wire to the the #1 and #2 contact points. You don't need to use resistors unless you remove the existing potentiometer. If you are planning on using an ipac or more than one PCB for a CP then you have to make sure that both are powered. You do this by connecting the + from the xbox controller to the + on the ipac and the - from the xbox controller to the - on the ipac. Hope this helps.

Sorry for the repeat posting...


So I'm trying to wrap my head around how the wiring  could work, and I'm not understanding...

I made a little diagram to help myself visualize it without having to wire (and possibly harm) anything...

I don't know if this is too much to ask, but can you draw lines in the diagram to illustrate the proper way to do this thing?

[r3ll1k]

You wire the buttons to the ipac and xbox controller the way you would as if you were using each one individually. You then have to use the power from the controller to power the ipac when not in use and vice versa. The easy way to do this is to use a wire to connect the "red" wire from the XBOX to the "red" wire on the ipac coming from the usb or controller port cable. You then repeat this process with the negative or "black wire.

The terminals you use on the switch would be the short bent one on the top of the switch and the one closest to that one. Illustrated in your diagram.

[r3ll1k]

I don't know if your question on the triggers was answered or not but there are two ways you can go about using the triggers.

One is to remove the potentiometer if you do the best thing to do is solder 2 10K resistors to the contacts so that they won't register as open. You then solder a wire to the middle contact as your signal wire and then wire the ground wire to any common ground on the controller.

The 2nd way to wire the trigger is to leave the potentiometer in tact. If you have removed the plastic trigger then you will need to use a screw driver or your finger to adjust the potentiometer to a neutral position and then place some hot glue on it so that it doesn't move.  You then solder a wire to the middle contact as your signal wire and then wire the ground wire to any common ground on the controller.

One thing I did want to mention that the X360 controller is compatible with the PC so the ipac isn't really needed unless you want a very elaborate CP. I don't have a need for a trackball so I would use a X360 Controller powered CP with a wireless mouse and keyboard if I was going the MAME cab route. Well I actually have a modded XBOX that runs mame and an XBOX CP so I don't need a keyboard. I'm currently working on installing this in a cab I have.