best original xbox pads for hacking?

[severdhed]

hey guys, i'm looking to hack an original xbox  controller, so that i can use it to hook up a hacked SNES controller for playing console emulators.  i have found several tutorials on this online, and they look pretty straight forward( just alot of soldering).  i dont' want to hack up any of the controllers i have, so i will be looking for cheap ones at the flea markets and pawn shops.  are there any that are easier to solder to than others? i thought i remembered reading something about madcatz controllers being easy, but i wasnt sure if that was true, and if it is all madcatz controllers, or just specific ones?

any suggestions?

[severdhed]

so, nobody here has hacked an xbox controller?

[Necroticart]

i'm sure HarumaN will help you out since he sells xbox controller hacks just give him a PM

[The 80s Man]

If you only hack one original xbox control pad this summer make sure it's the original huge fat xbox controller.
Here's all the info you will need.

Remember all original xbox controllers are true USB but you would have to make an adapter to use them on a computer.

[severdhed]

cool, thats a very useful image....do all of these share a common ground?

i am not using this on a PC, i plan on using it on the xbox....although i do already have a few xbox to usb adapters that i made a while ago

[Malikai]

Having never soldered before I tried my first time on an xbox s controller and had no problems what soever.  Just take your time and be patient and its pretty easy.  Those are common ground which helps greatly. A quick google search can find you the diagram for it.

[The 80s Man]

Yes they all share the same common ground sorry I missed that.

if you don't want to scrape the board you can use the ground shown here.


 I've used the points shown in both photos to build a working NES controller. so I know for sure it's a good diagram to follow.

[HaRuMaN]

Yep, use an Xbox S controller.

[severdhed]

awesome..i'll look for some s controllers to cut up.  I have a few, but i dont want to destroy the ones i have.  i'm thinking i'll try to add some kind of disconnect so i hack different types of old controllers and use this one xbox pad for any of them.  i think i'd like to at least have a NES and SNES controller, but then again the SNES pad would work fine for nes games.

[bartre]

that's true, i did something similar with my dreamcast a while back.
but you have to remember, the SNES controller won't give you hand cramps like the NES controller will, so it just won't be the same...

[gnateye]

use the old standby for dreamcast hacking the madcatz pads, they have holes right in the PCB so you can insert your wires to solder from he other side. i too have made an adapter so i can use my atari joysticks and NES controllers for my emulators. i used a little 9 pin cable i had laying around that fit the atari joystick plug, then wired up the NES controller to use the same layout so both work with one adapter. nothing beats playing the emulators with the actual controllers!

[ark_ader]

use the old standby for dreamcast hacking the madcatz pads, they have holes right in the PCB so you can insert your wires to solder from he other side. i too have made an adapter so i can use my atari joysticks and NES controllers for my emulators. i used a little 9 pin cable i had laying around that fit the atari joystick plug, then wired up the NES controller to use the same layout so both work with one adapter. nothing beats playing the emulators with the actual controllers!

Lies

I've tried several Madcatz and there was no holes to solder to.  Even the USB controller Randy sells has nothing to solder to.  I was disappointed to say the least. 

Better trying to solder on the contacts themselves.

I have about 4 madcatz controllers in my parts box and I have yet  to find one to hack that had the holes pre drilled.

If you have this mythical beast please post pictures of what it looks like external.

[HaRuMaN]

use the old standby for dreamcast hacking the madcatz pads, they have holes right in the PCB so you can insert your wires to solder from he other side. i too have made an adapter so i can use my atari joysticks and NES controllers for my emulators. i used a little 9 pin cable i had laying around that fit the atari joystick plug, then wired up the NES controller to use the same layout so both work with one adapter. nothing beats playing the emulators with the actual controllers!

Lies

I've tried several Madcatz and there was no holes to solder to.  Even the USB controller Randy sells has nothing to solder to.  I was disappointed to say the least. 

Better trying to solder on the contacts themselves.

I have about 4 madcatz controllers in my parts box and I have yet  to find one to hack that had the holes pre drilled.

If you have this mythical beast please post pictures of what it looks like external.

Lies, no, not lies.  I've hacked probably around 50 Mad Catz Dreamcast pads, I used solid core wire on all, placing the wire through the holes, and soldering.  Very easy hack.

[jasonbar]

Many thanks to The 80s Man for posting those wonderful pics of the XBox button solder pads.  I just finished wiring in a DB9 connector to play Atari 2600 & 8-bit computer games properly on a modded XBox.   

I ruined a controller in my first attempt, before finding this post.  And I only slightly ruined the 2nd controller.  Fortunatlely, I had the 1st one as a donor to fix the 2nd one.   


Thanks,
-Jason

[ark_ader]

use the old standby for dreamcast hacking the madcatz pads, they have holes right in the PCB so you can insert your wires to solder from he other side. i too have made an adapter so i can use my atari joysticks and NES controllers for my emulators. i used a little 9 pin cable i had laying around that fit the atari joystick plug, then wired up the NES controller to use the same layout so both work with one adapter. nothing beats playing the emulators with the actual controllers!

Lies

I've tried several Madcatz and there was no holes to solder to.  Even the USB controller Randy sells has nothing to solder to.  I was disappointed to say the least. 

Better trying to solder on the contacts themselves.

I have about 4 madcatz controllers in my parts box and I have yet  to find one to hack that had the holes pre drilled.

If you have this mythical beast please post pictures of what it looks like external.

Lies, no, not lies.  I've hacked probably around 50 Mad Catz Dreamcast pads, I used solid core wire on all, placing the wire through the holes, and soldering.  Very easy hack.

Lets see some pictures of this mythical beast of a controller?

All the madcatz I have found do not have any holes to put wires through.

[HaRuMaN]

Here:

[tightwad]

I think the question was on X-box, not DreamCast controllers.  It sounds like the Mad Catx X-box don't share a common ground, where the Original S controller does.

[HaRuMaN]

I think the question was on X-box, not DreamCast controllers.  It sounds like the Mad Catx X-box don't share a common ground, where the Original S controller does.

The original question was on Xbox... but then shifted to Dreamcast later in the thread.

[ark_ader]

I think the question was on X-box, not DreamCast controllers.  It sounds like the Mad Catx X-box don't share a common ground, where the Original S controller does.

The original question was on Xbox... but then shifted to Dreamcast later in the thread.

Yep my bad, but I still need to see the external casing so I can pick one of these up. 

Thanks for the pic though.

[HaRuMaN]

Looks like this:



Or this:

[ark_ader]

Bravo!

[jasonbar]

See my post in the B/S/T forum if you're interested in buying my 1st botched attempt at modding the original XBox controller.   Good for parts or for some guru's repair challenge!

Thanks,
-Jason

Many thanks to The 80s Man for posting those wonderful pics of the XBox button solder pads.  I just finished wiring in a DB9 connector to play Atari 2600 & 8-bit computer games properly on a modded XBox.   

I ruined a controller in my first attempt, before finding this post.  And I only slightly ruined the 2nd controller.  Fortunatlely, I had the 1st one as a donor to fix the 2nd one.   


Thanks,
-Jason