Mutiple Controllers into one Port.

[DarkKobold]

I've just started my cab project. One of the inspirations/desires for my cab was the ability to hook in any old controller (N64, Genesis, Nintendo, SNES, Atari, and PSX) with a 9 or 15 pin spliced end, and have the computer recognize, and know how use that controller. I've done quite a bit of research on hooking up controllers to various inputs (parallel, usb, and gameport). All seem to have 1 of 2, or both major problems.
1st - They only support a max of 2 types of controllers
2nd - They require major changes in configuration to recognize the pad

http://www.stndev.btinternet.co.uk/
Contains software for hooking both N64 and PSX to a USB port

DPAD pro
Contains info for hooking up Nintendo, Atari, Genesis, and SNES to parallel. Unfortunately, the config isn't easily changed, and the pads aren't completely interchangeable.

I was thinking of creating a interface that allowed up to 4 pads of each type to be changed into keystrokes for use with an IPAC. My ASM skills are  a little rusty, but I still think it is a possibility. The main thing is, I am not sure where to start. There is a wealth of information on the web for how each controller is decoded, and  so it would be a simple fact of closing buttons on the IPAC. I think the main problem is that each has a different method of signals.

Genesis and Atari - No clock. All raw data and multiplexors
NES and SNES - Run by encoding using an External Clock
PSX and N64 - Encoded using an internal clock.

Ok, after that spiel
Most important - Is this an insurmountable task? Should I just forget it?
Second - Is anyone else interested in a hack of this magnitude? Or is my effort going to go to the wayside?
Third - Does anyone have the comprehension of both coding and EE to understand and contribute to this project? I doubt I can do it alone.

[SirPoonga]

Important note, you can have multiple USB controllers.  SO if one devise support two controllers and another support another two controllers.  Get what I am saying?


Also, you don't want the same buttons on the control panel hooked up to different controllers at the same time,   you run the risk of frying something.  You want a way to switch through them, either by pluggin in a single usb devise at a time or some switching devise.

[Howard_Casto]

Do more research of dpp.  It will handle all of your controllers except for psx and n64, which you can get real usb adaptors for.  It is also quite configurable and will handle up to 6 pads of any type at once.  As long as you don't try to run them all at once, it should be fine.  

[_Iz-]

Do more research of dpp.  It will handle all of your controllers except for psx and n64, which you can get real usb adaptors for.  It is also quite configurable and will handle up to 6 pads of any type at once.  As long as you don't try to run them all at once, it should be fine.  

Direct Pad Pro handles PSX and N64 quite nicely. Granted the adapter for a N64 is considerably more involved than all the others. PSX is a piece of cake.

[Howard_Casto]

Yeah it does, but it uses a different serial signal.  He would have to go in and switch the drivers when he wanted to use the other pads.  On the other hand, set dpp to a snes pad, and in general all pads made before snes will work using that configuration.  

[DarkKobold]

I know that Nintendo and Super Nintendo both have the same controller set-up config. I don't believe that Atari and Genesis use the same, since they are clockless.
The other main reason I didn't want to use different hookups, was I didn't want to have to have a million jacks on the cabinet. And, as I added joysticks, I hoped it could be a software as oppose to hardware hack.
 
It is possible to hook 2 buttons to the same config - There is a thread here about that... Using Signal Diodes should be simple/cheap enough.

I think the biggest step is programming the decoder chip. Although, from my understanding, if I went with Digital style controls, I'd lose the analog. Maybe if drew up a basic idea, more people would be understanding of my desire.

The http://www.stndev.btinternet.co.uk/ website has a wonderfully easy looking USB hookup. I was trying to slowly dissect the code, so I could figure out how I could add my own controls.  Maybe I should try this thread again when I have a better proposal.