Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum
Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: madk on August 15, 2002, 11:46:57 pm
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I'm new to this forum and would just like to thank everyone for all the great info!
Here is what I need to know...I want to build my own cabinet and I'm doing my research on different types of control panels and different methods. So far for all my MAME games I have been using a PSX->USB converter and it works great.
First question: I have 2 converters and it works fine for 2-player games. Would this method work with 4 converters? Has anyone ever done this?
Second question: Since I know the 2-player method works...could anyone point me to any information about hacking the psx contoller. This seems to be a rather cheap/easy method. Has anyone used this method and/or have any suggestions? Any infomation will help as I am really new to this whole thing.
Thanks in advance!
-madk
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yes i am doin same...it works with 4 players as i used to have 4 converters..but make sure..you install 1 by 1...dont hook all 4 together..hook then auto install then do same for the rest..also look around the examples page..there are tons for sites explains the latter.
http://www.arcadecontrols.com/arcade_examples.php
hacking psx pad sould be less then nothing but make sure you dont try to hack dual shock crap or original psx pad..go with cheaper stuff..>>PELICAN<< controllers are very easy to work with..got BIG FREINDLY contacts to solder.
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do you mean hacking the controller as in hooking up arcade buttons to it? Easy, open up a psx controller. Note the metal circles on the circuit board. Not they don;t touch each other, when you press the button it completes the circuit. All you need to do is solder to that.
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I use a psx to USB convertor for my psx had on my arcade joystick, and it works like a charm. No delayed reactions or anything, perfect arcade feel. If you want to have 4 psx inputs, here is what I would do instead of having to deal with somehow getting 4 usb ports, get two of these, http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1373360220 and then you could plug 4 psx controllers in no problem. Pelican/Gamestop controllers are the easiest to hack, and you can buy em for 5 bucks I believe, or cheaper. Just don't touch the big black bubble, cause that's the chip (a cheaper version that using a real chip.)
-Good luck
-CthulhuLuke
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I use between 2 and 4 adapters and it works fine also. As a follow-up to Luke's 2 player adapter, I offer this: http://store.unet.net/shop/showdetl.cfm?&DID=12&Product_ID=125&CATID=14 (http://store.unet.net/shop/showdetl.cfm?&DID=12&Product_ID=125&CATID=14).
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Wow...thanks for all the replies!
Does any one know of a semi-detailed site that will walk me through this process? I think I know what I'm doing but I am a real newbie when it comes to electronics. I'm gunna mess around a bit today with some PSX controllers and see if I can figure it all out.
Thanks again for all the help.
-madk
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Well unfortunately I don't have my how to solder PSX tutorial up yet -__- too lazy to take the pictures, but it's VERY simple as long as you go with a cheap brand of PSX pad, such as the Pelican or Gamestop brands. There's a good explanation of grounds here, http://www.darkravenwind.com/cdvision/madcatz.htm (click the wiring link on the bottom), for the positive side you have to wire each individually, but for the common side, you only need to wire to one ground, then daisy chain that ground.
Alright, if you're worried about which contacts are grounds and which contacts are positives, here's a REALLLLLy easy way to find out. Take off the top of your controller's case, so that you can see all the electronics, you can take the bottom off, but it's easier to handle this way. Get two moderately long pieces of wire, strip both ends of both wires. Now tie together one end of the wires. With the psx controller plugged into (I used a fighting games), place one of the exposed wire tips onto a ground. Place the other onto what you think is a positive, if the ground is really a ground, the positive will react, and the button will be pressed.
Example: I loaded up Capcom vs SNK 2, went into Training with the other controller, changed the 1st player to manual control, then had my 1st player PSX pad with the convertor plugged into the console, and exposed. I then placed one of my wire tips on the contact I knew was a ground, then I placed the other onto one I thought was a positive, nothing happened. A) I didn't have my other wire touching the ground well enough, B) the wire I touched WAS a ground, therefore there was no actual electric reaction occuring, hence nothing happened. Ok, so now I know that contact is a ground, which means the contact exactly next to it, usually divided by a line is the positive side, I place one tip on a known ground, then I place my other wire onto the contact I believe is a positive. Viola, a medium punch!! It's a positive, and I also found the ground.
On most controllers though you can actually trace the positive directly to the chip, and the ground has a green line going from one to the next, to the next.
-I didn't learn this from anything, this is just a method I learned from almost blowing out my controller with a multimeter (whoops)
-CthulhuLuke
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Awesome...thanks for the tips. I will be placing an order tonight for a bunch of buttons and a few joysticks just to play around with. I'm going with a few of the pushbuttons with horizontal microswitch from happs. I'm not sure what I should go with for the joystick. I've been reading a lot and it almost seems like it is personal preferance. Any suggestions before I place my order? And any more tips? Thanks again everyone.
madk
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yes..before you place order,super joysticks are all rounder..never heard anyone not liking them..its good for all the games..i am using that in my new panel..i had comp joystick on old panel because thats what i had laying around..but personally i like supers..its just great ;)
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I agree with Snake, Supers are wayyyyy nice. They start a tiny bit stiff, but they wear in PERFECTLY. The only thing that would be maybe a better equivalent would be the Perfect 360s, but who wants to pay 50 bucks a joystick -___-
Going with horizontal pushbuttons is a good idea, although I don't mind my verticals on my arcade joystick, I'm VERY glad I went with horizontals on my arcade cabinet.
-Good Luck
-CthulhuLuke
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i dont like supers bad diaganol sensitivity
i like competition everything pushbuttons joysticks
perfect 360s are meant for real arcades as in theory they will last forever which is probably bs but they will outlive any mechanicle joystick
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speaking of perfect 360s....only difference between supers is that you wont ever click to micro switch ever.its like a sensor.and the stick knob it self it very smooth..i used to have em..my first panel..its okay but NO GOOD FOR $50 >:(
maybe $30.....$35 would be reasonable :)
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UPDATE...
I just successfuly hacked apart my first psx controller! I seriously feel so smart. Haha...I don't have any of my parts yet but I have tested all the buttons using the ground and everything functions correctly....
but...
When I have the controller hooked to my pc through my psx->usb converter...I goto the controller properties and the 9,10,11,12 buttons flash. I am assuming 2 of these are for start and select and the other 2 are for nothing. I wired up every button other than start and select. Does anyone think this will cause any problems? I haven't tested this ingame yet. Lemme know what you think and thanks for everything!
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This is a good site if you're interested in Hacking the PSX controller for a MAME Box:
http://wrongcrowd.com/arcade/about.shtml
The pictures are decent with explanations:
http://wrongcrowd.com/arcade/joystickp2.shtml
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naw..there should be no problem..only problem you might ever have is that..some USB converter acts weird if you hook up non dual shock controller...i only had problem with one cheap psx controller..not a big deal because i first configured mame with reguler dual shock controller then hooked the hacked pad..works great :)
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I think I have one of those "cheap" ones. I just ordered some new ones that were recommended. The onc I have also won't work in XP. Works great on my 98 system but the XP system is going in the cab so I need a fully working xp one.
Has anyone ever tried the Radio Shack ones? I noticed them while there the other day? I didn't know they made such a thing.
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UPDATE...
I just successfuly hacked apart my first psx controller!
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I goto the controller properties and the 9,10,11,12 buttons flash. I am assuming 2 of these are for start and select and the other 2 are for nothing.
Nice job.
My PSX/USB (Super Joy) adapters also map the buttons that way.
UP
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I was also thinking about hacking a psx controller, but this would be my first time at this sort of thing. If I was to actually make an arcade control using the psx controller, would it also work on my gamecube using the playcube adapter?
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100% works...i tried over my friends..however why would you ever use an arcade joystick on gaycube...*COUGH...gamecube...this system is known to be like the worse system ever came out...i liked N64 so much..but nintendo betrayed us all.only crap is coming out for gamecube..so i suggest you sell your gamecube and get a dreamcast..
you dont have to listen to me :)
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It may be crap, but it's got an exclusive on RE4, and Super Mario Sunshine looks pretty awesome! Oh and the new Zelda has me drooling too. Plus now you've got a few Capcom fighters making their way over.
Letsee, so yeah, you could trade one in on a Dreamcast, which has.. let's see... ZERO games coming out this year. What a trade! But hey, Crazy Taxi and Shenmue NEVER get old, right?
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I wish my dreamcast wasn't so good -___- I've played that thing I believe more than I've played my normal playstation, which is a very scary thought. Trade in value on the Gamepub is ridiculous though, like 100 for a 150 dollar system, so my suggestion since the Dreamcast is only 50 is to keep your gamecube and buy a dreamcast with spare money, save yourself the kick in the ass when Nintendo realizes that they need to release good games and does *I just wish they'd hurry up and do it!!*
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yeah...only resident evil..and i gotta buy the whole system..for now..i am good with metal gear solid 2...we want action games people..not crappy mario all over again..
as for dreamcast..more then enough games to play for years...
all the fighters ever.....as for using joysticks of course...