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Main => Consoles => Topic started by: dennis808 on August 14, 2005, 08:24:58 pm

Title: Is this Dreamcast pad hackable? [edit: not completely]
Post by: dennis808 on August 14, 2005, 08:24:58 pm
I got a hold of three cheap Dreamcast joypads (Nyko DC Commander):

(http://www.psxshop.nl/images/Dreamcast/Nyko%20Commander%20Gamepad%20.jpg)

And having some trouble figuring out where to solder them.
Here is a picture I took with yellow spots on it where i think I should solder the button-wires, I have no idea if this is correct though. ???

(http://home.casema.nl/5150/pics/padhack.jpg)

Can anybody enlighten me?
Title: Re: Is this Dreamcast pad hackable?
Post by: TalkingOctopus on August 15, 2005, 12:36:52 am
Those are the correct solder points.  The only trouble you may encounter is multiple grounds.  You can't really tell if there are multiple grounds by looking at a picture.  So you can either test for multiple grounds, do the hack and give it a try or find some one who has tried hacking these before.

Good luck!
Title: Re: Is this Dreamcast pad hackable?
Post by: dennis808 on August 15, 2005, 05:01:31 am
Quote
...you can either test for multiple grounds

How would I do that? Just by multi-metering all the grounds and check if they meet?

And if i Would happen to have multiple grounds, is it then still possible to connect the dreamcast buttens to my control panel, which only has one (common) ground?  ???
Title: Re: Is this Dreamcast pad hackable?
Post by: TalkingOctopus on August 15, 2005, 05:09:28 am
Quote
...you can either test for multiple grounds

How would I do that? Just by multi-metering all the grounds and check if they meet?

And if i Would happen to have multiple grounds, is it then still possible to connect the dreamcast buttens to my control panel, which only has one (common) ground?
Title: Re: Is this Dreamcast pad hackable?
Post by: HaRuMaN on August 15, 2005, 06:05:42 am
Yeah, I'd like to know the results of that as well.   8)  As it stands now, the only DC pads I use for hacking are Sega officials or the MadKatz.
Title: Re: Is this Dreamcast pad hackable?
Post by: dennis808 on August 22, 2005, 06:08:06 pm
 :-\  :(  :'(

too bad fella's...

I measured 4 diffferent grounds...
Is it really impossible to hack?
Title: Re: Is this Dreamcast pad hackable?
Post by: skid_68 on August 22, 2005, 07:24:44 pm
No, just means more soldering. Daisy chain all the grounds together.
Title: Re: Is this Dreamcast pad hackable?
Post by: pmc on August 22, 2005, 07:48:20 pm
Now how exactly would daisy-chaining all the grounds together be helpuful? I did that once with a two-ground board and the results were spectacular. It's like someone else is playing the game for you!

Dennis, I think that if you keep each of the 4 grounds isolated just like they are on the PCB, you can wire up a dedicated control panel. It'll work fine. But you won't likely be able to use the control panel with another controller or keyboard scanner without recombining the grounds back together to a single common ground.

-pmc
Title: Re: Is this Dreamcast pad hackable?
Post by: TalkingOctopus on August 22, 2005, 10:05:11 pm
Now how exactly would daisy-chaining all the grounds together be helpuful? I did that once with a two-ground board and the results were spectacular. It's like someone else is playing the game for you!

Dennis, I think that if you keep each of the 4 grounds isolated just like they are on the PCB, you can wire up a dedicated control panel. It'll work fine. But you won't likely be able to use the control panel with another controller or keyboard scanner without recombining the grounds back together to a single common ground.

-pmc

Yeah...I agree with what PMC said.  The controller is nearly useless for hacking :(.  Thanks for letting us know the results!
Title: Re: Is this Dreamcast pad hackable?
Post by: dennis808 on August 23, 2005, 09:25:51 am
I made a small mistake while measuring, it has 3 grounds. :-\
But I can probalbly still make someone happy with a stand alone Dreamcast controller like the ones on this page:
http://www.darkravenwind.com/cdvision/images.htm
It's not impossible to wire...

Well, I guess I'll just have to sacrifice the original pads then, if I want my switching control panel to work.

Here's a really quick sketch of what I intend to do:
(http://dennis808.herejezus.nl/pics/schem.jpg)
Title: Re: Is this Dreamcast pad hackable?
Post by: Dave_K. on August 23, 2005, 11:49:56 am
Nice illustration.  Yep a db25 switchbox will do the trick for you.  Don't forget you will need another switchbox to switch the video/sound between the PC and DC, and then you'd be all set.
Title: Re: Is this Dreamcast pad hackable?
Post by: dennis808 on August 23, 2005, 02:58:47 pm
I have one of these connected to the SCART input on the back of the TV:

(http://dennis808.herejezus.nl/pics/SCARTsplitter.jpg)

The machine that's on will be displayed on the TV, so it's a matter of turning the PC and DC on or off.