XBOX 360 Xbox Live Arcade controller project

[somunny]

I decided to post this here, as well as in "Project Announcements"

Using the XBOX 360 controller for most retro games sucks, IMO.  This unit has an Ultimarc Magstick Plus and Happ buttons in it.  Here's some pics of the process:

Here's the pieces of the kit.  I laminated everything with black Wilsonart.



All glue, no screw!



The unused hole is hidden beneath the laminate.



I glued some corner blocks in to mount the control panel deck and bottom cover to.



Here's a close up of the t-nut installation.  I later Bondo'd over the top of the t-nuts.



I didn't like the idea of drilling a hole through the box for the cord, so I used a usb pass-through I had.   The hacked 360 controller plugs into it on the inside of the unit and an extension plugs in on the outside.



Here's the finished project!

[versapak]

I notice you had the far right buttons labeled LT & RT.

Are those really the LT & RT buttons, or are they the LB & RB (Left & Right Bumper) buttons?


If they are indeed the triggers, how did you go about wiring them from their analog source?





[EDIT]

Oh yeah... Nice job.


Also, is the button by the USB jack the guide button?

[somunny]

I notice you had the far right buttons labeled LT & RT.

Are those really the LT & RT buttons, or are they the LB & RB (Left & Right Bumper) buttons?

No, I f'd up.  They're the LB and RB buttons. 

The button above the usb port is indeed the guide button.

[northerngames]

if they are h.e.d. sensors they should be the same as wiring a dreamcst controller and pretty much the same with a pot type but a different solder point of coarse but they would work as digital signal only and not analog.

[Malenko]

make me one

[NiteWalker]

Beautiful.
I'm a huge fan of formica myself. I like the usb pass thru very much. I wish there was a way to do that for playstation controllers...
The art is awesome. Nice and simple but colorful at the same time.

My suggestions for your (inevitable ) next stick:
Add a slant to the box. It's more comfortable to play with a sloped surface because of ergonomics. Most arcade machines have slanted surfaces right?

For the hole you're not using, I'd cover it with a scrap from a 1 1/8" holesaw (it'll be undersized so you'll have to use some bondo). Although the formica is super strong and durable when used on a substrate, it's prone to cracking if left unsupported. It wouldn't take much to crack it where the unused hole is.

Can we have some more pics please?
I'd like to see the insides and some more details of the usb pass thru port.

Fantastic job. One of the nicer single player panels I've seen.

[Zeosstud]

Thats a good looking controller.  I did the same thing with the help of a buddy with a wireless xbox360 controller, even added a 2nd joystick so I could play robotron.  Your artwork looks great.

Zeosstud

[Dr00pY]

Wow, great job...

You made it look so good...how can i beat that.....can I just buy it off you?

Anyways, great job and hope whatever I build looks just a fraction as good as that...


Dr00pY