Anybody done a Genesis/Megadrive controller padhack?

[Well Fed Games]

OK, for a particular project it looks like I might be hooking up some Genesis 3- button pads to a control panel. Anybody done this? It seems to be an uncommon process, as Google doesn't give many examples. I have no experience with electronics, but my hope is that the older controllers will be easy to work with. Anybody with experience or advice on this sort of thing?

[SavannahLion]

The 1st Gen Genesis controller is bone standard and directly compatible (a strange nod) to the Atari 2600 joystick configuration. You don't even need to hack a 1st Gen controller, just find yourself a 74HC157 and the circuit schematic and away you go.

2nd gen controllers used a microcontroller.

My point is documents like segasix.txtp/url], some random 74HC157 [url=http://search.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Detail&name=568-2615-5-ND]datasheet from Digikey gives you the pinout and behavior. The rest can be easily figured out.

If you must destroy a pad. Crack it open and find the common trace that connects all the buttons, this is ground. Solder your ground somewhere to this then solder the rest of the buttons to appropriate locations by following the traces back.

[Well Fed Games]

The 1st Gen Genesis controller is bone standard and directly compatible (a strange nod) to the Atari 2600 joystick configuration. You don't even need to hack a 1st Gen controller, just find yourself a 74HC157 and the circuit schematic and away you go.

Thanks, great info. So, this 74HC157 (according to google) is some sort of semiconductor? So, it would be as simple as attaching controls, cable to the right pins and away we go? Sorry I'm a bit slow when it comes to electronics.

[SavannahLion]

The 1st Gen Genesis controller is bone standard and directly compatible (a strange nod) to the Atari 2600 joystick configuration. You don't even need to hack a 1st Gen controller, just find yourself a 74HC157 and the circuit schematic and away you go.

Thanks, great info. So, this 74HC157 (according to google) is some sort of semiconductor? So, it would be as simple as attaching controls, cable to the right pins and away we go? Sorry I'm a bit slow when it comes to electronics.

Err... yeah in a nutshell. There's a link in my post that leads you to documentation for a 74HC157 compatible chip.

Hhmmm... let me try this... I should have guessed at your skill levels more accurately earlier. Why are you doing what you're doing? Are you making an arcade control thingamabob for a Genesis? Is that why you're targeting Genies?

Any mod you do, hacking apart a Genie controller or building one from scratch is going to require soldering. Soldering is a skill that comes with learning about electronics (or plumbing, whatever). It might be more suited to your current skills to buy a controller like one from Groovy Game Gear or Ultimarc, a wiring harness and simply plug in the wires. This gets you started with learning how the controls itself are wired without having to worry about things like IC's and pull ups. The controllers from the manufacturers above are guaranteed to work (I hope) so any problems you encounter will be minimal and easily solvable.

Or there are members here who can assemble/hack a basic board for whatever console of your choosing for a small fee if you still want to use a console for this.

[Well Fed Games]

Well, I am familar with the idea of Padhacking, I just didn't know what a 74HC157 was. I know for a lot of controllers (PS1, etc.) there are step by step instructions (like on Shoruken, or Slag Coin) or diagrams that would save me some poking with a multimeter. Genesis padhacking seems a bit less common but was hoping that someone on the forum had that kind of info. Since Genesis Pads are cheap and plentiful (and in-hand) I will probably go that route, unless there is a cheaper way. Thanks for the info. If anyone else has useful thoughts, let me know! 

[Well Fed Games]

Leave it to me to specifically mention Slag Coin but not check it thoroughly... found a good diagram here http://slagcoin.com/joystick/pcb_diagrams/gen_diagram1.jpg, and should be pretty straightforward from there.

[BurgerKingDiamond]

Well, I am familar with the idea of Padhacking, I just didn't know what a 74HC157 was. I know for a lot of controllers (PS1, etc.) there are step by step instructions (like on Shoruken, or Slag Coin) or diagrams that would save me some poking with a multimeter. Genesis padhacking seems a bit less common but was hoping that someone on the forum had that kind of info. Since Genesis Pads are cheap and plentiful (and in-hand) I will probably go that route, unless there is a cheaper way. Thanks for the info. If anyone else has useful thoughts, let me know! 

if you're familiar with padhacking, what makes you think it would be different than for any other controller? take it apart, solders some wires from your buttons of choice to the contacts and you're done.

[Well Fed Games]

[/quote]

if you're familiar with padhacking, what makes you think it would be different than for any other controller? take it apart, solders some wires from your buttons of choice to the contacts and you're done.
[/quote]

Well, if someone had done it before, and spoke up, I would have asked them questions throughout the process if I got stuck. Or perhaps there is something weird about those controllers that makes people not want to padhack them, that I wouldn't have found until I got way into the project (more likely, no one has done a Genesis-powered bartop before).  Never hurts to ask, although some forum members would disagree with me! 

[SavannahLion]

Only the six button version is weird. The Genesis 3-Button is freakishly simple. Any simpler and it would turn into an Atari 2600 joystick.

[BurgerKingDiamond]

if you're familiar with padhacking, what makes you think it would be different than for any other controller? take it apart, solders some wires from your buttons of choice to the contacts and you're done.
[/quote]

Well, if someone had done it before, and spoke up, I would have asked them questions throughout the process if I got stuck. Or perhaps there is something weird about those controllers that makes people not want to padhack them, that I wouldn't have found until I got way into the project (more likely, no one has done a Genesis-powered bartop before).  Never hurts to ask, although some forum members would disagree with me! 
[/quote]

a genesis bartop actually sounds like a great idea. I was being a little sarcastic, but not meaning to really be rude. I can't imagine any reason why it would be any more difficult to hack a genesis pad than any other pad. so if you've done it once before you should be able to do it again. The only possibility could be that maybe it's not common ground for all the contacts. This isn't an issue though, you just have to run two wires from each button instead of the usual method of daisy chaining all of your grounds together and saving yourself about half the soldering.

[Howard_Casto]

Only the six button version is weird. The Genesis 3-Button is freakishly simple. Any simpler and it would turn into an Atari 2600 joystick.

It is a atari 2600 joystick... just with a multiplexer. 

[SavannahLion]

Only the six button version is weird. The Genesis 3-Button is freakishly simple. Any simpler and it would turn into an Atari 2600 joystick.

It is a atari 2600 joystick... just with a multiplexer. 

My first post, try to keep up.

[Well Fed Games]

Thanks. Good to hear my first padhack(s) will be an easy one!