Dreamcast Controller Cable Question

[Nintendo64]

Hi Everyone,

This is my first post here. I'm making an arcade controller for the dreamcast (my first solder project).
Everything is going well, but I have a little question about the dreamcast cable. I searched for hours on the internet, but didn't find anything...

Here is the case: I used a madcatz controller, because of how simple it was to hack. I wanted to replace te male connector from the controller with a female connector from an extension cable. So that I wouldn't have to deal with the cable sticking out of the box (the arcade controller).
I can't seem to explain this very well, so here are some pictures to illustrate what I mean.


Here is the extension cable cut in two pieces.

Here it shows the 6 colours inside. (white, red, black, yellow, blue and brown)

Extension cable in action with itself(I don't know why I even took a picture of it...)

The controller itself. So instead of that male connector, it would be the female one from the extension cable. Then using the newly formed extension cable with two male connectors I would plug one into the dreamcast itself and one into the controller, wich now has a female connector.

And the coloured cables going from the conroller to the inside of the bigger grey cable. (blue, black, another black one, red and yellow)


What I want to know is, if it is possible. The extension cable has 6 colours inside and the controller has only 5. Does anybody know if you can just connect the corresponding collours and leave 1 out?

I would like to thank you in advance

Greetings,

Nintendo64

[SavannahLion]

Probably. My schematics indicate a different color scheme, which I wouldn't trust anyways. It's not uncommon for any manufacturer to change their wire color scheme for whatever reason. Could even depend on how hung over the guy was on Monday vs Friday when he just wants to get off of work.

This is one of those instances where you should invest in a multimeter and probe the wires. It would've been easier if you didn't hack the controller since you can just pull the socket and test, but it's still doable.

Basically you draw up a pin for pin diagram then touching the probe on one pin, you check to see which wire is connected to that pin. Tag it with tape or write the pin number == color on your diagram. Once you have it for the extension cord, do the same for the controller. Once you know what color mates with what pin then you can rewire it proper.

You can try and wire it up color for color but there's a chance you won't get it right on the first or even third try. You could also potentially bork something if you short your ground with the positive lead. Not sure if that can be done with the Dreamcast as I'm not familiar with the circuit.

[Nintendo64]

Thanks for the reply.
I will try that when I'm not studying.
When done, I will post my findings here.

[Nintendo64]

Because I couldn't find how to do this, I decided to share my method. Maybe you all know this already, but for the few who don't I hope this can help.


Well, I didn't have a multimeter, so a friend came by to help me with it.

Plugging the female part that I cut earlier into the intact male connector of the controller, you can measure the resistance.

one probe at one of the points on the controller (in red on the picture), and the other on one of the coloured cables. If the resistance is practically zero, it's the same cable and you can solder them together.

After soldering, put some tape on it to isolate it.

After that, put some more tape over all the cables (or whatever you think is beautiful).

Cable done!


Here is the controller in its box, with the female connector attached to it.

There you have it, much simpler than I thought it would be.

Greetings,

Nintendo64

[SavannahLion]

It is easy, especially if you have someone to show you some of the basics. Good job taking that first step. 

Out of curiosity, were they color matched?

[Nintendo64]

Thanks ^^

Controller:                         Extension cable:
Red                       -            Red
Yellow                   -            Yellow
Black                     -            Blue
Blue                      -            Brown
Thicker black          -            Black and White
(turned out to be colouless)

[Generic Eric]

I thought http://gamesx.com/ would have been a good site to reference, but the dreamcast link was dead.  A must read though.

[Nintendo64]

The controller is finally finished 
I would like to show the process and the final product


First: a layer of white paint.
The green paint (I made the controller for my girlfriend and her favorite colour is green)
After the green, I did two layers of parquet varnish with Polyurethaan so that it protected.

The finished controller: