Dreamcast controller hacking questions

[Grasshopper]

Decisions, decisions,decisions...

I've just bought 4 Mad Katz Dreamcast controllers from Ebay. My original plan was to hack at least two of them. However, my first impression is that they are superior to my standard controllers, and they're also brand new. It seems a shame to hack them even thought they were cheap.

I'm thinking that perhaps it would be more logical to hack my original controllers (one of which has a broken spring anyway) and keep the Mad Katz controllers intact. However the Mad Katz controllers do offer some extra facilities.

My questions are:

1. Which is easiest to hack out of the Standard and the Mad Katz controllers? I'm ok at soldering so that's not really an issue. However, if possible I'd like like to keep the VMU slots functional. Is this possible (easy?) with either of them?

2. Are the Mad Katz's two extra digital buttons useful and do any important games make use them?

3. Is the programmable button feature of the Mad Katz controllers genuinely useful or is it just a gimmick? The impression I get is that most games allow button remapping anyway.

4. Are the Mad Katz controllers durable? If they're going to fall apart after 5 minutes then I may as well hack them.

Or.....I could go back to my original plan to hack Playstation controllers and use converters, more expensive in the short term, but more versatile and future-proof.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[abrannan]

Decisions, decisions,decisions...

I've just bought 4 Mad Katz Dreamcast controllers from Ebay. My original plan was to hack at least two of them. However, my first impression is that they are superior to my standard controllers, and they're also brand new. It seems a shame to hack them even thought they were cheap.

I'm thinking that perhaps it would be more logical to hack my original controllers (one of which has a broken spring anyway) and keep the Mad Katz controllers intact. However the Mad Katz controllers do offer some extra facilities.

My questions are:

1. Which is easiest to hack out of the Standard and the Mad Katz controllers? I'm ok at soldering so that's not really an issue. However, if possible I'd like like to keep the VMU slots functional. Is this possible (easy?) with either of them?

The Mad Katz are probably a touch easier to hack, but not so much as would make a real difference.  The VMU slots are easy to keep intact, just don't separate them from the board, the difficulty lies in building a housing for them that will hold them properly, but if you've got a Dremel, you can cut away most of the housing of the original controller but keep the VMU portion for use as a holding frame.

2. Are the Mad Katz's two extra digital buttons useful and do any important games make use them?

Assuming you're talking about the C and Z buttons, they basically digital versions of the analog L and R for most games.  I don't know of any games that use both CZ and LR.  They do provide a slightly easier solder point for hacking, as you can solder to the board rather than a leg of the analog sensor.  Fortunately you can burn the sensor and it won't matter if you're using digital controls.

3. Is the programmable button feature of the Mad Katz controllers genuinely useful or is it just a gimmick? The impression I get is that most games allow button remapping anyway.

I'd say it's a gimmick, but that's just my opinion.  Kinda like how controller manufacturers still include a slow-mo (repeatedly press start) feature when that stopped being useful about halfway through the NES's life.  

4. Are the Mad Katz controllers durable? If they're going to fall apart after 5 minutes then I may as well hack them.

I've heard good things about the Mad Katz controllers in terms of durability.

Or.....I could go back to my original plan to hack Playstation controllers and use converters, more expensive in the short term, but more versatile and future-proof.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

I'd say if your original controllers are going anyway, you might as well hack them.  If it doesn't work out, or the Mad Katz die, you can always hack the Mad Katz controllers later.

If you can find good converters, your best long-term bet may be to hack PS controllers.  You can find cheap ones for $5, you will only have to hack one set of controllers, and buy as many converters as you want, and you can use as many systems as you want.  As long as Sony keeps building backwards-compatibility into their consoles(a major, if seldom used*, selling point), my guess is you won't see a major re-design of the controller anytime soon.  

*by seldom used, I mean people seldom play PS1 games on their PS2, not that people don't use it as a selling point.

[TalkingOctopus]

1. They are probably about the same if you are good at soldering.

2. No they are not important at all, especially if you are going to hack the controllers.

3. Gimmick

4. I like the normal dc controllers better than the Mad Katz.  But the Mad Katz ones are durable.

Here is a good site for dc hacking that I often post on this board:

http://members.cox.net/joysticks/

Good luck.

[crashwg]

If you want to have the vmu extended to somewhere other than the hacked controler, you can take the insides out of 2 vmu's and solder wires to the inside of the connectors.  Easy to do, seeing as the connectors on the ends of the vmu are the same as the ones in the controler...