Xbox Controller Hack

[HaRuMaN]

Did this for one of the members here...  it's an official MS pad. Some of the contacts were pretty small, but the nice thing is that it has a common ground...   

[somunny]

Nice work, as always.

[HaRuMaN]

Nice work, as always.

TY.   

[waveryder]

You cant beat a hot glue gun for cementing those contacts. Why did you use a terminal strip for for connection?

[HaRuMaN]

You cant beat a hot glue gun for cementing those contacts. Why did you use a terminal strip for for connection?

Because it's not for me, I wouldn't know how long to make the wires, plus, it's a bit neater that way...  I do most of my hacks like that.

[waveryder]

Hacking a lot of controllers on my project never thought of using those I always go to DB25's. Mind you I only do them for myself so I know how long the wires need to be 

[richms]

I likewise use DB25 connectors from old parallel printer cables and then a solder on one for the cabinet buttons. Since I bought about 40 parallel cables for $5 at auction Im not short on wire Metering out the cables was a bit of a ---smurfette--- and no 2 seem to have the same colouring.

[Howard_Casto]

You can buy db25 connectors, with snap in pins no less for around a buck.  Using old printer cables is the wrong and hackish way to do it, for the reason you just described. 

One of these days someone is going to have to explain to me why m$ doesn't allow xbox controllers to work on the 360, even though the 360 is fully capable of supporting any usb device and it actually allows you to play your old games. 

[waveryder]

I wire the db25's myself I never hack printer cables. What exactly are thes snap in Db25's? Do you mean a breakout board? Cause they cost a fortune, Howard spill the beans!!! You got an online shop link  for these.  Boy snap ins would make my life easier. Im sure the solder fumes are doing things to my brain 

[Howard_Casto]

No, you get a "empty" db25 (connector with holes in it and no pins) and it comes with a bunch of pins.  You crimp the pin onto a stripped wire via some needle nosed pliers and then pull the pin through the hole with said pliers until it snaps into place. 

Sadly, they are getting harder to come by.  Radio shack used to sell them but they are pretty much out of the parts business anymore.  I got a bunch when they stopped carrying them for a song (this particular store wasn't going to carry parts anymore and wanted to get rid of their stock) but I'm pretty much out of them at this point.  Doing a google search for "db25 crimp connect" should help. 

(Note: I haven't ordered from this site personally, but the price is right!)

You might wanna try here:  http://www.computercablestore.com/DB25_Crimp_Connector_Male_PID103.aspx  50 cents a pop is the cheapest I've seen em in a while.  Of course it's only worth it if you buy enough to offset the shipping. 

[waveryder]

Fantastic!!!

[ChadTower]

I got a bunch when they stopped carrying them for a song (this particular store wasn't going to carry parts anymore and wanted to get rid of their stock) but I'm pretty much out of them at this point.

I loved that Radio Shack clearance.  My wife was stunned that I went into Radio Shack, came out with like 5 giant bags of stuff, and it was only $200.  I bought their high end multimeter, nearly the whole stock of caps, resistors, and transistors, a few other nice tools... it took the sales guy a half hour to ring in all of the individual parts.

Hell, I came really close to buying the steel pullout drawer storage they kept the parts in.  Looking back I wish I had.

[northerngames]

I like the solder cup type db-25's the crimp on type cannot be re-used and getting the pins in there can be tough sometimes and they tend to pop back out when pluggin them into some things sometime's.

I alway's put my controllers in a project box and make the wire's the same lengh as the actual console's controller wire that runs to the console.

why?

becuase it make's a sealed box with no bare electronics hanging out. the box is centered with the wire's.

there is alway's a nice big bare spot behind the marquee that usually does not get used I stick velcro on the bottom of the project box and lay a few strips uo there and that is where the box finds it home nice and neat and away from everything.

if there ever were a problem for some odd reason everything comes unplugged and pulled off the velcro so it can be installed and taken off in less then a minute with no tolls needed.

using a terminal block you need tools time to figure out what goes where each time you connect or disconnect where if you use a DB-25 switch box you can swap betwen console's pc arcade and whatever else with no tools or time just flick the switch.

if you make the wires as long as the actual console wires that run to the console you should be golden everytime.

[Howard_Casto]

I like the solder cup type db-25's the crimp on type cannot be re-used and getting the pins in there can be tough sometimes and they tend to pop back out when pluggin them into some things sometime's.

Heh, that's funny I'd argue the opposite in that the solder type can't be re-used.  That is unless you are a glutton for punishment and want to de-solder a mess like that.  On the other hand I can forcefully pull out the pins on the crimp type and start over.  Of course the pins are then ruined, but it's still less of a hassle than de-soldering. 

I've found personally that the pins that come loose are the fault of improper installation.  Either the pin is damaged, the pin isn't seated properly, or it's crooked when installed.  No doubt it is work to get them in just right, but then again, it's still easier than soldering points that are so close together.  You can also put a dab of glue/hotglue/whatever in the back after the pin is installed and that'll hold it better.  Of course that would be for a permenant install.