nfg.forums

NFG Forums => Controller Technic => Topic started by: regnad on September 10, 2010, 05:07:23 PM

Title: What's the deal with Hori Mini Pad N64 controllers?
Post by: regnad on September 10, 2010, 05:07:23 PM
Where I live, Saitama (Japan), there are a ton of the elusive, coveted Hori mini pads I can get used for about 3 bucks each.

I love the analog sticks, but the thing doesn't work with pretty much any USB adapter on a PC. I have a Mayflash adapter, which works fine with an original controller, but the Hori analog stick goes crazy and refuses to calibrate.

On another forum, someone told me the Hori also won't work with an Apaptoid, RetroZone USB adapter, or Boom adapter. He said the Hori analog stick works differently with them all, but with none of them correctly.

What's going on here? Is there a solution?
Title: Re: What's the deal with Hori Mini Pad N64 controllers?
Post by: NFG on September 10, 2010, 05:57:06 PM
That's rather interesting.  I have one of those, (I lived in Saitama for years, was there two weeks ago) but I've never used it on a PC.  Works fine on the N64 obviously. 
Title: Re: What's the deal with Hori Mini Pad N64 controllers?
Post by: regnad on September 11, 2010, 06:33:21 PM
Interesting, but also hugely frustrating.

Anyone have any ideas? I'd love to figure out how to get this thing working on a PC.
Title: Re: What's the deal with Hori Mini Pad N64 controllers?
Post by: kendrick on September 11, 2010, 07:42:23 PM
I have a perverse idea. Obviously, the Hori controller is providing a signal that the real N64 can accept, but that must be out of the published spec. What happens if you use another convertor on it, one for a console instead of a PC? I'm envisioning a scenario where you have the Hori controller plugged into an N64-to-PSX adapter, and then you plug that adapter into a PSX-to-USB adapter. If you have all that gear lying around, it's probably worth seeing if the PSX adapter accepts the Hori pad input correctly.
Title: Re: What's the deal with Hori Mini Pad N64 controllers?
Post by: regnad on September 11, 2010, 09:05:08 PM
That's a very clever idea indeed!

I don't have either of those converters lying around unfortunately!
Title: Re: What's the deal with Hori Mini Pad N64 controllers?
Post by: regnad on September 13, 2010, 02:34:43 PM
Any other ideas?
Title: Re: What's the deal with Hori Mini Pad N64 controllers?
Post by: NFG on September 13, 2010, 02:49:00 PM
Short of reprogramming the device to adhere to the standard protocol, I doubt you'll have any joy here. 
Title: Re: What's the deal with Hori Mini Pad N64 controllers?
Post by: regnad on September 14, 2010, 12:59:50 PM
Ugh.
Title: Re: What's the deal with Hori Mini Pad N64 controllers?
Post by: Link83 on September 14, 2010, 10:20:05 PM
Have you tried reseting the analog stick after installing the USB adaptor? Whilst the analog stick is in a neutral position just press L, R and START all at the same time:-
http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/systems/nintendo64/trouble_accessory.jsp#wontmove (http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/systems/nintendo64/trouble_accessory.jsp#wontmove)
All N64 controllers had to support this.

Alternatively it sounds like this might explain the cause of the problem:-
http://forums.benheck.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=39162 (http://forums.benheck.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=39162)
No solution though :(
Title: Re: What's the deal with Hori Mini Pad N64 controllers?
Post by: regnad on September 15, 2010, 10:06:03 PM
Just tried the L/R/start. Did nothing unfortunately.

But if the Hori stick is compatible with the Gamecube stick (as is implied in the second link), and a Gamecube controller works on a PC with an adapter, why would a Hori not work?

Title: Re: What's the deal with Hori Mini Pad N64 controllers?
Post by: blaze3927 on October 01, 2010, 12:17:50 AM
i believe not, however there are rumors that the adaptoid (expensive) n64 usb adapter supports every type of n64 controller.
also wtf $3 each???
can i order ten off you  :)
Title: Re: What's the deal with Hori Mini Pad N64 controllers?
Post by: regnad on October 01, 2010, 09:44:39 PM
At the store up the street there were two nice ones, which I bought for myself, and one with a broken stick for about $1.50, which I didn't.

Sorry! If there were ten, I'd have bought em!

On another message board someone tells me the Adaptoid does NOT work with the Hori.
Title: Re: What's the deal with Hori Mini Pad N64 controllers?
Post by: blaze3927 on October 02, 2010, 02:11:54 PM
have you maybe tried something like ppjoy?
Title: Re: What's the deal with Hori Mini Pad N64 controllers?
Post by: regnad on December 01, 2010, 08:03:13 PM
Solution found!

This guy's adapters work like a charm with the Hori pad: http://www.raphnet-tech.com/products/gc_n64_usb_adapters/index.php (http://www.raphnet-tech.com/products/gc_n64_usb_adapters/index.php)

Hooray! Simple solution!
Title: Re: What's the deal with Hori Mini Pad N64 controllers?
Post by: ulao on December 09, 2010, 02:56:06 PM
Yeah, most adapters are all based on the old Ned's design. Poor guy, everyone practicably ripped him off.  I chose Ralf's design my self.  I took it a bit further and added rumble support and currently I'm working on adding mem pack reading.

Here is my project.

http://bliss-box.net/Bliss-Box/index.html (http://bliss-box.net/Bliss-Box/index.html)

Again, my project is based on Ralph's and you will see him mentioned all over my site. He really knows his stuff.
Title: Re: What's the deal with Hori Mini Pad N64 controllers?
Post by: regnad on December 24, 2010, 10:05:27 AM
Do you have a working driver for Raphael's N64 adapter? I'd love to have rumble for my Hori pad!
Title: Re: What's the deal with Hori Mini Pad N64 controllers?
Post by: ulao on December 24, 2010, 10:36:48 AM
Ah, I see how you may have got confused ( got your PM ), no my adapter is way more advanced and completely re-written. I use HID FFB ( no drivers required ). I have only tested this with xp but I suspect other os's will work.
Title: Re: What's the deal with Hori Mini Pad N64 controllers?
Post by: regnad on December 24, 2010, 09:17:15 PM
Do you have an adapter that will work with the Hori pad? Do you make adapters that don't have a billion different plugs? I really just want to run a Hori mini with rumble on an emulator.
Title: Re: What's the deal with Hori Mini Pad N64 controllers?
Post by: ulao on December 25, 2010, 12:27:50 AM
Yeah, if you read the page I do make custom adapters. I dont have a Hori  pad, but if it works with Ralphs it will work with mine.