Questions about Xbox, DC, and N64

[kattanFAN]

Yeah, hi.

I have a V3 Racing Wheel for the N64, a Topmax-brand Dreamcast arcade stick, and a homemade Xbox-to-USB dongle (made from an Xbox dongle and an old USB cable). How do I replace the guts of the two respective controllers with those of an Xbox controller? The V3 has Phillips head screws and a separate pedal set. The Topmax Dreamcast arcade stick has turbo (don't need it) and the slot thingy for the VMU (if it becomes an Xbox controller, I definitely won't need it, nor do I need a Memory Slot for the Xbox) and Phillips head screws. I figure that if it's doable, these controllers, coupled w/ the Xbox-to-USB dongle, could also be used with the PC (I could use the the V3 with my Sonic R game and the uses for a lot of my emulators and such).

Thank you.   B)  

[kattanFAN]

JSYK, I opened up the Topmax Arcade Stick (for the DC) and I don't know how to replace its guts with the guts of a generic Xbox controller.  

[kattanFAN]

A lot of you looked at this topic, so how come no one said anything?

[NFG]

I imagine no one's responded because what you're trying to do is a huge task with a fairly limited target audience, and probably because no one knows a quick solution, or wants to do your job for you just to answer the question.

Wheels and sticks and pads often, especially in new (post-DC) consoles, have different encoders in 'em, so the Xbox probably won't recognize them as wheels or sticks if you put pad guts in 'em.

That said, the other reason no one's answered is 'caust you haven't made clear what you're trying to DO.  My answer in the previous paragraph is useless if you're just trying to connect the devices to a PC, not an Xbox.  If you ARE trying to connect them to a PC, why on earth are you trying to replace their guts instead of just making an adaptor to convert them to the PC directly?

[kattanFAN]

I imagine no one's responded because what you're trying to do is a huge task with a fairly limited target audience, and probably because no one knows a quick solution, or wants to do your job for you just to answer the question.

Wheels and sticks and pads often, especially in new (post-DC) consoles, have different encoders in 'em, so the Xbox probably won't recognize them as wheels or sticks if you put pad guts in 'em.

That said, the other reason no one's answered is 'caust you haven't made clear what you're trying to DO.  My answer in the previous paragraph is useless if you're just trying to connect the devices to a PC, not an Xbox.  If you ARE trying to connect them to a PC, why on earth are you trying to replace their guts instead of just making an adaptor to convert them to the PC directly?

I don't have the know-how or the tools to make an adapter.    

[kendrick]

KF, the skills needed to swap components are roughly the same ones you need to build an adapter. You're either running wires from buttons and resistors to pins on an encoder chip, or you're running wires between an encoder and a decoder. And either way, you have to measure analog resistance or variable voltage output with a multimeter. You're looking at two different solutions, one of which is no less difficult than the other.

In the spirit of trying to be helpful, I'd like to suggest a book. Ron York's "Electronics Assembly Handbook" is one of the resources that imparted to me a lot of the knowledge I apply when modding game consoles now. Please have a look at it, or at other similar resources so you can start to gain some confidence in your ability to make these kinds of mods.

-KKC, re-reading old Time magazines. Middle-aged mothers being sent to Iraq.