NOOB Projects

[kattanFAN]

I'm a noob and here are some of the things I want to do:

:huh: I have a Saturn extension cord, a Logitech Dual Action USB gamepad (my pc won't recognize it), a USB printer cable (input end and a short, stubby output end), and a Sega Saturn controller extension cable. I want a way to plug in any accessory (arcade stick, mission stick, 3D pad, controller) to a USB port without screwing any of them up (the USB cord and Saturn extender I can). Can I do it with the USB cable and extender?

:huh: Could I use a laser pointer with a Sega Saturn Stunner as a laser sight? My aim is teh suck!!1!!!!1!

:huh: If I cannot go thru w/ the first idea at top, could I use the USB printer cable w/ a PlayStation controller.

:huh: A DDR dance pad for the PC. I have this TV game with a cheap DDR game, a tetris game, and a pinball game (which is way too much like the one Nintendo made for the NES and was ported to the eReader) and that gamepad.

[kattanFAN]

Also, I want to buy an Xbox controller, use some info on it (like wiring it to a usb plug) and using the part of the cord that plugs into the Xbox (b/c of the inline release) and replace the Xbox plug w/ a USB plug, so I can use any Xbox accessory on my PC. Thank you, inline release.

[kattanFAN]

Yeah, I'm not talking to myself.  
:huh: I need help w/ some of these projects. :huh:
:ph34r: If you have something to say about the toping at hand, say something. :ph34r:  

[Andeh]

dont get so frustrated,  these forums are very innactive for some unknown reason.  I keep checking every day but I only find 3 or 4 new posts.

[kattanFAN]

So, Andeh, what do you think of my projects? I found some info (not directly) from this site on how to wire the Xbox controller to a USB plug (check my second post). Could I use the input end of the USB cable I have, disconnect the Xbox plug and replace it with the input end of the USB cable? If so, do I need any soldering tools, electrical tape, etc?

[kendrick]

KF, your first question leads me to believe that you want to plug a Saturn peripheral into a USB port? Since there's no protocol compatibility between the Saturn serial signal and USB, there's no useful method of connecting a Saturn controller to USB. Either you need to get an official USB Saturn pad with the encoder already embedded in it, or you need to rip the encoder out of a known good USB controller and wire the switches in the controller to its inputs. No combination of cables will allow you to bypass the encoder. The same answer applies to your question about Playstation controllers, which will either require an encoder wired in, or a convertor box.

About your second question, regarding the laser sight? There is actually a third-party accessory that snaps on top of the standard-issue Saturn Stunner and uses a double-A battery to produce a crude laser dot. I've never used it myself, but I would question whether or not a focused beam like that might do any damage to your television, assuming your Saturn is plugged into a standard CRT-type display. There's also the minor issue of pointing the thing into people's eyes accidentally. It's worth mentioning that I'm blind in an eye, and I'm pretty well opposed to the casual use of lasers in non-industrial applications. Even low-powered ones.

Your last question? If you don't want to rewire the encoder chip, the simplest method of producing a PC-compatible dance pad is to buy one. They're actually available at places like Fry's, and Red Octane sells at least one USB dance pad specifically for use with homebrew step-dance applications.

Hope that's all helpful, although it seems like I'm asking you to spend time or money on what you want.

-KKC, looking for a way to avoid producing more RF in his house than absolutely necessary...

[kattanFAN]

Thanx, kendrick. I might just buy a cheap Xbox controller, take the plug, replace it with a USB plug, and use the advantage brought out by the inline release to use any Xbox device with it. Since the Xbox controller is already USB-friendly, it should be easy, so long as no soldering is needed.

[kendrick]

Your intent is to use the Xbox controller on the PC? Remember that the device isn't recognized as a generic USB controller. As a matter of fact, the latest builds of Windows deliberately lack drivers which will run the Xbox controller. Any web search will lead you to one of a dozen third-party drivers that can be installed for this purpose, although not all of them support all the features of the controller (force feedback, memory devices over the USB hub, etc.) Good luck with that.

-KKC

[kattanFAN]

That's okay. I just need the controller to work. I mean, a homemade dongle from that one part of the controller (from the inline release connector to the Xbox input plug) that works on a USB (I do not need the Xbox input plug) would be enough and then modifying the actual controller into an arcade stick (w/ twin stick for using it w/ an unmodified dongle and Midway Arcade Treasure and Smash TV) would be better. Or maybe instead of an arcade stick, maybe a flight stick.

[Midori]

Does this help? http://www.mameworld.net/mrdo/xboxusb.html

[kattanFAN]

Thankx, Midori  
One question, though.
Once the wires are connected, do I use electrical tape, soldering, what?
Thanx again.

[kendrick]

KF, you should use whatever method of connecting wires you're most comfortable with. If you don't have any prior experience using a soldering iron and aren't worried about a professional apperance, you can just twist the wires together and cover them up so they don't make contact with each other. Alterantely, you can use wire twist-cap connectors that are used for electrical work, which can be found in hardware stores. If you'd like a more professional look, then you should look into getting a USB connector that has a housing or some other widget that will cover up the wire connections and leave a seamless insulating layer outside.

Whatever method you use, you should spend some time practicing first and gaining confidence with your ability to do this sort of modification. There's no substitute for experience, and there isn't a single right way of doing things.

-KKC

[kattanFAN]

So, electrical tape is okay?
I was thinking of take the Xbox dongle, cutting it along the outside vertically on four key spots, trim the wires, connect them, and wrap it up w/ the cord and electrical tape (kinda like a banana).
Also, what about something called liquid tape? Thanx.

[kattanFAN]

Bump.

BTW, does anyone know if it is okay to use liquid tape? :unsure:
Also, could I use electrical tape? :blink:
How do I open up the shielding for the respective plugs? :unsure:
Do I pry them open or will that damage them? :ph34r:
I want to do this today. :blink:
Plz Re:  <_<
:lol: Thanx. :lol:  

[kendrick]

KF, it's generally considered polite to wait 24 hours for a response on any particular thread. The people who post here are enthusiasts and hobbyists, but they don't provide information in any authoritative or official capacity. Please allow for real-world response time and remember that this isn't any kind of professional technical support forum.

What you're suggesting with the Xbox connector is to open the connector and attach new wires, which isn't generally done. These connector housings are molded and can't be reopened to attach new wires. Instead, you should select a place about ten to twelve inches along the length of the wire and splice your connections there. That way if you mess up, you have some slack wire to try again, and you don't mess up the original wire connections. If you insist on splicing your new wires to the actual connector instead of along the wire somewhere, neither liquid tape nor electrical tape will do the trick. You'll have to solder the wires directly to the contacts where the original wires are connected, or uncrimp and recrimp any physical, friction-based connections.

-KKC

[kattanFAN]

Thank you, kendrix. Sorry about seeming r00d, but patience is still something I'm working on. That and I'm extremely eager to try this. Also, I might also make custom controllers tailored to certain games (i.e. a Katamari Damacy Twin Sticks, a Lost Kingdoms 2 "tablet", and a Sims Bustin' Out controller w/ trackball control over cursor and panel-specific buttons in place of the Dpad setup.

[kattanFAN]

I started a new topic on game-specific custom controllers.
Game-Specific Custom Controllers

[kattanFAN]

Made the Xbox to USB thing.
Used redcl0ud.com's XBCD. With JoyToKey, I was able to use it with American McGee's Alice.
I also used it with my emulators. It works great.  

[Aidan]

The biggest issue I found with use of a laser as an aiming device is that you run the risk of reducing the detector's sensitivity due to backscatter from the laser when it bounces off the TV. Obviously that depends how far you can adjust the aim of the gun to minimise the pickup of the laser. Remember that the gun is looking for the flash of light as the beam goes past, which is why the reflection from the laser can make it less accurate.

There's little risk of a low powered laser doing any damage to the CRT - the level of energy is generally pretty low for cheap laser diodes, especially given their divergence is bad. I suspect that energy densities might well be low compared to other natural generators of light (AKA sunlight).