DIY Xbox 360 Controller with Programmable buttons project

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sir-up
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DIY Xbox 360 Controller with Programmable buttons project

Post by sir-up » Sun Mar 17, 2013 10:58 pm

Hello, I know I'm a newbie on here but I'm hoping I can gain some interest , help , and in site on to what I'm trying to do with this. I know this is lengthy , but please read ahead if you don't care about the introduction you can skip to the last paragraph . This would be a simple modifications , but I can be a bit of a perfectionist and very indecisive at times which puts me into a huge study period.

I have had this account for awhile but never really made a post, but I really should have as this site has been an excellent source of information , and the reason I got into modding in the first place, but my plan is to change that and contribute when I can as I really genuinely love to help out if it is possible for me to do so. I dropped out of modding for awhile after my wife, and I had our son (Future gamer : D ) and now that my son is a little older I've slowly been getting back into it. My rule has always been never ask a question anywhere unless you thoroughly search the Internets as it is a endless stream of information for just about anything. Well I've been searching about a week now , and I'm at a wall because I still can't find exactly what I'm looking for I'm hoping this can start a chain , and get other people involved.

I'd say in the past 3 - 4 months I started playing my first (Yes first) Multi player FPS/3rd person shooter in Gears of War 2. I never got into shooters just wasn't my thing, but the 3rd person Gears got me hooked, and after my wife bought me a Turtle Beach headset for Christmas I decided to actually give PVP matches a chance. Never liked Death-match or in Gears of Wars case War Zone. Due to Gears 2 being older I noticed a problem as a lot of hackers are on it using various game mods to get advantages on the other players (JTAGED hacks ,Rapid Fire, Auto Reload, Turbo Chainsaw,etc) , and since the game brings age I don't think they really regulate it. So I eventually my frustrations grew to the point I wanted to buy a kit and make my own rapid fire controller. After a lot of thought and looking at various mods I decided that really wasn't the route I wanted to go I just didn't think it was fair, and what I really wanted would be a controller with different button placement , and being able to tweak the controller to get the buttons where I want them to be so I can tune my skills more efficiently, and I know if I can do this properly a lot of others can use this concept as well or put there own spin or variation on it.So I came upon a lot of controllers that can do what I want to an extent here are some links

Scuf Controller - http://www.scufgaming.com/us/
pros - adds to buttons on the back of the controller that can be chosen when you order a controller from them
cons - once buttons are assigned can not be changed

MLG controller - http://www.madcatz.com/products/mlg/
pros - adjustable / removable buttons can place analog , and d-pad
cons - doesn't have extra buttons or changing button commands

Datel Turbo Wireless Evo or turbo 2 - http://www.amazon.com/Wildfire-Combat-C ... o+fire+evo

pro - ALL MAPPABLE BUTTONS! , Evo has an LCD screen which helps visually look at your mappable buttons
cons- lack of extra buttons I'm looking for like the scuf has. Rapid fire not really something I'm looking.

Razer Sabretooth / Razer Onza - http://www.razerzone.com/gaming-control ... t-edition/
http://www.razerzone.com/store/razer-sabertooth

pro- added buttons that are mappable and raised analog sticks that are adjustable
cons - wired , sabretooh has 4 rear triggers.

Viking 360 macro - http://www.vikingdigital.com/modded-con ... oller.html

Pros- A fully programmable macro controller ,custom software to load the controller, 6 additional tac buttons, USB hook up for pc hook up, and a chance to take it a part and see the craftsmanship
cons - although a nice controller I'd like to stay away from cheating. $$$ expensive at a 189.00 price tag , can't open the controller because it's a warranty you don't want to void.

So after looking at all of these controllers I've come up with a few concept designs that I need to scan and edit this post once it's done. My design is a cross between a Scuf , and a Sabretooth / Onza (if it is possible to obtain programming or mapping buttons). adding two tact switches to the back of the controller than attaching back paddles , and two either on the front of the pad or on the inner part of the handle not sure which would work better. Now I'm not so much looking to map the buttons per say completely.

What I wanted to do is on the back paddles instead of just soldering for an additional spot of a singular button I thought of adding a slider or switch mount to switch between various buttons. My question is how to obtain that exactly ????

Is that possible with out a programming a picc chip or anything like that???


the onza has a switch which lets you use the additional triggers to duplicate any of the other preset buttons on the controller.
Please any and all incite is appreciated thank you.

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Re: DIY Xbox 360 Controller with Programmable buttons project

Post by RDC » Fri Mar 22, 2013 2:22 am

Nice to see someone else believe that crapid fire and glitch mods aren't the best way to play the game.

A friend of mine and I did this quite awhile back with pretty much the entire 360 controller, but not too surprisingly, it wasn't met with the same kind of enthusiasm as the next thing that just pressed a button over and over and over again.

http://forums.xbox-scene.com/index.php? ... 91809&st=0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Without using a PIC, AVR etc., you're going to be limited to what you can and can't remap. Using DIP switches or the like it's possible to 'remap' an extra set of buttons, but there will only be so many different buttons you could have as 'remappable' before the controller was just covered in switches. Then if you'd want to get into doing the Triggers as well there's a whole new mess to get into as they're Analog and don't work like the Digital buttons do.

The Wireless CG version controllers all have a Common Ground for the buttons, so all you have to do is ground one side of your 'Remap' button, then switch around the other side to whatever button line you're wanting it too be. For example, say you have a 4 position SPST DIP switch and wanted it to be any of the A,B,X or Y buttons, you'd wire it like this to your new Remap button.

Image

This setup has the side effect though of having the switch turned on for say A and X at the same time, which means your Remap button would be A+X when it's pressed, but it also has the negative side effect of making the original A and X buttons also be A+X when pressed, as they would back-feed and be connected thru the switch if both A and X are turned on at the same time. So in that case you either need to install Diodes to isolate everything, or just make sure you never have 2 switches on at the same time.

With Diodes in place (1N4148 or equivalent) only the Remap button would perform the A+X at the same time, as they isolate the original A and X buttons from each other.

Image


You could save some space using a SP4T type of switch, but then you need a tool to turn it to change what button is mapped to the new button.
Screwing up is one of the best learning tools, so long as the only thing you're not learning is how to screw up.
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Re: DIY Xbox 360 Controller with Programmable buttons project

Post by sir-up » Mon Mar 25, 2013 7:31 pm

Hey, I responded a few days ago via phone but I guess it didn't load all the way through for the post. I really appreciate your reply RDC. I used your diagram to wire up my first mod. Unfortunately the tact switches I bought which are color coordinated are to stiff , but I plan on making more proto-types. I also used my old Radio Shack solder iron which I broke during the mod because I cut it off to change the tip because it was so rusted and oxidized from over use, and not properly cleaning it when I first started doing mods. I need a better iron anyway so oh well. I borrowed a 30W from a friend, I know there are tons of guides and tips on what Iron's to buy and what wattage to work with, but based on your experience with the 360 what would you recommend? Anyway I read the post on the original thread almost all the way through what ever happened with the project did you guys ever finish or consider starting it back up again? Like I said in my original post I don't really care about turbo,remapping , and what not. Interesting thing that happened recently after my first mod for the controller one of my friends said he considered it cheating . I really don't because you used to be able to map the controllers how ever you wanted look at old street fighter games. Anyway I feel this would be very beneficial most importantly for handicap gamers! I recently signed a petition after watching a few videos , I actually was linked from another persons youtube who went into detail about a mapper program.

http://www.askacapper.com/petition

Here is the final product I did a lot of experimentation with button placement like I said because the switches were to big it didn't work like I planed since the trigger mechanism was in the way where I first placed them and I didn't measure which was my first mistake. Like I said it was my first proto type so I didn't care if I messed up the shell to much I can always replace it.
Spoiler:
Image
Here is a pic with the all the cut outs at first because I wanted four buttons
Spoiler:
Image
And here are all the switches color coded before I did the modification
Spoiler:
Image

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Re: DIY Xbox 360 Controller with Programmable buttons project

Post by RDC » Mon Mar 25, 2013 8:33 pm

Lord, couldn't get any competition push buttons there. ;)

Most people prefer the much, much smaller 6x6x7mm Tact switches, but it's all personal preference with controllers, so as long as it works for whoever is using it, that's all that really matters.

The CGn was completed, but there are only 5 of them in existence. The Mark II we'll probably never get around to really digging into as it's quite the project.

I've been soldering for quite a few years, and I prefer the Hakko brand of irons. The 926 is my work horse, which was discontinued years ago and replaced by the 936, which is a good solid iron as well. It also has around a $100 price tag, less if you look around some, but it's more along the lines of an iron you're going to use quite a bit. It's also a 60W iron, so it can burn up a board if you're not watching what you're doing.

Just about any iron will do for working on controllers. You'll get a better solder joint from a cheapo 15W iron that you keep the tip maintained on versus a $100 iron that you just use and don't clean.

Remapping isn't something for the 'average' gamer, and it's been a staple in PC gaming from the beginning. It's more geared for adult gamers that understand when some button configuration is just plain stupid and not 'natural' to how they would like to play and that there's no need to 'adapt' to it just because some developer and test group thought it worked great, not everyone likes the same flavor of ice cream either.

The application for handicapped gamers is sort of there with remapping, but that varies so much more from person to person depending on their handicap that it's either a really good thing, or doesn't really help out much at all.
Screwing up is one of the best learning tools, so long as the only thing you're not learning is how to screw up.
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Re: DIY Xbox 360 Controller with Programmable buttons project

Post by sir-up » Mon Mar 25, 2013 10:54 pm

Haha yeah i know they're big but that's what i wanted and i wanted something with resistance. but it didn't work not with the placement anyway my next thought was actually putting it in a different case or building a mold and doing a custom. . Im going small switches next one. going to pick up.some at radio.shack soon as i get a chance and try paddles like scuf . so it's complete awesome didn't realize. So I'll de be taking urn suggestion on the gun when i get the chance . Thanks for the suggestion. I have to get something better i still wanna finish my SNES and Gamecube portable so its a must.

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