Gp2x Snes Controller Mod


gavie

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gp2xmod.jpg


Ok, it's done: the GP2X SNES Controller mod
I know F00f00 made this for the GP32, I decided to do it to the GP2X, because for some games the Dpad is much nicer than the stick.. (and I don't want to mod a dpad into the system, because sometimes the stick is better)
I might not have done it the right way technically, but hey, it works, and I'm pleased with it :)

A Little (crappy quality) vid of this in action can be seen here. (I made it with my photo camera, so the quality is bad, and it's very small)

I know this can be done with a bob or a usb extension, but I found this easier, and it's all I need really

Credit to F00f00, for his idea
 
Awesome!!
I just wondered about putting old controllers and the gp together these days, but I thought there has to be an extra software for that :huh: :But if it's that easy I'll also do that mod.
I have got a few questions:
How did you connect the snes-pad with the gp(is there a special cable for that??)?
Can you use 2 or more controllers with the bob?? ;)
 
KingCheese posted on Mar 5 2007 at 07:12 PM said:
Awesome!!
I just wondered about putting old controllers and the gp together these days, but I thought there has to be an extra software for that :huh: :But if it's that easy I'll also do that mod.
I have got a few questions:
How did you connect the snes-pad with the gp(is there a special cable for that??)?
Can you use 2 or more controllers with the bob?? ;)

Wel I used a 25pins connector (female on the gp2x, male on the snes controller), i wired it to both sides of the buttons, and both sides of the snes pad, the dpad has a common ground..
It's a lot of precise soldering, and second hard thing is reassembling, because it's a very tight fit..
It's not very hard but I wouldn't call it easy..
If more people are interested I could write a small tut..
About the bob: I don't know, I don't have a bob, and I don't know if the emulators support 2 players..
 
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gavie posted on Mar 5 2007 at 10:35 AM said:
KingCheese posted on Mar 5 2007 at 07:12 PM said:
Awesome!!
I just wondered about putting old controllers and the gp together these days, but I thought there has to be an extra software for that :huh: :But if it's that easy I'll also do that mod.
I have got a few questions:
How did you connect the snes-pad with the gp(is there a special cable for that??)?
Can you use 2 or more controllers with the bob?? ;)

Wel I used a 25pins connector (female on the gp2x, male on the snes controller), i wired it to both sides of the buttons, and both sides of the snes pad, the dpad has a common ground..
It's a lot of precise soldering, and second hard thing is reassembling, because it's a very tight fit..
It's not very hard but I wouldn't call it easy..
If more people are interested I could write a small tut..
About the bob: I don't know, I don't have a bob, and I don't know if the emulators support 2 players..
retrousb.com will sell you proper stuff. Also a standard USB to PS1 or whatever adapter will function. I will be trying some USB stuff on my GP2X when it gets here.

The only point of this is in programs using low-level hardware access and it fails because it doesn't include the logic conversion from 8-way to 4-way sticks. All programs today should use the SDL input driver and I believe it uses the USB as standard controllers.

Cool, but technically simple and physically hard to accomplish for little benefit.

As far as a BoB, Read my lips, you don't need one. All you need is a termination IC or 6 discrete components (4 resistors and 2 capacitors). Then a power supply of some sort for the USB chip in the stick. Maybe EXT powered in the MK2.

I suppose I should just make and sell EXT SNES, NES, Genesis, and SMS for the EXT port. And USB port mini keyboards too. How about $40-50 for the gamepads and $35-40 for the keyboards?

Hmm, $10-20 for USB keyboard, $0.60 for the USB IC, and what does the EXT connector cost?

~$20-25 for the USB conversion and retro controller, $0.60 for the IC and an EXT connnector.
 
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Nice hack, I love this kind of thing. :D

Slightly off topic, but I made two SNES controller ports on my PC using RetroUSB kits and some hacked up bits and pieces. It was quite easy really. When I get my new PC case I'm going to hack up an old SNES I have to make a nicer looking bezel. Works perfectly in ZSNES and tons of other emulators, including MAME.

bad cameraphone picture here

Check the link in my sig for some of my other toys.
 
halo9 posted on Mar 5 2007 at 10:36 PM said:
Nice hack, I love this kind of thing. :D

Slightly off topic, but I made two SNES controller ports on my PC using RetroUSB kits and some hacked up bits and pieces. It was quite easy really. When I get my new PC case I'm going to hack up an old SNES I have to make a nicer looking bezel. Works perfectly in ZSNES and tons of other emulators, including MAME.

bad cameraphone picture here

Check the link in my sig for some of my other toys.
That's a nice mod
I also modded the controller to be able to use it on a xbox/playstation/PC, I can connect it to a multi-console-controller, picture here..
 
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nubie posted on Mar 5 2007 at 11:53 AM said:
gavie posted on Mar 5 2007 at 10:35 AM said:
KingCheese posted on Mar 5 2007 at 07:12 PM said:
Awesome!!
I just wondered about putting old controllers and the gp together these days, but I thought there has to be an extra software for that :huh: :But if it's that easy I'll also do that mod.
I have got a few questions:
How did you connect the snes-pad with the gp(is there a special cable for that??)?
Can you use 2 or more controllers with the bob?? ;)

Wel I used a 25pins connector (female on the gp2x, male on the snes controller), i wired it to both sides of the buttons, and both sides of the snes pad, the dpad has a common ground..
It's a lot of precise soldering, and second hard thing is reassembling, because it's a very tight fit..
It's not very hard but I wouldn't call it easy..
If more people are interested I could write a small tut..
About the bob: I don't know, I don't have a bob, and I don't know if the emulators support 2 players..
retrousb.com will sell you proper stuff. Also a standard USB to PS1 or whatever adapter will function. I will be trying some USB stuff on my GP2X when it gets here.

The only point of this is in programs using low-level hardware access and it fails because it doesn't include the logic conversion from 8-way to 4-way sticks. All programs today should use the SDL input driver and I believe it uses the USB as standard controllers.

Cool, but technically simple and physically hard to accomplish for little benefit.

As far as a BoB, Read my lips, you don't need one. All you need is a termination IC or 6 discrete components (4 resistors and 2 capacitors). Then a power supply of some sort for the USB chip in the stick. Maybe EXT powered in the MK2.

I suppose I should just make and sell EXT SNES, NES, Genesis, and SMS for the EXT port. And USB port mini keyboards too. How about $40-50 for the gamepads and $35-40 for the keyboards?

Hmm, $10-20 for USB keyboard, $0.60 for the USB IC, and what does the EXT connector cost?

~$20-25 for the USB conversion and retro controller, $0.60 for the IC and an EXT connnector.

Sounds like a good idea. I'd personally rather just have a simple USB adaptor, but still, good idea.

Though if you're willing to do a USB adaptor for say, 20 dollars or so I would be quite interested...Or is that a total lack of any scrap of profits?
 
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nubie posted on Mar 5 2007 at 11:53 AM said:
gavie posted on Mar 5 2007 at 10:35 AM said:
KingCheese posted on Mar 5 2007 at 07:12 PM said:
Awesome!!
I just wondered about putting old controllers and the gp together these days, but I thought there has to be an extra software for that :huh: :But if it's that easy I'll also do that mod.
I have got a few questions:
How did you connect the snes-pad with the gp(is there a special cable for that??)?
Can you use 2 or more controllers with the bob?? ;)

Wel I used a 25pins connector (female on the gp2x, male on the snes controller), i wired it to both sides of the buttons, and both sides of the snes pad, the dpad has a common ground..
It's a lot of precise soldering, and second hard thing is reassembling, because it's a very tight fit..
It's not very hard but I wouldn't call it easy..
If more people are interested I could write a small tut..
About the bob: I don't know, I don't have a bob, and I don't know if the emulators support 2 players..
retrousb.com will sell you proper stuff. Also a standard USB to PS1 or whatever adapter will function. I will be trying some USB stuff on my GP2X when it gets here.

The only point of this is in programs using low-level hardware access and it fails because it doesn't include the logic conversion from 8-way to 4-way sticks. All programs today should use the SDL input driver and I believe it uses the USB as standard controllers.

Cool, but technically simple and physically hard to accomplish for little benefit.

As far as a BoB, Read my lips, you don't need one. All you need is a termination IC or 6 discrete components (4 resistors and 2 capacitors). Then a power supply of some sort for the USB chip in the stick. Maybe EXT powered in the MK2.

I suppose I should just make and sell EXT SNES, NES, Genesis, and SMS for the EXT port. And USB port mini keyboards too. How about $40-50 for the gamepads and $35-40 for the keyboards?

Hmm, $10-20 for USB keyboard, $0.60 for the USB IC, and what does the EXT connector cost?

~$20-25 for the USB conversion and retro controller, $0.60 for the IC and an EXT connnector.

If you did decide to make stuff like this how much do you think you could sell a usb female/tv out cable cord for.
 
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Nice work gavie, I love anything to do with SNES. I think I'll wait for the commercial B.O.B. so I can use controllers like this.
 
yalborap posted on Mar 5 2007 at 04:18 PM said:
Though if you're willing to do a USB adaptor for say, 20 dollars or so I would be quite interested...Or is that a total lack of any scrap of profits?
Jackd posted on Mar 5 2007 at 05:19 PM said:
If you did decide to make stuff like this how much do you think you could sell a usb female/tv out cable cord for.
I am not opposed to building the EXT to USB and TV-Out. But I don't have a supply of the EXT connectors or the money for circuit boards. I might be designing a simple method to do TV + USB, but without an inexpensive source of EXT connectors it is really hard to do.

Something that would help is a TV+ cable from GPH with all the pins in it, or maybe all but the Jtag pins. Then we could add the USB to it with about 3-4 quick wires soldered in. The TV-Out would be there already.

And we are way off-topic. On topic I hooked a PS1/PS2 to Xb/GC/PC adapter up to the GP2X with my USB host cable and I was able to Picodrive VERY nicely. (Does everyone else hate the new formatting tools on the forum? They really decrease productivity. :angry: ). The best part is that the PS1 has 10 buttons, I can use a 3-button Genesis/MD layout, +save/load state, +volume up/down, +emu menu, +switch render. All on the PS1 pad!! Thank you picodrive!! :D I need to add TV-Out to my e810 cable ;) . I haven't tried 2 controllers yet, but soon.

Downside is that the adapter wasn't really for the PC, I just hijacked the USB lines from the Xbox, so it believes it is on a "hub" when it isn't. I also found that the main menu works, but choose an option and it quits. This may possibly be due to the hub in the way, but I need to try it with my real USB Gamepad.

Props to Xpdf, my optical mouse works great :) .
 
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nubie posted on Mar 6 2007 at 06:54 PM said:
I am not opposed to building the EXT to USB and TV-Out. But I don't have a supply of the EXT connectors or the money for circuit boards. I might be designing a simple method to do TV + USB, but without an inexpensive source of EXT connectors it is really hard to do.
Connectors:
http://shengyihtech.manufacturer.globalsou...m-Connector.htm
http://walta.manufacturer.globalsources.co...ecom-Socket.htm
http://wiki.gp2x.org/wiki/EXT_Port_Connectors

PCBs:
http://futurlec.com/PCBService.shtml
 
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gavie posted on Mar 7 2007 at 05:33 AM said:
Yup, but you'll have to make sure the drivers work too

I bet they would, because I think they're just plug-n-play on Windows, no drivers needed. And since they also sell old school plugs to gamecube adapters, the layout seems pretty standard.
 
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xenonflash posted on Mar 6 2007 at 02:05 PM said:
Another way you could do this is by buying one of those kits from http://www.retrousb.com/ that allows you to convert your old controller to USB and plug in the USB to a BOB.
Hi, I'm the guy who posted the exact same thing above. Please read a thread before you go on to post. Or at least have the decency to qoute me and point "hey here is a link to that site he talks about."

I suppose I didn't make it an actual link and I rambled a bit. I used my PSX pad to play Picodrive via a USB today, Very nice, I have 10 buttons and can map every GP2X command to the pad :D.
 
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so if you started out with a gp2x tv out cable could you add usb female to it? I didn't quite understand what you meant when you said if gph had tv out +.
 
I like this approach more than USB (at least for now). Not a whole lot lets you use USB pads, but this would work with anything.
 
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