How To Build Your Own (8 Way) D-pad...

[bacteria]

Now it is so simple I am going to hook up an adaptor plug and have that available to plug in my Commodore Vic20 and Atari 2600 Joysticks for authentic crap control and blisters. (remember those)

Might add an old D pad as well - we will see.

Cheers.

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I too had a Atari 2600 around 1980 or so. (I am nearly 40 now - getting old). Yes, after playing for a while, you did get blisters.

Um, this will be unweldy - the joystick you refer to has more surface area than the GP2x! Sure, it would work (you could wire any controller to the GP2x and use it, as long as you know what wire works what direction on your external unit), but, (ahem) how about making something to sit nicely on the GP2x so the unit stays portable? Go on, make a D-pad - you know you want to!!

 

[minkster]

Wow, thanks for the diagram I would definately attempt to make this since I'm an experienced solderer. But, I would rather not drill a hole to put in my D-pad, and nor would I be good at making a D-pad myself. My question to you is if you can possibly solder the following with ribbon cable together in your diagram:

A+I = up
D+I = left
G+I = down
J+I = right
F+L = centre push

(for instance one end of the ribbon cable would attatch to letter A while the other attatches to letter I)

If I'm correct, if you wanted to use the original stock stick you could, but it would just work like a D-pad. Am I correct with this bacteria? Because I'm pretty tempted to do this

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You don't need to drill a hole in a D-pad - you are making one from scratch, remember! You can't use a commercial D-pad as they are pcb and hard to mount. I used a ring binder hold-punch to cut holes in the card (to stop the stock joystick from coming into contact with the D-pad), and a drill to bore a hole into a piece of floor tile (hole cut to go around the raised circle where the joystick surround it (this holds the unit firmly to the Gp2x and allows removal if required...). Keep it simple!

The wires have to be separate wires, as otherwise you can't feed 7 wires through where the old joystick hole is. A ribbon cable might work, but separate the wires first (and colour code them so you know what goes with what!)

There is a lot of confusion about the joystick/D-pad business <_< . The connections to the back of the joystick itself allows all movements - the 4 directions, the diagonals (which we don't need as the 4 way makes diagonals), centre push. We don't want to use the joystick itself, only its connections (bypassing moving the stick at all). The point is to make a D-pad raised above the old joystick, so you don't accidently catch it, (ie the joystick stick DOES NOT MOVE), when you move the D-pad, it triggers the connections on the back of the joystick fooling it into thinking that you did use the joystick (which you aren't). The point of this is that you can have very accurate movements from your D-pad, ie left is left, etc.

Crude diagram

A - D-pad
B - gap to stop any movement from joystick while you use the D-pad!
C - joystick stick (sticking out of the GP2x a bit) - illustration
D - that lousy stock joystick!
E - the connecting pins for soldering (pertrude from the back of the motherboard)
F - motherboard inside Gp2x

My unit is designed with (about) 85 degrees tolerance with each of the up/down/left/right movements and something like about 20 degrees (in practice, not mathematically) for diagonals. Make yours as you want to. Works great.

Make a unit and test it with an old battery and a light, as illustrated in my post. If you can't make a good unit, you haven't had to open your GP2x, all you have lost is time. Nothing to lose this way!!

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Oh ok, now I understand. So you basically soldered the corresponding wires from the joystick to a switch (in your case you used tinfoil right?) to recognize the movements through the d-pad to trick the joystick.

Now did you place these switches in between the gap that stops the movement from the joystick? (lettter B in your diagram)

I was thinking that one could use tact switches instead of tinfoil
Here is a pic of what they look like:
You can buy real small ones, I have a couple 4mm tact switches lying around.

 

[grahf]

Someone mentioned in another thread, the d-pad on Gamecube controllers is pretty tiny. I may pick up a cheap used one.

 

[bacteria]

Oh ok at now I understand. So you basically soldered the corresponding wires from the joystick to a switch (in your case you used tinfoil right?) to recognize the movements through the d-pad to trick the joystick.

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Absolutely right Minkster!

Now did you place these switches in between the gap that stops the movement from the joystick? (lettter B in your diagram)

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The wires from the D-pad ( A ) go through the hole ( B ) next to the stick ( C ); the wires then pass through the gap in the motherboard ( F ) by the left shoulder button, and then attach to the pins on the motherboard (rear joystick pins). Luckily, there is plenty of space by the left shoulder button for wires to pass alongside.

I was thinking that one could use tact switches instead of tinfoil
Here is a pic of what they look like:
You can buy real small ones, I have a couple 4mm tact switches lying around.

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Sounds interesting. I used tinfoil because it is so flat, gives good control and contact. Using thin foam stickers (like "sticky fixers" from Sellotape for example) provides a switch as the foam acts as a springy material - when pressed, it compresses and provides the circuit. I used this principle for the Push button, and a central foam pad, cut to size, to pivot the D-pad itself. You need to keep the D-pad final product as flat as possible, otherwise it gets less comfortable to use.

Your tact switches look an interesting alternative, and could be worth playing with. The only issue is whether the final result allows a small amount of pressing to complete the circuit (as with tinfoil and foam, which you can modify to requirements) or if it needs too much pressing to activate. That you will only know when you make a prototype. There are many ways to make a switch after all, yours is nice in principle as it is pre-made; mine is fiddly, but can be made as soft to touch as required.

Interesting idea, I will look forward to your update.

 

[bacteria]

Someone mentioned in another thread, the d-pad on Gamecube controllers is pretty tiny. I may pick up a cheap used one.

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I tried using Nintendo D-pad controllers. Problem is they sit far too high on top of the GP2x to use comfortably, and that is after working out how to secure it properly in the first place.

You could however use the 4-way contact pad, cut the block out (so it isn't too big), use some foil (secured by blu-tack or glue) on each of the four contacts (the carbon doesn't conduct properly on wires, so you need to use tinfoil as the contact), and position the two wires under each of the four contact pads (so you press the rubber bit, down does the tinfoil, completing the circuit. The rubber pad base does not glue, it is too slippy - use sticky foam fixtures. On the top of the 4 rubber contacts, secure (with sticky foam fixture bits) a cardboard (very firm) circle top, and this should work fine. This would give a flat enough final D-pad.

Any queries with the above, let me know and I will try to answer your questions.

 

[grahf]

I was planning on taking the d-pad, contact pad, and using a cutout piece of the pcb from the GC controller. The PCB isnt thick at all, and would work better since it has real contact pads. Anyone have pictures of an opened gamecube controller? Im havnt got a spare one to take apart right now, just wavebirds..

 

[Turambar]

I have a clear 3rd party wavebird style controller here and the pcb seems to be the perfect size, the problem is theres nowhere to solder wires onto.

 

[grahf]

You should be able to lightly scrape the covering off the pcb on one of the traces and solder to that. You'd need small wire of course, and a dab of flux may help to flow solder to it.

 

[minkster]

Your tact switches look an interesting alternative, and could be worth playing with. The only issue is whether the final result allows a small amount of pressing to complete the circuit (as with tinfoil and foam, which you can modify to requirements) or if it needs too much pressing to activate. That you will only know when you make a prototype. There are many ways to make a switch after all, yours is nice in principle as it is pre-made; mine is fiddly, but can be made as soft to touch as required.

I've used tact switches in mods such as my NES portable...which is made out of an original NES board. I used tact switches for the built in controller d-pad and A and B buttons. I have to say that they worked great for a controller and it doesnt require much of a push either. B)

 

[bacteria]

I was planning on taking the d-pad, contact pad, and using a cutout piece of the pcb from the GC controller. The PCB isnt thick at all, and would work better since it has real contact pads. Anyone have pictures of an opened gamecube controller? Im havnt got a spare one to take apart right now, just wavebirds..

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The only potential issues I see is that:

a ) you remove the joystick supplied with the GP2x, and cut away at the Gp2x case. If you mount the GameCube (or similar) pcb in the recess, at just the right height, it should work (assuming you have traced back the right joints on the GameCube pcb part and soldered wires to them. This of course would work, however, it would mean doing some heavy work to the GP2x, and you could end up with a nackered GP2x or making a potential bodge of cutting a hole in the GP2x, if you aren't careful.

or

b ) the finished unit will be too high on the GP2x to be usable (unless you dispense with the D-pad top and use a flat circle of card/coin. Issue with this is that the wires will need to still go through the old joystick hole, which means the wires from the pcb need to be in the centre (which would make the GameCube pcb useless).


I suggest making your own pcb with glue and tinfoil, staple the wires to the right place (wires 1mm apart, so the rubber buttons with carbon (with foil on it) pressed down will make the contact work); rubber buttons on top, and a circle above it to act as a D-pad. This will work great. If you use sticky floor tiles (2 layers), the bottom layer can sit on the GP2x (hole cut for the existing joystick hole) and a flat layer above (with a hole drilled in the right place), this would give you a strong base as the pcb itself. This is the method I have used...

 

[bacteria]

Your tact switches look an interesting alternative, and could be worth playing with. The only issue is whether the final result allows a small amount of pressing to complete the circuit (as with tinfoil and foam, which you can modify to requirements) or if it needs too much pressing to activate. That you will only know when you make a prototype. There are many ways to make a switch after all, yours is nice in principle as it is pre-made; mine is fiddly, but can be made as soft to touch as required.

I've used tact switches in mods such as my NES portable...which is made out of an original NES board. I used tact switches for the built in controller d-pad and A and B buttons. I have to say that they worked great for a controller and it doesnt require much of a push either. B)

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Fantastic work. I saw a site a while ago where someone converted old consoles into portable game machines like this. Very impressive. I will be really interested to see what gadget you make for a D-pad, how it looks, and what you ultimately think of it on the Gp2x. Game on! Fantastic!

Where in the UK can you buy such switches, and how much do they cost?

 

[grahf]

I should have mentioned that i do plan on removing the stock stick. There is quite a bit of room in there if it was to be removed. The reason im looking at the GC controller is that the D-pad is relativly self contained.

I have no problem with cutting a hole in the gp2x case, or otherwise modifying it. I'll have to measure it when i get home from work, but it may be possible to use the entire top portion of the plastic around the d-pad on the GC controller. That way its just a matter of drilling a hole in the 2x with a hole saw, and moulding the plastic together. Of course i'll have to measure everything after work..

 

[bacteria]

I should have mentioned that i do plan on removing the stock stick. There is quite a bit of room in there if it was to be removed. The reason im looking at the GC controller is that the D-pad is relativly self contained.

I have no problem with cutting a hole in the gp2x case, or otherwise modifying it. I'll have to measure it when i get home from work, but it may be possible to use the entire top portion of the plastic around the d-pad on the GC controller. That way its just a matter of drilling a hole in the 2x with a hole saw, and moulding the plastic together. Of course i'll have to measure everything after work..

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I look forward to hearing how you get on. If the GameCube's D-pad is too big, you could use one from a GBA or old Gameboy (the D-pads are smaller).

I don't know if removing the joystick would cause any problems, and have no idea if there is any impact on the connectors ("C" and "I" in my original post). Shouldn't be any issues, I just don't know for certain. I look forward to hearing from you if all works out ok, and any problems you overcome - whether it works or not, and what you use to elevate the GameCube pcb from the GP2x motherboard (I suppose the old sticky floor tiles would work!). Look forward to your update.

 

[grahf]

Yeah, i'll have to take some measurements when i get home. I may remove the stock stick tonight if i have time. Another button will have to be added elsewhere for the center push function of the stick since a lot of programs use that + top buttons to quit or menu, but i'll worry about that later.

 

[minkster]

Fantastic work. I saw a site a while ago where someone converted old consoles into portable game machines like this. Very impressive. I will be really interested to see what gadget you make for a D-pad, how it looks, and what you ultimately think of it on the Gp2x. Game on! Fantastic!

Where in the UK can you buy such switches, and how much do they cost?

Thanks You can buy tact switches from where I bought them at www.digi-key.com
I also think Radioshack's may have tact switches...they come in all sizes too. I suggest a small 4mm one. They aren't too pricey either, you can try ebaying it too. As for starting this project, it may not be for a while because I fractured my elbow and currently am in a cast on my soldering arm

I may try doing this mod some time down the road, or even try making a whole new case for it with the proper size for a D-pad. Hey bacteria, by any chance do you have a picture of what the joystick looks like when its off the case itself? I'm just curious to see how you built it.

Oh and the site you are thinking of is probably www.benheck.com or www.portablesofdoom.org with converting the old game systems into portables.

 

[bacteria]

minkster, thanks for the links.

The alternative to the tact switches is the rubber pads used on commercial D-pads (or in remote controls for that matter). Nice and springy, and robust. On my next prototype (in a few day's time), I will make one with these, to compare against.

 

[Epicenter]

You should work out some sort of a service to send in your '2x to have a custom pad installed. I'd gladly pay for that, as I don't have a dremel handy nor am I particular dextrous with one.

 

[bacteria]

You should work out some sort of a service to send in your '2x to have a custom pad installed. I'd gladly pay for that, as I don't have a dremel handy nor am I particular dextrous with one.

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Not a good idea to send your machine away, too risky for both parties. If you want to upgrade your GP2x, it is best you do it; then if you don't like the result or make a pig's ear of doing it, you only have yourself to blame!

If you make a design which sits on the GP2x itself, as I have been suggesting, there is nothing to remove and you won't need a dremel, etc. This is only relevant if you want to do what Grahf is going to do, in using a full height D-pad in the GP2x and thus having to do surgery on the GP2x itself.

 

[grahf]

GC d-pad is a little larger than it looks. It still should work, but will be a tight fit. I may have to go with something else, but its a shame because GC controllers are fairly cheap used.

 

[FluffyPanda]

How about this?

Sure, it might be a tight fit, but at least it supports center-click :lol: