DobsonatorX
Still Fresh
maybe use parts to make it from a hobby shop and a guide on how to make it so others can make the accessory. that gets around the costly prices of moulding companies.
pandora accessories idea
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renegadechic
Active Member
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That could work. I actually have a few old playstation and old xbox controllers hanging around. The things i wouldn't know how to do is any controller circuit for the switches, or any of the programming needed to make them work when plugged in. Would be amazing if it could be made to work. I'd probably want to recess the extra parts a little to give better room for the existing shoulder buttons but other than that...
I reckon i will be dismantling my spare xbox controller when i get in! Wish i was a bit more tech savvy though!
Why not just use the EXT port? Doesn't it have spare GPIO lines? You could basically just hook up the switches to those lines. Maybe a debounce circuit would be needed, but other than that it's a lot simpler than interfacing USB
-my $0.02
-my $0.02
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renegadechic
Active Member
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tbh both are just as difficult to me, however, i would eventually want to incorporate USB things like a hub or 3G and flash memory drives into it somehow so going straight into usb would be better. plus the GPIO connectors, though we have a supply now, are in the longer term less accessible.
DobsonatorX
Still Fresh
ill make it as simple as posible. there will be no programming needed. only crafting skills i.e. drilling holes, glueing etc.. and of course soldering.
items that will be required for this off the top of my head.
small hobby box.
4 push to make buttons
4port usb hub
simple usb game controller.(maybe with daulshock)
1 males usb plug
2 female usb sockets
DobsonatorX
Still Fresh
no no no no. im not using the EXT connector. usb is so much more simpler. plus im not doing any programing as i hated my programming course at college. i find just modding usb controller to be the easiest otion.
milkshake
Advanced Member
I like this thread, it would be better to make a mold based on the original bottom but to include more L/R buttons, that way you could unscrew and remove the original buttom and put the new one in 
Why do you think USB is simpler?
IMO the best way to handle clipping the buttons onto the Pandora would be to buy an extra battery cover and Modify it.
As for connecting to a port on the back, I would recommend using a cable instead of building the connector into the housing.
As for connecting to a port on the back, I would recommend using a cable instead of building the connector into the housing.
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GiraffeeDreams
Always Dreaming
I took a USB keyboard and with a bit of butchery and a glue gun i have working L2 and R2 buttons via the USB and its easily removable, they are the O and P keys so you plug in and its instantly L2 and R2. Simple as you like, not exactly pretty but cost me 3 pounds to make it plus the keyboard (which i had laying around).
May I see some pictures? I am curious where exactly you put the buttons, and how you made it removable.
RE: EXT vs USB
I realize now the merits of both solutions. I see little point in debating this further. Those considering USB should look at the Teensy the package is very small, easier to work with than a modified keyboard and the possibilities for adding input devices to the Pandora are virtually endless, (buttons, joysticks, knobs, dials, sliders, pressure sensors, range finders, thermometers . . .
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DobsonatorX
Still Fresh
because i dont need to design a pcb just for a few buttons when i get connect an already made usb controller pcb and a usb hub that will give two extra usb ports and solve the problem of having a usb hub hanging out just to get some devices to work that arnt high speed.
just having this dice solves 3 problems the community keeps asking for.
#1. extra trigger buttons
#2. extra usb ports
#3. a fix for usb device conflict that are not high speed usb.
GiraffeeDreams
Always Dreaming
Ill take a picture either tomorrow or sunday as I have a bit of work in between, but I'll post it up, the buttons are on a small board and are fairly small, they sit between the hinge and the current L and R buttons, the removable bit is just the fact it plugs into the USB, and can just take it out if need be.
I'm not exactly a wizard with electronics, but it was dead simple, literally added 4 wires and 2 buttons onto a keyboard usb board (with the usb controller on board).
No PCB design is required for the EXT port, in fact no PCB is required at all.
EXT Port solves this too.
Using the USB port (instead of EXT port) for L2R2 buttons complicates this.
This will use up an extra port on whatever hub you choose to add.
Also, should you choose to use the USB port instead of the EXT port you will REQUIRE not only the keyboard but a USB hub as well.
I don't understand why a USB hub with one less port and with buttons added on is is superior to a USB hub.
Why would you need four, you are only adding two buttons AAUI.
No hub required when using EXT port.
Not required when using EXT port.
MarioPandio
Well-Known Member
I love the sound of this. Gfrancisdev had no need to say its his bad as numerous prior ideas had floated about, all requiring at least the pads being used and at the least a few wires led from there to drilled holes on the outside with some kind of makeshift buttons.
@Nardella if the EXT port is used for these buttons can the TV OUT still be used at the same time? Or would a dedicated EXT port cable that allows for both at once be required? USB may get around that. Forgive my ignorance please, I'm just asking.
@Nardella if the EXT port is used for these buttons can the TV OUT still be used at the same time? Or would a dedicated EXT port cable that allows for both at once be required? USB may get around that. Forgive my ignorance please, I'm just asking.
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Well I've seen some diagram of possible buttons working with the EXT port.. but I don't think it's as easy as wiring up switches to it like what I seen.. I think some de-bouncing circuitry will be needed as well as a driver will need to be developed since the UARTs where never designed to work that way. using the USB although it adds a bit of circuitry to the design can simplify things on the software level since there will not be any need to create a special driver it can work like a normal HID.
@Nardella whats the big deal if this thing is taking up one port in a USB controller? for example it's using a 4 port USB Hub controller and one is being used to control some buttons, It's still more than the Pandora has by default.
@Nardella whats the big deal if this thing is taking up one port in a USB controller? for example it's using a 4 port USB Hub controller and one is being used to control some buttons, It's still more than the Pandora has by default.
RE: TV Out
It would be near trivial to make TV out possible with this accessory. I can think of many ways this could be done.
RE: Hub USB port use
I didn't convey my message properly. Basically I was trying to extol the virtues of using the EXT port and railed a little too hard in regards to that specific issue.
The bigger issue is that you would require keyboard circuitry as well as hub circuitry. This will be costly, complicated and consume more power. All that will be needed for the ext port is the connector wire switches and casing. I've been told that debounce can be handled in software.
RE: Debounce, software, drivers and such.
PCSX-ReARMed already supports GPIO buttons.
-Posted from my Open Pandora
It would be near trivial to make TV out possible with this accessory. I can think of many ways this could be done.
RE: Hub USB port use
I didn't convey my message properly. Basically I was trying to extol the virtues of using the EXT port and railed a little too hard in regards to that specific issue.
The bigger issue is that you would require keyboard circuitry as well as hub circuitry. This will be costly, complicated and consume more power. All that will be needed for the ext port is the connector wire switches and casing. I've been told that debounce can be handled in software.
RE: Debounce, software, drivers and such.
PCSX-ReARMed already supports GPIO buttons.
-Posted from my Open Pandora
DobsonatorX
Still Fresh
yes but using a usb controller you would be able to make the trigger buttons
anologue pressure sensitive like the ps2/3 buttons are.
the gamecube has pressure sensitive trigger.
i see that using usb is the best option for this.
using ext can be dont, just not as well and what is the point of using ext
when the whole idea was to add two extra usb ports in the process of adding this to your pandora
plus your forgetting the feature of daulshock built into this device from the controller
and a type of storage device to store games and such
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Neelix
Insecticidal Maniac
There's a number of ways this might be done... One that comes immediately to mind, would be to mount an EXT port socket on the accessory to act as an AV pass-through.
That way, you could have your AV accessories, and your gpio/uart accessories, and you could connect either or both... of course that also relies on EXT port socket availability, which is probably almost as hard to get as the connectors themselves. Perhaps OPL could sell some though?
Just a thought.
- Neelix
