Chief Delphi - usb to db15

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- - usb to db15 (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/showthread.php?t=31057)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adam Shapiro

This was my assumption as well. We were considering creating a Playstation controller drive system (just for fun) but decided that, even if we did (which I believe we probably will in the upcoming month or two), it would be illegal if it went through a PC.

The alternative to PC control, which I do believe is allowed, would be to create the interpreter using digital circuitry, transistors, and/or logic gates. For the most part, the circuit can be done simply through basic logic although a microcontroller may be necessary to communicate with certain serial-type controllers (PSX included). For more info on how console controllers communicate (systems from NES to N64 - not only Nintendo! ;) ) check out http://www.arcadecontrols.com/Mirror...pro/index.html and http://www.gamesx.com/controldata/psxcont/psxcont.htm. Following instructions on their site, and one other, I was able to create a PSX->Parallel interface and simple driver which could be easily converted to work with separate circuitry rather than a computer.

Feel free to PM me if you have any more questions. I'll be sure to post a thread and pictures as soon as our team gets working on the controller project in the next weeks.

**EDIT
Now that I think about it, I seem to be having a Déja-vu about this topic. I think I may have posted this same information last year (or possibly the year before). I'm too lazy to search right now but if anyone wants to, feel free.

I was wondering about using an xbox controller, and I know where I can get my hands on some xbox controller ports. Is there any way that someone can think of that I can use the wiring from the controller to connect to the D-15 port?

Quote:

Originally Posted by 663.keith

for the off season, my team was looking at converting an xbox controller to fit the operator interface. so far we have been unable to find a USB female to db15 male converter (we have found an adapter to get the xbox controller to work on USB). Is there any way to accomplish this?

With a simple google search I found a SmartJoy X USB Adapter I think it is what you are looking for. As for the programming side of things I don't have the slightest clue, but this will adapt an XBOX Controller to USB.

Good luck

From what I've seen about it, xbox controllers are usb controllers. Their pinout is a bit weird, but there's definitely usb in the xbox (For more info about that, look up modding your xbox to include a usb hub, its a simple hardware mod)

Our team is intrested in using an XBOX controler.

I'll see what I can find on these sites.

Here's how this would have to work:
(I'm working with USB for a senior project.)
USB is a serial bus. This means that it has 2-way data communication over a balanced signal. The usb connector also happens to have +5 and GND.

I'm assuming that the XBox controllers have some kind of 'smarts' in them to multiplex (that's assemble) the button pushes into a serial data stream for the USB. So, first off... they require power. I wouldn't recommend trying to draw power off of the OI joystick ports without talking to IFI about current limits, which I don't think are published as such. Secondly, since you aren't allowed a 'computer' at the player station ... well, you can see where I'm going with that.

Now other issues aside the techy details...
A PIC18F4550 appears to have USB support and is in a PDIP package, which means you could actually solder to a IC socket. (It's not a surface mount)
Then you need to write the pic code to decode the probably custom data stream from the XBOX controller and demultiplex it into a set of digital outputs. Then you need to D to A the outputs for the analog sticks because the pic doesn't have built in D to As.

Now how I would do it:
I'd disassemble the xbox controller and see what's inside... I'd try to re-wire it so that each of the buttons has a direct output line to a DB-15 connector.
I'm rusty on my rules, but I don't think you are allowed to do this. (Check)

Quote:

Originally Posted by jzampier

A PIC18F4550 appears to have USB support and is in a PDIP package, which means you could actually solder to a IC socket. (It's not a surface mount) Then you need to write the pic code to decode the probably custom data stream from the XBOX controller and demultiplex it into a set of digital outputs. Then you need to D to A the outputs for the analog sticks because the pic doesn't have built in D to As.

The 18F4550 is only capable of acting as a USB peripheral, not a USB host. You would need something capable of acting as a USB host to talk to the XBOX controller. Since USB was designed to simplify the peripheral side of things, implementing the USB host hardware is more complicated and therefore hard to find in a microcontroller package. Additionally, the software side of the USB host is also fairly complicated.

Quote:

I'd try to re-wire it so that each of the buttons has a direct output line to a DB-15 connector.
I'm rusty on my rules, but I don't think you are allowed to do this. (Check)

I believe this is legal but unsupported by IFI. However, the biggest problem you will face is that the XBOX controller's analog potentiometers are probably not 100K which is required by the IFI OI. We tried to use a PC-based controller that was similar to the XBOX last year but eventually gave up as we couldn't find a decent way to replace the pots inside the device (which I believe were 15K) with 100K pots.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jzampier

Now other issues aside the techy details...
A PIC18F4550 appears to have USB support and is in a PDIP package, which means you could actually solder to a IC socket. (It's not a surface mount)
Then you need to write the pic code to decode the probably custom data stream from the XBOX controller and demultiplex it into a set of digital outputs. Then you need to D to A the outputs for the analog sticks because the pic doesn't have built in D to As.

<R69> says that anything plugged into the joystick port must be powered by the joystick port. You will very likely run into issues trying to power your processor off the joystick port. And of course you have the USB host issue Dave pointed out.