Can We Use A N64 Controller To Control The Robot

[Joe Matt]

Originally posted by ronnie_82
Mine team asked FIRST if we can use a controller from playstation and they said no because must video game controllers are not 15 pins

I think the PS controller is digital output (or the old ones are), so that would be out of the question, but if you can make a 15-pin GCN or N64 controller, I would pay you to ship me one and pay for the cost of the controller and conversion.

[Adam Y.]

Mine team asked FIRST if we can use a controller from playstation and they said no because must video game controllers are not 15 pins

Thats odd because I rember somewhere on another forum someone once said they saw an andvertisement from IFI that said you could use a playstation controller.

[John Bono]

...amount of ignorance...astounding...
Okay:
1) How many analogs there are on a controller shouldn't be the sole source of its selection--the largest consideration should be ease of the conversion to 15 pin.
2) Unless they changed it, there's still that $100 electronics limit that still applies to controls. Keep that in mind if I'm right on that one.
3) Just use a controller designed for 15 pins. My Axis Pad has served me quite well, and should address all of your control issues.

[jacob_dilles]

If the N64 controler is hard to modify, what about PS2? It only has 9 pins on the connector so I would think that it was digital, but I am just guessing... Does anybody know if it would be possable to use it?

Also, I saw an add once that advertised using a PSX (PS1) controler on a small robot. Would that work?

In both cases I assume that an interface box would have to be built. Any information at all would be helpful... -Jacob

[Duke 13370]

Confucius says: "PINS MEAN NOTHING!"

The OI cannot accept data from the following without external cuircutry: any sony playstation controller, any Nintendo controllers, any sega controller created after saturn, xbox, and newer versions of atari.

It can kinda accept the following: old atari (joystick style), older sega controllers. That is it! no more! (at least fromt eh console market)

read my last post, i'm not crazy.

Please note, you can use some of the others, but you would need external custom circutry. And i don't mean some soldering of a couple wires, i mean a small control board at least the size of a playing card, with much design and implementation work. -- Get over it, it doesn't work!

<edit>
neo geo controllers are perfect, they have everything and are simple, you need only do some minor soldering to get them to work.
</edit>

[Steven Carmain]

We've thought of using racing wheels for the OI, but it was all digital inputs. My sugestion is not to use any game controller, unless you can find a wiring schematic, especially if you mix up power and ground. Other things you have to do is make a connection system, decode the signal, and make a circut to control the robot. There is no way you can design one now, but offseason you can try.

I found a wiring diagram for a N64 controller here

P.S. I don't think you can use WaveBird controllers because it may interfere with the control system. If you can figure out what the frequency is, and it is not 900 mhz, then talk to First. They will probally say no.

[bethMonster]

i don't know about how you would go about it, but i has to be allowed. i saw a team with a dance dance revolution (for ps1) pad as part of their controls at the cleveland regional.

[Al Skierkiewicz]

My understanding of the rules are this...
Anything you can come up with that is wired through the 15 pin connector is now legal with the stipulation that wiring errors may void the OI warranty. Teams have been getting control awards based on gloves and special mats used for control.

[Caleb Fulton]

All you need for digital inputs to the OI are switches. All you need for analog inputs are 100k ohm potentiometers if you wire them properly. Look at how the controllers are wired and go from there...It would definitely NOT be impossible, especially with older, simpler controllers.

Edit: You could also make your own controller, like we did this year

[Josh Hambright]

Rewiring things is fun.... If anyone saw our controls last year we had the cool looking flight sim controls that were completely rewired...or our controls this year that the most standard part of what a modified Y-Cable...everything else was custom wired up in some way
Just make sure whatever you do that you document it thoroughly...I didn't realize it till competition but our trigger and top button on our arm joystick had been switched and we didn't notice it till we tried to have them controlling something!

I'm now working on some ideas for a trackball control! hehe it would be great for a kiwi drive or crap drive type design!

[Nate Smith]

Originally posted by wysiswyg
Thats odd because I rember somewhere on another forum someone once said they saw an andvertisement from IFI that said you could use a playstation controller.

In talking with some of the people from IFI, they have an OI in development which has playstation compatible ports in place of a couple of the 15 pin ports...originally, this past years' CDI was going to be played using EduBots with the new OI, but IFI had some delays in getting the new equipment working(part of why CDI was cancelled this year, from my understanding)...