Skip navigation

community

Up to Discussions in The Ben Heck Show
331 Views 6 Replies Latest reply: Feb 20, 2012 10:10 PM by Cabe Atwell RSS
DRN Level 1
DRN
6
Currently Being Moderated

Feb 14, 2012 9:22 PM

Multiple System arcade stick challenge

Hey Ben

 

Love the show,

 

We are building a multiple console arcade.  We have several consoles and are building them into a single cabinet. Many of our favorite arcade games have been released on consoles so the idea was spawned to integrate a few console together into one arcade console.

 

Getting the video right was easy in theory but complex in building.  We simple took a few set top converters and are putting them inline, essentially when a signal is transmitted from any of the consoles it forces the signal to the display.  The console themselves are inside the coin door so changing games is just a matter of open the door and changing the game.

 

THE TROUBLE is getting the controllers to work together and play nice.  We want one set of arcade joysticks to control everything but are having trouble hacking them together. A good example of the issue is that Sega and Atari controllers are interchangeable but Nintendo and Xbox 360 controllers are not.  Is there a clean way to interchange the controls for multiple consoles without complicated rewiring each time we change consoles. 

 

Thanks

 

Dave

Attributes
Tags: challenge, ben_heck, hack, arcade, video_games
  • Cabe Atwell Level 10
    Cabe Atwell
    Currently Being Moderated
    1. Feb 16, 2012 4:23 PM (in response to DRN)
    Re: Multiple System arcade stick challenge

    Dave,

     

    The only issue I see in switching controller is that the ones on the XBOX, Wii, or PS3 have quite different functionality between them, let alone compared to old controllers.

     

    I would start with emulating the most advanced controller, and figure a way to adapt them to the simpler consoles.

     

    Alternatively, you can put a small PC/computer inside the cabinet that would handle all the translations.

     

    Is it like a arcade stick style controller that you all make?

     

    Cabe

    http://twitter.com/Cabe_e14

  • DRN Level 1
    DRN
    Currently Being Moderated
    2. Feb 16, 2012 5:01 PM (in response to Cabe Atwell)
    Re: Multiple System arcade stick challenge

    Hi Cabe

     

    We have alot of experience adjusting a single controller to the Arcade Stick (think Mortal Kombat).  Our thought was to have a hard wired solution that had switching built in.  Relaying the signals thru a PC/ microcontroller would be a nice option but is a bit complex without a starting point. We are pretty good with hacking hardware but are not so talented when it comes to programming. If there is a good start point we would be very appreciative.  Even just a hardware start point and documentation to guide thru the principals would be an asset.

     

    Thanks

     

    Dave

  • Cabe Atwell Level 10
    Cabe Atwell
    Currently Being Moderated
    3. Feb 16, 2012 5:10 PM (in response to DRN)
    Re: Multiple System arcade stick challenge

    Dave,

     

    I have seen a lot of controller to PC or between console mods before.

     

    To help you better, what consoles do you plan on having in this cabinet?

     

    Cabe

    http://twitter.com/Cabe_e14

  • DRN Level 1
    DRN
    Currently Being Moderated
    4. Feb 16, 2012 6:59 PM (in response to Cabe Atwell)
    Re: Multiple System arcade stick challenge

    Cabe,

     

    The console we are using are Atari, Sega Genisys, Nintendo, Snes and Xbox 360.  We have abandoned the Atari controller an split the output of a sega to the 2 consoles (atari and Sega)  they use the same 7 point pin out.

     

    Typically we would soldier the points on the controllers to the cherry switches on the Joysticks/Buttons (look at the Happ joystick, standard arcade buttons) .  The cherry switches has Normally open switches and bridge the contact when depressed to allow the signal to ground out.  This allows us to avoid figuring out the button to clock pulse assignment. 

     

    We tried wiring the controllers in parallel and only turning on the console of our choice ( ie the d-pad up signals all wired together and then the grounds for each together).  This approach has caused ghosting (mutliple keystrokes on a single depress)  and rendered 2 xbox controllers useless.  I love the smell of burnt electronics apparently!!!

     

    The pc to console option seems a bit overkill. We had thought about using an arduino microcontroller to process the inputs and bridging the output to the various controllers.  But this involves multiplexers and demultiplexers and code that is beyond my ability.

     

    Cheers

     

    Dave

  • DRN Level 1
    DRN
    Currently Being Moderated
    5. Feb 19, 2012 9:09 PM (in response to DRN)
    Re: Multiple System arcade stick challenge

    Hey

     

    After much googling I found an awnser to the problem.  It's called a MC Cthulhu,  It pretty much does everysystem ever buil (except the 360 of course) but i will just utilize a ethernet cables and outlet as a switch adapter.

     

    Thanks for the help

     

    Dave

  • Cabe Atwell Level 10
    Cabe Atwell
    Currently Being Moderated
    6. Feb 20, 2012 10:10 PM (in response to DRN)
    Re: Multiple System arcade stick challenge

    Dave,

     

    I was going to suggest that next. MC Cthulhu. See more, including controllers and such at http://www.lizardlick.com/

     

    Also, here is a guy using a Cthulhu adapter and a 360 controller.

     

    Cabe

    http://twitter.com/Cabe_e14

Related Content


Related Products
Discussions
  • Retrieving data ...

Bookmarked By (0)

Legend

  • Correct Answers - 50 points
  • Helpful Answers - 25 points