New gamepad $4.55

[lauri.lotvonen]

Is there a guide yet to modify the Genesis controller so the one of the buttons works as UP for jumping/accelerating? I tried searching the A.org forums, but no luck.

[lauri.lotvonen]

Hi!
It's not difficult if you (or a friend of yours) have some electronics skills: it's just a matter of connecting in parallel with one wire the up pad contact with the button you prefer (disconneting the original wire connected to the button).

To "do the action" the joystick/gamepad just connects the up/down/fire/etc signal to ground (GND - usually black wire).

Ask a friend of yours in case... it's a matter of minutes once you have opened it.

BY!

I think I have the soldering skills for that, thanks for the info .
First I will try it on one of my old joysticks,let's see how it works out.
If someone has done this to an sega controller please up some photos.

[lauri.lotvonen]

Thanks, but for being more precise, it's unlikely that you'll find just wires inside the pad.
Much probably there is a PCB (Printed Circuit Board) under the hood.
In this case focus on the contacts/buttons behind the "up control" and the "button" you want to use for going up as well.
Secondly find the ground trace, common to all directions/commands (starting from cable wires, try the black one first): a multimeter is useful.
Thirdly you have to cut "button" copper trace with a cutter (not the ground but the other one), use the cutter to remove the (probable) green protection film on the PCB, and solder one end of a short wire near the "button", and the other near the up control (trace always treated with cutter for putting some tin on it).

Hope I didn't mess you mind with these things, but just to be more precise (despite I don't know exactly what you'll find inside the game pad).

Let us know!
BY!

P.S. These are just hints: I'm not responsible if you make a mess!  

Thanks again, thats just the way I thinked it would work.
I did some "researching" of my own, with the joystick I mentioned and it had PCB inside of it.
I will try to mod it this evening, any tips for the trace cutting? Just an sharp "knife" ? BTW, I ordered 3 MD/Genesis controllers, just in case something goes wrong :lol:.

[lauri.lotvonen]

This would be the deal to get

http://www.dealextreme.com/p/compactflash-cf-card-to-ide-hard-disk-adapter-card-ide-44-10310

$2.33

Thats cheap, and it works great. Have been using one in my A1200 for years now

[lauri.lotvonen]

Ok, so I got a hold of a original sega mega drive II gamepad, and modded it so the A button works as UP.

It was a fairly simple task, and took about 20 minutes to complete.

I just searched ground signal from the A button and UP button, soldered the other signal from A to UP and cut the original PCB trace from the A button.

Some pics:




The soldering isn't beautiful, but the gamepad works perfectly:).
BTW, works on C=64 too. Just noticed the pics have alot of dog hair in them, have to check that the controller isnt full of them too =P...

[lauri.lotvonen]

CRAP! I have one. CRAP!

Cross your fingers that the PSX to 9-Pin adaptor gets mass release. It will provide you with 2 Button as well as CD32 support and will not fry your ports!

I have one, and its great. Just one but, does not fit my A600 :angryfire:
Do you think I should do some more of my "skilled" modding to the adapter too :lol:?
And does it support button mapping so one of the action buttons is up? I read the PDF manual what came with it but I
lost it about a year ago.

[lauri.lotvonen]

Exactly what I meant!  
As you experienced cutting is just a matter of patience with cutter and "scratching" copper away (paying attention to nearby contacts/traces).
The gamepad will work as you expected on every system it worked before: nothing special.

With more handcraft you can add a switch to choose between the "normal behaviour" or the "up button" one.
But if you don't plan to use it back to Sega, it's ok anyway.

BY!

Kind of a cool idea, just a switch between the UP and A line, and the original A trace. But I wont install the switch(es), because I have load of controllers coming (6pcs), plenty enough for my Sega need's also .

The next thing would be ordering wirelles Sega MD/Genesis controllers.
Would be great if you could sit on our couch and play games from an 46" telly without the A600 dragged near =). Have anyone here tried those on an Amy before?