4-Controller to USB Adapter Project

Fizzi · Feb 21, 2012

Intro

Hey guys, I'm a last year Computer Engineering student at McGill University in Montreal. I worked on this project last summer primarily for the experience and because I wanted to be able to have some kind of portable melee. I've been using this thing to play on my laptop since.

I wanted to make this thread for a few reasons:
1) If anyone else is looking to do anything similar, I could perhaps help out.
2) If anyone has any ideas for improvements/other projects that might be cool.
3) To show how awesome it is :D

Demonstration Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hgi_-K5HXd0

"Making-of" Album:
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150202447076304.310536.688776303&type=3&l=df53851c50

Cost Estimate

GC Female Connectors: $7.89 (Cause I can't find a way to buy just the connectors and shipping costs for bulk extension cables from China are really high)
USB Cable: $0.08 (If bought in bulk with extension cable purchase from China, shipping not double counted)
Board: $6.00
Parts: $9.95
Case: ??? (Don't know yet)
Time: Tip/Donation? (This would be the time it takes to solder the board, make the case, ship it, etc)

Total without Case: $23.92 + Shipping
Total with Case: ??? + Shipping

Acknowledgements

USB Communication powered by LUFA (http://www.fourwalledcubicle.com/LUFA.php)

Status

Update 4/10/13:
I want to get back to working on this. I've decided that I simply do not have the time to make a lot of these myself as they take about 3+ hours of labor each to make by hand. That said... I am working on getting a final version ready and I may take custom orders but I will be charging a price higher than I would have liked. This way I will have to make less as less people will order them and I'll at least get something for my time. If in the future I find a way to get these mass manufactured, the price will definitely go down. I haven't fully decided on a price yet.

Update 4/25/13:
I've just been made aware of a really affordable commercial product that apparently works well. Find it at http://www.amazon.com/GC-Controller-Adapter-PC/dp/B0089NVTDM .

This was a fun project but I definitely can't compete with prices like that. If anyone has any questions regarding controller communication protocol or anything technical regarding the project I'll be glad to chat.

JonnyW · Feb 21, 2012

Duuuude this thing looks sick.

Melomaniacal · Feb 21, 2012

Any input lag?

Kal · Feb 21, 2012

That is pretty amazing. I don't know about the legal issues with selling these, but you should consider doing so. I'd buy one. I'd also love a tutorial on how to make one.

Fizzi · Feb 21, 2012

Melomaniacal said:
Any input lag?

None. The only lag you get is lag running the emulator (if your computer isn't good enough) which is completely different than the lag you get when playing on an HD TV. The device itself has no lag.

Kal said:
That is pretty amazing. I don't know about the legal issues with selling these, but you should consider doing so. I'd buy one. I'd also love a tutorial on how to make one.

I haven't really looked at it either but if I were to sell them I would need to find a better way to manufacture them. For now I would recommend http://www.raphnet-tech.com/products/gc_n64_usb_adapters/index.php . The guy that made these helped me out a bit with making mine, unfortunately his adapters are only one-to-one.

Regarding a tutorial... I know sometimes people sell kits which you have to solder yourself. Maybe I'll look into that option. The only problem is there's some highly non-standard parts used. Primarily the female gc connectors which I obtained by buying extension cables and cutting them in half. The case might be an issue too. Alternatively I could make a tutorial about how to make one from an Arduino UNO, without casing. That might be easier, I'll consider it.

Massive · Feb 21, 2012

Does this use the standard windows USB joystick driver?

Fizzi · Feb 21, 2012

Massive said:
Does this use the standard windows USB joystick driver?

Standard windows gamepad driver. As far as I know the joystick driver only has analog on the joystick? I needed more analog inputs for the c-stick and the r/l triggers.

This is the configuration page provided by windows that can be used to calibrate the controllers:

Notice how there are four choices on the left side. One per controller input.

♡ⓛⓞⓥⓔ♡ · Feb 21, 2012

This is pretty cool, looks good also! Something like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bL9IVIecFT0&feature=related

but with:

-4 controller ports

-bigger screen without lag

-huge battery that would last for hours

-SD-card/USB-port/internal memory/flash for loading games and save states, would also make the battery last longer because you wouldn't need discs

-speakers (obv)

-2 tv outs,

one for the TV if one wants to use the device as portable GC

and the other one RCA out for recording

One can always dream

Oh, a portable GC with SD loading has already been done:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yesH8XIsDm4&feature=related

Massive · Feb 21, 2012

That portable gamecube build is pretty damn awesome.

I bet it eats batteries like Halloween candy though.

edit:
An awesome build for anyone interested in doing it.

A gamecube with an SDloader that has a built in upscaler for use with modern HDTVs.

Nine · Feb 22, 2012

THIS IS GENIOUS

Nintendo should totally hire you so you can use it for the next smash bros :D
hope the next smash brothers isn't a disappointment like brawl :/

LLDL · Feb 22, 2012

^ I'm pretty sure they know how to add gamecube ports lol.

But yeah this project is great, keep it up.

CableCho57 · Feb 22, 2012

Nine said:
hope the next smash brothers isn't a disappointment like brawl :/

its on the wii u with that janky controller
and sakurai is still behind it

so we already know

Arcansi · Feb 22, 2012

CableCho57 said:
its on the wii u with that janky controller
and sakurai is still behind it

so we already know

It's also on 3DS

We never know.

Sinji · Feb 22, 2012

Good stuff. keep it up.

stelzig · Feb 22, 2012

Arcansi said:
It's also on 3DS

We never know.

It will probably be even worse on the 3ds. On the wiiu there is at least a good chance that the classic controller will be usable.

Both the OP controller stuff and the handheld GC was very cool. Do you really have a laptop that can actually emulate melee properly though? :O

l0telephone0l · Feb 22, 2012

Not gonna lie, surface mount soldering is a nightmare when you're starting to learn it. I built a pre-amp using only SMD's and I felt like I could do brain surgery afterwards. This is really great! Release schematic and PCB design?

Mr.Jackpot · Feb 22, 2012

Does the C-Stick work?

Dan Salvato · Feb 22, 2012

If Melee becomes popular on PC, it'd be nice to have a good way of producing many of these.

Teczer0 · Feb 22, 2012

This is actually incredible.

Just yea.

Fizzi · Feb 23, 2012

Funny to see people posting in here that I played at Apex (Teczero and Sinji). I played you both in friendlies on the same set up in fact I think, near the back door on day 1, I'm a falcon player.

stelzig said:
Do you really have a laptop that can actually emulate melee properly though? :O

Actually it's amazing how smooth the latest builds of Dolphin are. I can even run it relatively smoothly on my desktop which only has an old dual core processor (granted my video card is beast). My laptop has an i5 and it runs near-flawlessly.

l0telephone0l said:
Not gonna lie, surface mount soldering is a nightmare when you're starting to learn it. I built a pre-amp using only SMD's and I felt like I could do brain surgery afterwards. This is really great! Release schematic and PCB design?

I'll try to release everything shortly. In truth I didn't know whether I wanted to do something with the idea/try to sell it... but I suppose I'll just release it all under some kind of open source license.

Mr.Jackpot said:
Does the C-Stick work?

Yes. The C-stick uses the X-rotation and Y-rotation analog inputs you can see in the calibration picture I posted before. Slider and Z-rotation are the L/R triggers.

Fizzi · Mar 18, 2012

Bumping because I have added everything to GitHub for those interested.

TerryJ · Mar 18, 2012

So God damn sexii. Take my wallet.

rhan · Mar 19, 2012

I would want one of those.

Not only to play Melee and various GC games through an emulator. But so I don't have to use a Xbox/Ps3 controller for the other emulators. A Gamecube controller just feels more natural to me anyway.

Really though you should copyright (or whatever it is) this and make profit.

danieljosebatista · Mar 19, 2012

This is such a great idea, good stuff man

GimR · Nov 29, 2012

How much would it cost?

dkuo · Nov 29, 2012

extreme bump there LOL

although now that online melee is becoming more viable this is more relevant now

hi melee online fb group

iffy525 · Nov 29, 2012

dkuo said:
although now that online melee is becoming more viable this is more relevant now

Or if you want to play smash in hd widescreen with all of your bros.

Fizzi · Nov 29, 2012

Hard to say. I was noticing some connectivity issues with my first prototype. Inputs would stop being registered and you had to move the device a little to make it work again. It wasn't overly common but were I to release it I'd prefer to have a flawless product.

The issue sounds like it may be a bad connection or maybe my traces were too small or something. In any case, since then I've made improvements to the PCB and I really need to get it fabbed and test it out.

If I were to make them myself I would only charge price of materials + shipping as my contribution to the community since so many others donate a lot of their time to making the community better. The problem is it's hard for me to make them myself and really get into it because I work full time. Another option is to get them manufactured and I don't know anything about that.

Cost of materials would likely come out to about $40-50 I think. The benefit of this one over the others though is the possibility for four gamepads at once.

Divinokage · Nov 29, 2012

I have tested this with Fizzi before, it's definitely awesome... no lag at all. /Vouch

knuckles213 · Nov 29, 2012

i want to know how much this would cost where do I go to buy it?

odinNJ · Dec 1, 2012

Nah man don't open source it, make some cash off this thing you deserve it

Deadgye · Dec 1, 2012

I've always wanted to do something like this but I've always been too lazy to bother getting started. Really good work. Definitely going to run through your schematic and code when I have some free time later. Final year comp eng undergrad here as well so if I see any improvements or fixes I'll be sure to let you know.

Fizzi · Dec 1, 2012

The design is basically an Arduino daughter board. This is because I did my initial testing and development on an Arduino UNO. As such, it is possible to make a couple connections to an Arduino UNO and flash both processors to achieve the same result.

Feel free to look through it

. If you have any questions you can always pm me.

Fizzi · Dec 1, 2012

I put in a preliminary list of costs in the OP.

The easiest thing for me would be to sell without the case. Would anyone be interested in purchasing the board with everything soldered but with no case? I'll get a picture up here once I get my new boards and parts in and solder them. Would look kinda like this: http://sphotos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/175704_10150261036706304_5280394_o.jpg

Regarding making the case, my previous case was 3D printed. That said, 3D printing is rather expensive and is not suitable for production - even smallish scale production. I want to experiment with molding and casting but I have no idea on whether it'll be successful or the cost per case at this time.

LLDL · Dec 1, 2012

Perhaps make the 3D file available to the public as well and sell without case until you find a more suitable solution.

Juggleguy · Dec 1, 2012

How much does the case cost?

Fizzi · Dec 2, 2012

So I put an order for 3 of my new version of the board and parts. I updated the price to reflect the actual cost of parts. Ended up being cheaper than expected.

I still need to test to make sure it's stable and once I'm happy with it I'll put in an order to make more which I can sell.

I'm not sure about the price of the case yet. I actually have to design a new case to work with the new PCB and the new connectors still (because China didn't send me the same connectors even though I specifically asked first and was told it would be the same)

AXE 09 · Dec 2, 2012

=O I want!

Gea · Dec 2, 2012

Just wanted to voice support for you. Sorry for the sort of late response. I'd definitely be interested in one once I had the funds. Case and all.

ElloEddy · Dec 3, 2012

Can I buy one?

4-Controller to USB Adapter Project

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