Bacteria's project: "Project Unity"

[bacteria]

Ok, wired up the cart connector to the master controller. The master controller isn't pretty yet and won't be for a while, until I know everything is working fully later in the project, however did trim some of the excess from the sides of the perspex, frankly, the controls are very easy to hold and use, which means when the controller is built properly, i'll end up with a very comfortable controller to use for all the systems.

In the photo you see the cart connector, closed up, my sheet of paper with all the connections mapped out, and the master controller on the right of the pic, wired up. I next need to wire up the male cart connector to the cables from the controller for the GameCube; and test - assuming that works, all 8 feet or so of cabling, then i'm in business!

[bacteria]

Ok, tested system, initially the joystick was telling the system to keep moving right, so used shorter ground wire and it seemed to remove that issue, then had issue with joystick in up position, so used a short length of wire to connect the grounds on the joystick rather than via the long cable, seemed to work, but after a minute or so, the joystick started to misbehave again. Clearly there is issue with interference on the lines as i'm using the same long cable for the data and H and V lines; that's probably the issue, i'll separate them and see if that helps; if not, have to split the joystick connections between the various cables to help with reducing interference, or other options.

The only other thought is interference on the game cart part, which will be harder to resolve, as would have to put in a grounding wire between each trace; or wire the game cart differently.

Needs more experimentation = delay!

[bacteria]

BRAINWAVE!

As the old saying goes, "If Mohammed won't go to the mountain, take the mountain to Mohammed"

I know full well when I get the current configuration working it won't work due to conflicts with other systems when installed, also, I don't like having 8 cables from the console to the controller - heavy and impractical.

Here's the brainwave: remember my old Multi system with interchangable consoles into one unit? I'm going to go the same with this project; have each controller board plug into the master controller itself; that also means only 1 cable of 8 wires (ie PSone cable) from the master controller to the console. Neat, no chance of interference on the lines and far shorter wiring.

I'll start on that tomorrow!

This will be awesome!

[bacteria]

Ok, before you guys think it, i'll say it - the below looks like a piece of crap, it will do at this stage.





The look of the internals to a system are not what's important after all, its the look of the outer shell that's relevant.

The controller is easy to use in all regards apart from the fact the shoulder analogs would be idealy about 1/2" - 3/4" lower - this can be sorted out later, at this stage, I want to concentrate on getting the electronics working.

What i've done though is to wire up the controller (all but the right joystick and the 2nd set of shoulder buttons) completely, to an N64 game cart, that the controller boards will slot into - which means the N64 "swap shop" games I posted - if you want them, hurry, or they'll get trashed for the boards, lol!

As mentioned, no need for diodes, or long extended cables, or interference between lines or conflicts of data - as each controller will be independent, and slotted in as needed.

I intended to have a shaped controller originally, however the backing part will need to be flat now to take the controller "carts", although those enclosures could be vacuum formed if appropriate; the front has to be flat as there will be overlays per system, so means the controller will probably end up fairly shapeless, although i'll give this more thought later on.

I think, although might be wrong, that the orientation of the main joystick remains the same for the various console systems. I have two choices regards the master controller and the joysticks:

1) I could have the joystick rotational if one console system needs the joystick in a different orientation.

2) I could have the joystick as part of the controller section, as thus, pops into place on the master controller in the orientation needed. Advantage of this too, is that many systems only use one or zero joysticks, so could just have a plastic circle extended into the master controller for a platform for the overlay, so doesn't even look like a joystick would be there in the first place, on systems like SNES for example that have no joysticks.

Option 2 is likely what i'll do - quite innovative too.

[CRTGAMER]

Looking great! Agree, who cares about the wires inside. As long as it works. Inside my Zaxxon mod looks like a tangled octopus.

[Jimmy Yakapucci]

Here is my technical question: Do you buy your hot glue sticks by the case? Absolutely no offense intended as I use it and Liquid Tape myself.

JY

[CRTGAMER]

I think, although might be wrong, that the orientation of the main joystick remains the same for the various console systems. I have two choices regards the master controller and the joysticks:

1) I could have the joystick rotational if one console system needs the joystick in a different orientation.

2) I could have the joystick as part of the controller section, as thus, pops into place on the master controller in the orientation needed. Advantage of this too, is that many systems only use one or zero joysticks, so could just have a plastic circle extended into the master controller for a platform for the overlay, so doesn't even look like a joystick would be there in the first place, on systems like SNES for example that have no joysticks.

Option 2 is likely what i'll do - quite innovative too.

Maybe a toggle or slide switch to change that orientation electrically? Might come in handy for certain flying type games where up actually feels better tipping the aircraft down.

[bacteria]

I find pressing up and moving down awkward in a game!

Regards hot glue - used to buy packs of 6 Loctite ones, good sticks but not cheap; bought some sticks fare cheaper in car boot sale and they work at least as well.

[bacteria]

Ok, some updates - apart from the 2nd joystick, the master controller is all wired up.

Had a second brainwave, the 2nd joystick, if used on a system, shares the same groundings and VCC data line pins as the 1st joystick; so frees a few pins up. Rather than having a different cable connected to each console controller that then goes into the master controller, instead, I have managed to have enough pins on the N64 cart to have 8 for the Playstation cable: this means the console controller can be entirely free from wires, etc, and it will plug into the interface (N64 cart slot) and not only communicate all joystick, buttons and rumble pack actions to the master controller but also receive the information via the cable from the Alpha Omega base unit to the master controller. In other words, each console controller will not only be independent, but will be made into a "cartridge" to plug'n'play via the N64 game port!

Here is the wiring guide. Using slightly thicker wires to reduce interference on the lines BTW.



Need to do a lot of checking before get to turn the system on for the first time of course.

Need to wire up the GameCube controller to the dead N64 game cart, for its interface to the N64 game port.

In this pic, you can see the master controller skeleton all wired up, the Playstation 8 strand wire connected into a removed Playstation controller port and wired to it is the GameCube cable. Also in the pic is the N64 game cart salvaged from the previous attempt, which i'll be using.



A couple of hours work remaining before at test stage, when I get the time, today or tomorrow hopefully.

[bacteria]

Because I stupidly kept the wires connected to the N64 game cart i'm getting interference on the lines. The reasons I kept them in place was that they were already soldered and hot glued it situ, and the colours of the wires made it easy to locate which ones I needed; however, I was getting interference on the lines. After a few seconds or a couple of minutes, the joystick kept moving eratically, and buttons stopped working. The issue must be the thin cables as when I wired the controller directly to the joystick on the master controller the issue remained; which indicates the thinness of the wires used from the console >N64 port > controller are at fault, at the controller end.

I have also identified that the N64 controller certainly uses the main joystick at a different orientation, so i'm going to make the joysticks integrated to the removable controller carts i'll have to make; there are advantages to this too; including that as the joysticks aren't going to be connected into the N64 port anymore, I can separate the lines better to reduce interference.

What this means in practice, is a step backwards, to remove all the controller wiring, and start again with the controller. Not a big problem, but a hassle.

I know what needs to be done/can be done, hopefully it will still work. The GameCube is a good system to do this testing with, it is far more sensitive than other systems i've looked at - for example, you only have to touch a button contact on the pad with your finger and it activates; yes, sensitive.

At least i've got the master controller with one fixed cable now; far better.