Help! How to use one console's controller on another!

[ReddMcKnight]

Hello all. I'd like to use my Sega Genesis Controller on my CD-i, and I've found pinouts for both controllers, but I don't really know what to do. Can anyone help me? Here are the pinouts for each controller:

http://pinouts.ru/Game/genesiscontroller_pinout.shtml

http://www.icdia.co.uk/cdprosupport/har ... di_ser.htm

[bacteria]

As a general comment, the only way to get one controller usable on another system is either because the controller board is simple, or luck. Some controllers are nothing more than traces to button contacts, whereas other controllers can have a board full of capacitors, resistors, chips, diodes, and other components. The simpler the system the more chance another controller might use it too and if you're lucky it's normally the Atari controller plug systems to my knowledge that you might get lucky with.

The systems you provided on the links are not in that category. That gets into the territory of my video here: and is far from easy to make.

[Hatta]

The CD-Is controller port is essentially a serial port, the Genesis is more like a parallel port. They are not electrically compatible. You are going to need to program a micro-controller to do any sort of conversion. If you are ambitious, there is some documentation here.

[JammaNationX]

Bypass the logic in most cases.

[CRTGAMER]

Any controller can be made to work in any console. Depends how much work you want to put in. Basically gutting out the console original controller PCB and matching the traces over to the buttons on the replacement controller. Also making that PCB fit either inside the controller or a custom extension box. Since the buttons are directly lined up with the other PCB, the replacement controller's original cable would be tossed.

Analog controls on the other hand more tricky. Getting the right resistance values or somehow integrating the potentiometers over to the replacement stick.

[Hatta]

Redd's problem is that he doesn't have an original CDI controller. So he doesn't have a controller to hack into for an adapter.

Like I posted earlier, someone already designed and programmed an adapter and released the specs. All it takes is for someone to put one together.

[bacteria]

CRTGAMER - All button traces are standard in principle of course; however i've opened up several controllers so seen the insides - on some controllers there is nothing special, just traces to the cable (Turbografx, Amstrad GX4000, and a couple of others); however many controllers do a fair bit of work themselves, using chips of various types, and a variety of components to make the signals work for the console and pass different signals down the same wires. They also don't like working alongside other controllers. Not all button contacts are the same either, some don't use standard universal ground, and in the worst case, Intellivision, it can need three contacts to make a button press not two.

If your controller has nothing but button contacts and traces, you need only know what connection goes where, and make an adaptor between the controller and the console, if the plugs are not similar.