Universal Controlller

[Busterblade]

Has anyone ever thought about a universal controller before? Something that works on many different consoles? I can think of a hard, better way to do it, and an easier, not quite as good way to do it. I think it would be moderately easy to get a prefab controller, gut it for the shell, and then make interchangeable boards that snap in. This way, storing the control boards would take less space than storing a whole bunch of controllers.

But the hard way makes it possible to control several systems all with one integrated controller. This way, you would cram several boards together, like NES and SNES, into a large controller, like Xbox 360 or Dreamcast. Then you drill a hole for a switch button.

An even harder way would be to somehow combine multiple game systems' controls onto one board. I am unsure of that is even possible however. Maybe this is all just a pipedream, and I can certainly use individual controllers, but I just think my concept is cool. What do you think?

[gannon]

The best way that I could think of is using an existing controller that has what you need on everything, then making a converter box that decodes/encodes it to other things. You could have it auto-switch depending on which console is currently powered on/plugged in, and have it default to a certain one when 2 or more are powered on at the same time.

[Busterblade]

Yeah, sounds good. I'll look into making a converter box. Thanks, gannon. If any of you have ideas or experience with making a converter box like this, please let me know.

[madc0w]

The easiest consoles to do would be Neogeo, atari and genesis, since they just require no chips, just imputs. Also, SNES and NES you can combine, as snes just uses two of the NES chips.

[Krepticor]

I thoght about his and want to eventually do a mod hat contains an intellevision, Colecovision, Atari VCS, NES, SNES, Sega CDX, Saturn, Turbo Graphix 16, Dreamcast, Gamecube, N64, Neo Geo AES (with posible MVS converter), PS2 , and XBOX

Of course If I do a cosmetic mod, then I would also do some Hrd mods such as region switches, OClock, RGB-> Component (I would have a total Component, S-video, composite, and analog RGB outputs)

Of Course I would want the coup-de-grace of mods to be the awesome universal controller, I also believe that this would require a large amount of programming knowledge...

That is way too far in the electonics than what I know as of now, with that said I off to search for a book on the topic

[Busterblade]

Hey Krepticor, let me know what you find ok?

[Krepticor]

It may take a while since I basically have to learn the secrets of the universe... I was kinda saying it is possble but only with those who have a very large amount of training in the subject of electrical engineering...

I plan to fudge it someday but that is kinda like my cheap little dream...or pipedream...whichever it may be...

[csurban]

just an idea, couldent you isolate and take the decoding chips off each controller and then just wire each chips traces to corosponding buttons? there is no need for the whole board of each controller.

[gamemasterAS]

The first thing I thought of when I read this was Coop of Megas XLR. And how he wages war and the town gets destroyed over him protecting his universal remote. I need to stop watching cartoons.

[Krepticor]

I love Megas!

But the biggest issue is that some controllers need their own switches but what is really needed is the isolation of each button...but they do not make 40p1t tact switches tht can fit inside a controller...so a digitallyprogrammed chip is the way to go...

I just don't know how to do this...marshallh? (since he is like the programming god in this forum)

[johnnyC]

Has anyone ever thought about a universal controller before? Something that works on many different consoles? I can think of a hard, better way to do it, and an easier, not quite as good way to do it. I think it would be moderately easy to get a prefab controller, gut it for the shell, and then make interchangeable boards that snap in. This way, storing the control boards would take less space than storing a whole bunch of controllers.

I actually came up with the same idea. My idea, however only focused exclusively on specialized controllers (i.e. flight sticks, steering wheels, etc.).

I also spoke of it here. I post on that site's boards under the name kattanFAN.

[Xilleto]

good idea. i would just love to play Halo 2 on the Xbox 360 with an original Xbox controller rather thhan the 360's... im better w/ original Xbox, and I lost 3 ranked games in a row.

[heroicraptor]

good idea. i would just love to play Halo 2 on the Xbox 360 with an original Xbox controller rather thhan the 360's... im better w/ original Xbox, and I lost 3 ranked games in a row.

There's a tutorial on xboxscene on how to make a USB adaptor for the Xbox controller.