Converting a GameCube controller into USB

codebandit · Post by **codebandit** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 3:52 pm

Since I'm cheap I was wondering if I could convert my standard GameCube controller that came with it in the box could be converted to USB as a game controller.

I did some research on the pinout for both USB and GC controllers. I found that the GC controller has 7 pins, pin 5 apparently as no use leaving 6 pins to use in my conversion. Pins 3, 4, and 7 all appear to be grounds according to

http://www.int03.co.uk/crema/hardware/g ... ontrol.htm

I don't actually know much about how much how it all works but I feel like the designers of the GC controller wouldn't put 3 grounds in a controller if it weren't necessary. I found a retail converter, that I don't want to buy, and a driver that looks iffy at best for free but comes with it. The Converter according to the website above says that all the grounds are combined into the one in a the USB pinout

That leaves pins 1, 2, and 6 for pins that are needed to do the final conversions. I found a USB pinout

http://pinouts.ws/usb-pinout.html

that says

USB Signal Color Description

Pin 1 VCC Red +5V
Pin 2 D- White Data -
Pin 3 D+ Green Data +
Pin 4 GND Black Ground

(All the following are taken from the first website I linked for convenience)

GC Color Description

Pin 1 Yellow 5V power supply
Pin 2 Red DATA line: bi-directional data to/from console, pull-up to 3.43V
Pin 3 Green Ground
Pin 4 White Ground, retail converter combines with pin 3
Pin 5 *
Pin 6 Blue 3.43V logic supply
Pin 7 Black Cable Shielding / Ground

* The website doesn't list what color pin 5 is, and also says the pin is insignificant? Can anyone verify this?

I understand how to combine the grounds but it is very unclear to me what pins go with which other than that. I know that when converting a xbox (oldschool xbox) controller to USB you can simply match the colors, but the GC controller is not that simple.

So, after a somewhat long post, I was wondering if anyone could shed some light on what pins go with which.

Thanks so much for just reading this post, and thank you again if you post anything that might help me and possibly others.

grossaffe · Post by **grossaffe** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 5:12 pm

you probably need a USB programmer to do it.

bgnome · Post by **bgnome** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 6:25 pm

if you have an old xbox controller, you can rewire that to usb easily. the GC controller is not going to be straightforward.

Twilight Wolf · Post by **Twilight Wolf** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 8:22 pm

If you really want to use a GameCube controller on a PC, there are adapters out there that can do that. I've got one, actually; bought it at Wal-Mart. Cost me $10, but it was down to around $5 last time I checked. You can use a GameCube controller as well as Xbox and PS2. The only downside is that the software doesn't support the analog triggers of either the Xbox or GameCube controllers.

grossaffe · Post by **grossaffe** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 8:55 pm

Twilight Wolf wrote:If you really want to use a GameCube controller on a PC, there are adapters out there that can do that. I've got one, actually; bought it at Wal-Mart. Cost me $10, but it was down to around $5 last time I checked. You can use a GameCube controller as well as Xbox and PS2. The only downside is that the software doesn't support the analog triggers of either the Xbox or GameCube controllers.

I've seen those and considered getting one. didn't know it didn't support the analog triggers.

any idea if its supported in linux?

Twilight Wolf · Post by **Twilight Wolf** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 8:58 pm

Possibly, but I don't know. It came with a driver disc, but it might only be for Windows. I'm sure there might be some drivers out there you could use, though.

lifeisbetterwithketchup · Thu Jan 22, 2009 8:58 pm

You could try ndiswrapper.

jleemero · Post by **jleemero** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 9:00 pm

lifeisbetterwithketchup wrote:You could try ndiswrapper.

You could...
Wait, what?

lifeisbetterwithketchup · Thu Jan 22, 2009 9:02 pm

jleemero wrote:
lifeisbetterwithketchup wrote:You could try ndiswrapper.
You could...
Wait, what?

A wrapper that lets you use Windows drivers on Linux.

jleemero · Post by **jleemero** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 9:03 pm

lifeisbetterwithketchup wrote:
jleemero wrote:
lifeisbetterwithketchup wrote:You could try ndiswrapper.
You could...
Wait, what?
A wrapper that lets you use Windows drivers on Linux.

A wrapper that lets you use Windows drivers for Networking gear on Linux.
I've never heard of using ndiswrapper for anything but wireless drivers n' such, am I wrong?

lifeisbetterwithketchup · Thu Jan 22, 2009 9:54 pm

jleemero wrote:
lifeisbetterwithketchup wrote:
jleemero wrote:
lifeisbetterwithketchup wrote:You could try ndiswrapper.
You could...
Wait, what?
A wrapper that lets you use Windows drivers on Linux.
A wrapper that lets you use Windows drivers for Networking gear on Linux.
I've never heard of using ndiswrapper for anything but wireless drivers n' such, am I wrong?

Yeah, you're right.

I've never had driver issues in Linux with anything except networking stuff.

grossaffe · Post by **grossaffe** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 9:55 pm

jleemero wrote:
lifeisbetterwithketchup wrote:
jleemero wrote:
lifeisbetterwithketchup wrote:You could try ndiswrapper.
You could...
Wait, what?
A wrapper that lets you use Windows drivers on Linux.
A wrapper that lets you use Windows drivers for Networking gear on Linux.
I've never heard of using ndiswrapper for anything but wireless drivers n' such, am I wrong?

I think its just very common for networking. I think I remember them using it for Flash or something like that.

then again, it could've been a different wrapper

codebandit · Post by **codebandit** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 7:00 pm

Yea I've found the adapters, I was hoping that I wouldn't have to buy one, I also found a free driver here http://sewelldirect.com/mayflash-game-c ... rjoy13.asp

I was hoping that someone might have some idea about the wiring conversions the converter does.

jleemero · Post by **jleemero** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 7:06 pm

codebandit wrote:Yea I've found the adapters, I was hoping that I wouldn't have to buy one, I also found a free driver here http://sewelldirect.com/mayflash-game-c ... rjoy13.asp

I was hoping that someone might have some idea about the wiring conversions the converter does.

There aren't any "wiring conversions".
The Gamecube Controller is hooked up to a little PIC microcontroller (I have the exact adapter you linked to.), which is in turn hooked up to USB.
It runs a little code that takes input from the Gamecube Controller, and converts the commands into HID compliant Joystick commands, which it sends over USB.

codebandit · Post by **codebandit** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 7:54 pm

Gross, thanks though, that was the reply I was looking for.