Modding 64 controller for new joystick and macro buttons

[Grazfather]

The long term idea is a controller that allows you to hold a (new) button while smashing other buttons, which will be recorded to a macro button, which would be nice for fighting games. I'd also like to replace the joystick with better ones. I have an xbox controller I snapped in half (drunk on paddy's day) so I got two joysticks from there. I plan on using a PIC to convert the analog signals from the joystick to quadrature encoding so the chip on the controller is none-the-wiser. I'd also like to tap in a programmer port and at least two new buttons. For now I figure I'll just use them as super fast double jump (for ness/yoshi in SSB) and short hop (simulate a short button press no matter how long the button is held), and later change those buttons over for the macro.

I have a pic programmer, but right now I just have some 12f683s, which don't evne have enough pins for the quadrature conversion (2 analog in and 4 out required... 12f683 has enough analog in but pin 4 is digital in only which copulate me over). Got pic recommendations?, and does anyone know of somewhere I can get controller schematics? I have one open right now but I haven't got an n64 to mess around with, so for now I figure I will read up as much as I can.

Thanks,

Grazfather

[Blizzaird]

I don't know about the macros, but for the control stick it would be easier to just use the circuitry from a cheap 3rd party controller. They use potentiometer control sticks to begin with so no conversion is necessary to use an xbox style control stick.

[Grazfather]

Yeah, but the thing is we have about 10 original controllers so i think it would be nice to have something down so we could do it for all those when it's their time.

Someone's already done it.

http://nfggames.com/forum2/index.php?topic=3574.0

[Grazfather]

Bump. I'd like to actually make some progress before it's back to school...

[blaze3927]

so you want to use a rapidfire mod to djc?
itll work good with ness but with yoshi youd still have to do it manually rapidfire djc with yoshi is just a freaky wavedash sorta thing,
i use xbox controller for smash bros online we should p2p sometime

[Grazfather]

Not just rapid fire, but macros as well, hopefully eventually programmable too.

You play p64k then? I don't play on my computer much, I prefer the actual console.

[blaze3927]

Yeh i play 64K I run the australian kaillera server ( see my sig for very beta website), console is a lot better but netplay is worth it
and if you get this working id be very interested, iv'e been thinking of doing a similar thing myself except using an xbox controller shell with a horipad controller (the horipad uses an analog stick for c buttons)

[Grazfather]

What's the point of using the joy-c with ssb64 though?

I'd love to get this started but I don't have a scope and I can't find a lot of information about the controllers, so who knows when I will have the time.

[blaze3927]

i find that its easier to shorthop as well as DJC, for djc i just spin it up (down to right ) as my thumb moves up to the a button, works great for Nair shield breakers with ness

[Grazfather]

Oh good call.. that would make it a lot easier. I plan on adding a double jump and a short hop button though