projects / arcade / joystick ELECTRONICS
JOYSTICK ELECTRONICS
Since I am using both a Playstation 2 controller and a Dreamcast
controller, I cannot just solder them to each other and then to the
joystick panel. I need some way of switching between the two so they do
not interfere with each others electronics. I found these at the local
thrift store. They are data switches for printers. They each have a
switch capable of switching between 25 different points. The one on the
top has two positions and the one on the bottom has four positions.
The switch on the left is from the two position box and the right from the four position box.
On the controllers, there are 16 points that need to be connected to
the buttons and joystick for each controller. Since I have two
controllers, I need 32 points for switching between controllers. I am
lazy and only want one switch showing on the face panel to switch
between controllers. The data switchs have about the same size shaft in
the middle for turning the switching plates. I was able to take off one
section of the plates on the larger switch. (The section I removed only
switched three points) I then drilled a hole in the metal plate for the
exposed shaft to go through.
I was able to make an adapter to hook both switches together.
When I switch one switch, both switches turn.
I made a new adapter connecting the two switches together for two reasons:
1) The other adapter broke. (cheap plastic)
2) Since the larger switch is able to switch between four positions and
the smaller switch is only able to switch between two, the larger
switch would keep going when I twisted it. That would put stress on the
the adapter holding the two shafts together. The new adapter hits the
brace and stops the shaft so it cannot move. Both switches now only
have two positions.
I marked the sections of the switchs so I would have a map for soldering to the buttons and controllers.
I have seen other people put a terminal block to which you can screw
each wire. Since I know how to solder and since this cost me 1/10th of
what the terminal blocks cost, I chose to solder the wires to a PCB.
This will also give a better contact than screwing down the wires.
I only have the Joystick and Buttons soldered to the PCB at present.
I have the main part of the switch going to the joysticks and buttons
on the panel. The parts that switch are going to the PCB where I have
them connected to the controllers.
A view of the other side.
I thought about soldering the wires to the buttons but decided to use
the crimp terminals. I figure it will be easier to replace if one of
the buttons ever went bad.
I bought two $10 Madcatz controllers from wallmart for the PS2 interface.
I soldered the controller to the PCB and cut off the analogue sticks
because I thought I would never use them. When I tested the joystick on
my PS2, the character on screen was always going up and left. The
analogue stick must have some circuitry in it which helps the
controller normalize itself. I put the analogue sticks back on.
I decided not to use the rest of the box because as I kept adding
features, the wiring was too much to fit in the small box. You can see
the switch on the left below the joystick and the DC controller/memory
card and PS2 memory card adapter on the right below the buttons. You
can see the PCB all the wires are soldered to and the PS2 controllers
and other DC controller. You can also see the AV cables. I tried to fit
all that in the box but I was unable to put it in there without
breaking something. I just did not want to chance it.
