Changing a controller

CORaven

Just wondering is it feasible to modify an xbox 360 controller (wired) to work on a Gamecube/Wii? There seems to be little or no interest in doing so online as most people who want to play GC games use an emulator instead. I have a decent library of games (Metroid Prime 1+2, Eternal Darkness, Smash Bros..) that I think would be nice to revisit without having to re-adapt to the small controller.

I understand that it could be a stupid question, but I have no experience when it comes to this.

Myrddin

The Gamecube joypad is generally regarded as the best of them all. Maybe pick yourself up a Wavebird for it?

CORaven

EnterNow wrote: »

The Gamecube joypad is generally regarded as the best of them all. Maybe pick yourself up a Wavebird for it?

Apologies, I should have clarified that it should be an xbox 360 controller.
However, I will look into the Wavebird.

TouchingVirus

CORaven wrote: »

There seems to be little or no interest in doing so online

Not the only reason, the other one being because it's insane :pac: Of course it's possible, but not worth the trouble at all.

The wired controller for a 360 works over USB, so it's got 4 pins - VCC+, GND, D- and D+. It is a digital controller - 2 data pins controlling 13 on/off buttons, two radial sticks and 2 triggers.

The gamecube uses just one data pin in addition to voltage/ground. The incompatiblity of the two means non-standard hardware is involved to convert the pad input into the appropriate output. And you'll probably have to reverse engineer to find out what those input/outputs are, which will require hardware.

To give you an idea about how complex this is, have a look at the pinout doc and specs for the Gamecube, if you're feeling brave download the C++ source code and have a read of it

http://www.int03.co.uk/crema/hardware/gamecube/gc-control.htm

CORaven

TouchingVirus wrote: »

Not the only reason, the other one being because it's insane :pac: Of course it's possible, but not worth the trouble at all.

The wired controller for a 360 works over USB, so it's got 4 pins - VCC+, GND, D- and D+. It is a digital controller - 2 data pins controlling 13 on/off buttons, two radial sticks and 2 triggers.

The gamecube uses just one data pin in addition to voltage/ground. The incompatiblity of the two means non-standard hardware is involved to convert the pad input into the appropriate output. And you'll probably have to reverse engineer to find out what those input/outputs are, which will require hardware.

To give you an idea about how complex this is, have a look at the pinout doc and specs for the Gamecube, if you're feeling brave download the C++ source code and have a read of it

http://www.int03.co.uk/crema/hardware/gamecube/gc-control.htm

Thank you TV for your post. Ok, I really out of my depth here.
So converting the usb input/output to the Gamecube plug, we can rule out. I'm not that brave.

What about a different approach? Rip the insides of a GC controller and put them in a xbox360 one. Or is that off the wall too?

TouchingVirus

CORaven wrote: »

Thank you TV for your post. Ok, I really out of my depth here.
So converting the usb input/output to the Gamecube plug, we can rule out. I'm not that brave.

What about a different approach? Rip the insides of a GC controller and put them in a xbox360 one. Or is that off the wall too?

It's probably the more practical solution of the two, I don't have a Gamecube so I can't tell if the circuit board would fit into a 360 controller shell though it should be cheap enough to find out. If I remember rightly it's all pretty tight inside a 360 controller. May require some butchering of parts. It's a interesting mod though I'm not interested myself in finding out :P

Myrddin

What I was saying is, the Gamecube pad is generally regarded as the best designed pad out there - it's madness to try adapt a 360 pad for the GC. Seriously check out the wavebird, its highly rated.

wotzgoingon

I agree. The gamecube controller was the best fitting controller in your hands I ever used. I think it was down to have no rumble. Or very slight rumble. That is the part that fits in your palm, was thin and was not thick like other controllers which had rumbles inside.