Modding/building an arcade stick for PCE and SFC

Winniez · 01/25/2018, 09:42 PM

I have been thinking about building or modding an arcade stick to use with PC-engine. The same stick should also work for Super Famicom. Those are the two systems it must be compatible with, various other systems would be a nice bonus.
I already have an extra Mad Katz Tournament Edition fightstick for PS3 gathering dust, the project should be based around that. I have 3 main concerns: lag, compatibility and price.

The most obvious solution for me would be a padhack based around PS1 controller and using various adapters from Tototek. I have understood that those adapters add next to no lag. They have a wide selection of them each priced at $20, so for $40 (+shipping) I could build a stick with support for PSX, PCE and SFC. And there would be an option to add more adapters in the future, like MD and Saturn. Button mappings seem sensible too. Are there any reasons why this might not be a good idea?

The other option would be to use one of those multi-PCBs, but I have some concerns about the lag and compatibility. Since I really only need PCE and SFC the padhack seems simpler.

CZroe · 01/28/2018, 11:40 PM

Many people make them with Neo-Geo style Dsub 15 connectors wired straight and the adapt at the other end. This allows them to be used for JAMMA and Neo-Geo too, especially since many superguns have Neo-Geo ports.

You can use this board to adapt two sticks to PC Engine:
https://oshpark.com/shared_projects/5BpBrxA5

You won't even need a 2p tap or multitap! The author also has a 1P version.

Here is the board you would use for NES/SNES:
https://oshpark.com/shared_projects/7r2HOceb

jperryss · 01/29/2018, 08:33 AM

Quote from: CZroe on 01/28/2018, 11:40 PMMany people make them with Neo-Geo style Dsub 15 connectors wired straight and the adapt at the other end. This allows them to be used for JAMMA and Neo-Geo too, especially since many superguns have Neo-Geo ports.

I padhacked controllers for NES, SNES, TG, and GEN using the DSUB15 method and just stuck each PCB in a little project box. It was tough to find a proper cable since most VGA cables don't have all 15 pins wired. I have a thick Monoprice one that works fine, but it's not very flexible.

CZroe · 01/29/2018, 08:48 AM

Quote from: jperryss on 01/29/2018, 08:33 AM
Quote from: CZroe on 01/28/2018, 11:40 PMMany people make them with Neo-Geo style Dsub 15 connectors wired straight and the adapt at the other end. This allows them to be used for JAMMA and Neo-Geo too, especially since many superguns have Neo-Geo ports.
I padhacked controllers for NES, SNES, TG, and GEN using the DSUB15 method and just stuck each PCB in a little project box. It was tough to find a proper cable since most VGA cables don't have all 15 pins wired. I have a thick Monoprice one that works fine, but it's not very flexible.

Yeah, that's essentially the same thing except those boards replicate the controllers and the TG16/PCE one also replicates a 2P controller tap.

Should probably avoid VGA cables though. VGA is a very different DSUB15 than Neo-Geo (three rows of 5 pins versus two rows of 8 and 7 pins). Neo-Geo uses the same one as Famicom EXT and fits PC game ports. You can get the connectors and wire them for cheap without splicing up an existing cable and hoping it uses all the wires. Heck, you can even get IDC versions that don't require soldering (clamp onto ribbon cable):
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F231583196640

Neo-Geo and Famicom have deeper connectors than most DSUBs but they work with the other style just fine. That's most DIY arcade projects use the standard off-the-shelf DSUB15.

Console5 and GameDoctorHK have the "deep" style extension cables and cables with one end unfinished.

jperryss · 01/29/2018, 11:51 AM

Ah, I don't have a Neo Geo and thought it was the same. I probably shouldn't have quoted it in my post. I used VGA-type DSUB ports for mine.

I also use a cheap SNES-to-USB adapter with that padhacked SNES box so I can play PC emulators.

CZroe · 01/29/2018, 07:45 PM

Quote from: jperryss on 01/29/2018, 11:51 AMAh, I don't have a Neo Geo and thought it was the same. I probably shouldn't have quoted it in my post. I used VGA-type DSUB ports for mine.

I also use a cheap SNES-to-USB adapter with that padhacked SNES box so I can play PC emulators.

If you switch to the two-row DSUB 15 then your setup would also work on superguns and some native arcade boards with no extra adapter (many MVS games have controller ports)! Another reason: many other DIY controller projects use the Neo-Geo pinout... like this one:

Winniez · 02/02/2018, 01:18 PM

Interesting, I have to look more into that.
The PSX padhack+adapters can get pretty expensive quickly with more systems added. For SFC, PCE, MD and Saturn it would be around $100 with shipping (+possible customs). For such a rudimentary solution thats a lot.

Gredler · 02/06/2018, 06:52 PM

I got a MC Cthulhu board modded fighstick from this forums secrete santa, and was able to successfully crimp a RJ-45 onto a SNES cable so that it would work with that too.

It works well with my PCE, SNES, PC, PS1 2 and 3. I am hoping to make cables for the saturn, dreamcast, and NES as well.

https://paradisearcadeshop.com/fgc-console-joystick/1828-toodles-mc-cthulhu.html

http://forums.shoryuken.com/discussion/46572/the-official-cthulhu-and-chimp-thread-try-our-new-dreamcast-flavor
http://forums.shoryuken.com/discussion/100475/rj-45-multi-console-cthulhu-arcade-stick-tutorial-ver-2