I’m planning on using a PS1 dual shock controller for my stick. However, I’d like to replace the analog LED light as well. Can I use an LED light that can be found in most computer cases? There is usually an LED for power and HD, and it attaches to a wire and connects to the motherboard.
Hmm. Getting one from a computer case? I bought a pack of 20 from radioshack for like $2. Head to Radioshack or your local electronics store and look around.
IIRC, the LED in dualshock’s are bidirectional LEDs, one that are green when the current goes one way, and red when the current goes the other way. If you’ve found an LED from a computer case that fits that description, then you most likely can, but I’m used to seeing only normal on/off LEDs in cases. Hit up your Radio Shack or Fry’s and buy a bidirectional LED (make sure it has 2 legs, not 3) from there.
All I want the LED to do is tell me it’s plugged in. If I buy them, what specs should I be looking for? 3.3v? mA? etc. Would I need to solder resistors to them as well?
I don’t think that’d really be necessary. I can’t even think of any condition that would cause it to glow green, other than maybe applying a -5V Vcc, which should never occur anyway. Is there really any reason not to just use a standard LED?
Knowledge bombs AWAY!
Dualshocks when first plugged in don’t know if the game using the controller needs or even knows how to handle the extra data it can send, so they start off in all digital mode, LED off. You can press the analog button to switch to analog ‘red’ mode, so additional information gets sent. The console can send commands to the controller to manually set to the mode it wants and then lock it so pressing the analog button doesn’t do anything. That’s analog ‘green’ mode. The LED mode is controlled by the chip on the pcb, and can send the current through one way for red, and the other way for green. It technically could repeatedly switch it back and forth so it looks orange, but I don’t know of any times the PSX or PS2 does this. The power led on a Wii is the same way. It’s only one led, but can be red for off, green for on, or rapidly changing back and forth so it looks orange for ‘suspend’ (pretty much off but with WiiConnect24 still going).
Replacing that LED just for a silly ‘hey its on!’ light isn’t a great idea because it’s usually off anyways unless the game specifically asks for it or someone presses the analog button. Instead, just grab whatever LED you want, a proper resistor (if you don’t know, go for 1k ohm. Never, ever, less than 200 ohm.) and an LED and just wire it up between the VCC pin and ground.
K Toodles, I did a bit of research, because I was thinking to myself, “Self, when does a dual shock analog go green?” And I could think of nothing. From what I found, the only controller that does that is the Dual Analog controller, where green was flight stick mode or something like that. But I can think of no instance where the Dual SHOCK turned green. As for the analog light, I’m not sure about the DS1, but on many games that required analog for PS2, the light would remain red, and pressing the analog button does nothing. Are you SURE the DS1 has a bidirectional LED?
http://www.the-nextlevel.com/features/hardware/dual-analog-pad/Hmm. He’s comparing the dual analog to a dual shock 2 and not a dual shock 1.
I may have to find a copy of colony wars. Or I could make an arduino sketch to try and set green mode to see how it answers. But I think I’ll have to hold off on that. I think we can agree that wiring a power LED would be better done directly between VCC and GND instead of replacing the analog light.
I’d trust wikipedia with my SOUL.