Hey Bencao, I’m about to test it myself and I don’t see why it shouldn’t work, but instead of using the inverter method, why not use 2 optocouplers for galvanic isolation of triggers and the buttons of the other PCB ? You could easily arrange to map the triggers to a low active or high active digital input (IMHO)
Booya. You guys are collectively “The Man.” Just followed this tutorial (transistor method with the new new MC 360 PCP) and it works like science. Post #4 with Zombie Cpt’s image needs to be stickied in the pad hacking thread. BTW, first time soldering, bonding metal to metal with molten metal FTW! Thanks again!
is this inverter stuff needed for all the currently on sale madcatz common ground 360 pads?
Hi guys,
I got a question about the inverter chip
Will 74LS04 or 74LS14 chips work for the triggers?
Thanks !
I am a non-EE, so bare with me, but couldn’t you just turn the pots to register as though the trigger was being fully pressed, then disconnect the ground pin from the board and put the micro switch between ground tab on the pot and the board ground?
Okay, bit of a strange issue. I wired up my LT/RT buttons with the resistor/transistor circuit Toodles posted on page 2. The problem is, it works great on LT, but on RT, the input only comes in once I DEPRESS the button. So I push in the button and nothing happens, but once I let go, I get an input. Nothing at any other time. But LT works as it should. I’m thinking maybe the circuit needs to be flipped for the other button?
So I think I finally made the major flub that people have been waiting for.
I’m using the 2009 version of the MadCatz pcb, which is almost 100% identical to the 2008 version, so all the solder points are the same. But when removing the left trigger plastic, even though I was careful, I pulled off one of the pots including the copper solder points underneath both the wiper pole and the ground pole. I tried soldering straight to the trace for the wiper pole, but it’s just so damn tiny. I finally just flipped the pcb over and saw that there is this little spot on the opposite side labeled C35 / C36 which is immediately opposite the wiper solder point, but I’m not sure what it is. Out of frustration, I went ahead and soldered to that spot as if it were the wiper point, and the left trigger stopped registering constantly!
Do any of you know exactly what it is? If it’s something dangerous that shouldn’t be soldered to, I’ll delete this post immediately. But for now, here’s a picture of what I’m talking about:
It’s the small little “pin” (for lack of a better word since I don’t know what it is) on the FRONT of the PCB. There’s one on both the left and the right on the front of the PCB directly opposite the wiper solder point.
It works for me so far. Someone please tell me yes or no, if they know. Thanks :china:
I’m sorry if this is a dumbass question, and even more so if this thread has already answered it. My real life has been stupid busy recently and I’ve only skimmed the thread.
I was given one of the Mad Catz PCBs to hack by someone having trouble with it. I normally don’t wire triggers because I don’t use eight buttons and it seems unnecessary. The problem is that they’ve already removed the trigger assemblers from the PCB and didn’t supply me with them. I remember reading that you can’t just take them off without putting something in their place. Short of wiring them up is there something easier I can do to set them back to disabled?
which Mad Catz PCb is it? standard or retro stick?
That’s the main point of discussion of this thread.
So, are the triggers constantly activated and won’t turn off? If so, I’m betting you have the most recent 2009 version of the gamepad (same layout as the one for which YOU supplied the diagram at http://forums.shoryuken.com/showthread.php?t=172666). Someone correct me on this if I am wrong, but I believe that means these triggers are active LOW, meaning the signal on the wiper (middle pin on each of the triggers’ soldering points) needs to be inverted to a sufficient HIGH voltage to disable the trigger.
Try taking a small piece of wire (don’t solder it yet) and touching it between the high contact and the middle contact on the solder points seen here:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v643/Sephiru/winningrun/pad1.jpg
If that causes a short, immediately remove it. You’ll then need to solder a 10k resistor between those same 2 poles, on both triggers. That should be sufficient to disable the signal for good. Good luck.
this was for a dreamcast but I had a similar problem, so I wired to the NC terminal instead of the NO terminal and it worked
http://www.cherrycorp.com/english/switches/miniature/images/e21_cutaway_2x.gif
Does anyone know if this works on the madcats as well?
hazeandfire: Yes this works but sanwa buttons don’t have those 3 terminals. Should work well with happ switches though…
Yes, that’s indeed a good idea. Tape out is done and now I’m waiting for my boards. The Inverter one can be used for ledmods, too. You do’t have to as we know.
Here is the ocoppler version
ben
Does anyone know of a pcb mapping diagram for the 2009 version - 4716-E? I’m still quite a novice at the electronic stuff, but if I’m reading my multimiter correctly it seems like it isn’t exactly the same as the diagram for the 2007 version shown on slagcoin.com.
But, then again, I’ve misinterpreted my multimiter before.
Thank you.
EDIT: Please disregard - found it: http://img216.imageshack.us/img216/4827/madcatz2008sp4.jpg
did this question get answered? i’m planning on padhacking a controller like this and i would like to wire the triggers but am not sure if i’ll have to get some resistors and solder one of the more complex diagrams that’s been shown in this thread.
conversely, if i don’t want to use the triggers, i assume i can just leave them semi-assembled and not connected to a button? the slagcoin diagrams just say set triggers to neutral, but i assume you can’t just wire them to buttons like this?
sorry i don’t know, i just decided not to wire them, i removed the trigger assemblies and left the pots in neutral position.
maybe once i get my controller in (it’s going to be shipped tomorrow) i can post a pic of the pcb and get a handle on what i need to do. i’ve been led to believe that it’s common ground but i don’t know if it will need that resistor/npc(sp?) combo or just set the pots to neutral and wire the points on the diagram…
thanks anyways.
Huh, now this is odd…I did the resistor/transistor circuit for my 2009 MadCatz, and attached a diode to the base of the transistor so I could use it in my dual PCB setup. It worked great for a few days, but then it suddenly and inexplicably stopped working and I would up with the same issue I had before I added the diode (SF4 seemingly acting like the button is constantly being pressed, even though it doesn’t show it when I do Input Display). I checked the circuit, and nothing got moved around or changed, and I tested the diode with my multimeter, and it still works properly, so I dunno what the deal is. I just disconnected the trigger wire and rewired my stick so that LB/RB are FP/FK and left the extra 2 buttons disconnected from LT/RT. Good enough for me, I have 6 buttons on 360 and all 8 on PS3. Considering 6 is all I really need, it’s no biggie. Just puzzling as to why the circuit suddenly stopped working:wtf:
I just finished to hack my Saitek P3200 for Xbox360.
RT/LT worked like Mad Catz ones. NPN stuff (thanks Kaytrim for diagramm!)
Removing analog sticks like described by Slagcoin
Thanks to everyone!
The solder points
TP3 BUTTON 1
TP2 BUTTON 2
TP4 BUTTON 3
TP1 BUTTON 4
TP25 BUTTON 5
TP26 BUTTON 6
LT
RT
TP20 UP
TP17 DOWN
TP16 LEFT
TP15 RIGHT
VCC 5V
GND GROUND
SEPPARATE PCB
ILD GUIDE
D6 BACK
TP9 START
Here some pics
http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/5686/imag0162.th.jpg
http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/193/imag0165c.th.jpg
Still not done… but I’m happy everything works :bgrin:
Hope to get soon my hands on a cool joystick case.
Just to confirm, wiring the trigger for basic use (custom joystick) should be the same between the 2008 and 2009 versions of the controller, right?
I’m just grasping for straws now. I have successfully wired the triggers for a 2008 board using the resistor/transistor method. Now I’m trying a 2009 board. I get ~ 5ohm resistance when testing the wired connection with my multimiter, but when I test it via my PC on the properties window… nothing.