As the topic suggests, I’ve designed and built a converter to use saturn pads (or any other standard saturn controllers - I think there’s at least one good arcade stick?) on PS1/PS2. It also works with all my converters, so I can also use a saturn pad on GC, Xbox and PS3. I’ve put the details here. If you’ve used any microcontrollers before it shouldn’t be too hard to build.
There’s also one on sale here, but according to vgevo the button layout is messed up. Mine follows the layout of the official pad. I want to build a few of my own to sell, but not just yet.
Do you have any pictures of the converter and how does it work in terms of lag or anything? This would be great to let me use some Saturn pads on my ps2.
I use a Magic Box adapter with an XP Joy Box adapter. So it’s Sega Saturn to Xbox to PS2. It has problems. Every once in a while (sometimes every 4 mins, sometimes only 15 seconds later) it freezes and does not accept inputs for 3-4 seconds or so. And the adapter didn’t even work on someone else’s PS2 (but I’m trying it again on his tonight).
So I’m interested. If you do decide to sell them mark me down as your first customer. As long as the price is good, of course. God knows I’ve bought so many adapters by now.
Yeah my Saturn->Xbox->PS2 still doesn’t work on certain PS2s. Now I’m pretty certain I’ll buy this from you if it’s good quality with reasonable price.
Hey ReKless, I saw your post up on shmups a while ago. Glad to see more microcontroller coders around. A couple of talkin’ shop questions if you don’t mind.
Did you implement the full serialish protocol used by the analog controller, or just the ‘four bits in four banks’ part of it?
How long from when you set the bank select lines until you read the bits?
How often are you checking the status? Is it just repeatedly checking each bank in turn, or are you checking the banks, then waiting a while before checking again?
For the first lot (2-3) I would have to go around $20 to be safe… I’m not sure I would buy one at that price, but I’ve spent more than I’d like on this so far. Later, if I can get my hands on a bunch of those $3 ones I can just swap out the insides, so it should be cheaper.
I think I can safely say that this converter doesn’t lag. The data sent to the PSX is about as new as I can possibly get it and well under a 10th of a frame. Chaining it to another converter may cause issues, but so far I haven’t seen any. I’ll try my most troublesome USB converter when I get it back in a few days.
Construction will most likely amount to a small project box with a saturn cable coming out one side and a PSX cable coming out the other. I’ve built one so far with everything wired to an IC socket, but it’s too much work.
Taiki: VCC from the PSX is connected to VCC on the uC and on the saturn pad, so everything is powered from the PSX.
Toodles: I’ve only implemented the basic digital controller stuff. I’m not sure about the actual delay before reading, but but it’s the time between bytes on the PSX side (about 4us*8 + 12 + a bit more, so around 50us). At the moment the code is set to start checking the banks as soon as the PSX ACK line goes low. In an earlier version I was constantly reading off the saturn stuff and handling the PSX side in interrupts, but this is easier and works just as well.
KnightWarrior: Yes, that’s the layout I’m using. On top of that, Start+A for start and Start+B for select. (I don’t like this start/select arrangement, anyone got a better idea?)
Just do Start as Start, but Map Selete as Hold A + Start…So when someone hook it up to the PS3 for PS2 Games…it would work Hold Up + A + Start for the PS Button
The problem with this is there’s no way to get select without first triggering start. To be honest, I can’t think of any situation where this is hugely important, but I’d rather not lose the flexibility. As for the PS button, this is the first time I’ve heard of that combo - I wish I’d found out sooner. No more keeping a DS2 handy…
Crisium: Keep in mind there’d be the shipping cost, too. Anyway, I’ll order some more microcontrollers soon so I can get this started.
Sweet, so if i send the Saturn to PSX cable to you, you should be able to implement that chip solution you mentioned in this thread for a decent amount of money? I live within the US so this should be okay.
This sounds freaking awesome. I just hope I barely get any lag for Virtual On PS2 action.
I’ve gotten my hands on one of the bestsku converters. It runs on a PIC16C54, which I’d like to dump sometime, if possible. There’s heaps of space inside the box, and with any luck I’ll be able to reuse the stock PCB. I don’t see any real problems doing this, so I hope to have some for sale before Christmas.
Also, it seems whoever built it was rather trigger-happy with the hot glue…
Hello ReKleSS, I’m interested in purchasing one of your converters when they’re ready… I recently aquired one of these: http://www.sega-saturn.us/beta/viewpage.php?page_id=50 and would love to get it working with my PS2’s Street Fighter games! I have the PSX converters that you mention, but they don’t work. Keep us informed mate, cheers.
Good news, I finally got mine in and it works. The only problem is that with a PS2 USB adapter, the dpad only detects as a hat switch. The best news is that I finally figured out how to play Virtual On with the Virtual Twin Stick.
Virtual on right stick up=triangle down=O left=[] right=L1
Left trigger =L2
Left turbo =R2
Right trigger=x
Right turbo=R1
start+right trigger = x
start + right down = select
At least I am able to play damn near arcade perfect Virtual On right now and the game plays even better than before. Who needs a Magic Box to an Xbox to PS2 adapters anymore
Thanks a billion ReKleSS and hope you many years of success!
PS: Alpha 2 Gold on SFZ: Collection is pure sex despite the Saturn pad has an semi-eaten wire near the pad.
Matarick, that’s really freaking awesome right there. I didn’t even realize that this thing could be used for the Twin Sticks. I’m so going to have to try that when I get one made/bought, though I’m going to be hard pressed to find me a set of Twin Sticks.:wgrin:
