i went to the Happs Controls website in order to look for an address to send a money order to. it gave me like 5 different locations, but are they do any of them actually produce and package the product to you?
also, if you choose to buy a perfect 360 joystick, is there any other procedures you need to follow in order to properly install it into your arcade controller?
Ahem… BARRIER STRIPPING SOLDERLESS PROJECTS
SNAAAKE: The reasong I told KOF to use barrier strips is becase:
a) The wires from the agetec are to short to directly hook up to the buttons and joystick when using quick disconnects (I have made some solderless agetec sticks and I also have pics of the inside wiring on my site in the photos page)
b) If he wanted to add a PSX/PS2 controller or another system’s pcb he can, so that he can have multiple use of his stick if he doesn’t use converters.
c) looks a lot neater, and gives your stick a more professional look (IMO)
d) prevents accidental disconnection if someone tripped on your cord, pulling on the pcb and then the wires getting pulled off the microswitches or worst, the pcb itself (in this case, you should use a plastic zip-tie between the board and the pcb cord to help prevent this)
e) Preference. I do all my solderless projects like this, but with soldering jobs, I use wires that run at least 20 inches long for each microswitch and I use quick disconnects at the end to connect to the microswitches.
MULTIPLE WIRING USAGE CONNECTION
You CAN wire more than just 4 different system controllers in your arcade stick if you want to without the worrying about signal lag.
It isn’t an internet connection or anything and there SHOULDN’T BE ANY TYPE OF LAG WHATSOEVER unless you have it wired to make it so. There is only 1 (one) signal going out, so where is the lag? I HAVE DONE THIS with my DC/PSX-PS2/PC/SNES/ and GC. That’s 5 (five) system compatibility and here is how I did it:
- build a box large enough to hold all the pcbs
- this project strongly requires it to be a soldering project! (although you can do solderless, but the wire will not be longe enough-I’ll elaborate more and why it’s not the way to go)
- working with your first pcb, to the last system’s pcb, you are going to solder wires that are about 10-15 inches long each to every function (buttons, directions) You are not going to be placing all the pcb’s on top of each other as there could be a good chance of them shorting out each other is contact is made during use and I’m talking about the fuses and other shit that sticks out the board and touching the other boards componets and shit like that)
- Now that you have each pcb soldered with long enough wires, run them, neatly along the back, middle, or where ever you are going to place the barrier strips (I recommend the left and right sides. So if that case, all the directions wires will be running to the left (where the joystick is going to be btw) and the buttons wires running to the right (to connect to the barrier strip going to the buttons on the right side of the stick-unless you’re left handed, then vice versa)
- Another thing I forgot to mention, It’s highly important that you lable each wire!! That way you won’t get confused by all the mess in the box and for easier installation.
- Okay, starting with (lets say the left barrier strip for the joystick) we are going to gather all 4 or 5 wires that are labled up, twist them together, and crimp them to a spade quick disconnect using a crimper. It’s going to be a bit thick to fit into .187 spade terminals, so for this type of project, you want to use a higher size wire gauge i.e. 26 or something size when soldering to the pcbs. (thin wires okay!) After that, then connect that spade terminal to the first screw on the right side of the barrier strip. Next do the same for left, right, and down, then last but not least, the ground for the directions. (if any of the pcbs you’re using has only 1 ground. Here is a nice trick: a single daisy chain to go to the other side of the stick to the right barrier strip along with the other ground wires for the buttons!
- The next step is the same, cept you are going to have all the wires matched up/customized to where you want each button. A little way back on this thead maybe about a page or so I posted a chart for a DC>PSX/PS2 i.e. X=/\ so you are going to have to sit down and figure out what button is what so when you play (system here) it’s setup the way you want. To make life easier and for those of you who will mostly use this stick for fighters, label each button starting from the top row, left to right, 1-6 or 7 if using a GC pcb for the Z trigger ( I left out L2/R2 on the PSX/PS2 config-always for my projects) on a sheet of paper. Now go through and write down what buttons from the pcb=what on the stick i.e. /\ (PSX/PS2); Y (DC); X (SNES); Y (PC); B (GC)=2 with that (almost) perfect setting, you’ll be able to play most fighters without going into the options to adjust the buttons. FIGURE THE SHIT OUT FIRST YOURSELF WITH EACH SYSTEMS DEFAULT SETTINGS TO GET A MORE ACURATE SELF SETTING FOR YOU STICK! --------- Now that the hard part is done, continue with getting the wires together for that button, twist them together and crimp them to a spade terminal, do the same for the remaining buttons wires.
- You now should have all the wires crimped and connected to the barrier strips accordingly so it’s time to do the single wire crimping and connecting to the microswitches (yay!)
- You should only have 1 (one) wire from the opposite side of the barrier strips going out to the appropriate microswitch (up, down, left, right, 1-6 or 7 or 8 (if you included L2/R2 and Z buttons) Now for the ground, you should have on wire from each barrier strip going out to the controls and buttons. Those are to be daisy chained, like you would a normal wiring.
- You’re done!!
Oops, no you’re not! You now have to go back in, and use those plastic zip ties to clean up inside your stick and to keep it from getting all tangled up and shit. At the end, it’ll look like the underneath of a cars hood!! - Use zip-ties for the cords coming out the stick enclusure every 5 or 10 inches or so or if you want to go all out, use electrical tape, and spiral wrap that shit together all the way to the plung in sockets, but not completely ALL the way, cuz some cords will be a different length from the others.
- It’s time for the test run…
[note: you’ll want to use the regular or larger size wire for the other side of the barrier strips going to the microswitches. That prevents overheating and all of that shit, plus electric currents to run faster and all that hoopla. Read more about how electricity works at www.howstuffworks.com or other sources about AWG: american wire gauge sizes and shit]
Good luck if any of you want to do such a project, but with converters today, way go through all the trouble? Unless you can’t find one to play on a SNES or don’t want to build another stick just for that one system.
Dreadedfist: You will not be plugging or unplugging all day if you a) use a converter
b) use barrier strips to connect them both.
I have a mas stick ps2 and dreamcast and I want to solder a pcb
from a usb control .I going to use a Saitek p150 control .It is a good pcb for this .So I plan on takeing the pcb from the mas stick out and use the wireing to solder the pcb to the right connections.
Any tips ,?
WHY ! ? 
You need barrier strip because you have 2 ends on the barrier strip and wires from joystick and button goes to 1 end and wires from PCB goes to other end.NOW,only reason you need barrier strip is if you actually change the buttons…say you wanna replace the buttons and sticks so you use barrier strip so you wont pull any solder joint.
as for the agtec joystick wire being too short.
Just cut some $0.99 wire and dont have to go through barrier strip.
and why spade connector:confused: ? ? ?
I tried using a printer switch box…lags.
Slow down.works but slow down.
Like I press a button the action works after like atleast 2 second.
This is not theory…practical experience.
BEST way for multi system is using molex connector(m/f).
I dont mind switching…takes only a second and WORKS !
Molex connectors never wear out ! 
This is the one and ONLY reason why you want barrier strip…
other problems can easly be solved…
as for plastic zip tie…yes very very important(I use em everywhere left and right)
I remember hacking some saitek pad but I dont remember which one…
only tip I have is that the one I hacked had 4 seperate ground instead of 1 common ground.
1 ground from direction,second from 4 inputs and 3rd from 2 shoulder buttons.
In case you hack the pad and doesnt work…now you know about the grounding issue !
It’s a P150 pad usb ,(wish I had a pic of pcb)
But I have looked
through the whole theard and wrongcrowd to search for info,but
none I believe it has two grounds one for the joystick and one for the buttons .The pcb is good , lots of copper . I had a quick
question on the dreamcast ports ,Which mine blew yesterday ,
I was using a adapter dc>ps2 ,innovation w/my mass playing
mvc2 when it seem like the two punch buttons got stuck and my
character just keep on dashing ,then my ports blew , do know what went wrong? What resistor do I pull the tiny blue one (f1) or the round one ? thks
dunno…usually ports blow out when you connect anything while the dc is ON.
I never actually fixed the ports myself so I dont know.Someone else would be able to help you on that.
As far as I could guess on what went wrong,I could be the mass PCB itself started acting funnny !
Converters are usually all good(tried many) so I dont think it had anything to do with the converter…sorry the hear that though…
So I guess I will gut my mass ,so I can use it on my pc for now and when I get my dc working again I will just resolder the mas
pcb back on …thanks 
IMO…
converters work perfectly fine…i’ve never had a problem w/ any of my systems… i use 3rd party ps1 controllers in all of my sticks and they always come out working perfectly…no slow down, no blown ports, nothing…i use my sticks on ps2/ps1/and my DC…no problems…
i don’t know what some of you people do…but just solder to the damn pcb…hook up wires, then buttons…thats it…you have a stick…
i dont understand why people are making it more difficult than it actually is…
to make a stick…
1.get your materials(wood, buttons, wires, etc.)
2.build your box
3.solder your pcb
4.put the pcb into the box and connect the wires
5.start playing
5 steps…no extra wires, no barrier strips, make a stick in a few days and use it…maybe get a converter…
simplify things…a lot less will/can go wrong…
i didnt know a thing about building a joystick…but i came to the thread and found everything i need.i’ve built like 6 sticks and nothing has ever gone wrong…everything is here…what, you want it spoon fed?:lame:
we’re just building joysticks people, not nuclear warheads…peace
heres my latest…
btw…i’m not that good at it yet, but i would be glad to make graphics for a joystick if you like…all of my sticks graphics have been custom…and i never make 2 of the same stick…you can let me know what you want it to be…
i’ll make graphics for anyone so long as they give me some time to do it…i’m offering if anyone is interested.pm me.thanks
I’m sorry yall but now I’m getting a little more confused. People are telling me now that i DON’T need spade connectors and barrier strips. I’m just confused because Rotendo said i needed those things. My situation is: I have an Agetec Dreamcast stick. I want to replace the buttons and sticks with the Competition stick and buttons from HAPP. And ofcourse I’m going to build a wooden housing for it. I’m going to use the PCB of the Agetec stick. I just want to know for sure that if I need spade connectors or barrier strips. Because if not, i’ll just return them since I’m kinda broke.
Look, are barrier strips really necessary? Well, no. You can use those double connect tubes or whatever instead of a barrier strip. Sort of like an extension. I have a pic where I did that too on my photos page. Whatever is easier for you.
Spade connectors hold on the screws on the barrier strip better than just screwing down wires on them.
I want a stick:(
you can get by without it…if you’re tight on money i would return it and spend it on some other more important stuff…you need female quick disconnects and some butt connectors like rotendo just said…
using barrieier/terminal strips just makes things cleaner and easier to pull out once your stick is done…but i mean, are you planning on taking your stick apart in the future?its up to you…
btw.thanks for the stick and buttons…and dont worry, you’re definately coming up on the list…let me just finish a few more…what kind of graphics were you looking for? i can kinda get started on that…i’m not that great, so bear w/ me…i still use MSpaint…:lol:
hmm I’m getting 2 different response here. Rotendo said multi system via barrier strips is ok, no lag. whereas snake said that it will lag.
on another subject. does anyone own a 1st generation ps2 here? version 1. Do you know what 3rd party psx pad does not work with the earlier versions of ps2? A list would be very nice.
Okay Rotndo,so you are saying you can wire all the system all together and it will work?
I never said it would lag using any barrier strip…it wont even work to begin with!
Barrier strip is nothing different then splicing the wires from psx and DC PCB then hook them up to the joysticks and buttons…
I am confirming it wont work…it works perfectly as long as you have your dc ON all the time…so if you wanna play ps2 then you gotta leave your dc on as well.
Now I tried swich box too…wired everything correctly and there is lag there.
AGAIN,barrier stirip has nothing to do with having multi interface…
Clear ?
Only reasonable way I know for multi system is using M/F molex connector and swith manually…everyone I know uses molex connector !
BTW,I later found out that my swich box might have been faulty…how?
Because I open the box the other day and I found a little PCB inside…now my guess would be that the swich box was only switching ground instead of switcing ALL the inputs.
Thats just guessing…in other words the switch box wasnt a true switch box.
Now I have a vga switch box as well(for monitor purpose).
I opened that one the other day and appers to be all clean and switchs every single input.
NOW my guess is that if I use a true vga switch box then things might work 100%.
but I am too lazy to go through the hassle again…anyone else tried any other switch box?
or ANY kind of switch box ?
I might just try again to find out…:evil:
I have a first gen PS2. PS Arcade, the new MadCatz pads work, those cheap $4 controllers from Wal-Mart, umm a Pelican’s Shock Pro2, MadCatz Dual Pro 2, and some more but I can’t think of them right now.
I can use my PS Arcade/Agetec/PC Wingman action pad without any lag and without having it connected to my DC while it’s on.
Don’t know why, or why some people say it doesn’t work for them or won’t work for them.
Yo SNAAAKE, check out CD_Vision’s site. He says you can use Barrier Strips or something that will make it so your stick can be connected to multiple pcbs at the same time. Thanx.
-See Ya!!!
whats your question?can you rephrase it?
do you want a list of what 3rd party controller work? or don’t work?
b/c i have a first gen ps2 and i use those 4.99 best buy/walmart/k mart controllers all the time and dont have problems…
K, sounds great. I want GG XX art. Maybe I will have one of the IMM taggers make me a splash:)