Using Multiple PCBs in One Stick/Dual PCB Arcade Stick Questions

I can’t entirely tell if this is the right category to post this within, but I plan on building an arcade stick that is multi-console compatible, but with a huge lack of MC Cthulhus available and my specific needs in general, I have an idea that I need help figuring out.

To start off, the discussion title does state one part of the question, I know it is POSSIBLE to use multiple PCBs, but in my case, I have questions on how I would go about doing such a thing, especially with the different PCBs in existance. My plan is to build a Dreamcast/PS3 compatible arcade stick, using the Madcatz Dreampad PCB for the Dreamcast portion, and more than likely a third party PS3 controller PCB. However, this adds on a few issues that I need help to address. One, size of the enclosure. It is really hard for me to decide on an enclosure here or just build my own due to the size of the Dreampad’s VMU slots (which is one of the main reasons, along with the digital triggers, I’m going for a Dreampad PCB and not a standard nor Agetec PCB), as well as the overall size of having the multiple PCBs. Also, with so many PS3/PS4 PCBs available for pretty fair prices, would it just be better to be safe and get one of the PS3/PS4 PCBs for future-proofing in terms of tournaments and otherwise just locals? And one thing that has really been bugging me about the idea, how both the buttons and joysticks will connect to BOTH PCBs at the same time, as well as having the ability to switch power off from one wire in an incident where both are plugged in so I don’t fry my Dreamcast controller ports.

So, if anyone has some recommendations, tips, and otherwise just constructive help, that would be a major help to my project. Thank you for reading this and taking the time to respond, if possible.

Unfortunately, the pictures are hosed due to recent photobucket changes, but this is the go to guide for dual modding: Dual modding 101

And if you’re worried about space, I’d add the small Brook ps3/ps4/pc board. Do note that your’re going to need to do some soldering for this project.

I don’t mind soldering, its a fairly simple task and I was gonna require it regardless using the Dreampad. Thanks for the thread link though, I’ll take a read through and see what I can grab from it (despite Photobucket literally being killed at this point).

EDIT: Viewing the thread in the Wayback Machine on The Web Archive allows viewing the photos from Photobucket.