KTRL CD32 - Amiga CD32 custom gamepad

[Marlon_]

Originally Posted by Predseda

CD32 games will not fully work with it as they also need shoulder buttons?

What? SNES gamepads have shoulder buttons!

[DamienD]

Originally Posted by Marlon_

What? SNES gamepads have shoulder buttons!

Yes, most definitely.

You can see them more clearly in this picture:

[Amiga1992]

Yeah this is a SNES pad looking USB thing that is very cheap, isn't it? I have one of these myself.

Would this work with any gamepad we can find? Can we convert Megadrive 6 button pads to work?

[Daedalus]

The SNES was pioneering with the use of shoulder buttons - F-Zero made great use of them for directional air brakes.

As for the kit, it looks like it'll work with any pad as it's basically wiring directly to the button switches, effectively bypassing whatever internals were already there. You may need some soldering and poking around with a multimeter but I can't see why it wouldn't work for any other pad... Though Megadrive pads are expensive, so there are cheaper options for gutting a pad.

[amiman99]

Nice work!

I have a similar idea to yours, BUT using full board replacement for easy swap, just add wires, remove the original pcb, pop a new one and ready to go.

Have you considered this way?

Personally I don't have time to do it myself, maybe some day. So far I got my basic parts, like 74LS165 and 74LS125.

[thgill]

Originally Posted by amiman99

Nice work!

I have a similar idea to yours, BUT using full board replacement for easy swap, just add wires, remove the original pcb, pop a new one and ready to go.

Have you considered this way?

Personally I don't have time to do it myself, maybe some day. So far I got my basic parts, like 74LS165 and 74LS125.

If you decide to do something like that, you may want to consider targeting the iBuffalo USB SNES controller. It's cheap (around $12), well made and preserves existing SNES controllers from being destroyed. However it's internal PCB is a different size than the original SNES controllers so one board won't fit both.


If you haven't seen one before, I did a video on it earlier this year and tore both an original SNES controller and ibuffalo controller down and compared them:

[ Show youtube player ]



I really think the iBuffalo would be a cheap and very good CD32 controller replacement.

[Devlin]

I think a board replacement for an existing, known brand of controller would be absolutely great. It would certainly massively simplify the process. And the SNES form factor is wonderful already.

Edit: The iBuffalo controller goes for about £10-15 these days, so it might be a bit pricey for those who want to do things cheaply

Edit2: How much would one of these kits sell for? I'd be interested in buying one if they're not too costly.

[MickGyver]

Originally Posted by Akira

Yeah this is a SNES pad looking USB thing that is very cheap, isn't it? I have one of these myself.

Would this work with any gamepad we can find? Can we convert Megadrive 6 button pads to work?

The gamepad I used is one of the cheap usb snes style copies, but other gamepads should also work as long as the cd32 pcb have room in the case and the gamepad has enough buttons of course.

By the way, with a simple mod, these cheap snes gamepads will feel more responsive. The trick is to put pieces of about 1mm thick cardboard on the pcb where the plastic pins of the case presses down the pcb.

[MickGyver]

Originally Posted by Daedalus

As for the kit, it looks like it'll work with any pad as it's basically wiring directly to the button switches, effectively bypassing whatever internals were already there.

Yep, that's right. On the gamepad I used there were exposed solder pads which I drilled holes in and inserted the wires from the back side. This way it was possible to make very small solder joints that don't interfere with the rubber pads.

[MickGyver]

Originally Posted by amiman99

I have a similar idea to yours, BUT using full board replacement for easy swap, just add wires, remove the original pcb, pop a new one and ready to go.

Have you considered this way?.

I have been considering that option also, with an add-on pcb different models can be used, though. Replacing the original pcb would require less work to assemble. The surface finish of the original pcbs is not that good sohat could be improved with a replacement pcb. Gold-mix in the finish for example would be better but probably 3-4 times more expensive.

I'm using my tablet now, sorry for the multiple posts, need to learn how to multi-quote!

[MickGyver]

Originally Posted by thgill

If you decide to do something like that, you may want to consider targeting the iBuffalo USB SNES controller. It's cheap (around $12), well made and preserves existing SNES controllers from being destroyed. However it's internal PCB is a different size than the original SNES controllers so one board won't fit both.

From your video I can see that the pcb in the buffalo pads look better than the cheap usb ones. The pcb is a big part in the quality of the gamepad so by replacing the pcb I don't think that there would be a big difference between the cheap copies and the ibuffalo. If it's possible to fit the extra cd32 pcb in the ibuffalo model you could have a really good cd32 gamepad.

Both the original snes gamepad and the ibuffalo one have the black finish where the buttons press, the cheaper copies don't have that, I think that black material is best suited for those rubber buttons, does anybody know what material it is?

[wilshy]

Yes count me in please, dependant on price for at least 1.

[thgill]

Originally Posted by witchmaster

If it's possible to fit the extra cd32 pcb in the ibuffalo model you could have a really good cd32 gamepad.

If I can get one of your kits, I can certainly attempt the install in the iBuffalo controller as I have a couple of them.

[amiman99]

Here in the States you can get not original SNES controllers for less then $10.

I wonder if tinning the copper (using liquid tin) would be acceptable for the buttons?

[Daedalus]

Originally Posted by witchmaster

Both the original snes gamepad and the ibuffalo one have the black finish where the buttons press, the cheaper copies don't have that, I think that black material is best suited for those rubber buttons, does anybody know what material it is?

It's most likely some sort of carbon-based resin, similar to the carbon pads on the back of the rubber domes that conduct electricity across the gaps in the contact. It helps prevent tarnishing of the contacts, but isn't essential really, I think anyone who's willing to mod a controller might be happy enough to open and clean it every 10 years or so.

[rave]

Looks great! nice idea, i'd be up for a kit or 2

[trixster]

I would definitely buy a pre-assembled one.

[Predseda]

Originally Posted by DamienD

Yes, most definitely.

You can see them more clearly in this picture:

Sorry I have no experience with snes and it was invisible on the first picture. I am also interested in a kit, depends on the price.

[Amiga1992]

Would you be able to make your own controller with this kit, too? Thinking of arcade components.

[MickGyver]

Originally Posted by Akira

Would you be able to make your own controller with this kit, too? Thinking of arcade components.

Yep!