Wireless Controllers?

**curt_grymala** · May 24th, 2005, 14:11

Has anyone ever looked into creating their own wireless controllers out of the official Sega controllers? I think it would be really cool to be able to modify some of my official Sega controllers to work as wireless (basically, remove the cord, install an infrared device in the controller, and then install an infrared receiver in the plug that I cut off of the controller).

Anyone have any advice, or information on this idea?

**ptr.exe** · May 24th, 2005, 16:05

I was thinking about this the other day, although i have no technical knowledge of this sort of hardware. My main thought was space - there simply is none in the DC controller, there is a very small amount of space just above the start button where a circuit could be mounted inside but it would have to be small.

This would be a very cool mod, anyone know how it could be possibly done?

**curt_grymala** · May 25th, 2005, 11:35

Originally Posted by ptr.lynch

I was thinking about this the other day, although i have no technical knowledge of this sort of hardware. My main thought was space - there simply is none in the DC controller, there is a very small amount of space just above the start button where a circuit could be mounted inside but it would have to be small.

This would be a very cool mod, anyone know how it could be possibly done?

I was thinking a little more about this. Would it be possible, maybe, to modify one of the mem card slots to accept a transmitter?

Maybe we could even work up a mod where we take the guts out of a VMU, and replace them with some sort of IR transmitter? The little area where a lanyard can be attached to the VMU would be a perfect place to drill a hole for the IR diode (or LED, or whatever it is). By doing something like that, we could even possibly leave the cord intact, in case we felt like plugging the controller in for some reason (assuming we have extra cords, from which we can harvest the plugs).

I just realized, though, that both the controller and the plug (the part going into the DC) would actually need to have two-way transmitters (a transmitter and a receiver), as the DC is going to have to be able to send info back to the controller (I'm assuming that would be necessary, since rumble packs, etc. would not work without).

**ptr.exe** · May 25th, 2005, 13:29

Yeah, i was thinking along the same lines of adding a VMU style adaptor but then thought you'd have to change the pinout so a VMU wouldn't work in their anymore, which is annoying because in some games you need both ports.

I think maybe a clipped on add-on that pluged into a small socket somewhere.
Perhaps have a DC controller plug sticking out of the controller with no lead, then you could plug in an extension if you wanted it cabled or an adapter if you want it wireless.

right, now we have discussed the aesthetics of it, does anyone actually know how to make it? lol.

**kingbuzzo** · June 9th, 2005, 21:21

I use sega saturn wireless pads and an adapter to play on dc

**ptr.exe** · June 16th, 2005, 16:12

Does anyone have any knowledge of using infared or otherwise to transmit the signals needed?

**curt_grymala** · June 17th, 2005, 14:29

Damn ptr. You and I must be on the same friggin' wavelength. I was just going to pop in here and ask if anyone had any schematics of the controller and the controller inputs, so that I could figure out what signals need to be transmitted. My dad has a great deal of knowledge dealing with I/R and radio transmitters. If I can get some info on what signals need to be sent, and how they are currently sent, I might be able to get him to help me work up something.

I might need to go out and look for some more controllers.

**ptr.exe** · June 17th, 2005, 14:57

signals sent are probably just a pulse of on/off +5V.

The pinout of the DC controller is easy, 2 wires are for ground, one is for power (eg. +5V), one is to recieve signals for VMU/Rumble, one is to send signal to DC. Five in total. I am doing this from memory and assumption so i may be wrong.

This basically means of the five wires 3 can be ignored*

the two signals that need to be sent/recieved are all we need to worry about.

*obviously when i say ignore i mean require no difficult circuitry so don't need to focus on.

**ptr.exe** · June 30th, 2005, 16:40

curt, have you spoken to your dad?

found this its designed to transmit audio but could (be adapted to) work with the DC controller output signal.
Only problem is having the signal sent from the DC to the controller for the VMU will mean another circuit, i may build the above circuit and see if i can get it to work at all just sending the signal to the DC.