Programmable Controller Issues

[Maj]

Sup Magnetro

Ok now i have a TV set up, got my Dreamcast hooked up, and am waiting on my fancy new computer. How do make all of this work together? I remember you mentioning some kind of adapter to get the programmable controller's LCD screen to work when hooked up to a non-PS system. Kick down links plz.

Also kick down links to where i can buy expansion cards for the pad. If there's some specific PS to DC or PS to Saturn converter that i need, let me know.

Can i save program sequences onto expansion cards and then swap them out? Is there maybe a way to transfer those onto a PC for archiving?

[Magnetro]

Sup Magnetro

Ok now i have a TV set up, got my Dreamcast hooked up, and am waiting on my fancy new computer. How do make all of this work together? I remember you mentioning some kind of adapter to get the programmable controller's LCD screen to work when hooked up to a non-PS system. Kick down links plz.

Also kick down links to where i can buy expansion cards for the pad. If there's some specific PS to DC or PS to Saturn converter that i need, let me know.

Can i save program sequences onto expansion cards and then swap them out? Is there maybe a way to transfer those onto a PC for archiving?

Sup

Here

/ adapter set up

HERE

is where you'll most likely get expansion pack.

Yes you can save them to expansion packs and no you cant upload them to PC (afaik)

[laugh]

You're out of your hiatus!!! I'm hyped.

So yeah, you wanna get one of those Total Control converters. Try to get Total Control Plus or Total Control 2 because they support joysticks so you get natural joystick buttons layouts.

As for the expansion packs, I know the best place to get a whole lot of them HERE http://www.rakuten.co.jp/time24/652282/743363/ at 100 yen each (105 yen each after tax). Also, it's an online shop so you don't have to deal with auctions and crap. They seem to have A LOT of them at that link, so get as many as you want, but I think having about 15 is more than you'll ever need. I got 20 from the same link btw, cuz I didn't know you could save 16 different things on EACH of them at the time. I've been quiet about it because it would make me look like a greedyass mofo, but maybe that's a little too late.

Also, another thing about the 9volt adaptor for the PS->DC converter. Make sure you get an adaptor that has the correct - and +. Total Control converters seemed to use the counter ordinary position for + and - ends.

[Magnetro]

You're out of your hiatus!!! I'm hyped.

So yeah, you wanna get one of those Total Control converters. Try to get Total Control Plus or Total Control 2 because they support joysticks so you get natural joystick buttons layouts.

As for the expansion packs, I know the best place to get a whole lot of them HERE http://www.rakuten.co.jp/time24/652282/743363/ at 100 yen each (105 yen each after tax). Also, it's an online shop so you don't have to deal with auctions and crap. They seem to have A LOT of them at that link, so get as many as you want, but I think having about 15 is more than you'll ever need. I got 20 from the same link btw, cuz I didn't know you could save 16 different things on EACH of them at the time. I've been quiet about it because it would make me look like a greedyass mofo, but maybe that's a little too late.

Also, another thing about the 9volt adaptor for the PS->DC converter. Make sure you get an adaptor that has the correct - and +. Total Control converters seemed to use the counter ordinary position for + and - ends.

You have no idea how much I coulda used that link a few months ago : (
btw you know each x4 pack can have 4-208action banks right? so instead of 16 you could have 64 slots.

and since you have freakin 20 of them thats 1280(!) slots. @_@ @_ @ @_@ @_@


Anyway, get the adapter I put up cause the other ones don't support the 5V thing. The adapter that does maps L1 as HP and R1 as HK =/.

Man...I can't believe they're so cheap and what not.

[Maj]

Cool, thanks for the info guys.

Can you give me links to where i would buy the converter and adapter? Cuz i can't really tell which one i'm supposed to get from looking at that photo. It would be cool if i didn't have to do any guessing or thinking during this process. I want pure unbridled consumerism of the mindless zombie variety.

Future generations of programmable controller users send their thanks in advance.

[laugh]

I'm really sorry man. sigh..

I don't know anything about the programmable controllers except how to program, execute a bank, and erase a bank. I didn't know you could have that many banks on those 4x memory cards. My japanese-speaking friend still has the manual that I asked him to translate.

I hope I'm not your enemy no.1 from now on.

[Maj]

Talked to Magnetro on aim and he recommended this 9V/300mA AC-to-DC Power Adapter from radio shack and this Total Control Dreamcast converter from play-asia. Guess i'ma get thems.

Also need a Saturn converter but i can't find one of those, so i'm hoping i can borrow one from someone. Guess i should also get this S-Video Cable for the Saturn too. I wonder if it makes a difference, cuz i doubt Saturn output is all that great to begin with.

[ShinjiGohan]

thanks for the command pack link, now to figure out how to order 1 lol

[jchensor]

What converter do you need? I have a couple of PS to DC converters and a bunch of Saturn to DC converters. But if you are looking for Saturn to PS converters, you are SOOL. Apparently, no one ever thought the PS2 pad could be bad at all, as this product has never ever been created. Believe me, I looked for months at one point in time. But finally, they released the Saturn pad for PS2, and all was well. If it was the PS to Saturn converter you're looknig for, I don't remember those have ever existing either, though I could be wrong about those.

- James

[Maj]

Damn. So, would it be better just to give up and use PS1 versions instead? I mean, if we're just talking about Saturn/PS1 games with Guile in them then the only critical one is SFA3 right? Nobody would care if i used the PS1 or DC versions of that game because this is a console-only character we're talking about. Any objections?

[Xenozip.]

I'm not sure what's going on in this thread. What controller are you trying to use, and for what system, and what game?

As far as SFA3 goes, there's multiple versions. I'll just list them in order of importance:

Arcade = tweaked dipswitch SFAA > tweaked arranged SFAA > vanilla SFAA > Saturn > PS > DC

So if you want to use the console-only character Guile then the first pick in the chain would be the tweaked arranged SFAA. Unlock arranged mode in SFAA and modify the dipswitches so that it acts as much like the arcade version as possible. Although for the sake of completeness you could also include the deprecated versions for giggles or whatever.

Topics of interest:
- Dipswitch settings for SFA3 Upper
- All Dip Switch Settings Revealed!!!

Sadly, my Guile knowledge is very limited. No idea what other games he was in, or anything about his SFA3 incarnation.

[Maj]

Hm, i didn't know that Guile was in SFAA. It would be a lot easier to use that version. Thanks for the info.

[Xenozip.]

T.T

[Vega Omega]

With Tatsunoko vs. Capcom right around the corner i'm hoping to get all set before it's release.

Anybody know of a converter that'll work with the program pad?

http://www.yesbuy.net/convertor-for-ps2 ... t-gc-.html

^ maybe that one?

[Maj]

Do GameCube controllers even work on the Wii?

[fullmetalross]

yeah they work just fine. Never tried a converter though.... i imagine it works.

[Maj]

Yeah, it looks like none of us have had a reason to try it. Good luck dude. Let us know what happens when you do.

[Maj]

Anyone have any experience with programming SF4/STHD combos? What would i need to make my PS1 ppads work with my Xbox 360? I tried plugging them into the charger hole but they wouldn't fit. I tried to make them fit but they still wouldn't fit. Putting them in the memory card slots didn't do anything either. Last thing i tried was tying the cords together in a knot and putting them in the CD tray along with the SF4 disc but the tray wouldn't close. I think i might have damaged one of the wires but i'm sure duct tape will fix that.

[Maj]

According to SRK's Converter Compatibility Thread, there is no good solution for using PS controllers with an Xbox 360 console. Apparently i'm way better off borrowing/renting a PS3 and using that for STHD/SF4 recording. There are tons of cheap/simple PSX to PS3 converter cables.

Converter lag isn't even an issue with program pads since i don't necessarily need to hand-eye-coordinate anything. But the only Xbox 360 converter costs like $90 and gets accused of dropping inputs, which is a definite deal-breaker. I don't have $200 to spend on five combos anyway.

[Maj]

Alright so i'm actually thinking of blowing $200 on this bullshit for the sake of recording a total of three combos. Plus maybe some SF4/HDR Guile combos way down the line.

If any of you guys in the LA area want to borrow them when i'm not using them, let me know.

[Maj]

Scratch that. Damn things don't work. Only luck i had was with a standard PS2 Dual Shock analog controller. Even though people on SRK reportedly tested it successfully with PS1 digital controllers, my PS1 ppads wouldn't even work as normal controllers. None of the buttons or D-pad functions registered whatsoever.

Since it has a secondary USB input slot, i tried plugging the PS1 ppads through a separate PSX -> USB converter. That didn't work either.

[ShinjiGohan]

isn't there that xcm converter for PS3 to 360?

Thinking you might be able to daisy chain it like
360-> xcm to ps3 converter-> PS3 to PS2 controller converter-> program pad.

thoiugh I hear those things occassionally drop inputs...

and I never had much luck on getting the LCD screen to work with the PS3 using the above set up anyway (programmed on the PSX/PS2 and then plugged it into the PS3 and see what happened).

[Maj]

Yeah that's what i meant by "PSX -> USB converter" but it didn't work. I've given up on trying to make ppads work on Xbox360. Maybe i'll give it another shot if i ever stumble onto a $10 converter, but otherwise i'm done.

I have the same LCD problem but i can make out faint shadows at certain angles under a bright light. It's hard to tell apart 1's and 7's, and 2's and 3's, and 8's and 9's but i can usually figure it out by going up one or down one. It helps if i work on one combo at a time so i can keep most of the critical numbers in mind. Also it's important to optimize all link timings right off the bat, to reduce the number of variable gaps that i need to worry about later.

But yeah, still a pain. I still plug them back into a PS2 every once in a while, and also to write down the entire sequence after i'm done.

[Maj]

A lot of people ask about this and i keep having to search for this link so i'm gonna post it here for future reference. This is the PSX/PS2 to PS3 converter i use to plug my PS1 programmable controllers into a PS3: Hais PS2 to PS3 Controller & Memory Card Convertor

It's not perfect and sometimes there are problems with dropped inputs, or maybe the PS3 is sampling inputs at a different frequency than the ppads are sending them out. Either way, if you double up inputs then it usually eliminates the problem. In other words, program each input for two frames instead of one. In all this time, only i've only come across one or two combos which needed me to go back to one-frame inputs and those still work most of the time.

I've also tried this thing because it was cheap and looked convenient but it sucked, dropped inputs everywhere: TESUN PS2 to PS3 Adapter Cable

[ShinjiGohan]

are you able to see the inputs on the screen using that? like you can edit the program pad while using that converter without having to plug it into a regular PSX or PS2 so you can see whats been scripted?

[Maj]

Not well. There are faint traces - enough to make out if i tilt it a certain way under a strong light. Still, some of the numbers blend together and i have to check by going up or down. For example 5's look like 6's so i have to go up to check if it turns into a 7. It's doable if you keep track of what you're doing and optimize each step before moving forward.

[Dammit]

If I had the know-how, I'd invent a product like this:

Code: Select all

controller      controller
  port1           port2
    ^               ^
    |               |
    +---------------+-------------< USB to PC
    |               |
    ^               ^
   your            your
controller      controller

An inexpensive pass-thru adapter that lets you still use your own controllers while sending inputs (to both players) from your PC with a scripting app like Autoit

I'd probably get like 8 buyers.

[CPS2]

Some dudes from VFDC made their own programmable controllers...

http://virtuafighter.com/forums/ubbthre ... s/246994/1

Not sure if you would've seen this topic before, but they have some instructions and list the equipment they used. One of the guys from ozhadou (Slapper Joe) made one as well.

edit: ah this was already mentioned in another thread, nvm.

[Rufus]

An inexpensive pass-thru adapter that lets you still use your own controllers while sending inputs (to both players) from your PC with a scripting app like Autoit

It's not as elegant or sophisticated, but soldering in wiring into the buttons is much simpler.

[Maj]

Awesome, i signed on PSN for the first time in forever to look up the new SSF4 costumes and upgraded to PS3 firmware v3.56 because why not? Now my Hais converters don't work at all. They light up and blink but the PS button does nothing, so the controllers don't function anymore. What the fuck Sony?