Mini Controller for Cue Points - 10$

[Bunford]

http://www.djtechtools.com/forum/showthread.php?t=20441

That's for the original Xbox, not the newer Xbox 360 ones.

[MiL0]

they're basically the same design aren't they? you'll get 6 analogues and 14 buttons.

driver should be easier to sort out because I think the xbox360 pad has proper Windows drivers?

http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/en...dows/C8G-00004

[ElectricPulse]

Take in mind that with a regular keypad you are not able to hold more than three keys at the same time, sometimes only 2. This is perfect for cue points but don't expect to use effects or instant gratification on it.

Very valid point. I didn't think of that.

[Bunford]

they're basically the same design aren't they? you'll get 6 analogues and 14 buttons.

driver should be easier to sort out because I think the xbox360 pad has proper Windows drivers?

http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/en...dows/C8G-00004

Cheers for the clarity!

So, it says they have 2 USB ports on them too. Is that actual ports, or connectors to add a port onto it. Does daisy chaining 2 of these together cause any latency issues?

[MiL0]

not sure - I've only got xbox 1 joypads (which I usb modded). The original pads have proprietary usb connectors on them... basically each joypad has a built in two port usb hub. The problem is that the connectors aren't standard - some sort of Microsoft connector. It wouldn't be that difficult to mod them into normal usb connectors.

course, the xbox 360 pads might just use normal usb connectors... if so, no modding needed; just dairy chain them together.

I wouldn't have thought there'd be any added latency... nothing you'd be able to discernibly measure anyway.

[Bunford]

I think I'm gonna attempt a couple of these controllers now.

One using a numpad with a 4x4 grid and a couple of other buttons for a cue juggler and one using a couple of Xbox gamepads to make a more Midifighter-type controller for effects etc.

Probably start my own threads soon will build logs and no doubt requests for help!

[Bunford]

Ok, it's the weekend tomorrow and I'm going shopping! Just need to check a couple of things are do-able before I go.

I'm gonna go around some car boot sales, markets etc with the plan of buying:

1 x Numpad with 19 keys and USB cable
2 x Original Xbox Controllers
As many retro arcade joysticks as I can find

My plan was, to make it as cheap as possible, to buy old retro arcade sticks and then to open them up for the arcade buttons on them. What I want to check is that I can easily detach the buttons from old sticks and then use on my custom controllers?

I plan to build 2 separate controllers. One for cues using the numpad based on the OP basic design and one using the 2 xbox pcb's for an effects controller and buying that many arcade buttons is expensive, so looking for cheaper ways of obtaining them

[Bunford]

Interestingly, just remembered I have 4 wireless Xbox 360 Scene It? controllers at home that are not used as I no longer have an Xbox!

Gonna rip these open tonight and have a little inspection. Each controller has 5 buttons (4 + big top buzzer) and an infrared emitter. Would these be usable in making a 4x4 wireless Midifighter-type device? Could build each strip of 4 buttons with the infrared emitter for each strip at the back of the unit, so they'd all be facing the same way. Then plug the receiver into the laptop and voila.

Would that work? I don't know much about all this, but seems do-able!

[MiL0]

if I recall, the xbox 360 joypad drivers for Windows don't support wireless joypads.

worth doing a google to see if anything's changed since I last investigated though...


edit: oops - http://www.techspot.com/drivers/driv...rmation/11297/

[Bunford]

Yeah, I used to have a wireless Xbox controller that I used with a PC to play games, so it definitely works with the Microsoft driver.

So, I'll stick this in to see if the driver runs it. If it does, I'll try and make a wireless Midifighter. Only problem is that it's infrared so may be a bit unreliable in clubs with lights reflection. Though, I can easily put the on the back of the unit with some covering over the emitters and receivers so no light can get in in that scenario.