No more hardware forum so here goes, PS2 controller decoding

[nonzero]

Just checked back in here and noticed that the PS2 hardware forum is missing in action.

My question is what is required to make a decoder of a PS2 control pad?



Multigame used to make a PS2 to Vectrex adaptor that had many clever functions programmed into it.

I'd like to make something similar that takes a standard PS2 pad input and outputs the plain signal data for each point.


Thanks

[J.F.]

There's been a LOT of info on PS1/PS2 controllers posted. I suggest starting with searching the forum.

[nonzero]

There's been a LOT of info on PS1/PS2 controllers posted. I suggest starting with searching the forum.

Thank you for that most pertinent of tips - I performed a search before posting and didn't find anything that directly related to my question.

Do you have any keywords that might narrow the material down a bit? Found plenty about software/driver related stuff but nothing hardware based.

I've picked up a PS2 with a duff laser to have a look at how the controller port is wired inside the console and how the signal is chuffed around.

Any pointers would be appreciated.

[jbit]

There is tonnes of information on the net (and our forums) about the PS1/PS2 controller protocol. There are even a whole bunch of projects on the net using the PS1/PS2 controllers from a PIC or such, ranging from controlling a MIDI synth. to controlling a robot.

There are loads of pages like http://www.gamesx.com/controldata/psxcont/psxcont.htm which detail the protocol at a low level, so you can make a PIC or such drive it.

Hint: A PS2 pad will act like a PS1 pad until it's told not to, and even when it's in PS2 pad mode it still uses effectively the same protocol.

[J.F.]

Here's another good doc that covers the extended pads you would have found searching here. I did since I lost the link... but five whole minutes searching here turned it up. :)