Building DC arcade stick...need help...

[ssbomberman]

A while ago, someone on these boards converted a DC Agetec stick into a custom one...I would like to try to do the same, but with one of those cheap brand DC joysticks--I forget which one I have...

How difficult is this? Basically, I am debating whether to buy a Mas or Sav stick for like $150 bucks or build my own.

I am going to use a competition stick and competition push buttons from Happ--so that will only cost me about $20-30 bucks...

What else do I need?

The hard part is figuring out how to connect the new parts to the old circuit board...

Can anyone offer me advice or a simplified walkthrough (I am very ignorant when it comes to circuits, etc.)...I did a little searching online, but didn't really find any easy help...

Thanks

[zidane747]

I don't know if it's exactly what you're looking for, but I hope this helps.


http://www.ews.uiuc.edu/~nshin/PROJECTS/ARCADE/

[Cheebs]

Once you have the joystick shell made, you need a circuit board for whatever system's controller you want to use. Say you're making a DC stick, you need to take the PCB out of a DC pad. Make sure the pad you are using is a 3rd party pad with 6 face buttons, because the analog sholder triggers don't connect to arcade pushbuttons. Look at the circuit board. You will notice that under every button (including d pad directions) there are two separate "wires" that get connected when the button depresses. Solder from each of those wires to the two leads on your happ button. That's all there is to it.

[ssbomberman]

Thanks for the help...I'll give it a try...it sure beats spending 150 on an arcade stick...

[ssbomberman]

Okay...so I am getting the parts tomorrow morning...an eight-way stick and ultimate pushbuttons (best I could do locally)...anyway I gutted my Topmax DC arcade stick and was a little surprised...

The stick was connected with two-wires for each direction, but there's a thick black cord coming out of the very bottom of the stick and going to a circuit that is connected by wires to the PCB...I have no idea what this small extra circuit board does...

The PCB itself doesn't have any wires for the buttons because all the buttons looked like suction cups and must have worked just by pressing against the contacts for each button...

The nice thing is that it has the VMU hooked to the PCB so I can keep that intact...but I fear this may be a little over my head...

maybe I should try just using the PCB from a third-party pad...is that more straight forward?

I'll keep you posted as to my success...and post some picts once it's done...

[Cheebs]

Well, post a picture of the confusing insides of that stick and maybe we can figure out what that extra wire and board are.

[ssbomberman]

I'll try and do it tonight...