NeoGeo controller to PS2 adapter

Hello all,
I started a project to make an adapter for a NeoGeo old-style stick to work on a PS2.

Following advice from Amano Jacu, i went and bought a PS controller to sac for the project, I bought a 'Joytech Advanced Analog Controller for Playstation 2' because it was cheap, and I could find no other kind of PS2 controllers.
I gutted the controller and snipped of the shoulder pads and the analog board that has the analog sticks on it.
I then soldered the appropriate wires onto the pad pcb.
My first test was not succesful, only two buttons worked and the direction controls where screwed up.
I retested all my solder points, and all seemed well, I then tried it again, but this time I used a wire to trip the 'analog' switch you see on the front of a ps2 pad, then it works!!

However, I now have 2 problems I am really hoping someone here can help me out with.

The first problem, when pressing the start button, it acts as though it is repeatedly being pressed, not held down, but repeateldy pressed, I have a feeling this is a ground issue. The start and select buttons ground points do not make a continuancy test to the ground point I have chosen for pin 1 of the neo port, all other buttons make the test succesfully though. I am thinking I will need to run a wire to that ground set from the one I have to the port. Anyone have any ideas?

The second problem is the more serious one, the analog button. When the PS2 turns on, the light is not lit, I assume this is because I cut off the analog board. The Neo controller will not work unless I trip the analog switch, lighting the 'analog' light. Funny thing is, during loading a game at times the light goes out, and the controller will stop working until the line is tripped again. I really need some help with this one!

Cheers!
- RR

hmm... that's kinda strange that you'd need to trip the light to make it work... maybe you have it so that the power going to the controller goes first through the light on the analog button, so It only works after it's pressed? I have a question though... why didn't you just cut off the connector of the ps2 controller, and use the wiring that was already done? couldn't you have found the pinout, and traced the wires that where already there to the connector, then mixed them up according to where they'd need to go on your neo? Or... other way around if you're doing neo-ps2...

Okay, to clarify...
You need to use the PS2 controller pcb, as it uses an encoder to create/send the signals, just wiring the PS2 port to an Neo controller is not going to be possible.
And I don't think it's the light that is the issue, but what it indicates, that being the pad in Analog/NonAnalog mode.

RockstarRunner said:

Okay, to clarify...
You need to use the PS2 controller pcb, as it uses an encoder to create/send the signals, just wiring the PS2 port to an Neo controller is not going to be possible.
And I don't think it's the light that is the issue, but what it indicates, that being the pad in Analog/NonAnalog mode.

Click to expand...

Use a PS1 digital only PCB. I'm assuming your trying to use the digital pad function. I don't think you can utilize the Analog function.

Thanks for the answer, but

I bought a 'Joytech Advanced Analog Controller for Playstation 2' because it was cheap, and I could find no other kind of PS2 controllers

Click to expand...

It strikes me as really odd, because when the light is on, that should indicate Analog mode is ON, and only then does it work.

As I said in the PM, that controller just looks too complex for a mod like this, specially having analog functions. In adition, are the regular buttons analog too? Too much trouble anyway, you should really try to find and use a digital only pad.

PM sent in case you want an adaptor I made.

I'm not giving up damnit!
I am going to reconnect the analog board, I think this will solve the major problem... the start button thing on the other hand (?)

ReSoldering the Analog board corrected the control issue, it now boots to NonAnalog mode (light off) but the Neo controller functions correctly, no more having to trip the Analog switch.
Still have the problem of the funny start button, plus I noticed that the select button does not appear to work, I suspect they are related issues.

Are you using bolth grounds?
If I remember correctly PS2 pads have 2 common grounds,
1 for the start/select & analog buttons & another for evertthing elese.
See if this helps.
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/jdpyle1/controls_playstation.htm

I had noticed that the ground for all the standard buttons was the same, except for start, analog & select, so this probably IS the probelm I am seeing... now what I don't know is what to do about this... How can I wire a seperate ground from the neo port for those buttons? Any ideas?

that's weird, i've sacrificed a couple of original sony contrillers to make sticks with, and there's been only one ground. I've gotten in the habit of buying any original psx contollers I run across used, 'cause they're easier to work with, IMO. The only device I've seen two grounds on is my pelican universal joystick (the cheap-ass model, not the real-arcade) when I sacrificed it to make it not suck.

My only thought about how to do this, is to get a couple of buttons, affix them to the box that will hold the adapter, and use that for Start & Select, grounding them to the correct point.
Please, if anyone has a proper solution to this, I would really like to know.

RockstarRunner said:

My only thought about how to do this, is to get a couple of buttons, affix them to the box that will hold the adapter, and use that for Start & Select, grounding them to the correct point.
Please, if anyone has a proper solution to this, I would really like to know.

Click to expand...

couldn't you just daisy chain all the grounds into one?

The different grounds are at different voltages, as I understand it, so in theory it shouldn't work. I did a temp bridge with a wire... the result was all controls stopped working, and the wire I bridged with got very hot ( )

RockstarRunner said:

The different grounds are at different voltages, as I understand it, so in theory it shouldn't work. I did a temp bridge with a wire... the result was all controls stopped working, and the wire I bridged with got very hot ( )

Click to expand...

well then... I guess you have to figure out how to ground multiple voltages... sucks for you... good luck.

RockstarRunner said:

The different grounds are at different voltages, as I understand it, so in theory it shouldn't work. I did a temp bridge with a wire... the result was all controls stopped working, and the wire I bridged with got very hot ( )

Click to expand...

I tried modding a MadCatz Retrocon controller for the same purpose, tying the grounds together and I got squat. Only the Start button worked.

I'm going to try on a PSX controller now.

Wal-Mart sells clear colored Madcatz digital pads for $5.00.

I completed my adapter
Because there is simply no way of using the start and select buttons from the Neo stick on the PS2 controller, due to the different ground on the PS2 pad, I wired them to L1 & R1. By doing this, I know have no worries about playing a 5 buttons atomiswave port using my controller.
However, I still need access to the start and select buttons on the PS2 pad, so I took an old PC joypad I had lying around, it looks like a snes pad, hacked off the 4 button part of it, then wired 2 of those buttons to the PS2 pad, grounding them in the correct place. I then mounted that in the adapter box, so the buttons are on the top of the unit.
Works nicely

RockstarRunner said:

I completed my adapter
Because there is simply no way of using the start and select buttons from the Neo stick on the PS2 controller, due to the different ground on the PS2 pad, I wired them to L1 & R1. By doing this, I know have no worries about playing a 5 buttons atomiswave port using my controller.
However, I still need access to the start and select buttons on the PS2 pad, so I took an old PC joypad I had lying around, it looks like a snes pad, hacked off the 4 button part of it, then wired 2 of those buttons to the PS2 pad, grounding them in the correct place. I then mounted that in the adapter box, so the buttons are on the top of the unit.
Works nicely

Click to expand...

Sounds neat... PICS PLEASE!!!

No way It's housed in a VHS case, but inside it's a freakin' mess! I learnt many things from doing this, first and foremost is to not go chopping off everything because you think you won't need it.
It works but a real patch job, If I got another pad it would be alot neater, then I would take a pic, but not of this one.

RockstarRunner said:

No way It's housed in a VHS case, but inside it's a freakin' mess! I learnt many things from doing this, first and foremost is to not go chopping off everything because you think you won't need it.
It works but a real patch job, If I got another pad it would be alot neater, then I would take a pic, but not of this one.

Click to expand...

aww