Build your own Neo-geo Stick to USB converter

If you want to play with your Neo-Geo Stick ( or other similar controller type ) on the pc, you should check out this site: http://www.raphnet.net

This guy lives in Canada and makes a lot cool things.
Because he already has a lot joystickpcbs for different uses i asked him if he could reprogramm it for a Neo-Stick. I gave him the shematics and also did some testing for him with different Neo-Geo controllers.
Well he did and did send me the prototype to test it.
After i did build it ( well soldering the USB cable and the DB15 ) i would say it works really good and you need no drivers. Just put into the USB port and enjoy.
Its also possible to use two or more of his PCBs the same time so you can play together.

Here is the link to the Neo-Geo Stick pcb:
http://shop.raphnet.net/products/usb_game12/index.php?category=Gaming

You should also look around he has other nice stuff too.
Oh and if u want to order more then one thing you should send him a mail to combinite shipping.

BTW its not my shop im just a happy costumer.

Can you also connect a Neo controller to a PC joystick port with a gender changer?

xbox

i am in the market for one to use with my xbox...is that possible?

Neo Alec said:

Can you also connect a Neo controller to a PC joystick port with a gender changer?

Click to expand...

Is that a question or an answer ? I dont know the shematics of an ordenary PC joyport. I beleave its incompatible. However if you aim for the db15 connector only yes should be possible but you need to remove the conectivity to the soundcard or mainboard. Then again a new fitting db15 connector cost 2 bucks or so.




For the Xbox i dont know i dont own a xbox. I can say it supports mac os, linux and windwos. It creates a hid ( human interface device ) under windows.

Well there is als a manual on the site migth worth to read it for better understanding.

Gamemaster said:

Is that a question or an answer ? I dont know the shematics of an ordenary PC joyport. I beleave its incompatible. However if you aim for the db15 connector only yes should be possible but you need to remove the conectivity to the soundcard or mainboard. Then again a new fitting db15 connector cost 2 bucks or so.

Click to expand...

Yeah your correct there, the PC MIDI/Gameport has grounds and+5V lines very different pin locations and could screw up things really bad.

As for the xbox, well the both the Xbox and 360 use usb to connect their controllers(the original is just differently shaped usb plug) so you would need a encoder so you would have to sac a xbox controller to build the converter. Unless there is a comerical one that exists.

Wow check that out. SNES and N64 controllers working on the Cube as well. *Bookmark*

http://www.epanorama.net/documents/joystick/pc_joystick.html

the pc sound card joystick port is significantly different than the neogeo one.


also cool site.

JuliusCaesar said:

As for the xbox, well the both the Xbox and 360 use usb to connect their controllers(the original is just differently shaped usb plug) so you would need a encoder so you would have to sac a xbox controller to build the converter. Unless there is a comerical one that exists.

Click to expand...

Nah the idea behind this circut is to use only the pcb between usb and the controller.
I tryed 2 of his pcbs and i can say the Neo-geo and N64/gamecube to usb work booth very good.
Also to connect to a xbox you only need an extension cable.
Maybe Raphael can test one of his USB circuts on a xbox and see if they work.

Back in the 90's the emulation people used to say you could connect a Neo stick to the joystick port and it worked with an emulator. They were lying, or is there an adapter I'm unaware of?

Neo Alec said:

Back in the 90's the emulation people used to say you could connect a Neo stick to the joystick port and it worked with an emulator. They were lying, or is there an adapter I'm unaware of?

Click to expand...

the neo stick has a female 15 pin socket and so does the joystick pc port.

I guess it can work by installing a male 15-pin socket on the neo stick and rewire it to pc standard.

Neo Alec said:

Back in the 90's the emulation people used to say you could connect a Neo stick to the joystick port and it worked with an emulator. They were lying, or is there an adapter I'm unaware of?

Click to expand...

When i look at the shematics on the provided link in a post before Neo-Geo controllers wont work on a PC Joyport.

Neo-Geo controllers are very simple Joysticks. For every direction or button there is a switch that connects to ground when pressed.
Every switch has a pin on the DB15 in total you need 12 pins 10 for the switches ( 4 directions 6 buttons ) and 1 for ground plus one for the 5v new style boards and cd joypads need to operate the buttons.

> 1 Common (GND)
> 2 NC
> 3 Select
> 4 D Button
> 5 B Button
> 6 Right
> 7 Down
> 8 +5v
> 9 D Button
> 10 NC
> 11 Start
> 12 C Button
> 13 A Button
> 14 Left
> 15 Up

As you can see pin 2 and 10 are not used and the D button on pin 4 is also on pin 9.

If you connect a Neo-geo stick to a PC joystickport and you press the buttons or move the joytick you would rather mess up your controllerport then get something to work.

Gamemaster, everything you said about the Neo controller wiring is true, but how does that relate to PC joystick pins?

Neo Alec, look at the link not sonic provided there are the shematics of a PC game port.

Joystick connector

Pinout
(male connector on joystick cable)

.-----------------------.
\ 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 /
\ 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 /
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1 XY1 (+5v)
2 Switch 1
3 X1
4 Ground (for switch 1)
5 Ground (for switch 2)
6 Y1
7 Switch 2
8 N.C.
9 XY2 (+5v)
10 Switch 3
11 X2
12 Ground (for switch 3&4) *
13 Y2
14 Switch 4
15 N.C. *

Its easy to tell the neo stick has on pin 1 ground the joyport has +5 v.

While the neo stick has on pin 8 +5v pin 8 is not connected at the pc joypinout.
I know new style Neo-Geo pro sticks and cd controllers need the +5 v to operate the buttons, the old style stick dont need +5v but uses also the pins different, as i explained before.

I was already satisfied it won't work. I was just annoyed you posted the Neo controller pins (which I know inside and out) as a response.