# Converting a PS2 controller to a USB controller



## AsphyxiA (Apr 8, 2006)

so i have seen tutorials on how to turn an xbox controller over to USB, because it is essentially the same thing yada yada yada.  Ok so is the PS2 controller! But i havent found any mods out there on how to do this. Has anyone seen this mod?


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## infrared (Apr 8, 2006)

I havn't seen any guides to do it... could you post a link to the ps1 controller? sounds interesting. I'd imagine the same method should work, since a ps1 controller will work on a ps2, so the pin-out must be the same.


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## AMDCam (Apr 8, 2006)

He said Xbox infrared, don't think he mentioned PS1. But I'd like to see a tutorial on converting Xbox to USB too, I mean I have a lot of emulators and the only reason I don't play them is because without a controller it's hard and not fun.


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## Thermopylae_480 (Apr 8, 2006)

No dude.  He wants to mod a PS2 controller.  He found the tutorial for the XBOX controlers. 
Oh.  By the way, if you don't mind spending a little money you can buy a USB XBOX 360 controller for the PC.  They sell them at, well, guess where?  ...Wal-Mart!  Always low Prices

I can't remember if they are the same controllers as the XBOX 360s or not.  I'm pretty sure they are, and you only have to download drivers from the Microsoft Website.  My friend had one for awhile.


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## OOTay (Apr 8, 2006)

ohh i would also be interested in a PS2 or PS1 controller for the comp .. since there so damn confy.


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## Thermopylae_480 (Apr 8, 2006)

I know.  I like them better too, but I've never seen one for sale.  You best bet will be if someone knows of a mod.


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## AMDCam (Apr 8, 2006)

I know he's talking about PS2 but I meant he mentioned Xbox too. I think I'm gonna get a USB XBOX 360 controller though, that's awesome.


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## OOTay (Apr 8, 2006)

Im going to do some good google searchers for a good tut...

-EDIT-
Found a bunch of Converter accessories and such like

PS2 Controller to USB Adapter

heres a cool one
Keyboard and Mouse adapter for XBox


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## AMDCam (Apr 8, 2006)

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage...t&productCategoryId=cat01063&id=1089890729982

If you guys want PS2, check that out. It's cheaper AND less complicated than the PS2 controller hookup and the Xbox 360 controller


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## aff1nity (Apr 8, 2006)

Ah easy. Do an ebay search for PS2 to USB or something of the sort. I have a PS2 controller hooked up to my computer right now by a 2 controller-1 usb converter. Dirt cheap too.


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## OOTay (Apr 8, 2006)

AMDCam said:
			
		

> http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage...t&productCategoryId=cat01063&id=1089890729982
> 
> If you guys want PS2, check that out. It's cheaper AND less complicated than the PS2 controller hookup and the Xbox 360 controller


But thats just not as cool as an acuall PS2 controller... :shadedshu


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## ShadowFlare (Apr 8, 2006)

OOTay said:
			
		

> Im going to do some good google searchers for a good tut...
> 
> -EDIT-
> Found a bunch of Converter accessories and such like
> ...


Nah, you don't want to get a Super Dual Box; that's an outdated model that is no longer in production.  The updated model is called a Super Dual Box Pro and is more configurable.  There are actually three different versions of this same thing: the Super Joy Box 3 Pro (1 port), the Super Dual Box Pro (2 ports), and the Super Joy Box 5 Pro (4 ports).  I bought a Super Joy Box 5 Pro, since I wanted at least 2 ports and the price difference wasn't much.  I got it from Play-Asia.com.  It was made in China, but the quality was just fine and most of this stuff is from there anyway.   Links to the different adaptors I mentioned:
http://www.play-asia.com/paOS-13-71-6m-49-en-70-qc2.html
http://www.play-asia.com/paOS-13-71-6m-49-en-70-qc3.html
http://www.play-asia.com/paOS-13-71-6m-49-en-70-qc4.html

Even though it is in China, the shipping costs and the time to ship aren't too bad even for shipping to USA.

Anyway, the cost of the adaptor was reasonable and it works great with all of the controllers I've used with it so far. (Sony PS1 and PS2 dual-shock, third party PS2 dual-shock, RedOctane Ignition 1.0 pads for DDR, Pump It Up pad bundled with USA PS2 version)


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## AMDCam (Apr 8, 2006)

DAMN, thanks for the links Shadow! I'm just wondering now, since there aren't any real stable Xbox/PS2/Gamecube/Xbox 360 emulators out, what are you guys gonna use this stuff for? I mean I'd LOVE some 4-player emulation on my computer but without the original games what are you gonna do with 4 controllers? Plus the one thing I don't really get is, isn't a mouse like 1000000000000% more controlled and accurate over a joystick? So if you use these for PC games then it'll just be wierd, I mean I prefer PC games over video games just for the control it gives you with a mouse. And not many games I know of support 4-player (or even 2-player) on the PC.


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## ShadowFlare (Apr 8, 2006)

AMDCam said:
			
		

> DAMN, thanks for the links Shadow! I'm just wondering now, since there aren't any real stable Xbox/PS2/Gamecube/Xbox 360 emulators out, what are you guys gonna use this stuff for? I mean I'd LOVE some 4-player emulation on my computer but without the original games what are you gonna do with 4 controllers? Plus the one thing I don't really get is, isn't a mouse like 1000000000000% more controlled and accurate over a joystick? So if you use these for PC games then it'll just be wierd, I mean I prefer PC games over video games just for the control it gives you with a mouse. And not many games I know of support 4-player (or even 2-player) on the PC.


There are SNES and PS1 emulators and also MAME for arcade games.   There are several games for those that support at least 3 or 4 players.  Also, there are some PC games that were basically designed to be played on controllers like the ones for the popular game consoles; I have a couple such games that came with my X800 GTO2 (Prince of Persia Warrior Within and Tony Hawk's Underground 2, the playstation 1/2 dual-shock controllers are perfect for these  ).  There are also some PC games that support 3 or more players.

All of these uses for it are things that I use it for.   Besides my Super Joy Box 5 Pro, I also have an older Super Dual Box.  I bought it sometime around the beginning of 2004 to use my two RedOctane Ignition pads on my PC for StepMania.  It works fine on my older computer, but when I got my new computer last year I found that there were some problems with it on my new computer.  The specific problem is in that to use the DDR-style pads, you need to input a code to change the button assignments internally in the adaptor, but on my new computer the adaptor would sometimes reset itself and make it so the code needed to be put in again; this would happen while playing and was very annoying.

Because of this problem, I eventually looked around for a new adaptor to use instead and I came across a site mentioning the Super Dual Box Pro.  It mentioned that it could remap the buttons and also map the directions as buttons.  Since it could do that, no code would be required, so my problem would be solved.  While looking around for different places to buy it, I found Play-Asia.com, which I actually had previously heard of, and I saw the Super Joy Box 5 for only a little more money and decided to get that.  As mentioned in my previous post, they got it to me fairly quick and the adaptor has worked for everything I've tried so far.


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## AMDCam (Apr 8, 2006)

Oh I didn't think about the PC-ports, although I would still prefer a mouse and my good ole keyboard. I never said there weren't PS1 and SNES emulators though, I know they have all emulators since the original Nintendo (and probably some Atari's) all the way up to N64/PS1 but I was talking about the new systems, the ones everyone always plays.


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## AsphyxiA (Apr 8, 2006)

had people ask about where i found the tutorial on the xbox controller heres the link
http://metku.net/index.html?sect=view&n=1&path=mods/xbox_cc/index_eng
oh and yeah i could go out and buy and xbox 360 to USB controller but im not willing to pay $40 plus for it! its a damn controller and im oly going to use it for emus and ports. Plus it would just be fucking awesome to convert a PS2 controller jsut because it is, in my oppinion, the most comfy controller. Plus you get the benefit of having a well made controller that actually works. Sorry but computer controllers suck.


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## ShadowFlare (Apr 8, 2006)

AMDCam said:
			
		

> Oh I didn't think about the PC-ports, although I would still prefer a mouse and my good ole keyboard. I never said there weren't PS1 and SNES emulators though, I know they have all emulators since the original Nintendo (and probably some Atari's) all the way up to N64/PS1 but I was talking about the new systems, the ones everyone always plays.


For games that use a mouse in combination with the keyboard, like FPS and RTS games, I do prefer that.  However, for games that don't use a mouse and that there wouldn't be any logical way to use it anyway, I usually prefer the gamepad, especially when I don't have to enter specific sequences of directions (for fighting games) and when I can assign every single action in the game to a button or axis on the gamepad.


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## ShadowFlare (Apr 8, 2006)

AsphyxiA said:
			
		

> had people ask about where i found the tutorial on the xbox controller heres the link
> http://metku.net/index.html?sect=view&n=1&path=mods/xbox_cc/index_eng
> oh and yeah i could go out and buy and xbox 360 to USB controller but im not willing to pay $40 plus for it! its a damn controller and im oly going to use it for emus and ports. Plus it would just be f***ing awesome to convert a PS2 controller jsut because it is, in my oppinion, the most comfy controller. Plus you get the benefit of having a well made controller that actually works. Sorry but computer controllers suck.


Well, to make an adaptor for a PS2 controller it is more complicated, since it is a proprietary interface.  For making your own, it would likely connect through a parallel port, not USB.  There are USB adaptors that are good enough (and cheap enough) that it probably isn't really even worth trying to make one yourself.  Look at the links I posted above for some great adaptors.


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## AMDCam (Apr 8, 2006)

That's true shadow, I agree with games that don't need that much control, PS2/Xbox controllers are better.

And Asphyxia, that's exactly what I'll be using a controller for, but I was just saying a PC controller would work just as well but you couldn't say it's a "PS2 controller". I don't know if computer controllers suck, they're pretty reliable (most of them) depending on the company. I'd prefer an N64 controller over playstation because I've got NES/SNES/N64 on my computer


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## AsphyxiA (Apr 9, 2006)

i have had at least 3 different PC controllers in the last two years.  True they arent bad most directional pads on pc controllers do not have the sensitivity or accuracy of that of a console controller.  Sure the command buttons work nice but if you cant make a sudden 90 degree turn in Chronotrigger when in the ventialtion shaft, chasing after a rabbit, in the futue, then the controller is crap.  I've owned Logitech, Saitek, and Team Generica  and they all have this problem, no matter what kind of fancy dodads or fans or lights or any other crap which just sways away from the movement problem.  I definantly would prefer a keyboard over a controller but sometimes you just need a controller!  Simple as that!  And as for the connection, i thought that the PS2 controller port WAS USB in disguise.  I didn't know they were using serial.  Boggers, i guess ill just have use an xbox controller  grumble grumble or go with ugh, the adaptor.  Speaking of the adaptor, is there any lag between the controller to the PC connection?


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## KennyT772 (Apr 9, 2006)

well for one there is no pc controller capable of pressure sensitive buttons and dpad. i have the logitech rumblepad 2 but its not the same as a ps2 controller. the original black ones are the best ever (sorry but my hands hate the weird layout of the xbox controllers). that and ive been using the ps controllers since '94 back before there was analogue. i will definatly get one of these adapters if someone can back the performance.


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## PVTCaboose1337 (Apr 9, 2006)

You know, Logitech sells an exact copy of a PS2 controller for the PC, and WITH software.  You can map buttons to ANY .exe


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## AMDCam (Apr 10, 2006)

But Kenny, even if the adapter DID support pressure sensitivity (which was THE SMARTEST AND BEST AND MOST USEFUL AND MOST USED (by me) feature of any controller ever created), the game has to support it too. So unless you make a game think the buttons are actually racing wheel and pedals, then they're not gonna work


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## KennyT772 (Apr 10, 2006)

ahh..very true. i dont even know how you would map that to a game. would have have to make an axis type input as far as software goes...


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## ShadowFlare (Apr 10, 2006)

AsphyxiA said:
			
		

> Speaking of the adaptor, is there any lag between the controller to the PC connection?


I have a Super Joy Box 5 Pro and in certain configurations for pads for Dance Dance Revolution I have noticed a slight delay (I think only when it is configured using the "DDR mode" setting in the adaptor configuration, however there are alternative modes that work fine).  For any other controllers I haven't noticed any delay ever, no matter what configuration settings are used.

I'm not completely sure of this, but getting an adaptor with less ports on it may have less of a chance to have a delay.  Of course, theoretically a USB 1.1 port should easily be able to handle 4 PS2 controllers or more, and still have the capability of handling several thousand button presses per controller per second.  Because of this it probably more just depends on the speed of the circuitry on the adaptor.


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