PS2 Controller-wireless again!

bulkhead · 2006-02-04 06:32

Ok, I got a wireless ps2 controller (pelican brand, $10 at circuirt city this week) and it's quiet nice. The problem is that it seems to use a different way of communication. The ID that is returned is not $41 or $73. I also believe it uses a different "start byte" than regular sony brand controllers. I'm wondering if it's possible that I hook my stamp up to read the clock, data, command, and attention lines WHILE the wireless controller is communicating with a playstation. If it could somehow keep up with the clock cycle of the playstation, I could then display in the debug window the individual bytes sent, and therefore figure out the correct bytes to send the wireless controller. Any ideas on whether this will work?

Jon Williams · 2006-02-04 07:18

No, the instruction load cycle for PBASIC is slower than the normal clock cycle of PSX controllers. You could use an SX to make such a "sniffer"; I've heard of others using PICs and Atmel micros to do this.

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Jon Williams
Applications Engineer, Parallax

Bamse · 2006-02-04 07:20

If you figure out how to snoop on the PS2 signals please let me know how...

/Bamse

Jon Williams · 2006-02-04 08:03

It would be easiest with a logic analyzer, otherwise, one could drop an SX onto the controller lines and -- monitoring the clock and attn lines -- grab the bytes going back and forth, then dump them to a terminal. Have I done this? No... I don't actually have a PlayStation console, just the controller.

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Jon Williams
Applications Engineer, Parallax

bulkhead · 2006-02-04 20:03

Sorry I'm new to this, but what is a logic analyzer? How come the SX can do it but the basic stamp can't? What about the Javelin?

Wow, it must be hard to work with playstation controllers without the console! Why don't you just get a cheap playstation off ebay? You can get them for like $18 including shipping. This auction just ended at that...
http://cgi.ebay.com/SONY-PLAYSTATION-CONSOLE-CONTROLLER-AND-GAME_W0QQitemZ8255510714QQcategoryZ62053QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I use an old playstation (not psOne, the original) to test my controllers when I believe that they are broken (but they always work). It's strange, even the new wireless controllers for PS2 work fine with the original playstation, even though the controllers were probably designed 10 years after the console was.

I just thought of something- playstation memory cards hook up with the same pin layout as their controllers, so they MIGHT also use serial communication to send and recieve data. What if you could use playstation memory cards to store and retrieve data?

Post Edited (bulkhead) : 2/4/2006 8:13:22 PM GMT

DiablodeMorte · 2006-02-04 23:31

Jon Williams (Parallax) said...
It would be easiest with a logic analyzer, otherwise, one could drop an SX onto the controller lines and -- monitoring the clock and attn lines -- grab the bytes going back and forth, then dump them to a terminal. Have I done this? No... I don't actually have a PlayStation console, just the controller.

Even though i realize this would cost you $$$$ but why don't you just RENT a ps2 from blockbuster. I think i cost like $20 to rent(w/ a $300 security deposit which u get back)

Jon Williams · 2006-02-04 23:57

Well, I don't find it necessary to spend money renting or buying a PlayStation console when I'm able to make the PSX controller work the way I need it to. There is a lot of information flying around the Internet of PlayStation controller programming -- but that doesn't mean that it will apply to non-Sony products. My schedule is pretty hectic, and I really don't have time to fool with every controller out there. With the code·that I (and others) have written, anyone really wanting to make other controllers work should be able to by just putting in a little effort.

I know this is all fun stuff, but there are times when we just have to knuckle down and work.

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Jon Williams
Applications Engineer, Parallax

Jon Williams · 2006-02-05 00:03

See my post above as to why I don't find it necessary to rent or buy a PlayStation console.

A logic analyzer is a digital recorder that can record many signals at one time.· You could, in fact, use a Parallax USB Scope as a two channel logic analyzer using the external trigger as the trigger input.· With that you could watch the Clock and Cmd lines and sus out the information being sent by the console.

I have another USB scope that allows me to monitor up to eight channels.· With this, I could trigger on the Attn line and monitor, Clock, Cmd, and Data .... if I had a console which I've made quite clear is not going to happen.· I really don't need to, because others have -- and just a bit of Googling·will turn up those sites.

Why the SX, and not a BASIC Stamp or Javelin Stamp?· Speed.· The clock rate from the PSX console is faster than the BASIC Stamp (even a BS2px) can keep up with.

bulkhead said...
Sorry I'm new to this, but what is a logic analyzer? How come the SX can do it but the basic stamp can't? What about the Javelin?

Wow, it must be hard to work with playstation controllers without the console! Why don't you just get a cheap playstation off ebay? You can get them for like $18 including shipping. This auction just ended at that...
http://cgi.ebay.com/SONY-PLAYSTATION-CONSOLE-CONTROLLER-AND-GAME_W0QQitemZ8255510714QQcategoryZ62053QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I use an old playstation (not psOne, the original) to test my controllers when I believe that they are broken (but they always work). It's strange, even the new wireless controllers for PS2 work fine with the original playstation, even though the controllers were probably designed 10 years after the console was.

I just thought of something- playstation memory cards hook up with the same pin layout as their controllers, so they MIGHT also use serial communication to send and recieve data. What if you could use playstation memory cards to store and retrieve data?

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Jon Williams
Applications Engineer, Parallax

bulkhead · 2006-02-05 00:48

Well, since I have the time to do this kinda stuff, I may give it a try. I've already searched, but only things on using the original sony controller come up, nothing about wireless. Where can I get a logic analyzer and how much is it?

Jon Williams · 2006-02-05 01:11

If you open Nuts & Volts, Servo, Circuit Cellar, or any other electronics magazine you'll find lots of ads for logica analyzers -- this is the one I have:

http://www.bitscope.net/store/?p=view&i=product+BS50U

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Jon Williams
Applications Engineer, Parallax

D4rk.Vador · 2006-02-05 18:47

Maybee I could try to search for some kind of drivers for the controller, I have the decrypted fw dump(they are for psp, but the buttons are connected into a socket on the psp motherboard as the PlayStation 1/2) so it cud be useful.

PSP rox

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Rien n'est plus proche du vrai que le faux

Albert Einstein

Progress in Translation Of Robotics With The Boe-Bot v2.2: Page 15 Of 364

TechnoRobbo · 2006-08-03 03:23

Have fun.

' {$STAMP BS2}
' {$PBASIC 2.5}

psxThumbL VAR Byte ' left thumb buttons
psxThumbR VAR Byte ' right thumb buttons
psxJoyRX VAR Byte ' r joystick - X axis
psxJoyRY VAR Byte ' r joystick - Y axis
psxJoyLX VAR Byte ' l joystick - X axis
psxJoyLY VAR Byte ' l joystick - Y axis

idx VAR Nib
tmpout VAR Byte

PsxAtt PIN 9 ' PSX joystick interface
PsxClk PIN 8
PsxCmd PIN 10
PsxDat PIN 11

MAIN:
DO
GOSUB Get_PSX_Buttons
DEBUG HOME, BIN8 psxThumbL," ",BIN8 psxThumbR," ",CR'HEX2 psxID," ",HEX2 psxSta,CR
DEBUG "psxJoyRX = ",DEC3 psxJoyRX ,CR
DEBUG "psxJoyRY = ",DEC3 psxJoyRY ,CR
DEBUG "psxJoyLX = ",DEC3 psxJoyLX ,CR
DEBUG "psxJoyLY = ",DEC3 psxJoyLY ,CR
LOOP

'

[noparse][[/noparse] Subroutines ]

Get_PSX_Buttons:' This routine REQUIRES inverted clock signal from
DIR10=1
DIR11=0

LOW PsxClk
LOW PsxAtt
'GOTO test
'request data
tmpout=$01
FOR idx=0 TO 7
PsxCmd=tmpout.LOWBIT(idx)
PULSOUT PsxClk,2
NEXT
PAUSE 1

tmpout=$42
FOR idx=0 TO 7
PsxCmd=tmpout.LOWBIT(idx)
PULSOUT PsxClk,2
NEXT

PAUSE 1

tmpout=$00

FOR idx=0 TO 7
PsxCmd=tmpout.LOWBIT(idx)
PULSOUT PsxClk,2
NEXT

PAUSE 1

FOR idx=0 TO 7
psxThumbL.LOWBIT(idx)=PsxDat
PULSOUT PsxClk,1
NEXT
FOR idx=0 TO 7
psxThumbR.LOWBIT(idx)=PsxDat
PULSOUT PsxClk,1
NEXT
FOR idx=0 TO 7
psxJoyRX.LOWBIT(idx)=PsxDat
PULSOUT PsxClk,1
NEXT
FOR idx=0 TO 7
psxJoyRY.LOWBIT(idx)=PsxDat
PULSOUT PsxClk,1
NEXT
FOR idx=0 TO 7
psxJoyLX.LOWBIT(idx)=PsxDat
PULSOUT PsxClk,1
NEXT
FOR idx=0 TO 7
psxJoyLY.LOWBIT(idx)=PsxDat
PULSOUT PsxClk,1
NEXT

HIGH PsxAtt
RETURN

END

TechnoRobbo · 2006-08-03 03:26

Its the clock timing Shiftout is too long it should be 4microsecs not 46 microsecs like the shiftout command uses forits Ti timing.

PS2 Controller-wireless again!

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