Gregory Taylor

I have heard here and there that there are

some of you out there who've investigated

controllers for your own purposes. While it

Max beginner's workshop in Chicago has moved

Have you personally "bent" videogame controllers

for use via the hi object to construct your

own interfaces? While I'm generally curious 

about these, I'd be more interested in what online

resources that describe this process you might be

aware of. I suppose it's possible that Nic Collins

may deal with this sort of thing in his new book

"Handmade Electronic Music: The Art of Hardware 

Hacking", but my copy is, apparently, still on

I'll be happy to collect and format/forward

this information, should I receive any. Please

feel free to contact me directly via email.

I have heard here and there that there are
some of you out there who've investigated
opening up and modifying USB videogame
controllers for your own purposes. While it
has sounded interesting in general, the
Max beginner's workshop in Chicago has moved
me to ask the question here generally.

Have you personally "bent" videogame controllers
for use via the hi object to construct your
own interfaces? While I'm generally curious 
about these, I'd be more interested in what online
resources that describe this process you might be
aware of. I suppose it's possible that Nic Collins
may deal with this sort of thing in his new book
"Handmade Electronic Music: The Art of Hardware 
Hacking", but my copy is, apparently, still on
order with the publisher.

I'll be happy to collect and format/forward
this information, should I receive any. Please
feel free to contact me directly via email.

modifying-usb-gamepad-controllers

The guys at STEIM were doing this big-time when we were there a year 

or two ago, and they've probably made quite a bit of progress since 

nick rothwell -- composition, systems, performance -- 

The guys at STEIM were doing this big-time when we were there a year  
or two ago, and they've probably made quite a bit of progress since  
then.

   nick rothwell -- composition, systems, performance -- http:// 
www.cassiel.com


> Have you personally "bent" videogame controllers

> for use via the hi object to construct your

> own interfaces? While I'm generally curious 

I wouldn't call it "bend", but I used an airstick to track the position 

of my bass. I attached it without modification to the bottom of the bass 

and connected it directly to my powerbook.

This was way more easy to achieve than attaching accelerometers 

connected to a Toaster interface, which I tried first...

For buttons, I was never so much interested in game controlers, as 

keyboards (computer and Midi) usually have enough of those ergonomically 

designed. Some game controllers do have interesting alternative 

controls, and seem to incorporate them into a usable user interfaces. I 

do have a P5 glove, though didn't do too much with it yet...

For bending a gamepad to create something like a faderbox, I was never 

encouraged, as I could get a used Pocketfader for 60 euros (that was 

really cheap...). It might be faster/cheaper to find a used 

Midicontroler than building your own out of a game pad which probably 

has only 2 to 4 continuous controls.... (This is only true if you 

incorporate this ancient format called "Midi" anyway)

If you have a certain unusal sensor, then I guess this will be 

interesting to bend it into a hi controller.

Maybe the question would be: which sensor would you like to use, and has 

somebody attached it successfully to a gamepad...

Gregory Taylor wrote:
> Have you personally "bent" videogame controllers
> for use via the hi object to construct your
> own interfaces? While I'm generally curious 
> about these... 

I wouldn't call it "bend", but I used an airstick to track the position 
of my bass. I attached it without modification to the bottom of the bass 
and connected it directly to my powerbook.
This was way more easy to achieve than attaching accelerometers 
connected to a Toaster interface, which I tried first...

For buttons, I was never so much interested in game controlers, as 
keyboards (computer and Midi) usually have enough of those ergonomically 
designed. Some game controllers do have interesting alternative 
controls, and seem to incorporate them into a usable user interfaces. I 
do have a P5 glove, though didn't do too much with it yet...

For bending a gamepad to create something like a faderbox, I was never 
encouraged, as I could get a used Pocketfader for 60 euros (that was 
really cheap...). It might be faster/cheaper to find a used 
Midicontroler than building your own out of a game pad which probably 
has only 2 to 4 continuous controls.... (This is only true if you 
incorporate this ancient format called "Midi" anyway)

If you have a certain unusal sensor, then I guess this will be 
interesting to bend it into a hi controller.
Maybe the question would be: which sensor would you like to use, and has 
somebody attached it successfully to a gamepad...

-- 
Stefan Tiedje------------x-------
--_____-----------|--------------
--(_|_ ----|-----|-----()-------
-- _|_)----|-----()--------------
----------()--------www.ccmix.com


the new release will be at the end of july (i hope)

i made the project, but my friend did the electronic handwork

When I need a wireless sensor interface, I take a wingman cordless gamepad

It's really cheap, has 5 analog inputs (2 joysticks and 1 fader) and 10

switchs (10 buttons). AND it's wireless!!!

Just replace all the controlers by a stereo 1/8 jack.

Stereo because the analog inputs needs 3 wires, but the switches need only

I plug my sensors directly in the 1/8 jacks.

Works only with resistive sensors, avoid active ones.

email me privatly if you want to see pics of my bent gamepads.

I sell them too if interested! But the "DoItYourself" way is easy.

Issue possible: a gamepad goes to sleep mode if inactive after a while.

THe analog sensors cannot wake it up, only the switches can do.

Nic Collins' book has a chapter on gamepad hacks. It's a really nice book,

giving up most of David Tudor's tricks, contact mic thingies and more!

When I need a wireless sensor interface, I take a wingman cordless gamepad
by Logitech.
It's really cheap, has 5 analog inputs (2 joysticks and 1 fader) and 10
switchs (10 buttons). AND it's wireless!!!

Just replace all the controlers by a stereo 1/8 jack.
Stereo because the analog inputs needs 3 wires, but the switches need only
2.
I plug my sensors directly in the 1/8 jacks.
Works only with resistive sensors, avoid active ones.

email me privatly if you want to see pics of my bent gamepads.
I sell them too if interested! But the "DoItYourself" way is easy.

Issue possible: a gamepad goes to sleep mode if inactive after a while.
THe analog sensors cannot wake it up, only the switches can do. 

Nic Collins' book has a chapter on gamepad hacks. It's a really nice book,
giving up most of David Tudor's tricks, contact mic thingies and more!

I must have missed this earlier - what is the title of the book? A 

quick search of Nic Collins on Amazon doesn't bring up anything useful.

I must have missed this earlier - what is the title of the book? A  
quick search of Nic Collins on Amazon doesn't bring up anything useful.

http://www.cdemusic.org/store/cde_search.cfm?keywords=mb266

Yeah, I've tweaked a few joysticks. This is and has been the cheapest way of connecting switches and potentiometers to a music program, although the old (at least, I haven't seen a new one for a while...) soundcards with a gameport were a way of connecting potentiometers directly.

It is truly as easy as it sounds, just open the thing up, look at where the variable resistors and buttons are connected and solder your own onto them. You can place other variable resistors in series or parallel to yours to use as trimmers.

Although the [HI] object spits out values between something like (I don't remember) 0 to 34000, it does so in steps. The cheap joysticks I bought with which to teach a course had twelve steps, which is not a very nice resolution. I never got around to testing if this was joystick-specific or interface-specific. Anyone know?

Yeah, I've tweaked a few joysticks.  This is and has been the cheapest way of connecting switches and potentiometers to a music program, although the old (at least, I haven't seen a new one for a while...) soundcards with a gameport were a way of connecting potentiometers directly.

It is truly as easy as it sounds, just open the thing up, look at where the variable resistors and buttons are connected and solder your own onto them.  You can place other variable resistors in series or parallel to yours to use as trimmers.

ONE IMPORTANT ISSUE:
Although the [HI] object spits out values between something like (I don't remember) 0 to 34000, it does so in steps.  The cheap joysticks I bought with which to teach a course had twelve steps, which is not a very nice resolution.  I never got around to testing if this was joystick-specific or interface-specific.  Anyone know?

Handmade Electronic Music the art of hardware hacking

http://www.bentfestival.org/bookparty.html

I think the title is
Handmade Electronic Music the art of hardware hacking

I just modified an xbox controller so i can use it as USB-Device and i can use all inputs. driver: 

Im going to write a patch to use the D-pad to control the OpenGL enviroment.

The [hi] object doesn't work as well as it could because the controller can sense the presure sensitivity and [hi] only senses 0 or 128.

The driver supports Raw-data output (00-FF) per channel, 20 channels and 2 channels for the ForceFeedback. Is there a way to use this data in Max?

I just modified an xbox controller so i can use it as USB-Device and i can use all inputs. driver: http://www.redcl0ud.com/xbcd.html
Im going to write a patch to use the D-pad to control the OpenGL enviroment.
The [hi] object doesn't work as well as it could because the controller can sense the presure sensitivity and [hi] only senses 0 or 128.
The driver supports Raw-data output (00-FF) per channel, 20 channels and 2 channels for the ForceFeedback. Is there a way to use this data in Max?


I don't know anything about xbox controlers, I'm not sure the meaning

of the sentence "[hi] only sense 0 to 128" as well (my english's

poor...), but I know [hi] can sense better than that (0 to 255 with a

logitech wingman cordless). Most of gamepads use 3.5Volt to power

their analog inputs, wich means if you're using a 5volt sensor

circuit, you won't reach its best range. Did it reached its range

I don't know anything about xbox controlers, I'm not sure the meaning
of the sentence "[hi] only sense 0 to 128" as well (my english's
poor...), but I know [hi] can sense better than that (0 to 255 with a
logitech wingman cordless). Most of gamepads use 3.5Volt to power
their analog inputs, wich means if you're using a 5volt sensor
circuit, you won't reach its best range. Did it reached its range
before you hacked it?

modifying USB gamepad controllers