Modded GC shell?

[Thorax]

Hey everyone. It's been a while since I was last on here, or since I've modded anything, and I really want to get back into it.

Anyway, I was playing my old GameCube the other day and noticed how much I love the feel of the controller. Is it possible for me to get the board from the xbox controller to fit in the shell of the GC controller? I know there is a size difference, but is there any way I could minimize it? I'm planning on removing one of the rumble packs as the GC controller only fits 1.

[Anonamous]

Hey everyone. It's been a while since I was last on here, or since I've modded anything, and I really want to get back into it.

Anyway, I was playing my old GameCube the other day and noticed how much I love the feel of the controller. Is it possible for me to get the board from the xbox controller to fit in the shell of the GC controller? I know there is a size difference, but is there any way I could minimize it? I'm planning on removing one of the rumble packs as the GC controller only fits 1.

im sure you could do it... it would take  A LOT of trimming. But there wouldnt be enough buttons. you leds wouldnt be seen, there would be battery problems and it just wouldnt feel righ twhile playing ur xbox games because of the positioning of your gamecube controller buttons. I dont think it would be that good of an idea but i understand where you are coming from.

[Thorax]

I would only need to add 3 buttons, which I know is a bit considering what I have to work with, but I think I can make it work.

How would I trim it? Do I just cut the board itself around the edges, or what?

[spurgurgle]

this would be very do-able if u've got the time and skills to do it..... RDC did somethign kinda the same a while back..... well not the same at all it was a 360 pad in a ps3 shell...... but he had to hack up the 360 pad alot to do it............
look here to see what i mean....
[spoiler] click it to see the original post
image courtesy of RDC on  ........[/spoiler]

[Thorax]

I see. Thanks guys. I'll see what I can do. Anything else I should know?

[Anonamous]

you would have to make the dpad socket bigger, or somehow get the contacts to fit right. the dpad is like a 10th of the size of the 360 one.

[Thorax]

you would have to make the dpad socket bigger, or somehow get the contacts to fit right. the dpad is like a 10th of the size of the 360 one.

Right now, the problem with it is the two little areas sticking out. The GC board is custom fit to go in those areas. Right now I'm thinking I'm going to have to wire a dpad into their or just use the old c-stick.

[Anonamous]

Right now, the problem with it is the two little areas sticking out. The GC board is custom fit to go in those areas. Right now I'm thinking I'm going to have to wire a dpad into their or just use the old c-stick.

if you could i would reccomend their DPAD. it feels perfect as a dpad. Although the cstick might be a bit easier although you may have to be careful since its attached by ribbon cable.

[Thorax]

I just got the GC controller I ordered in the mail. Then I forgot I need a tri-wing screwdriver or whatever it's called. Any other way I can get it apart and back together without it? Could I use a drill like you would a stripped screw and then when I go to put it back together use another type of screw?

[Anonamous]

I just got the GC controller I ordered in the mail. Then I forgot I need a tri-wing screwdriver or whatever it's called. Any other way I can get it apart and back together without it? Could I use a drill like you would a stripped screw and then when I go to put it back together use another type of screw?

triwing screwdrivers are cheap and if you live in the US i know where you can order one and get free shipping

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.7705

It is 1.97 and free shipping. *WORLDWIDE*

[RDC]

If you don't mind the controller being Wired when you're done, then use the Wired CL version 360 controller board. You can hack it down to just about nothing and fit it in there. Then strip down the GC board of all it's components and wire them together accordingly. This is how I do the 3PS60 (that spurgurgle pointed out) and similarly the PS360 controller that I build. It's a good deal more work, but when you're finished the controller doesn't loose any of the original feel it had before, which is what you're really after.

[Anonamous]

as for the other side of that. If you are gonna use the wireless 360 controller, you should use the Wavebird wireless GC controller. It is slightly bigger than the regular GC controllers.

[Thorax]

triwing screwdrivers are cheap and if you live in the US i know where you can order one and get free shipping

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.7705

It is 1.97 and free shipping. *WORLDWIDE*

Actually, I was looking at the controller and noticed that I bought one that had Phillips screws in it.

If you don't mind the controller being Wired when you're done, then use the Wired CL version 360 controller board. You can hack it down to just about nothing and fit it in there. Then strip down the GC board of all it's components and wire them together accordingly. This is how I do the 3PS60 (that spurgurgle pointed out) and similarly the PS360 controller that I build. It's a good deal more work, but when you're finished the controller doesn't loose any of the original feel it had before, which is what you're really after.

Unless I can get a wired controller for cheap, I don't think I will be. But this does sound like a better idea than trying to cram the wireless board into the shell.

as for the other side of that. If you are gonna use the wireless 360 controller, you should use the Wavebird wireless GC controller. It is slightly bigger than the regular GC controllers.

I should have thought of that earlier.

[RDC]

You can get the Wired CL controller form Buy.com for $37 shipped now, and some times they have it for $30.

The Wireless 360 controller boards, Matrix, CG and CG2, can't be cut down to anywhere near the size that the Wired CL one can. So the GameCube controller it would have to go in needs to be roughly the same size, technically larger if you were to keep both boards intact so the controller felt right, but that's the trade off for doing a 360 controller in an alternate shell correctly right now.

[Thorax]

You can get the Wired CL controller form Buy.com for $37 shipped now, and some times they have it for $30.

The Wireless 360 controller boards, Matrix, CG and CG2, can't be cut down to anywhere near the size that the Wired CL one can. So the GameCube controller it would have to go in needs to be roughly the same size, technically larger if you were to keep both boards intact so the controller felt right, but that's the trade off for doing a 360 controller in an alternate shell correctly right now.

Ok, thanks. I think I'm going to get a wired one. Do you have a tutorial on how to cut down the board or do I even need one?

[RDC]

Unless you trace the board out yourself and know what you can and can't cut you'll need some kind of information on it. The only thing you'd end up making cutting on a circuit board you know nothing about will be a useless circuit board.

http://forums.xbox-scene.com/index.php?s=&showtopic=651537&view=findpost&p=4286355

That's about all I've done as far as show and tell for what needs to be done cutting it. Hacking it up will be the easy part, while soldering to the traces is probably the hardest. I prefer 30awg Wrapping (Kynar) Wire, and make sure to secure the wire after soldering so it doesn't end up lifting any traces if it's pulled on accidentally because if you cut the board down this far there isn't going to be much left at all, and for some of the soldering you'll need to do that means you'll get 1 or 2 chances at most to make the connection you need.

You may also find this thread useful - http://forums.xbox-scene.com/index.php?showtopic=635462

[Thorax]

Thanks for the links. I already have the wire, so that's good. My last question for now is about securing the wire. Would I just use electrical tape or is there something better? Thanks for all your help.

[Anonamous]

I gues you could use eletrical tape, but I wouldnt use it for a permanent hold, unless the tape is goingin from the top of the board ot the bottom. If not it may not hold very well. For a perminent securement maybe use a little bit of hot glue.only a little because if you need to move it you could just heat up the glue with the gun and then move it.

[RDC]

My last question for now is about securing the wire. Would I just use electrical tape or is there something better? Thanks for all your help.

Any kind of tape isn't going to do you any good for securing the wire. You may want to use a strip of it to insulate the boards from each other when it's all done depending what kind of room you have and such, but not for each individual wire.

If you're planning on cutting the CL board down as far as I do, then hot glue isn't really an option either as it'll end up taking up a lot of room that you will need to solder and route the wires in place. A very small drop of super glue after the solder joint, NOT on the solder joint, will keep the wire in place and the solder joint from being torn up. Just be careful that you only use a very small amount of it, and keep the soldering iron away from it, you do not want to heat that stuff up and get the fumes of it in your eyes.