FIELD TESTconnections. For reference, the wires are colour-
coded with standard USB colour coding. Red for 5 V,
white for Data -, green for Data +, and black for GND.
Yes, the wiring is standard USB, but with a proprietary
breakaway connector between the controller and
Xbox 360, but we can hack our own connector instead
using a USB breakout connector easily bought online.
The circuit board has two JST connections to rumble/
feedback motors, which are offset weighted motors
that provide feedback when gaming. These motors
can be easily removed and used in another project.
Inputs on the board are both digital and analogue.
The digital inputs are for buttons such as Y, B, X, A
and they have two sections per button. One section
is pulled high, and the other is connected to GND.
When the button is pressed, it forces a carbon-
tipped rubber shaft to bridge the two
connections and pull the
high side low, causing the game to register a button
press. The analogue inputs are in the form of two
analogue joysticks which output a value to the custom
microcontroller that the game uses for fine control.
The analogue sticks also have a momentary switch
which is used when pressing the stick down into
the case. The two triggers use potentiometers and a
spring to provide fine control and a method to reset
after being pressed. When taking the triggers apart,
do take your time and marvel at how clever the series
of pivots work to provide a smooth response.
Around the board, there are a number of test points
(TP) we can use to tap into the signals being sent from
the inputs, and to make a good connection to GND.HACKABILITY
This is so hackable! We have clear access to
everything on this board. Firstly, we can add LEDs to
the buttons by tapping into the 5 V connection with
a little wire – don’t forget the resistors! We can also
connect our own controls to the digital inputs and use
the Xbox controller circuit board as a donor board for
USB input. So, connecting arcade controls is totally
possible with a little patience. With some 3D printing,
we can create custom driving controls by breaking out
the analogue inputs to larger compatible inputs. The
motors can be salvaged and used in other projects,
such as drawing robots which use vibration to dance
around a sheet of paper with crayons attached to
their arms.CONCLUSION
The Xbox 360 controller is quite old (circa
2005) but it is still a delight to use when
gaming, and now we have a hackable
controller which can be repurposed
into much grander projects. It
isn’t worth picking one up for
the full retail price, but if you
can find one in a thrift store
or car boot sale, then it is
worth your time and effort
to use this in a fun project.
Happy Hacking!Above
The two triggers are
genius. They provide
precise analogue input
via a potentiometer,
and this is held in
place using a custom
plastic mechanism
and a spring
Left
Detachable motors
clear access to the
inputs, and a series of
handy test points
means that we can
truly hack this
controller into
something wonderfulWHICH VERSION?
There are two versions of the Xbox 360 controller: the
wired controller which we tore down in this article, and a
wireless version. The only differences between the two
is that the wireless version has a battery pack for 2 × AA
cells (3 V in total) and a wireless chip for communication
with the Xbox 360. This chip and connection is
proprietary, but there are receivers available for
Windows PCs which enable the use of the pad. We can
also use the wireless version for a custom wireless
arcade controller, so we can sit back on the couch and
play Double Dragon, TMNT, or Mortal Kombat in comfort.
But with wireless connections come problems. We
need to ensure that we have power and a constant
connection. If you are thinking of using an Xbox 360
controller in an arcade build, then go for the USB pad,
as it offers a constant and consistent connection with
very little work.