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.Īround 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. 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.īut 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. 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. 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.
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