Custom Controller using Xbox 360

[zigonick]

I have a Revo 3.3 that I'm going to be attempting to mod to have independent rear wheel steering and independent Breaking. and i really don't like the fill of pistol controllers(plus no second nob for turning) and cant find a stick controller that springs back to neutral on both sides.

What I would like to do is Either mod an Xbox 360 controller to be a transmitter or mod the Xbox 360 to connect to a 4+ channel Stick controllers buddy/trainer port.

I'm Wanting basically the right trigger to be the throttle, left trigger to be break, X-axis of left stick to steer front, and X-Axis of right stick to steer back.

So if it would be possible to use the trainer port i thought might be possible to emulate the 'second transmitter', using Both X-axises as there respective axis on the box and both triggers as there respective Y-axises. And just hook the servos up correctly.

I know very basic electronics but am handy with a soldiering gun and am able to follow schematics.

Any help if this would be possible and where to start would be greatly appreciated.

-Zigonick

[Endurance]

I can think of a few options.

The first would be to build your own transmitter and receiver and wire it into the pots on the controller. There are many projects for diy radios on this forum. Not sure if you have enough room inside the controller to place it all inside though.

Another would be to wire the pots of the xbox controller directly into the 4ch transmitter. This would be the most straightforward if you are not farmiliar with the above concept.

Last would be to use a PCTx + ServoCommander (www.endurance-rc.com). Similar to what I have going here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAoHrNNePXI However this would require a laptop but there is virtually no work to get it going and you don't have to modify your hardware in any way.

Hope this helps.

[zigonick]

Well i do have a laptop but be to bulky to be carrying around outside while driving. ATM if i go the attempt to hack into the Transmitter vs building a transmitter method I'm look at something keep like the dx5e, (small attan be able to make a port on the back and hang it from belt while holding controller). I wonder exactly how the trainer/buddy port work if it just provides power to the new box and cuts power to the old box.

[jeffs555]

I wonder exactly how the trainer/buddy port work if it just provides power to the new box and cuts power to the old box.
Depends on the transmitter. Futaba and Hitec provide power over the trainer port but JR just has the signals.

If you wanted to interface a game controller to a buddy box port without using a computer, you would be better off starting with a PS2 controller. It has a simple serial interface that is well documented on the web, and would be a simple matter to program a microcontroller to interface between it and the buddy box connector. It would take some programming, but not that much. You could even do it with a basic stamp.

The XBox controller is basically USB, so interfacing without a computer would be difficult unless you just wire directly to the pots. To interface this to a buddy port would require a USB host controller chip and a microcontroller with a USB host stack or at least the HID portion of it. That is far from a trivial matter. I had looked into developing an interface from a USB joystick to transmitter buddy port but didn't think there would be enough interest to make it worth while.

[zigonick]

yeah already figured would have to solder into the pots on the x box controller, just somewhat cautious about soldering into the transmitter as most Ive seen gonna run 100$+.
Reason I'm look into the xbox vs ps2, is i want to use the triggers for acceleration and breaking.