What controllers have the best d-pad and button layout?

ouija1979 · Post by **ouija1979** » Mon Dec 12, 2005 5:37 pm

Like i have stated before, i use my old ps1 controllers, but recently got a joytech mini ps1 controller for about £1 from ebay and i am having a better time pulling special moves in street fighter now.

Was thinking about purchasing a usb pc controller, but most of them look realy bulky or have odd button layouts.

So could any one point me in the right direction as to what to look for in a controller as you cant realy try them in the shops.
Cheers.

adventure_of_link · Post by **adventure_of_link** » Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:55 pm

IMO, Nyko Airflo's have the best layout for SNES, GBA, and PSOne emulation...

I've heard something about an XBox controller mod, those look alright also, I'll try that out this x-mas and report back.

Jipcy · Post by **Jipcy** » Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:56 pm

XBox 360 Controller?

Has a layout similar enough to SNES to pass. And, the d-pad isn't under the shell of the controller like on Playstation controllers. And you can try them out at various retailers.

Oh yeah, you can plug them into Windows XP computers and they work as regular USB computers. Only WinXP though.

adventure_of_link · Post by **adventure_of_link** » Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:58 pm

Jipcy: I was talking about modding a regular, plane jane XBox controller (Not the 360), and making it work.

This was posted on the board, iirc.

EDIT: Quick board search turned up this:

http://www.i-hacked.com/content/view/78/85/

Part of this post was brought to you in part by the zsnes board search feature, thank you and good day.

ouija1979 · Post by **ouija1979** » Mon Dec 12, 2005 11:48 pm

Oooh, dunno about the xbox mod(dont you need a driver disk?)maybe if i find one cheap ill mod it. What withthe 360 on the shelves now, i'll probably pick up an old xbox controller somewhere.

Thats the good thing about the 3rd party playstation controller i am using at the mo, the d-pad isn't under the shell and it actually feels better than the original playstation one.

adventure_of_link, i heard you saying that your saitek died, what was it like?

maybe i am just too picky these days..lol, i used to have a controller and the d-pad was so bad that you had to press right or left dead on or mario would just duck, it was hell on toast.

adventure_of_link · Post by **adventure_of_link** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 12:13 am

Well, I can say it was one of the best darn things I ever had. It lasted me 1.5 years, and I DO need to fix it. >.>

I will tell you one brand to stay away from: Century Concept Digital. The D-pads are so friggin cheap, they break after 3 months

I once had a PSX -> USB controller plug, didn't even last a week. I MIGHT try it again, but not for sure.

ouija1979 · Post by **ouija1979** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 1:06 am

My goodness man, what are you doing with these controllers?

I can honestly say i have never had a controller "die" on me.

the only controller i remember going a bit wonky was my sega master system one, and that only happened cos i spilled summit on it. And i have had alot of consoles and controllers.

my psx converter is a real flimsy cheep job, but unless i am going to use it as a skipping rope/noose i doubt it is gonna break any time soon.

ouija1979 · Post by **ouija1979** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 1:23 am

sorry to double post, does anyone know if the third party controllers for the xbox have the same color wires to mod? im not keen on big controllers and the microcon looks pretty cool.

sweener2001 · Post by **sweener2001** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 2:37 am

the 360 wired controller isn't that big.

ouija1979 · Post by **ouija1979** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 2:57 am

no it isnt, but it is expensive.

Jipcy · Post by **Jipcy** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 3:15 am

adventure_of_link wrote:Jipcy: I was talking about modding a regular, plane jane XBox controller (Not the 360), and making it work.

I was actually responding to the first post. The confusion resulted from post-delay (you completed posting after I started writing my post).

sweener2001 · Post by **sweener2001** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 3:41 am

ouija1979 wrote:no it isnt, but it is expensive.

i suppose. but it's sturdy.

adventure_of_link · Post by **adventure_of_link** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 6:32 am

Jipcy wrote:
adventure_of_link wrote:Jipcy: I was talking about modding a regular, plane jane XBox controller (Not the 360), and making it work.
I was actually responding to the first post. The confusion resulted from post-delay (you completed posting after I started writing my post).

oh ok, thanks.

SquareHead · Post by **SquareHead** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 7:34 am

adventure_of_link wrote:Well, I can say it was one of the best darn things I ever had. It lasted me 1.5 years, and I DO need to fix it. >.>

I will tell you one brand to stay away from: Century Concept Digital. The D-pads are so friggin cheap, they break after 3 months

I once had a PSX -> USB controller plug, didn't even last a week. I MIGHT try it again, but not for sure.

Almost a month and going strong here.

ouija1979 · Post by **ouija1979** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 7:21 pm

whats still going strong? the usb adaptor or the controller?

adventure_of_link, i have found a usb convertor for the xbox controller, do you think it is worth my hard earned pennies, bearing in mind im gonna buy an xbox contoller just for my pc. am i mental?

adventure_of_link · Post by **adventure_of_link** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 7:49 pm

Well, whatever floats your boat I guess...

SquareHead · Post by **SquareHead** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 9:14 pm

ouija1979 wrote:whats still going strong? the usb adaptor or the controller?

adventure_of_link, i have found a usb convertor for the xbox controller, do you think it is worth my hard earned pennies, bearing in mind im gonna buy an xbox contoller just for my pc. am i mental?

The radio shack psx->usb adaptor. His broke in like 4 days.

adventure_of_link · Post by **adventure_of_link** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 10:53 pm

It's not that it broke, it's more like Winders lost detection of it somehow, and wouldn't work o.o

The green light still turned on though.

And it came from Radio Shack.

Gospel · Post by **Gospel** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 11:48 pm

I've had mine for years.

ouija1979 · Post by **ouija1979** » Wed Dec 14, 2005 2:24 am

My one was from ebay and it is just two female playstation connectors at the end of two cables that go into a usb connector.

Hope its lasts.

Realy fancied getting a retrocon but they are realy hard to get in the uk now.

Anyone ever used a retrocon?

Gospel · Post by **Gospel** » Wed Dec 14, 2005 2:46 am

I have one.

It's fucking awesome once you get used to the shoulder triggers being so small and crammed together.

The placement actually helps me in some of the games I've played, as it's easier and more comfortable to switch from trigger to trigger during gameplay.

ouija1979 · Post by **ouija1979** » Thu Dec 15, 2005 12:04 am

Finally managed to order one off hmv, but they are out of stock! so they will be in touch when they are gonna re order. I just saw it on the net and fell in love, hope its ok on emulators, i have heard it dosn't like convertor cables.

The controller i am using (i baught it specificaly for emulation purposes, especialy nes) is a joytech mini controller for the ps1, its quite cool actually and its d pad feels better than the ps1's altho its abit small.

Realy coming to the idea of modding a xbox controller tho, just to see if i can..lol