Building a metal pad

umanwizard · Basic Member Joined: 11 Jan 2006

Hi all,

I'm fed up with DDR pads that suck and I'd like to build my own metal one. I have one question: Is this something that somebody without a lot of DIY experience (basically I suck at building stuff) could frick up easily? Or will it be fine if I follow the directions to the letter?

psisarah · Trick Member Joined: 06 Jul 2005 Location: Toronto

You'll be fine if you follow the directions. My pad was the biggest project I've ever built myself, and it turned out perfect.
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cornchipz · Trick Member Joined: 22 Apr 2006 Location: Stanwood, IA

I kind of want to build a pad when I get back from basic. The only thing is, I lack much in the wiring skills, and building skills. That, and I want it to work for PS2, Xbox and USB.

I don't know how to do that, and all the guides around are old. And I got tired about 42 pages into the homemade pad topic.

Oh well, I guess I'll find out later.

Jaufwa · Posted: Fri May 26, 2006 2:00 am Post subject:

I had NO skills in anything.

Trust me I had never even stepped into a DIY store before!

It's a lot easier than it looks.

Fun too.
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My home built pad: (DDRHomepad... thank you so much.)

cornchipz · Trick Member Joined: 22 Apr 2006 Location: Stanwood, IA

I'm gonna make some pads. I'll want someone to help me out as well. My english teacher might want me to make him a set also. I'll charge him a pretty penny for it too.

umanwizard · Basic Member Joined: 11 Jan 2006

Propose him a trade: Pad for A.

:-D

Edit: By the way what is "basic"? Sorry I'm dense today.

cornchipz · Trick Member Joined: 22 Apr 2006 Location: Stanwood, IA

Basic Training for the Army. I leave next Tuesday. I can't do anything til I get back. But when I get back, I'm gonna want some help, cause I have no frick idea how to wire anything, and no idea which pad design to use.

vesper · Trick Member Joined: 06 Dec 2005

I had absolutely no experience whatsoever and my pad has turned out great

I took an Applied Electronics course last year, and all of my projects got messed up somehow lol. Going into this project I still had no idea what a ground was or how the circuitry was going to work, but now pad is fully functioning. Once I screw some stuff down it'll be done and I'll take some pics

If you ever need help just use the sticky'd thread at the top regarding homepads, there are plenty of people there who can help you every step of the way

edbenn · Basic Member Joined: 05 Jun 2004

As they said before, making a DDR pad isnt as hard as it seems. You can eben build one for practically free (even ghetto pads are better then 30 soft ones) Mine is coming along pretty good, I should have it done in a few days. Mind you I'm not going all out with the metal and the plexiglass, but its still gonna rock. Good luck and have fun with your project.
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balrg

mrmafia · Trick Member Joined: 22 May 2006 Location: bay area

did you guys use a website to build them? whats the link?

stormshadow · Trick Member Joined: 28 Feb 2006 Location: Louisville, KY

here's one

http://home.comcast.net/~stoli16/ddr/

the rest can be found in the "My Home Built Metal Pad" thread in this forum a few posts up. It's stickied so you can't miss it.

Jaufwa · Posted: Fri Jun 02, 2006 12:39 am Post subject:

The easiest one to build is DDRHomepads. (Even I built one for christ sake!) the link to his site is in my sig (click the link - not the pic)
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My home built pad: (DDRHomepad... thank you so much.)

slvrshdw · Trick Member Joined: 05 Jan 2005

or use riptides design...its a modified ddrhomepad..

cant find the link, just search for it...

or AIM/PM me

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marcan · Trick Member Joined: 28 Jul 2005

If any one wants info on triple support control boxes, PM me and I'll keep you posted. I'm building a special circuit for my pad with PS2/XBOX/PC support (and a ton of other stuff), and I will make a simple version for regular pad use. You'll need some basic soldering skills to build it, and less than $10 in parts (probably), plus a PIC programmer (you can build one for really cheap too).

Current status: not working on the electronics much since I'm finishing the actual pad. Will work soon.
PC support: working quite well, passes USB tests. Need to clean up code and add missing support for noncritical features.
XBOX support: code is there and works with PCs with the XBCD driver, but something prevents it from working on an actual box. Need to investigate.
PS2 support: works fine on an earlier version of the code for a simpler chip. Not yet ported to the new chip, but that's just because I'm lazy (it should be a piece of cake the way I designed the circuit).

Nice thing is, since it's microcontrolled, you can add features and customize it to your liking if you have programming skills (or you can ask me to do it for you). My special version has a bunch of stuff including an LCD screen for settings and status display, but that bumps up the cost noticeably.

Feature requests or suggestions, PM me. I'd like to know what you would want in control box support. Things like programmed lighting, or similar.

No promises or guarantees (especially on xbox support... I should be able to do it, but there might be something that I haven't considered that might be unfixable. I will work on it though.)

ceraf · Posted: Sat Jun 03, 2006 6:54 pm Post subject:

how do you build a programmer? do you have a schematic of one?

marcan · Trick Member Joined: 28 Jul 2005

the programmer is used to transfer the program (.hex file) to the microcontroller's flash memory. Google "PIC programmer". The fact that these chips have been used in everything from light controllers to remote controls to hacking game consoles to hacking satellite TV to - well, everything, means that they are very popular and there have been plenty of designs for programmers around.

I use a WISP628 programmer which is actually based around a PIC itself and is a "smart" programmer, but the simplest programmers around only use a few passives and possibly zener diodes (cheapo way of interfacing the serial port), or a standard TTL buffer for parallel port programmers. Just make sure it supports the right chip (I use PIC18F4550 for my control box), but most of the "dumb" ones should work fine with ICPROG (quite decent programming software for windows, google for it)