decent MAME arcade stick <$50

[GunsMadeAmericaFree]

I've been using Mame4Droid for a while, and I've tried a bluetooth controller, then an Xbox 360 controller.

I've finally come to the conclusion that I need something closer to the old arcade joysticks/buttons to really enjoy these games. I keep dying at places in miss pac-man where I know I wouldn't with a good joystick. Same thing for Dig Dug and several other games. Xbox 360 controller is a little better, but still doesn't work well with Capcom fighters, which want more buttons.

I've been tempted by some of the stick/button kits I've seen on Ebay for under 20 bucks, but don't know of any way to gauge quality before ordering. Also not sure if I truly want to do all of that from scratch.
It would be sort of fun to make it a project with my son, though.

Anyway, I'm hoping some of you folks may have gone through the same experiences, and I was wondering what you might have set up. I am using an Android set top box hooked up to my TV. Thanks!

 

[purbeast0]

I have built joysticks from scratch before. Well I didn't build the housing cause I have no wood working skills, but other than that I have. It depends if you want US parts or Japanese parts. The standard Japanese parts are Sanwa and the buttons/joystick alone will run you probably close to $50 for one player. If you want to use US parts the standard brand is Happ which I think was renamed to IL or something like that. The buttons/joysticks are cheaper.

I replaced all the buttons in my KI2 cabinet and just searched email and this was the listing for it:

SUZO/HAPP 14 Push Buttons 2 Joysticks Games Arcade Kit 1 UP MORTAL KOMBAT Etc. | eBay

2 HAPP COMPETITION JOYSTICKS WITH CHOICE OF HANDLES IN 5 COLORS YOU GET TO CHOOSE (14) HAPP LONG CONCAVE. HAPP COMPETITION JOYSTICKS HAPP PUSHBUTTONS 2 HAPP Competition Joysticks with choice of handle color.

www.ebay.com

$44 for 2 joysticks and 14 buttons. And they were genuine Happ parts.

I'm not sure what you plan on doing about the housing for it. But that is going to cost you too. And then whatever PCB you decide to use, that will cost you as well. There are PCB's out there that are designed specifically for this stuff too. Back when I was doing it I used a Cthulu board but I think that was for PS3. There are probably PC ones too, like this one here:

PS3/PC Zero Delay USB Encoder PCB: Japan Style Controls

Most economical PC and PS3 control PCB you can buy. Comes with wiring, works with CronusMAX PLUS!

focusattack.com

Housing's can cost a lot too, but it just depends what you want to do.

Also here is an old thread I made about DIY joysticks. Most links are probably dead now though.

OFFICIAL "Do It Yourself" Joystick thread...

Since it seems that thread is getting kind of side tracked, and there seems to be quite some interest in people modding/building their own joysticks, I decided to create this thread. My project was basically to make a joystick that would work on the PS3 and Xbox360 running from the same USB...

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