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Getting Xbox Controller input on PC

Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2015 10:08 am
by The_Yoyo
Hey all!

Since I'm not very tech-savy, I would like to ask for some help and advice here.

I read the GIMX tutorial for dummies, and if I understand it correctly, I could control my XBOX 360 with my PC by following that procedure. That is nice, but I need to go one stup further.

Ultimately, I want to be able to play on my Xbox with an original xbox 360 controller, while my PC registers my inputs (as if I would have plugged in the controller USB into the PC and not the Xbox). That way, I can have a program on my pc telling me what buttons I'm pressing while I am playig a game.
You could call it sniffing.

My first thought was to simply split and duplicate the Data+ and Data- cables in the USB and plug one end in the xbox, and the other end of that splitter into my pc. That way, my PC would recognize my xbox controller, but would not try to take control over it. However, people tell me this is not a solution, for some reason I do not understand.

Therefore, my second option is to use the GIMX adapter to control my xbox using my pc, and control my pc using the xbox controller:

XBOX---------GIMX adapter---------PC------------wired USB xbox controller

I am reasonably sure I can get that GIMX adapter to work (using the dummies tutorial), but I am not sure if I can get the PC to forward my xbox 360 controller input into the GIMX adapter. Do you think this would work? How would I accomplish that?


Also, maybe you know better ways of splitting the controller USB cable, or sniffing the data it sends?

Thanks in advance for your time!

Re: Getting Xbox Controller input on PC

Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2015 10:31 am
by Matlo
The_Yoyo wrote:My first thought was to simply split and duplicate the Data+ and Data- cables in the USB and plug one end in the xbox, and the other end of that splitter into my pc.
This can't work because the USB standard does not support it. The USB interface of a USB device can't be connected to multiple USB hosts at the same time.
The_Yoyo wrote:I am not sure if I can get the PC to forward my xbox 360 controller input into the GIMX adapter. Do you think this would work?
Joysticks are supported, including the 360 controller!

Re: Getting Xbox Controller input on PC

Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2015 10:39 am
by The_Yoyo
Thanks for your quick response!

I haven't really worked with GIMX yet: is there some additional software menu where you can map what PC inputs are connected to which Xbox buttons?

So, for example, if I would press the spacebar on my pc, it could set it to read it like I pressed 'X' on my xbox? If there is, then I guess I would be able to map the xbox joystick inputs to the correct xbox inputs.

Re: Getting Xbox Controller input on PC

Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2015 11:08 am
by Matlo
The_Yoyo wrote:is there some additional software menu where you can map what PC inputs are connected to which Xbox buttons?
This tool is named gimx-config.
Feel free to read the documentation.

Re: Getting Xbox Controller input on PC

Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2015 11:17 am
by The_Yoyo
Awesome, thanks!

Re: Getting Xbox Controller input on PC

Posted: Fri Apr 10, 2015 9:17 pm
by The_Yoyo
Ok,
I got the equipment.
I have a serial converter, and a teensy 3.1
I tried connecting it the way it said in the tutorial for dummies, but I'm not sure if I did it right.

GND is connected to GND
RXD on the converter is connected to "3" on the teensy.
TXD on the converter is connected to "2" on the teensy.

Then I installed the drivers/software and plugged in my xbox 360 controller. I can see my controller in the harware screen.

When I use the GIMX launcher, I guess I could select 2 options:

WINDOWS_X360PadUsb.xml, which, when I check it, says: Joystick not found XBOX 360 for Windows (Controller) 0

WINDOWS_X360PadUsbXinput, which says the config is OK, but when I click 'start' it says: No controller is detected.

What could I be doing wrong?

EDIT: crp. I think I should not have been using the teensy 3.1. Should have bought the 2.0 (which seems scarse in the EU). Might want to add the non compatibility warning to the dummy tutorial then ;-)

Re: Getting Xbox Controller input on PC

Posted: Sat Apr 11, 2015 7:27 am
by Matlo
The_Yoyo wrote:EDIT: crp. I think I should not have been using the teensy 3.1. Should have bought the 2.0 (which seems scarse in the EU). Might want to add the non compatibility warning to the dummy tutorial then ;-)
Yes, the Teensy 3.1 is not compatible :(

Re: Getting Xbox Controller input on PC

Posted: Sat Apr 11, 2015 4:27 pm
by ckaiycool
You could buy this instead of teensy.
I have two of these, they are perfect and is extremly cheap.
http://www.shop01media.com/en/Sony-PS3/ ... inimus-AVR
Fast shipping and good prices.

I live in Sweden and it came in my box in 4 days from Poland.

Re: Getting Xbox Controller input on PC

Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2015 4:20 pm
by The_Yoyo
Thanks for the suggestion ckaiycool! That would save a lot of time and money.
I find it suprising that Teensy's are so scarse in the EU..