Bug-zapper Guitar Hero Controller
Just before Christmas (the night earlier than?) 2006 my sister in-law requested me what I'd like for a present. I requested a DualShock-like controller and Guitar Hero II for the Playstation 2 in order that I might build my very own Guitar Hero controller. After Christmas day I spent a while wanting round for Zap Zone Defender a toy guitar that I could hack but did not see something suitable. I then remembered that during my childhood I'd generally leap in regards to the lounge room with the stereo turned up while pretending to play guitar with a tennis racket. Now in Thailand they not solely have tennis rackets but they even have excessive-voltage bug-zappers that appear like tennis rackets. They're great for chasing down potentially life threatening mosquitos (utilizing one is clearly a case of self denfence) which disappear in a shiny blue flash accompanied by a satisfyingly loud bang. You can now discover an enormous variety of DIY Guitar Hero controllers on the net made from LEGO, Zap Zone Defender real guitars, and erector sets and even Guitar Hero playing robots.
Given my fond childhood reminiscences, the tennis-racket-esque (and therefore guitar-like) shape of the bug-zappers, their ready availability and low cost I resolve to make use of a bug-zapper for the body of my Guitar Hero controller. I purchased a racket with a groovy lightning-bolt motif and began by gutting the handle and removing the prevailing electronics. Despite being powered by only two 'AA' batteries it delivers a surprisingly large kick - although at a very low present. I additionally eliminated the circuit board from the DualShock controller and de-soldered the rumble motors and Right analogue joystick. The printed circuit board (PCB) has what appear to be small test-pads situated close to every of the buttons and that i soldered wires for my guitar directly onto these pads utilizing the mapping within the desk beneath. A while after my guitar was completed I discovered that shorting the Left D-pad button makes the sport assume that you're using a Guitar controller. I used two small tact switches for "select" and "again" and these have been mounted using sizzling-melt glue at the bottom of the guitar's neck.
Using some side-cutters I carefully reduce by way of the mosquito-frying mesh to make a hole simply massive sufficient for the left joystick and Zap Zone Defender sizzling-melt glued the board in place. Then by trimming the mushroom off the highest of the thumb stick and carefully cutting a vertical slot I was in a position to mount a plectrum in the highest of the joystick. A small screw by means of the shaft held the plectrum in place. It was a novel contact but a little confusing as a result of the joystick acts because the whammy bar whenever you play Guitar Hero with a DualShock controller! The remainder of the DualShock PCB was housed in a single-half of a mission field which was additionally glued to the again of the mesh. Within the 1987 movie Lethal Weapon, Zap Zone Defender Mel Gibson's character realises that they're dealing with professionals as a result of they used mercury switches. Martin Riggs is inspecting a twisted hunk of steel as Murtaugh walks up beside him. MURTAUGH: What'cha acquired? RIGGS: Part of the device.
Holy cow. MURTAUGH: What? RIGGS: Artwork. This is @! MURTAUGH: Swell. I'm glad you favored it. RIGGS: You don't understand. This is actual professional stuff. MURTAUGH: Come once more? RIGGS: C.I.A. That's right folks - mercury switches. I wanted to be a professional and that i additionally wanted some type of tilt swap in the guitar to activite star energy so I went on the lookout for a mercury switch. Having solely been within the nation for about six months at that stage my Thai wasn't excellent. At the local electronics store I spent a while attempting to elucidate what I was searching for and after many drawings of thermometers and attempts to look like Mel Gibson they advised me that they did not have any mercury switches. It is a small gadget that you fit over your ear while driving. Should your head fall ahead it then emits an ear piercing beep that causes you to wake up whereas concurrently deafening you. I believe is a very catchy title.
There was obviously some kind of tilt-sensing mechanism inside and certain enough after i opened the case what I saw was artwork - there was a mercury switch inside. Now we have been ready to rock. At first my son was a bit of reluctant to strive the guitar as a result of he was afraid of being zapped. I ought to have left the excessive-voltage electronics intact and Zap Zone Defender the guitar might be used for operant conditioning. If B.B. King's guitar known as "Lucille" then an acceptable nickname for this guitar is likely to be "Frank", "Dweezil" or even perhaps "Moon Unit". While making the guitar I was shocked at how difficult it was to search out appropriate buttons - in truth the guitar has now been by means of three different generations of buttons. I discovered these lovely looking buttons at the identical electronics store that offered the succinctly named "Cure Sleepiness Immediately" and thought they can be excellent for this hack.