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[RDC]

This isn't what I'd call a full blow tutorial, more like the 'meat' of it, but it shows what you need to know to make a Six-Axis PS3 controller into a Southpaw controller. Besides, if ya can pull this part of it off ya don't need any baby-sitting step by step tutorial anyway and if you're planning on hacking into a PS3 controller ya need to be fairly good at this type of thing anyway. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

I give fair warning up front, if you've never had your hand on a soldering iron before or are a beginner this is most definitely NOT where you should be learning how or your next project, nor is this something that you can compare to installing a modchip in an XBOX, PS2 yes as you'll be all too familiar with the definition of 'small' and close' since Sony, if nothing else, really does know how to cram it all into a small space.

This is only for swapping the Sticks or Sticks/Clicks (Clicks are the stick buttons, L3 & R3)

If you're doing just the sticks then take the controller apart, not going into this cuz if ya need help here ya have no business at all going any further with this. Once ya have the bottom off the controller (no need to remove the board from the top half) you'll need to cut 4 traces (the Red lines) and they're in groups of 2. Where I have them marked it's pretty easy to cut them an not mess anything else up, unless you go really wild or happen to slip with the X-acto knife while doing it.

(IMG:http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f320/RDCXBG/Custom%20Controllers/PS36-AxisSPSticks.jpg)


Once ya have the traces cut it's just a matter of connecting the colored dots, which isn't quite as easy as it sounds, but is all that ya have to do and then ya have a SP (Sticks only) PS3 controller. Even though the copper pads seem exposed, the entire board is coated in a very thin clear varnish, so for those marked small spots you'll have to scrape them very lightly in order to get solder to stick to them good before ya go attaching the wires, use an X-acto knife or Fiberglass pen to do so. Once you're all done with that and it's wired up it should look something like this here.

(IMG:http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f320/RDCXBG/Custom%20Controllers/PS3Sticks001.jpg)


Now, if you're one of the SP gamers that needs the Clicks (L3 & R3) swapped along with the sticks (or just the Clicks swapped for whatever reason) then ya have a couple more traces to cut and 2 more wires to run to do that part of it. This is also MUCH more difficult than just doing the Stick swap part of it because you have to be very careful with the trace cutting here as well as scrape down a via to attach one of the wires to and that's something that's not the easiest thing to do on a good sized board, and with the PS3 controller's board being about half that 'normal' size it's a good deal more challenging and a good magnifying glass is something you'll really like to have handy for this.

I've marked 2 different spots for the trace cuts, ya only need to use one, but make SURE that these are the ONLY 2 traces that ya cut here, there are others close to it and from the pic it may look like ya have room to spare (especially in the close up below) but this stuff is very small and very close together, so if you're even the slightest bit unsure about it don't go laying the X-acto blade to the board anyway, practice on something until ya can do it properly or put the controller back together and just have it done for ya, the only other option is to learn to play with right handed controls. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

(IMG:http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f320/RDCXBG/Custom%20Controllers/PS36-AxisSPClicks.jpg)


This is a close up of the traces that need to be cut and the via, again use either spot, both if ya really want to, but only one spot needs to be used to sever the 2 traces. After that it's the same procedure as it was for the Sticks, just connect the colored dots and you're done, L3 is R3 and vice-versa. EXTREME care should be taken when scraping the coating from the via to prep it for attaching the wire, use an X-acto knife of a Fiberglass pen, but do it very lightly as you don't want to damage the trace/via here.

(IMG:http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f320/RDCXBG/Custom%20Controllers/PS36-AxisClicksCutsClose.jpg)


This is another one I did that has the Sticks/Clicks swapped just to show roughly what it should look like.

(IMG:http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f320/RDCXBG/Custom%20Controllers/PS3Sticks-Clicks001.jpg)

[pablot]

Way to go!

Too bad that stinking sixaxis doesn't have any rumble. I'm itching to buy a PS3 but I am actively protesting against the no rumble. I'll have to wait another few months until they release it with rumble in Europe =/

[RDC]

Thanks pablot. I'm sure I'll be doing this all over again once the dual shock version comes out, which is fine with me as I don't care for this controller much myself. The controller just vibrating may be a cheap gimmick, but it does add a great deal to the game if done even half right.

I actually just picked up a PS3 tonight, needed one to test out a variation of this Southpaw controller setup, it's the same deal, just with switches, so it can be setup in Default, Southpaw, Legacy or Legacy Southpaw as well as swap the Stick Buttons (L3/R3) if need be.


(IMG:http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f320/RDCXBG/Custom%20Controllers/PS3Sticks-Clicks-Switches005.jpg)

(IMG:http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f320/RDCXBG/Custom%20Controllers/PS3Sticks-Clicks-Switches009.jpg)

(IMG:http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f320/RDCXBG/Custom%20Controllers/PS3Sticks-Clicks-Switches010.jpg)

[pablot]

neat! You have too much patience man!

[RDC]

In case anyone was wondering how to make a Legacy PS3 controller here ya go.

(IMG:http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f320/RDCXBG/Custom%20Controllers/PS36-AxisBottomLegacy.jpg)


Here is how you'd make a Southpaw Legacy one.

(IMG:http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f320/RDCXBG/Custom%20Controllers/PS36-AxisBottomSPLegacy.jpg)


There are also 5 versions (so far) of this controller board that I'm aware of now, and the 4 other versions are NOTHING like this one, see HERE for more info. The DS3 board and every other Six-Axis one I've seen so far all use a completely different setup and have 4 legged POTS that are more like Hall Effect sensors.

This post has been edited by RDC: Apr 22 2008, 10:23 AM

[Chancer]

Nice one as always

[stefan_uk]

Amazing my left handed problems look over - again dissapointed with another top PS3 title with no controller options for left handers like me, only problem being i dont know any one who could carry out this mod to the ps3 controller??

Is there anyone doing this as service for us left handers, i would gladly hand over one of my controllers for the full mod sticks and clicks.

It will far improve my quality of gaming finally on the ps3

If anyone can help with this please let me know!!

Thanks

[RDC]

@ stefan_uk - Sent ya a PM


On a side note that I've mentioned before...

In case anyone goes to tear down any of the newer SixAxis or DualShock 3 controllers be aware that this tutorial will NOT work on them. The boards on those controllers have been redesigned and they have to be done a completely different way.

[controller-guy]

Does this appear to be correct for the 4 pin pot southpaw method?

(IMG:http://i320.photobucket.com/albums/nn332/controller-guy/4pinsouthpaw.jpg)

[RDC]

That Blue wire there isn't going to do a thing, you have it wired from L3 to it's common line, so there would be no change in how it works at all.

As for all of the others you have them all wrong, they're on the voltage/ground of the POTs, not the signal lines like they need to be. You have them wire reversed like they need to be, but on the wrong set of leads of the POT is all.

[controller-guy]

so the picture of the pot in your other topic is the backside of the pot instead of the front?

if so that is where I got it messed up becuase I thought the picture was the front of it.


I had asked prior if the L3 & R3 pin was the same and was told it was so I put the blue line on them thinking that was the pin becuase that is the same pin used in your picture above?

which would be the correct pins for the l3 and R3 if it is incorrect?

[RDC]

So you actually haven't looked at your controller? Because if ya had it would have been pretty apparent the pic of the POT looked nothing like what was on the controller. The pic of it I have is the front, what you see when it's on the stick is the back of it.

As far as the L3/R3 go yes the pinouts for them are the same, though the other stick being turned around makes it reversed, so I can see where that's got ya, but still these newer controllers have to be done a completely different way, as I've mentioned time and again now. Get put your multimeter and look at how you have that wired up too, you have the signal side of L3 going to the common side of R3, and what is that going to do? Nothing but make L3 work like L3, it's already wired up that way. Plus if you plan to swap L3/R3 that will take 2 wires to do, it can't be done with only 1 wire and again, these newer controllers have to be done differently.

I'll draw up a diagram when I get time, but you'll need to swap the signal side of both L3 and R3 to make them work in SP. The L3 side where ya have the Blue at is correct, but it needs to go to the other set of leads at the R3 one (right hand side set are the signal, while left hand side set are the common) then vice-versa for R3 to be swapped to L3.

This post has been edited by RDC: Jul 3 2008, 05:02 PM

[controller-guy]

I used the same pin on both sticks for the l3 and r3 so one side differs from the other pin wise?

I went on a angle from the thumbstick pots to the farthest pin from them on both side's and if you were to spin the thumbstick pots to match it the same as the other side it is the same pins I have marked in blue.

I know I would have to use 2 seperate wires 1 for each of the L3 and the R3 in order for them to have their own signal paths but I was just wondering if I had the right one's.

yeah if you could do a diagram of it and the way it should be that would great and much appretiated  (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[RDC]

If you still plan to pull the entire stick, still a bad idea but you'll probably run across why before long, then ya need to swap the leads as such...

(IMG:http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f320/RDCXBG/Custom%20Controllers/NewPS3SP.jpg)

For the L3/R3 you'll need to cut BOTH set of leads on the right side (viewed from the bottom like in the pic) as they're connected, that's the way the tact switch is made and the traces on the board are setup, so they both have to be cut for it to work. This part is much easier cutting traces (2) and then rewiring from the TP spots for the L3/R3. The way you want to go about it White would be attached to say L3 and the soldered to the pad at R3, then Grey would be soldered to R3 and over to the pad at L3, or vice-versa, however ya feel like going about it.

[controller-guy]

there not supposed to cross like I was thinking eh.

like the red line goes on the bottom right pin and then to the top left pin for the thumbsticks?

I am a little confused on how you have the pinout for the L3 and R3 could you dot the actual L3 & R3 signal pin and where it needs to go with the matching color and possibly put the red line for the trace cut like you had done prior for the other model becuase I see 3 trace's in the pic and dont know wich 2 of them need to go.

I dont mean to be a pest but I have 6 of these I need to make southpaw and have done the 3 legged pot style's no problem and I thought only the duel shock 3's had these 4 pots but I found out wrong after I opened these up