Print

[Kamotcha]

Hi RDC I can not thank you enough for the work you've do, I have a question for you, Is there any pinouts for the ps3 nav controller?

PS3 nav

[RDC]

Welcome.

I don't have any real info compiled on it, and I'd imagine, if there already isn't, for there to be more than one board version of the thing, in true Sony fashion.

 I've only ever had one to mess with here, and  added back in several of the 'missing' buttons to it, and it's not really easy. The Nav controller is pretty much just crippled a DualShock 3. It has the same MCU, so the  leads followed the same pinout as every controller in that respect, but as to every function being there or not I'm not sure. I do know that on the one I worked on I was able to add back in the R3, [ ], /\, R1 and R2 buttons.

There are no easy TP spots for doing anything so it would be all Vias or soldering to the MCU depending on what you're wanting to do. They're pretty cramped in there also, but I didn't keep any real track of the one I worked on as it was all soldering to the MCU leads.

If I run across another one I'll post up some scans and info on it, but it's not a controller that I've had any kind of requests for working on, so I haven't done much with them, except for that one, so far.

[Kamotcha]

Thank you for your fast reply RDC, the reason I'm looking into the Nav controller is because its less than £10 on Amazon uk witch makes pretty good controller to mod but so little info on the actual Nav controller I've could found my idea was to mush two Nav controllers in to one if of course the missing buttons could be found in there.

PS: RDC any thoughts on this idea?

[RDC]

It depends on what you're trying to accomplish there. Cheap doesn't mean it's good to mod at all, and doubly so in the case of anything that Sony has made.

Mashing 2 together will not work as each one will be seen by the PS3 as a separate controller.

Now adding in all of the missing buttons and stick from one in a mash up might be possible, but that's only provided that all of the functions are still on the Nav MCU. I've only checked for a few, and that's no guarantee that every version will be like that. That will also be far, far, far more work versus paying the extra cost of just getting some new/used DS3 controller online somewhere and using it instead. It's all in what you're trying to end up with as to what would work best.

[Kamotcha]

Thank you for your input RDC, this is more or less of what I'm trying to do NAV PROJECT my GIMP 2 skills at work xD


PS3 Nav Front PCB

PS3 Nav Back PCB

It's not the best of pictures considering it was taken with an iphone 3gs but you can see some TPs on the board, I did not had time to go thru them with a multimeter.

Anyhow this project would be very useful for lefties (I'm not one myself) considering that you have two halves of a DS3 and to my point of view much easier to mod a half at a time, but this is a WiP and I'm open to any suggestions and ideas.

Thank you one more time for your input RDC "The God Of Mod" lol kind of catchy.. xD

Offtopic: Is the search option broken in here?? everytime I've tried using the search button it gives me an error.

[RDC]

The search function on the forum hasn't worked for awhile, but things move pretty slow in the PS3 sections anyway, so you don't have to really dig too far to find things.

You'd need to connect both of those together with a cable that has around 16 wires or so in it. Unless you plan to make the 'dummy' one with a wireless transmitter and have it control a receiver in the 'main unit', then have it press the buttons with some electronic switches and a DAC for the Stick. Neither of those options are really appealing. The one needing a cable to connect both Nav controllers together, then the other being a wiring, coding and space nightmare.

I'm in no way saying it can't be done, it surely can and if anyone had requested I tackle it for their controller I probably would have already, but it's going to be a lot more work than what you're planning on. Most of it will be figuring out what all can actually be added back into the Nav, which means tracing out a DS3 all the way back to the MCU leads, and then tracing out a Nav and wiring it up with all of the 'missing' buttons/stick functions and then seeing what all does and doesn't' work. The Six-Axis may become an issue as well, so for some games it would be a crippled setup, even if every button and stick function could be restored.


This post has been edited by RDC: Jul 8 2013, 02:26 PM

[Kamotcha]

As for connecting the two together I was thinking a cable maybe with a socket on both sides of the brains if you’d like to switch sides, I wouldn’t consider such a radical connection with wireless transmitters ("cough cough “input lag "cough cough ").

For the insides of the brain connections I was thinking in more radical connections maybe some type of clip for the MCU and flex cable like the DS3 daughterboard that would connect from the MCU to the two sockets.

Did you notice that Sony used some smd tact switches for the buttons pretty sweet, as for six-axis giro thingy you can disable on most games.

This trigger are so sweet for shooters with so many DS3 revisions I don’t understand why Sony don’t use something similar for DS3 triggers, I'm not really bothered myself with that as I use a wired cl 360 scuffed  made by me with aluminium paddles on my PS3 with your fine help of course.

Anyhow thank you again for your input RDC.
My 360 Scuf

[RDC]

The controller is wireless, so that's kind of a moot point, and any lag added in there would be nanoseconds if it's done correctly, but wiring the two together is still the easier option there versus a wireless connection.

Tact switches are great, until they fail. That metal inside them can only take so much abuse, then they have to be replaced with a hot air setup, whereas the carbon type can usually just be cleaned off, or have the rubber pad replaced to get them going again.

The cost of an MCU clip and flex cable setup will set you back more than the cost of both controllers and all of the other parts you'll need, unless you plan to order a few thousand of them. Also, a solderless solution always sounds like a good idea, but that's all that's ever really good about it.

[Kamotcha]

Hi RDC, I was thinking in making this mod wired anyway as I’m going to need the space that the battery occupies for all the wires.

By the way do you know any websites that sells a clip for this MCU? Or it has to be custom made?

Thank you for all your input RDC.

[RDC]

There was a R/F chip or two for the PS3 controller that used it awhile back, so it's out there somewhere, but I've no idea who makes the actual clip.

[ncfballkid]

Hello RDC

I am in the process of trying to use a SixAxis PP4.0 9 version controller to convert into a fight stick. First of all, I just wanted to make sure that this is possible. The fight stick I am using has buttons that are just like the sanwa buttons with two connections on them. One I am assuming goes to the ps3 controller and then one that goes to the ground? I was reading and I know that the ps3 controller works in a way with the 'Pull Up Resistors' , so I didn't know if I could still pull this off... even though there is no ground.

this is an example of the button that I am working with

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-pzMh3dL6...anwaButtons.jpg



If this is possible I would like to go back to what you have said before in the past:

'Get ya a couple (2 for each controller) of anything from 6.8k to 10k Resistors and install them from the PS Common line to the COM1 and COM2 lines, so the PS Common line is connected to COM1 and COM2 thru a Resistor. This will put the Pull Up Resistors in place like the Daughter board has and it'll work without it needing to be plugged in.

On the PP4.0 board you'd have a Resistor installed between TP10 and TP17, then another one from TP10 to TP18.'

Once I connect a resistor to from TP10 to TP17 and TP18, Can I just connect a wire to the TP Spot of the button button I want to replicate and then that's it? Let's say for example, I wanted to replicate the Circle Button. That TP point is TP38. Once the common connections are soldered together using a resistor would I just be able to connect a wire to TP38 and then once I connect that to a switch it would hit the button? Or would that wire have to be daisy chained to the common spot TP's as well?

Thanks for the information.

[RDC]

First install the Resistors, these need to be in place or none of the buttons will work. Install one from TP10 to TP17, then one from TP10 to TP18. Just get a couple of 10k 1/8w or 1/4w, they're pretty common and will work fine for this.

TP18 is the Common connection for the X, /\, [ ], O, R1 and R2 buttons. You still need to wire the buttons up to the common connections, having only 1 wire on any switch isn't going to work.

So, to wire up the new O button, one side of the button will go to TP38 (for the O button) then the other side will go to TP18 (common for the O button) and that's it.

[ncfballkid]

Ok. Thanks for the information. So how would I go about wiring up a button for the home button. I know that it has it's own common right?

[RDC]

Yes, and that info is on the first page, TP10 and TP26.

[dtlj17]

I'd firstly like to thank you man. I see you have answered everyones questions and havent left a single person out. You have been doing this for years and I would like to say thank you, I have learned alot from this forum.

My question is about soldering to these smaller pcb points that the ps3 has. Im new to soldering but I have done a fair amount of research and I've also practiced on some of my older controllers. I understand the points and where the soldering needs to be, but I cant seem to get the  solder to stick to the small brownish X and O points.
I have tried dozens of times, but the solder simply wont stick.

Im using 30 gauge wire, 9mm high Tact switches, official scuf paddles/screws, and hot glue to hold the switches down. I have been experimenting with both Lead and Lead-free solder tips and resin core solder, but neither have been able to stick to the small X and O points. I was wondering if those small points were Copper? Also would I need liquid flux to clean the points for the solder to stick? Or do I just scrape those points to get the solder to stick? Scraping the points hasnt worked for me, and I also ruined 1 controller so I now use it to practice soldering on those small points. I would take any suggestions, and I appreciate your help., and btw Im using the MSU_VX6_0.06 m-board.