DualShock 2 - getting it to work

Jofo

The problem is that I've made more changes in the driver between those two releases, so I might have done something that damaged the timing. I will investigate... in the meantime, do You still have the original .deb that didn't have the random input issue, but had small motor rumble missing? I might need it...

PET2001

@Jofo

A few minutes of actual gaming and I had ghost input even with the 166 kHz version - mostly "Start" and "Select". Also rumble is very weak on my controller, but I already identified the lines in the source where I might be able to change that (thanks to your code commentary).

I still have the driver version with only the big motor working. I'll be happy to provide it to you.

Jofo

That would be nice, upload it for me please, cos I don't do any subversion, which is probably a mistake :D I will try to diff it with the current version and see whats the problem...

PET2001

@Jofo

You find the old version of the gamecon driver here: MegaNZ

Jofo

The link does nothing... you need to right-click the file and choose "Get link"

PET2001

@Jofo

Sorry for the confusion - I've shared the file on Google Drive

Jofo

Thanks.

So that 2.0 200KHz in the archive was working well for you, in terms of random input?

PET2001

@Jofo

Yes it was. Tested for about 12 hours in Emulationstation (with the game menu open, were a random button press would bring up the menu or start a game) an for various, although short game sessions (were the current driver resets the game or exits RetroArch after just a few minutes because "Start" or "Select" are erroneously detected).

Jofo

When I get home from work I will look into it... in the meantime, try the older working version if You happen to encounter any random inputs

Jofo

Well, the changes are only marginal to be honest...

But I might be up to something. I've managed to find this web on the WebArchive

http://web.archive.org/web/20090228013235/http://www.geocities.com/digitan000/Hardware/22/e22_page.html

This guy puts quite significant delays between bytes - 60us! Thats less than what he used when transmitting/receiving bits - 100us (thats just 10KHz clock). Current driver has only 25us as gap between bytes, not speaking of clock (5-6us). I will try to experiment with it, I've set the clock to 7us (142KHz) and delay between bytes to 12 clocks (12*7).

I have updated the repository (2.0 142KHz) and I've also included new "SDK" for 2.0, the scripts have changed a bit. Simply edit/overwrite the .c file that is in the directory and run sudo ./do.sh - it will unpack the package, update the .c file, calculate new MD5 hashes, pack it together and install.

Jofo

Still random input...

What I am testing now is to read the data not straight when the clock edge goes up, but after a half-clock interval. I hope this will finally work, I am leaving it running as I am off to work

Jofo

I've uploaded an 8us version of driver that so far has not caused much trouble. Try it

Jofo

I've implemented a safety feature from Katemonster's code

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ejdwtkjovr8ue9m/gamecon_gpio_rpi.c?dl=0

detecting random SELECT pushes. Adds a bit of delay to Select press, but should eliminate random input once for all. I've also increased frequency back to 5us, testing now...

Jofo

Back after a long time!

I have the final version of the driver, updated also for running on the new 4.9 kernel, no random input.

Enjoy!

https://uloz.to/!ini7iEICM5Vb/gamecon-gpio-rpi-dkms-2-0-all-deb

JeffJordan

this thread answers a few questions from my side about the usage of force-feedback/vibration at the psone/ps2 controllers.
@Jofo: a BIG thank you for your work here !

but I'm sorry for such a dull question now (I'm a NewPie in linux-stuff, but an old-timer in hw-stuff):
how do I install the gamecon-gpio-rpi-dkms_2.0_all.deb driver now?
guess I can't use the RetroPie-Setup Script (because this will only look at the drivers found @ www.niksula.hut.fi/~mhiienka/Rpi).

is there a way to copy the debian file to the raspberry and install it from there via command line ?

Jofo

Hello Jeff,
in order to install the driver, run (once copied on your RsPi):

sudo dpkg -i gamecon-gpio-rpi-dkms_2.0_all.deb

Configuration is the same as for the original gamecon driver, so check the documentation. I plan to make a page about the driver, the wiring and so on, if any questions - write here for now ;)

Hope it will work on Your setup :)

JeffJordan

@jofo said in DualShock 2 - getting it to work:
...I plan to make a page about the driver, the wiring and so on, if any questions - write here for now ;)...

guess I'm a good guinea pig to bring up all the NewPie questions for your page ;-), at least from the software point of view.

first question: to which folder do I need to copy the *.deb file ?
and I guess I need to set the rights for the file to a specific value...

Jofo

home folder will do (should be the default folder when you log into the Pi). It actually does not matter where it is. As far as I remember, no rights need to be set.

JeffJordan

@Jofo :
just to give you a feedback:

got it running now.

1st: hooked up a keyboard to the raspberry.
2nd: copied the gamecon-gpio-rpi-dkms_2.0_all.deb driver via network from my windows pc to a directory at the RETROPIE (used the /BIOS directory).
3rd: pressed F4 and navigated to the /BIOS directory with:
cd RetroPie/BIOS
then started the installation with: sudo dpkg -i gamecon-gpio-rpi-dkms_2.0_all.deb

4th: after the installation was finished, I changed the directory to the /etc directory with:
cd /etc
and edited the modules file with the nano editor:
sudo nano modules
there I added the line "gamecon_gpio_rpi", as mentioned at the GPIO Modules installation guide.
so far there was only one active entry with "uinput". I placed the gamecon_gpio_rpi in the next line.

5th: changed the directory from there to /etc/modprobe.d with cd modprobe.d and opened the nano editor a second time:
sudo nano gamecon.conf, entered "gamecon_gpio_rpi map=0,0,0,0,7,0" in the first line and saved it as gamecon.conf (until then, there was no such file).

6th: did some soldering work according to your schematics above (1.8k resistor between pin#1 and pin#3 of the raspberry) and connected pin#3 of the pad (supply for the vibration motors) to +5V (pin#2 & pin#4 of the raspberry).

by the way: used the female part of an old extension cable to connect the gamepad... approx. 40cm long.

7th: checked every joint and connection twice, powered off the raspberry and connected the psx pad to the gpio port.

after rebooting the raspberry I needed to configure my psx gamepad (don't forget to switch on the analog mode).
then I started Spyro the Dragon and encountered that there was no analog support. ok, needed to set the pad type from "standard" to "analog" inside the quick-menu (<select> + <triangle>, -> quick-menu -> options -> pad 1).
now starting the game gave me analog support and rumble/vibration !

unfortunately the vibration effect is very decent. I got much more force feedback when I use the joystick at my pc, with an USB twinport adapter. there the motors are powered with +5V as well, but work much stronger.

8th: then I disconnected pin#3 (motor supply) of the pad from the raspberry's +5V Vcc, connected it to a lab power supply and feeded the pad with a higher voltage.
but it didn't make a big difference at the genuine scph-110 pad... there I could increase the voltage up to 7.5V before the pad draws some unwanted current, even when not rumbling (so I stopped there).
with other ps2 compatible pads I was able to increase the voltage to 12V and above... and got a better vibration effect; but still not as strong as at the genuine psone console, or when testing the pad at the pc.
so there is still something fishy with the driver. guess the pwm ratio needs to be increased.

furthermore I noticed that the in-game effects differ from the original. so if you reanimate a frozen dragon inside spyro, there is no rumble at retropie, while there is a strong vibration at the genuine console (and ePSXe as well).
but when Spyro hits a wall, or knocks up a chest, I get my force-feedback :-D.

so, enough for today.

cheers,
Jeff

Jofo

Hi,
thanks for the feedback!

I never had a PlayStation, so I can't tell how strong the vibrations should be. I tested mostly on Crash Bandicoot 3 and Need For Speed. I have two PS2 controllers and both behave differently for the same settings. I can increase the vibration intensity in the driver itself if You want, or I will try to find a way how to put the vibration force setting to some config file.