Xbox360 WVI

[designer noob]

I am making a Xbox360 WVI as my next portable project after I finish the N64/GBA in the next two weeks. This was first done by Techknott at Benheck I belive.

I have already made a list of what I will need just want to confirm it.
Xbox 360 controller
battery- a 8.4v li-ion battery as used for the N64
Charger- More than 500mah, so system can run off of the wall
A couple of regulators for controller, reciever, and screen.
capacitors
Zenith or Ps one screen
1.2GHz wireless reciever to pick up xbox a/v signals. A signal not close to 2.4ghz, which is what the controller uses.

A couple of questions I hope you guys can answer:
1. Does the xbox360 already transmit the a/v signal?
2. If the signal is transmitted by it self won't the signal be in RBG?
3. How do you know what capacitor to use? For instance, how did you know to use a 100uf capacitor for the N64 and what was its purpose.
4. If the controller is broadcasting at 2.4ghz what is the range I can have the reciever at ? - like 2.2ghz?

I am only posting this becaue I rather have all my questions answered before finishing the other portable, so this one can be sarted right after.

 

[XCVG]

I am making a Xbox360 WVI as my next portable project after I finish the N64/GBA in the next two weeks. This was first done by Techknott at Benheck I belive.

I have already made a list of what I will need just want to confirm it.
Xbox 360 controller
battery- a 8.4v li-ion battery as used for the N64
Charger- More than 500mah, so system can run off of the wall
A couple of regulators for controller, reciever, and screen.
capacitors
Zenith or Ps one screen
1.2GHz wireless reciever to pick up xbox a/v signals. A signal not close to 2.4ghz, which is what the controller uses.

A couple of questions I hope you guys can answer:
1. Does the xbox360 already transmit the a/v signal?
2. If the signal is transmitted by it self won't the signal be in RBG?
3. How do you know what capacitor to use? For instance, how did you know to use a 100uf capacitor for the N64 and what was its purpose.
4. If the controller is broadcasting at 2.4ghz what is the range I can have the reciever at ? - like 2.2ghz?

I am only posting this becaue I rather have all my questions answered before finishing the other portable, so this one can be sarted right after.

1. No.
2. See answer to question 1.
3. Capacitors are generally used for power filtering. I can explain this further but I need some context first. Like, where you need to use a capacitor. Generally they are put on the voltage regulator.
4. 2.4GHz, same channel. You don't have to worry about this because the 360 will take care of it. Also, I don't know if the controller has enough range to bother.

As for regulators, the 360 controller runs on 2 AA batteries, which is 3V. I think you can get away with 3.3V, but it doesn't matter that much. PS1 screen can use the straight 8.4V. However you can't get LiPo or LiIon batteries in 8.4V, only NiXX batteries. A 2-cell LiPo/LiIon pack will give you 7.4V, which will work nicely. LiPo/LiIon batteries are generally better, but if you can get NiXX cheap enough go for it. Anyway what voltage the receiver and transmitter takes depends on what you get. Some use 5V, some 12V, some have internal regulators.

As for the video transmitting itself, you have a few options:
Hacked Security Camera: Relatively easy and cheap, but the quality won't be so good, range varies wildly, and sound is usually not included or monaural at best. Size varies but is usually small. Also, if you do it right you get a free security camera.
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.17782 (DX has LOTS)
R/C Type Micro Transmitter: Tiny, but can be expensive. Usually good video quality, but probably has no audio or mono audio. VERY low power.
Transmitter Receiver (that place has a few different kinds)
Video Sender: Yes, they make them, sounds perfect doesn't it? Usually pretty good quality, and you might even be able to get stereo audio. But they are big and can be power hogs, and also might get expensive. And apparently the range sucks, but should be okay for your needs.
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.26597
http://www.x10.com/promotions/vk82a_ed_ ... _cmpt.html

Having the video equipment on 2.4GHz shouldn't be a problem, but usually you can change channels on it anyway. The 2.4GHz band isn't just one big frequency everything is on, it's split into many channels. Most equipment auto-selects based on what's used and what isn't.

 

[designer noob]

kk, I could always boost the signal of the controller if needed.
Also, because the xbxo360 doesn't transmit their own RBG signal, then I would need two recievers/transmitters. One for putting on the xbox cables before they go into the T.V. to transmit the signal another one in my case to pick up the signal correct?
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.26597
If I get something like that as my transmitter/reciever than I could just open up the RBG cord and split it into two lines. One goes to the t.v. and another band of wires which go to my transmitter.


The only thing that I really don't undertand to complete this is what the capacitor on the N64 pth0800 regulator was doing there? How did you know that the Pth0800 regulator needed a 100uf capacitor 16v minimum to 50 volts max?

 

[XCVG]

First, you can't just boost the controller signal. It's technically possible, but it's not as simple as just "boosting" it. The 360 controller has pretty good range from what I've heard, but I'm not sure.

Second, the XBOX doesn't transmit any sort of video signal at all. And forget about using RGB. You won't be able to find a transmitter/receiver set for RGB. And you don't need two transmitters, you need one transmitter and one receiver. Usually they come in a set. I'm assuming you're going with a video sender here (there's lots on DX under AV Equipment). Composite video and stereo audio go into the transmitter. The transmitter sends it to the receiver. You connect the receiver to the screen. Simple. And yeah, you can connect the TV and transmitter to the same place.

 

[designer noob]

The only thing that I really don't undertand to complete this is what the capacitor on the N64 pth0800 regulator was doing there? How did you know that the Pth0800 regulator needed a 100uf capacitor 16v minimum to 50 volts max?

This came at a later edit, so I don't know if you saw it. Rather it not get missed, so I will just post it again.

 

[XCVG]

The only thing that I really don't undertand to complete this is what the capacitor on the N64 pth0800 regulator was doing there? How did you know that the Pth0800 regulator needed a 100uf capacitor 16v minimum to 50 volts max?

This came at a later edit, so I don't know if you saw it. Rather it not get missed, so I will just post it again.

I think it's in the datasheet. Basically the role of the capacitor is to filter out voltage spikes and dips. The minimum voltage is the voltage you are using. There is no maximum but higher-voltage capacitors are larger for the uF rating.

 

[designer noob]

So, do you always want to use a 100uf capacitor?
Also, I have to use a step up regulator to increase the voltage to 12v for the reciever. Can I use a 100 uf minimum of 12v capacitor, but high voltage would be better like at 40v or something. I am quessing that step up regulators also need other pieces, which I will have look up.

 

[XCVG]

Wait, which receiver and which transmitter are you using?

 

[designer noob]

I haven't really looked, but all of them are going to take more than 8.4 volts. So I will need to add a step up regulator.

 

[XCVG]

I haven't really looked, but all of them are going to take more than 8.4 volts. So I will need to add a step up regulator.

Not necessarily. Many units can run at a lower voltage than it says. Try to find one that uses a power brick.

 

[designer noob]

I am looking at transmitters/recievers right now. Before I make some finally choices I want to make sure I know how far the controller's wireless connect can go.

I am going to look this up on google. I am quessing there are some people that love xbox360 that will show you how to increase the controller range.

Update: I am going to make the reciever of the controller external and increase the size of the atenna. If the size of the atenna is increase and is external this should increase distance correct? They talk about soldering a wire to the RF crystal and then adding a 2.4ghz atenna. Link below.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthre ... p=16474099

This is what the guy says to do

"there is a solution...if you know enough about electronics. It can be extended by 15-22 feet by using a scorpion power amplifying IC chip, a 10k ohm resistor, and an antenna from the linksys USB WRT54GS. Open the controller for use in steps ahead. solder on a wire to the antenna to lengthen it. I used 30 gauge since the plug and charge slot is right where the wire has fit and still allow the controller to close. Basically either just run the antenna and solder it to long metal bar just above charge spot, that's the RF receiver/transmitter. Once thats done hot glue the antenna somewhere on the back under side of the controller for convenience. If you still need longer range. Get the chip and solder the resistor to the far left bottom hole in the board. It's where there's 3 gold rings. Far left is DIRECT power supply hence needing the resistor at that point, as it turns the scorpion chip from 10V to 3V there by allowing enough juice to boost, but without expending your battery in like 2 hours. Run positive from board...gold ring...to pin 1 on the chip, so it gets positive polarity...and then run the negative wire from the board to the antenna. Then add another wire from where you soldered the negative to the antenna and it goes to pin 4 and 8. Circuit is complete and adding 3V more boost without DIRECTLY Overboosting the PCB board and frying your controller. BTW negative is reversed on matrix style boards...but those are almost completely impossible to get a hold of because they're not made anymore as they were the first PCB design by microsoft at launch time. Wiring is same for all other wireless controllers PCB types. Hope this helps. Extended my range 37 feet. BTW, you're welcome."

I don't understand how powering the antenna with chips will increase the signal, but I do understand hooking up an antenna to the RF reciever to increase the distance the controller can go. I am quessing you will understand the other part.

Also, what are all these controller mods like rapid fire and stuff.

 

[XCVG]

No offense, but judging by the questions you asked I don't think you could do the signal boost mod. It would be possible to add a new antenna. However, longer doesn't always mean better. It has to be tuned to the correct frequency. So you need a 2.4GHz antenna. An antenna from a wireless network router or adaptor is ideal. Some phones have the correct type, but not many. And if you are desperate you can buy one from SparkFun. But before you do anything extreme, test out the range on your controller and decide if it's enough for your purposes.

Oh and attaching an antenna to the receiver inside the 360 might increase range too, unfortunately nobody knows where to attach it.

The rapid fire mod is pretty simple. It relies on a trick that M$ used to vary the brightness of the controller's LED. It uses something called PWM (one letter away from PWN, I know), which rapidly pulses the power to vary the brightness. I don't want to explain it further so just google it. Anyway, for rapid fire you attach a button between the pulsing LED power and the original button. I don't know a lot about it so you'll have to look it up yourself.

 

[designer noob]

I can easily add a antenna to the RF crystal that won't be any issue. But, I was wondering how does sending 2v more to the atenna do anything? Its a reciever, which means it waits for the signal to come to it. Or is it that the xbox360 can send a really far signal out to the controller, but than when the controller tries to send the signal back to the xbox360 its not as powerful and won't reach? So, the extra voltage just boosts the range of the controller?

From what I hear it doesn't sound to hard to do. Negative wires to pin 4 and 8 and to the antenna and then positive wire to pin 1. Hook up 10k ohm resistor to far side of controller. The 10k ohm resistor take the voltage down to three volts, but ours is already down to three volts. So, I am quessing just get a 1k resitor or something that will drop it down to 2v.

Also, do you understand what the guy says? From your perspective does it sound like it would work to boost the signal?

 

[XCVG]

Okay, both the xbox 360 and the controller have BI-DIRECTIONAL radios. They can both transmit and receive. So basically you need a chip that can boost both ways (I think) and wire that inline. Read it again, it mostly makes sense. But the chip is probably expensive. Also he says that the antenna gives quite a bit more range. But like I said, TEST IT AND DECIDE IF IT HAS ENOUGH RANGE FOR YOU!

 

[designer noob]

lol, kk. If I ever put my house address on here. I think most of you would want to come shoot me.

Nothing is to far, I want to make it go as far as possible. I want to go play outside and stuff.

The chip thing makes no sense. You want two volts to go to the antenna. But, the controller already runs of 3v, so why get a power amplifying chip to boost the voltage to 10v and then use a resistor to take it back down to 2v. Why don't you just take the voltage from the controller use a resistor to drop it down from 3v to 2v and then send it to the antenna?

 

[PalmerTech]

Here is the bottom line: The 360 controller with nothing more than a larger antenna will reach farther than any wireless video link can at decent quality.

Problem solved!

 

[designer noob]

My transmitter will be able to go like 300 to 500 meters. I am not going cheap here. I want to make this where I can go out on the street with this thing.

 

[PalmerTech]

What is your screen? Can you really play it outside? Most game screens are useless in sunlight.

 

[designer noob]

The PS one screen or a zenith, which is the same thing. I don't know how this has to do with the transmitter/reciever? I can control the brightness of the screen, so it should be fine in the sun light.

I have my choices narowed done to 4. I am about to go look at amazon and ebay too.
Update: http://cgi.ebay.com/2-4G-2W-Wireless-AV ... 7C294%3A50
http://cgi.ebay.com/2W-2-4G-Wireless-Vi ... 7C294%3A25
http://cgi.ebay.com/2-4GHZ-WIRELESS-AUD ... 7C294%3A25
http://cgi.ebay.com/Wireless-Transmitte ... 7C294%3A25
2000ft to 3500ft seems very large for that price, but he is a super seller and almost 100%. So, I dought he would lie and has refunds. Its worth the chance to me for that kind of distance.

Two questions: Ruffly how many ft are taken away everyime a wirless signal goes through a wall? If I have like a 2500ft-3500ft transmiter and it has a to through a basement floor, and maybe 3 walls. So, what maybe it can go 1000ft?

Why is my antenna, so big compared to the router one. I will post a picture of it soon.
Nevermind found out it was 7dbi high gain antenna, which means it more than doubles range. I would take the question off, but like to keep it for personal reference when making a guide.

IDEA: I will connect two antenna to the RF crystal. One for minimum distance and one for maxium distance. Since the guy said that if the signal was to strong it would overwhelm the xbox360 and it won't take it in.

 

[XCVG]

Okay, about your transmitter/receiver sets:
The first two are definitely NOT 2W. That's probably INPUT POWER or PEAK POWER. If it was really 2W it would be way more expensive and need an amateur radio license. Of course the average person couldn't tell the difference. The third one the picture doesn't work. And the fourth one only has mono audio, so useless. Also none of them are going to get that much range in a real environment. MAYBE somewhere out in the desert, with NO noise or interference and a PERFECT line of sight.

One of the first two is probably still okay, but the quality might be crap.

Also, no idea why your antenna is bigger. Need a picture. And I don't know if your idea will work or not, you'll have to test it.