GameCube HELPER (simulate WiiKey Fusion eject switch)

[Hugo_Peters]

Hey everyone! I haven't done anything in the modding scene for quite some time, but since I got my Arduino Uno I've been really excited to start working on this project. I call it: GameCube HELPER.

It's not a very big project or anything, but more for fun. I'm also still quite a noob with electronics, so if anyone has any tips I would love to hear them.

So what is GameCube HELPER?

GameCube HELPER is a standalone ATMEGA328 microcontroller that does awesome stuff.
The goal is to get rid of the need to manually press the WiiKey Fusion / Wode eject switch.

Here's a video of me explaining it in some more detail (sorry if it's not very clear to understand ):


The sequence would be like this:

1. Power ON (GameCube won't be powered yet).
2. Chip is loaded.
3. Voltage starts passing through the eject switch.
4. GameCube gets powered, starts up.
5. After 3.5 secs voltage stops passing through the switch.
6. After .5 secs voltage starts passing through again.
7. PROFIT!

This would hopefully simulate the WiiKey Fusion's button press.

I have no idea if this is actually going to work, but lets hope so! When it's all working I could give it some more features like a dip switch for the reset button function (reset the WiiKey when the reset button is pressed, etc.).

// Hugo

 

[BlueLemming]

I don't have a Wiikey or WODE but in theory, this should work. Looks pretty cool. Only problem is, as you said, the 7 second startup.

I used to code with STAMP in my electronics class last year and it was a blast (although it certainly had its limits). Haven't heard of the Arduino Uno though. What made you get that over the Raspberry Pi?

 

[Hugo_Peters]

I don't have a Wiikey or WODE but in theory, this should work. Looks pretty cool. Only problem is, as you said, the 7 second startup.

I used to code with STAMP in my electronics class last year and it was a blast (although it certainly had its limits). Haven't heard of the Arduino Uno though. What made you get that over the Raspberry Pi?

It's actually 5 seconds, I've mistaken, but still quite long indeed.

I didn't get the Pi because it's a complete computer on a board (which is way too much for this project). I can make the Arduino chip run as a standalone which is cheaper, smaller, and I might be able to sell it to people who are interested in this.

 

[BlueLemming]

Ah so you can take the microcontroller out and put it on a circuit/breadboard? Nifty. That's what STAMP could do as well. I thought Pi could do the same but I really haven't looked into them.

 

[Hugo_Peters]

Ah so you can take the microcontroller out and put it on a circuit/breadboard? Nifty. That's what STAMP could do as well. I thought Pi could do the same but I really haven't looked into them.

Yeah, the Pi and the Uno are very different. The Pi really is a complete computer. http://www.raspberrypi.org/quick-start-guide

The Uno only requires this to get it into a standalone:
http://art364.pbworks.com/w/page/137190 ... %20Arduino

 

[BlueLemming]

Makes sense. Interesting.

Yeah in theory it seems this project should work out.

 

[Hugo_Peters]

Does anyone know a resistor that brings 5v down to 1.19v? I don't know how much amp the GameCube's 1.19v line has and I don't have an amp meter. Anyone? (It could also be 1.9v, not sure how much the WiiKey's eject switch requires, or could I put 5v on it without frying everything?)

 

[megalomaniac]

hehehe

my next project was to do this exact same thing...
except im going a slightly different path...

you could always use a relay...just set the relay's N.C. as GND with output to PIN29..
N.O. to nothing...
you dont need to supply voltage to the WKF...just cycling GND is good enough

let the avr supply HIGH (LED BLINK CODE) to energize and de-energize the relay with 5v

DONE!!


see my relay board to the left of the gamecube

 

[superben51]

Or, you could just tap the 1.whatever volts line from the cube itself.

 

[megalomaniac]

tap what??
tap nothing...


led blink is all thats needed...

both AVR and GC power on at the same time....
just add in the extra few lines of code to initialize your port and peripherals

#define F_CPU 16000000UL
main()
{
   init_devices;
      PORTX = 0;
      _delay_ms(2000);
      PORTX = 0x10;
      _delay_ms(250);
      PORTX = 0;
}

done!!

you can even add led feedback to see the energize / de-energize process during initial testing...
cant be more simple than that...
or skip the relay and try a 10Mohm resistor to see if your lucky and not blow the WKF
code is the same for either situation...resistor or relay

 

[superben51]

I meant that you could take the 1.9 volts from the mother board to toggle the wiikey, instead of building a relay. You gotta remember, everything on this site is to try and use as little or the smallest components as possible

 

[megalomaniac]

what are you gonna connect the GC's 1.9v to ??
feed it into the AVR? no, that serves no purpose..
feed it into a switch? ok..but there is no need for that, 1.9v is optional..
hence, tap what? tap nothing


what do you think the N.C. switch for the WKF does?

it keeps continuous ground contact to pin 29, then you mechanically press and release the switch to remove and restore the gnd connection (and optionally provide 1.9v in the process) which allows WKF to load the GC Linux startup iso.
A relay is just an electromechanical switch which does the exact same thing but can be controlled by the AVR.
no matter what, you need some type of switching solution, be it mechanical or electromechanical...how does an AVR blink an LED? it uses internal switching features to change between high and low...

as for trying to use as little or smallest components possible? WKF needs a switch....no matter what..
substituting a manual mechanical switch for an automatic electromechanical switch is still using as little parts as possible...swap one for the other..
and compare the size of a typical normally closed switch that most typically use here for the WKF and compare that to the size of a 5v mini relay...they are just about the same size...

as i suggested, the 5v power output from the AVR can be used to drive the relay which is the safest way because WKFs pin29 will never be exposed to voltage... or use the right resistor value to properly reduce the AVRs "internally switched" 5v to 1.9v and hope that resistor never fails to expose the full 5v power to the WKF..

 

[Ashen]

The whole problem with using any type of automated switching solution for this is that the WODE actually uses this switch to eject iso's. Which is needed for switching discs on multidisc games.

When you press our makeshift "eject button" the WODE "ejects" the iso. Then you select the next disc on the mini screen thing and load it.

As of right now, there is no other way to play multidisc games on the WODE.

As for the Wiikey fusion, I guess an automated boot is fine/useful. But godDang, why bother? Its one click and go at boot.

EDIT: I guess its more useful for home consoles that you actually have hooked up to your TV for the Wiikey. I'm just thinking of portables, which you'd already be holding anyway.

 

[ShockSlayer]

I'm not entirely up to date on the WKF junk, but didn't someone mention that with swiss flashed instead of the WKF firmware it doesn't even need the button anymore, just boots up automatically?

SS

 

[megalomaniac]

currently swiss on flash is based on WKF firmware 1.5 which requires pin29 switch...
only the initial releases of swiss on flash worked with no switch since it was based on WKF firmware 1.0 (autoboot firmware)

there were some compatibility issues identified with 1.0 base which required the need to use 1.5 base...

 

[ShockSlayer]

I'm sure emu_kidid could work it out if he had the time and motivation. Either way, I agree with Ashen about the practicality. I'd love to see this done though.

SS