1. MODIFY THE GUITAR CONTROLLER. Our system needs to send computer- generated commands to the game console. We do this by sending digital output com- mands from the USB-1208FS data acquisition board. Our quick-and-dirty approach is to modify the guitar controller and override the manual buttons you’d normally press. Make sure your Wii Remote is disconnected from the guitar controller. Unlock and remove the guitar neck and the front faceplate. Remove the four #0 screws on the front of the guitar and the eight T- 10 Torx screws on the back of the guitar to open the controller. (Don’t forget the gratifying removal of the “Void Warranty” sticker to get to the last Torx screw). Using a Dremel tool, bore out a small D-shaped hole to fit the DB9 solder pot connector (circled in Figure A). Score along the outline of the connector, incrementally removing material and checking fit with the connector. Be sure to leave enough material on the sides of the connector for the mounting screws. Once the connector fits, score the center location of the mounting screws, drill tiny pilot holes, and insert 2 small screws (or use 2 of the 8 Torx screws you removed), ensuring that everything fits (Figure B). Remove the solder pot connector for wiring. Add seven 12" leads to solder pot pins 1–7 (one ground, plus 5 note buttons, plus the Strum button). Connect pins 1–6 to the 6 through-hole pads at the base of the guitar neck, from right to left if the push pins are on the bottom. Connect pin 7 to one of the Strum switch contacts; either Up or Down will suffice (Figure C). Ensure all wires are secure and close up the guitar. Check your work! Use a multimeter to perform a continuity check between pin 1 (Ground) and each of pins 2–7 (Green, Red, Yellow, Blue, and Orange buttons, and Strum Up/Down). There should be no connection until each corresponding button is pressed. A CB
2. CONFIGURE THE DATA CQUISITION BOARD. Next, use a 3' section of serial cable and wire it to the digital I/O pins of the USB-1208FS data acquisition board. You only need half of the 6' serial cable, so cut off the male-pin half and use it to wire to the data acquisition board. Connect pin 1 of the serial cable to termi- nal 29 (GND) of the data acquisition board. Connect pins 2–6 of the cable to digital ports ;TIME: 8 HOURS ;COMPLEXITY: DIFFICULT
Amy Bishop
47 Follow us @make
