Remora Official Thread - RGB LED control for MadCatz FightSticks

Vicko

you will have to rewire the pinout from the ps3 te pcb to match up on the remora since the pins are different for ps3 and xbox.. or send to a modder, like me! :)

Synchro

Appreciate the offer lol but id rather do it myself and save money but first i have to understand what a pinout is o.O

zozur

I don`t have a PS3 EVO stick, but i almost sure can be too easy to mod, if you take a photo of the inside I can tell you, I install the remora on a Soul Calibur V for PS3, check my video, the audio is in Spanish, but it is easy to follow video.



OSO Gonzalez.

underwing

So I just ordered a Remora and a set of ArcEye3's for a friend; haven't gotten to play with one of these, and I figured a nice button replacement+sick LED controller would be a good Christmas gift.

That said, the nature of our relationship is I need to make this a prank, as well. My friend, you see, is Blue/Green colorblind; a fact we give him shit about to no end. My plan is to program a fave colorscheme to be awesome looking, while also as unnoticeable as possible. The main challenge becomes install window -- I'm gonna have the parts for a few days ahead of time, but his stick for only a couple hours unsupervised, max, so the colors would optimally be programmed in beforehand. Can I just wire up the buttons and pump +5V into this baby and have it all work standalone? Or is it expecting the pull-up voltages from the main PCB? No big either way, but it'd save me from cracking open my spare stick on my already-crowded workbench.

Also, any ideas on how best to troll him? Which display modes would be best to go "Oh man, press the buttons and see the awesome reaction?", only to have him not even see what everyone else is ooh-ing and ah-ing over? Is there a good reactive mode that keeps the LED intensities relatively even during the color transitions (assuming the transitioning colors are, themselves, evenly-bright)? I've got a fairly good idea of how I can determine the "closest" colors (simulation apps ftw; I know just what his eye deficiency is), so it's more the Remora side of things that I want to make sure I'm ready for.

And yes, in advance: I realize this is an overly elaborate and dickish move. Just remember he's getting a sick LED mod at the end of the day, and trust me when I say that he'll appreciate it (after he's done punching me).

Synchro

zozur, post: 7792111, member: 13490 wrote:

I don`t have a PS3 EVO stick, but i almost sure can be too easy to mod, if you take a photo of the inside I can tell you, I install the remora on a Soul Calibur V for PS3, check my video, the audio is in Spanish, but it is easy to follow video.



OSO Gonzalez.

Ill take a pic after work and thanks lol

Synchro

underwing, post: 7792592, member: 18095 wrote:

So I just ordered a Remora and a set of ArcEye3's for a friend; haven't gotten to play with one of these, and I figured a nice button replacement+sick LED controller would be a good Christmas gift.

That said, the nature of our relationship is I need to make this a prank, as well. My friend, you see, is Blue/Green colorblind; a fact we give him shit about to no end. My plan is to program a fave colorscheme to be awesome looking, while also as unnoticeable as possible. The main challenge becomes install window -- I'm gonna have the parts for a few days ahead of time, but his stick for only a couple hours unsupervised, max, so the colors would optimally be programmed in beforehand. Can I just wire up the buttons and pump +5V into this baby and have it all work standalone? Or is it expecting the pull-up voltages from the main PCB? No big either way, but it'd save me from cracking open my spare stick on my already-crowded workbench.

Also, any ideas on how best to troll him? Which display modes would be best to go "Oh man, press the buttons and see the awesome reaction?", only to have him not even see what everyone else is ooh-ing and ah-ing over? Is there a good reactive mode that keeps the LED intensities relatively even during the color transitions (assuming the transitioning colors are, themselves, evenly-bright)? I've got a fairly good idea of how I can determine the "closest" colors (simulation apps ftw; I know just what his eye deficiency is), so it's more the Remora side of things that I want to make sure I'm ready for.

And yes, in advance: I realize this is an overly elaborate and dickish move. Just remember he's getting a sick LED mod at the end of the day, and trust me when I say that he'll appreciate it (after he's done punching me).

im not 100% sure the plan will work out since LEDs are composed of the colors red, blue and green mixed together to look like other colors so maybe he'll see the color setting u put on but might just see red instead of anything else either way its a nice prank kind of mean spirited but it'll be worth it with the mod your giving him lol hope it all works out for ya

underwing

Synchro, post: 7792677, member: 81988 wrote:

im not 100% sure the plan will work out since LEDs are composed of the colors red, blue and green mixed together to look like other colors so maybe he'll see the color setting u put on but might just see red instead of anything else either way its a nice prank kind of mean spirited but it'll be worth it with the mod your giving him lol hope it all works out for ya

So are pixels on an LCD; I'm not too worried that the prank itself will work to some extent (doesn't have to be perfect, but we've pulled similar stuff before). As to the mean-spiritedness, it's... a running joke. I wouldn't give him a gift that was *just* a joke at his expense, but there's an established history of prank gifts and making fun of his colorblindness. He already trolled me with my gift this year, and he's the type of person who wears a "Fuck the colorblind" shirt and claims to not know what it says just to troll other people.

EDIT: Also, I mis-spoke earlier; he's red-green not blue-green. Not that it matters for this discussion.

Synchro

ok i think i have it now lol ill have to remove the black chip that connects all of the buttons to the main white chip and replace it with the remora board then just hook up the buttons to the remora and i should be set...and the pinouts are both 6 prongs which fit into the remora plus ive seen a pic of jdm do this with a ps3 but either way thanks for the help guys this is a little simpler then i thought it would be lol

Vicko

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/1570228/Remora4.jpg

CSword123

Quick question about the ribbon cable that connects to the ArcEye 3. Should the arrow on the plastic housing be pointing towards GND on the ArcEye3 or R?

Also do the connections from the Remora to ArcEye3s need to correspond with the default SFxT layout:
X Y RB LB
A B RT LT

Or could I change the layout to this?
X Y LB RB
A B LT RT

EDIT: NVM. I believe the answer to my first question is found on vanRijn's installation procedure:
linked here in case anyone is wondering:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/vr/7699852822/in/set-72157630873339250

The second question is answered on Toodles own welcome sheet. Stay free me

SirForhie

Toodles, post: 7540872, member: 2354 wrote:

They're labeled E1 and E2, two through hole points in the lower right of the board. For say the breathing one, I'd recommend E2 to resistor, other leg of resistor to cathode leg of LED, anode leg of LED to ground.

the breathing effect on mines has a little glitch on start up that shouldn't be normal right? i can post a short video if you like or is it just a bad resistor somewhere?

Drift_SRK

I originally posted this in September and didn't get a response. It continues to happen so I resubmit:

My Remora seems to be "forgetting" lately. At seemingly random times (to me), the stick will forget my saved colors / screensaver or forget that I have set it up with only 6 buttons (will cycle all 8 in screensavers.) Weirder still, when it forgets the 6 button config and I unplug, replug+Start/Select, and reassign to fix, the Remora sometimes remembers my saved colors and screensaver. Isn't the Plug+Start+Select supposed to reset completely? This "forgetting" has occurred on both 360 and PS3. Madcatz SFxT VS 360 w/ TE-Kitty + -S harness.

Also, when I first received my Remora it had a faulty ribbon cable. Toodles mentioned sending out a replacement but then he went MIA for awhile.

Galthrojh

Restock anytime soon?

alphakenny

Question: If I have a MC Cthulhu + 360 fightpad + Imp v2 + Remora + Arceye3 x8 set up, would the remora and arceyes work in PS2 mode? If not, would it work with a voltage converter going from MC Cthulhu to Remora?

speedsterharry

alphakenny, post: 7861123, member: 4669 wrote:

Question: If I have a MC Cthulhu + 360 fightpad + Imp v2 + Remora + Arceye3 x8 set up, would the remora and arceyes work in PS2 mode? If not, would it work with a voltage converter going from MC Cthulhu to Remora?

I can't be 100% sure for this, but I know the kitty cannot light up the TE leds in PS2 mode, so there's little hope the Arceyes will in this situation (white leds need 3.4 V, and the PS2 supplies 3.3V ish, and thats before taking into account other voltage drops)

alphakenny

Would a step up voltage converter help?

speedsterharry

^^^ Try it and you'll know for sure

Halophilic

Restock anytime soon?

This, seriously. I want to give you more of my money.

ChaoticMonk

Anyway to grab the cable kit that comes with it minus the pcb for a reduced price?

Angel SHIN

I'm having trouble with the start and back buttons for the Remora hooked up to a modded 360 stick with a ChImp SMD. The Start and Back buttons work fine on a 360, but when I use the stick on a PS3 it presses both start and select at the same time when I only mean to press Start. I rechecked all the wiring to make sure nothing is shorting it, and I've narrowed the problem down to the Remora causing the problem due to how the board is designed (The harness for start and select is made so it acts like one button). Is there any fix about this?

Vicko

the start and select are not wired as one button, they just use a single harness for 2 buttons
post pics of your soldering and if you cut the trace on the remora for the TE-S lock function

worm1444

Toodles any chance you are going to get more of these in, I am very interested. Want one.

Angel SHIN

Vicko, I've decided I'm going to rewire the thing since it's been a while since I messed with the stick at all. I'll post a pic if I run into the same problem again.

Stier

So I'm new to this and I was wondering how to set it up so were it flashes one color on the press and hold of a button
cause right now I have it set up where it flashes multi colors on stand by and button holding

fallenlordz

also like to know when more will be available for sale :)

Vicko

Stier, post: 7951637, member: 6029 wrote:

So I'm new to this and I was wondering how to set it up so were it flashes one color on the press and hold of a button
cause right now I have it set up where it flashes multi colors on stand by and button holding

From http://godlikecontrols.com/download/RemoraWelcome.pdf

Favorite Colors:The Remora has many display modes that use your saved Favorite Colors. In Setup Mode, you
can hold down Select, and the currently saved Favorite Colors for each of your play buttons will be shown. If
you want to change any of them, just press the button you want to change while Select is held down, and then
release Select. You'll see buttons 1, 3, and 5 show up as blue, green, and red respectively, while the rest will
show the current color. Pressing the blue, green, and red buttons will increase the amount of that color; hitting
the buttons underneath blue, green, and red will decrease the amount of that color. Once the color is adjusted to
your liking, hit Select to go back to displaying the favorite colors so you can tweak other button's colors, or
release Select to go back to Setup Menu. Colors will be saved when you press #5 to exit the Setup menu.

Halophilic

Still interested....any updates?

StaticAlpha

I'm looking to buy a Remora and 8 ArcEye 3 LEDs. I've been scouring the internet trying to find a place to buy all this stuff, but the order form seems like it hasn't been updated in a while. I see that people are still able to get these things, but I'm just trying to find a place to buy this stuff! I have the money and everything right this very second, can someone put me in touch with toodles, or at least in the right place to make an order to get these items! Wanting to start work on this stick this week if possible! Any help would be GREATLY appreciated! Thank you!

godspu

does anyone have the install pdf they can send to godspu at godspu dot com? toodles' link is not working.

godspu

nevermind. after actually looking at it it's obvious and simple.

GLORYBE26OD

I'm glad I grabbed them when I did. I would buy more if they became available again.

ChaoticMonk

would it be possible to have the remora control 1 extra arceye or is it limitedto the 8?

Vicko

the extra solder spots can power another remora but are limited to a single color

ChaoticMonk

Vicko said:

the extra solder spots can power another remora but are limited to a single color

Thanks man, appreciated :) I think I'll just get a couple additional single colour LEDs for the outer edge and draw power from the remora, sounds doable?

Vicko

you could use another arceye but only solder to a single (or combination for purple, etc.) post and ground.

MusicalxFelony

while back i asked on how to solder the FGwidget board with the Remora/PS360+ since i didn't know jack shit about soldering or even how to install a damn button.. nobody replied so i took that as a do your research faggot. i managed to get it working and she's a beaut. thanks toodles for such great boards & purple arms for the arc eyes. i just wanted the FGwidget to control the fade when i move the joystick. something with that feature on the next version of the remora would be nice.

Pnoy Pryde

Will there be any restock soon? There are the Arceyes but no remora

GLORYBE26OD

I need more also. I have a feeling there is a revision on the way.

Pnoy Pryde

wasn't there also supposed to be 32teeths board for these too?

Ashenar

Toodles wrote: »

This will be the official thread for all Remora related happenings.

The Remora is an RGB LED controller. The currently available model is specifically made for Xbox360 model MadCatz FightSticks. It has been successfully tested on V.S. and Pro models of FightSticks, and should work perfectly in all other models as well that use the Xbox360 button distribution board.

Welcome Sheet covering basic usage: http://godlikecontrols.com/download/RemoraWelcome.pdf

More info as it becomes available. :)

Just wondering if this would work on a custom stick and also will there be any more in stock soon?

ChaoticMonk

can you make use of both E1 & E2 to have 1 breathing and 1 solid LED?

underwing

Just installed a Remora for a friend (in a 360 SE stick previously modded with a TeasyStrike, using ArcEye3's). Whole thing installed and worked like a charm -- all buttons check out, light up appropriately. The only problem is getting into the Favorite Color settings -- I've got it in program mode just fine (can cycle through the patterns, etc.), but no amount of pressing/holding/whispering sweet nothings to the Back/Select button seems to be having any effect. Am I missing something? Other than that, great product (as usual, Toodles :P) and he's very happy. Just want to get the thing working to its fullest. Thanks in advance.