Modify a Retail Breakaway to work with a Dakota?

Power and ground should be easy to find, use the Memory card port (assuming those arent swapped)
And D+ and D- the wrong way cant destroy it, just dont keep it connected to long if it dousnt word. I still have to build a adapter.

 

So here's a picture of the Dakota

and I made this crappy diagram in mspaint of where the wires lead on the breakaway.

And here's what a regular xbox breakaway looks like

So if everything is colored on the Dakota the same way it should go something like this
Dakota
W G Y R B
| | | | |
R B Y W G
Xbox

Unless I'm totally reading this wrong.
I haven't tested this out yet, going to try that next.
Hopefully it works!

EDIT:
IT LIVES!

 

So you got the Dakota to work with a retail breakaway?

 

Interested to see if this works.

 

Its not really a retail breakaway once you rewire it. But its just changing the wires. Everything you need is in his post.

 

I'm having trouble understanding his post. So all in all, the breakaway is what needs to be modified right? Which colour wires do I switch? So confused.

 

Zeigren explained it pretty straight forward.

Dakota
W G Y R B
| | | | |
R B Y W G
Xbox

 

I got it to work in MOST games but I've found some exceptions. When I play either SSX Tricky or DOA3 the controller will randomly disconnect and I'll have to unplug it and plug it back in and then it'll work for a little bit before disconnecting again. Also if you use UnleashX you can't use RT-LT-Start-Back to reset your console in game, but it works just fine in the menu.
It's weird that it works without flaw in most games but that those two always have a problem with it. I was thinking it might have to do with the fact that the 5v and Ground wires are a larger gauge and I'm splicing them into smaller gauge wires that that might be the problem. Or maybe I "destroyed" too much of the shielding in the breakaway since that Xbox uses that as another ground. I'll have to try and make another one with a different breakaway, but I don't have anymore extras so I'm going to have to go find one at Goodwill or something.

Also what I did to mine is I just cut open the retail breakaway cable and cut the Red, White, Black, and Green wires, then you splice together the Red-White/White-Red and Black-Green/Green-Black wires and Ta-da you have a "Dakota breakaway"! Be careful not to "destroy" too much of the shielding around the wires, since that is used as another ground.

Also would anyone be interested in some pictures comparing the innards of the Dakota to the Duke? Or has someone already done it?

 

The Dakota has a bug in the firmware, thus why they weren't used. Without having tried mine with those games, that could be the reason for the issue. Ill try to remember to test those later.

 

Any specific part in either game that the controller stops working at?

 

Hmm buggy firmware eh? Interesting but that kinda sucks since I was hoping to use my Dakota somewhat regularly T.T I love me some fatty controllers!
In DOA3 it starts immediately you can't skip the Team Ninja screen or opening without unplugging and replugging. Then it happens randomly when you're playing, seems to work fine in the menu though. In Tricky it stops working a few seconds after you start actually playing.

 

I'll be taking apart my Dakota next week, high temperatures this week and don't feel like doing anything. I can take some photos comparing the boards then.

 

So I tested DOA3 and I was able to skip the intro fine with my Dakota controller with an original Dakota breakaway but I had to unplug it and plug it back in when the "Press Start" screen came up. However I decided to also test the game with my Alamo controller with an original Alamo breakaway and it did just fine, never had to unplug it at all BUT it did have one problem. The "Back" button and "Start" button were reversed. At the "Press Start" screen I hit "Back" to start the game and "Start" acted just like the "B" button. Not sure if that is the only game where that happens. Will have to test more games when I have more time.

 

Thanks for the diagram, Zeigren.

 

If the buttons are reversed, @Zeigren or others, do you have a picture of the other side of the pcb? maybe the traces go to a diferent pin on the ic, or its software
(Or just the game doing tricks )

 

This thread has pictures of the front and back of the PCB
http://www.assemblergames.com/forums/showthread.php?33294-Dakota-Xbox-Controller
But I didn't have any problems with reversed buttons, just having to disconnect and reconnect it. Sounds like MoonTar was only having those problems with his Alamo controller.

 

Well after some more testing it seems my Alamo controller's "Back" and "Start" buttons are indeed reversed for some reason. Only tested on a retail console though. Not sure if testing on a dev console would make any difference?

 

Maybe that's why we got a Dakota revision. Pure speculation of course

 

Well the Dakota is different in more than one way so I don't think that would have been the only reason. I also don't know if it is just my controller or all Alamo's are like that. >_>

Do you think I should test it on my DVT-4 or would that make any sort of difference you think?

 

Its worth testing, but it may be the case that even a DVT4 would be too late if they changed something. Cant rule out a manufacturing defect for the Alamos though. I know more changes were made to the hardware, but still. (And again, people who may be skimming this topic in the future, this is pure speculation hah. Dont take it as fact)