Midi Controller: Thumb Sticks

So as i have been staying up late at night obsessing over electronics and this controller, i have found that i have an old PS2 (not working) in the cupboard (totally unrelated you say?? i think not).

These PS2 controllers have 2 analog thumb joy sticks in them. these joysticks are 2 axis, X and Y, up/down and left/right, basically 2 rotary potentiometers per joystick package.

To explain this a bit more....

1 rotary potentiometer has 3 pins, a ground (-) a voltage (+) and a Signal.

The joystick has 3 pins per each axis, so 6 pins, easy as pie to wire up.

The thing im really excited about is that i can assign 2 MIDI parameters per thumbstick.

So, 4 effects, 4 sends, 4 pans etc all at the same time.

Today I busted the PS2 controller open and salvaged the joysticks!!
(its very easy when you get a solder sucker, just google "solder removal" for more info)

I will be using Breakout Boards for mounting and connecting these, if you would like a breakout board or you just want to buy the thumbsticks and not the PS2 controller they are available at:

US/international: www.sparkfun.com

Australia: www.littlebirdelectronics.com

Still waiting for my other parts.. so this keeps me out of trouble... for now.

Cheers!

here are some pics: