Published December 30, 2024 © GPL3+

Retro Revival : Bring Back Childhood Memories (Guitar Hero)

Transforming a PS2 Guitar Hero Controller for Bluetooth PC Compatibility with ESP32.

BeginnerFull instructions provided12 hours270

Retro Revival : Bring Back Childhood Memories (Guitar Hero)

Things used in this project

Hardware components

Espressif ESP32 Development Board - Developer Edition

ESP32 WEMOS

Pushbutton Switch, Pushbutton

push button guitar hero

DC/DC Converter, Step Down

5V stepdown

Li-Ion Battery 1000mAh

Battery 2 Cell

Software apps and online services

Arduino IDE

Hand tools and fabrication machines

Soldering iron (generic)

Solder Wire, Lead Free

Drill / Driver, Cordless

Story

PlayStation 2 (PS2) has become a source of unforgettable memories for game enthusiasts around the world. Generation Z has a deep connection with the PS2 which became a close friend during their childhood. Playing games on this console is not only about entertainment, but also about experiencing deep adventures and authentic emotions.

guitar hero is one of the games that creates beautiful memories and triggers nostalgia in the hearts of players. A game that invites you to pretend to be a great musician by playing the guitar which has its own level of challenge. The actions of the personnel on stage make the players even more excited. Since 2005 Game Guitar Hero first released.

I found my old guitar hero controller, but now PS2 doesn't have it anymore, so I want to transforming a PS2 Guitar Hero Controller to convert Bluetooth PC. so I can play with PC / Notebook.

Fig 1. Found Old Controller Guitar Hero

Step 1. Prepare Hardware

After found my old controller Guitar Hero, and iam sure that cant work in PS2, because many of the cables are damaged, and there is no longer a PS2 console. So I initiate to make this controller can work in PC / notebook, and can nostalgia with playing guitar Hero with this controller.

1 / 2 • Fig 2. inside guitar hero controller

Interior electronics in the body consist of Strumming Plate and mainboard, button start/select, Whammy Bar and connector to neck. For Interion neck consist of fret button A, Fret button B, Tilt Sensor and connector to body.

1 / 2 • Fig 5. inside Body electronic component

after check all, old controller is realy broken and alternatif to connect my PC/Notebook, change with EPS32 as a main controller

Fig 7. plan change old board to esp32 board

in first project iam only connect fret button A, fret button B and Strumming up / down to esp32, so we need only 7 pin as input

Fig 8. Schematic Guitar pin Button and esp32

Soldering esp32, Stepdown/ubec, strum up/down and conector neck in pcb dot matrix,

Fig 9. Soldering in pcb dot matrix

after all completed, next step is check pin IO with arduino programming, before that I assembly again the controller guitar hero.

Fig 10. Assembly Guitar Hero Controller

To make it easier to upload to the ESP32, I made a hole for the upload cable.

Fig 11. cable connector for upload

Step 2. Prepare Software

Arduino as main software in this project, so first check all pin IO as input, because we use esp32 so need import board esp32 before upload to esp32 board. in this case I use WEMOS D1 MINI ESP32

Fig 12. Program to read IO from guitar hero stick

The story succes upload in esp32 board, we can check in serial monitor and, look data print will be show, if we click button in guitar hero controller

Fig 13. Serial monitor test

if pin button success, next step is connect esp32 with pc wireless, concept for reading data from the guitar buttons is to connect it like a keyboard. In ESP32 there is a library that can function as a keyboard, so for this project we use that as the data sending process. for library I use "ESP32 BLE Keyboard library" from T-vK you can download in here https://github.com/T-vK/ESP32-BLE-Keyboard.

Fig 14. Program BLE Keyboard from Guitar Hero

After upload program, check bluetooth connection in PC. and make sure GuitarHero_BLE is detected and pairing

Fig 15. Connected GuitarHero_BLE

Test Data send from Guitar Hero controller to notepad.

Green Button send key 'A'
Red Button send key 'S'
Yellow Button send key 'D'
Blue Button send key 'F'
Orange Button send key 'G'
Strum Up send key 'O'
Strum Down send key 'L'

Fig 16. Test send data keyboard to notepad

Step 3. Testing

After completed all, next is trial test, I have game in my PC guitar hero III legend of rock, so lets to try playing guitar hero

Fig 17. Settng controller keyboard in PC

beside guitar hero, can use in browser game guitar, like https://guitarflash.com/ or https://guitarflash3.com/. I tried to play more song and is recomended to playing with this controller

Fig 18. Playing guitar hero controller in browser

video tutorial in channel youtube Sekolah Robot Indonesia

Lets Go, YOU ROCK

Code

/*
 * Test IO program for INPUT Button guitar Hero
 * SekolahRobot.co.id
 * Dhadhang SBW
 */

#define GH_GREEN 26
#define GH_RED 18
#define GH_YELLOW 19
#define GH_BLUE 33
#define GH_ORANGE 23
#define GH_SUP 21
#define GH_SDOWN 22

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(115200);
  pinMode(GH_GREEN, INPUT_PULLUP);
  pinMode(GH_RED, INPUT_PULLUP);
  pinMode(GH_YELLOW, INPUT_PULLUP);
  pinMode(GH_BLUE, INPUT_PULLUP);
  pinMode(GH_ORANGE, INPUT_PULLUP);
  pinMode(GH_SUP, INPUT_PULLUP);
  pinMode(GH_SDOWN, INPUT_PULLUP); 
}


void loop() {
  if (digitalRead(GH_GREEN) == LOW) {
        Serial.println("Button Green");
  }
  if (digitalRead(GH_RED) == LOW) {
        Serial.println("Button Red");
  }
  if (digitalRead(GH_YELLOW) == LOW) {
        Serial.println("Button Yellow");
  }
  if (digitalRead(GH_BLUE) == LOW) {
        Serial.println("Button Blue");
  }
  if (digitalRead(GH_ORANGE) == LOW) {
        Serial.println("Button Orange");
  }
  if (digitalRead(GH_SUP) == LOW) {
        Serial.println("Strum UP");
  }
  if (digitalRead(GH_SDOWN) == LOW) {
        Serial.println("Strum Down");
  }
}

/*
 * BLE keyboard - Button guitar Hero
 * SekolahRobot.co.id
 * Dhadhang SBW
 */

#define USE_NIMBLE
#include <BleKeyboard.h>
BleKeyboard bleKeyboard("GuitarHero_BLE", "SRI24", 100);

#define GH_GREEN 26
#define GH_RED 18
#define GH_YELLOW 19
#define GH_BLUE 33
#define GH_ORANGE 23
#define GH_SUP 21
#define GH_SDOWN 22

bool keyStates[7] = {false, false, false, false, false, false, false};
int keyPins[7] = {GH_GREEN, GH_RED, GH_YELLOW, GH_BLUE, GH_ORANGE, GH_SUP, GH_SDOWN};
uint8_t keyKeyboard[7] = {'A', 'S', 'D', 'F', 'G', 'O', 'L'};


void setup() {
  Serial.begin(115200);
  Serial.println("Start BLE GuitarHero ...");
  pinMode(GH_GREEN, INPUT_PULLUP);
  pinMode(GH_RED, INPUT_PULLUP);
  pinMode(GH_YELLOW, INPUT_PULLUP);
  pinMode(GH_BLUE, INPUT_PULLUP);
  pinMode(GH_ORANGE, INPUT_PULLUP);
  pinMode(GH_SUP, INPUT_PULLUP);
  pinMode(GH_SDOWN, INPUT_PULLUP);
  bleKeyboard.begin();
}

bool connectNotification = false;

void loop() {
  int count;
  if(bleKeyboard.isConnected()) {
    if (!connectNotification) {
      Serial.println("Guitar Hero BLE connected...");
      connectNotification = true;
    }
    for(count = 0; count < 7; count ++){
      buttonHandle(count);
    }
  }
}


void buttonHandle(int keyIndex){
  if (!digitalRead(keyPins[keyIndex])){
    // if button pressed
    if (!keyStates[keyIndex]){
      // key not currently pressed
      keyStates[keyIndex] = true;
      bleKeyboard.press(keyKeyboard[keyIndex]);
    }
  }
  else {
    // if button not pressed
    if (keyStates[keyIndex]){
      // key currently pressed
      keyStates[keyIndex] = false;
      bleKeyboard.release(keyKeyboard[keyIndex]);
    }
  }
}

Credits

SekolahRobot

9 projects • 20 followers

Sekolah Robot Indonesia is non formal education in Indonesia to learning about robot, and base on Community

Retro Revival : Bring Back Childhood Memories (Guitar Hero)

Things used in this project

Hardware components

Software apps and online services

Hand tools and fabrication machines

Story

Story

Step 1. Prepare Hardware

Step 2. Prepare Software

Step 3. Testing

Schematics

Schematic Guitar Hero ESP32

Code

Test IO button guitar Hero

BLE Controller guitar hero

Credits

SekolahRobot

Comments

Embed the widget on your own site

Retro Revival : Bring Back Childhood Memories (Guitar Hero)

Retro Revival : Bring Back Childhood Memories (Guitar Hero)

Things used in this project

Hardware components

Software apps and online services

Hand tools and fabrication machines

Story

Story

Step 1. Prepare Hardware

Step 2. Prepare Software

Step 3. Testing

Schematics

Schematic Guitar Hero ESP32

Code

Test IO button guitar Hero

BLE Controller guitar hero

Credits

SekolahRobot

Comments

Related channels and tags