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SerialUSB – a cheap USB proxy for input devices (gimx.fr)
101 points by DanBC on Dec 26, 2015 | hide | past | favorite | 17 comments


Digging through the links on the page leads to http://gimx.fr/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page which is an unbelievably cool open-hardware project for controller compatibility.


What I really want, but fear I am not smart enough to put together, is a tool like this that allows me to mimic an XBox One controller using a Keyboard and Mouse on PC. So as to play games like Halo via Xbox Streaming using the more PC-friendly input medium (I can't play FPS games with a controller :|)

Bit of an odd scenario though - need to fool my PC into thinking that it has an XBox One controller attached, while feeding the output from my keyboard/mouse through that dummy controller...which then gets streamed to the XBox One via Xbox streaming.


That's exactly what GMIX lets you do (the USB proxy is just one of their side projects.)

"GIMX stands for Game Input MultipleXer or Game Input MatriX. The purpose of this free software is to control a video game console with a computer (e.g. a PC or a Raspberry Pi). It works with the PS3, the Xbox 360, the PS4 and the Xbox One."


Hmm. It allows me to connect my PC to my console and play it, right? Not quite the right scenario, though close; since I want to use Xbox Streaming, I need to fool my PC into thinking it has a controller attached.


Don't the adapters for consoles work when connected to a PC? (things like this: http://xim4.com/)


I don't know if the XIM works when connected to a PC, but I think in this example the PC is just a middle-man and the XIM lets you cut it out completely.


Good news! I've heard of people playing Destiny on XB1 with kb&m so this is a solved problem.

http://www.extremetech.com/gaming/210778-microsoft-will-add-...


Similarly, I want to use an Xbox One controller on my flatmates PS4. It seems unlikely I will have the drive to finish such a project.


There are commercial devices doing what you describe, they started showing up ever since original xbox/ps2.

But you really dont want such a device because there is fundamental difference between mouse and joystick, one is relative, the other absolute. There wont be any 360 noscopes using such contraption. FPS is fundamentally broken on consoles, hence autoaim, deadzones, aim-assists etc, all to make player think FPS is actually playable with a pad.


I've used a commercial device to play an FPS on a Xbox360 with a keyboard and mouse, and it was fine. I don't want to do this for any competitive advantage (which would be hilariously unfair), but just because I find the kb&m much more comfortable. Pads feel like playing while wearing oven mitts.


I've used those SiLabs CP2102 USB to serial chips, but to get 45 baud for antique Teletype machines. Using one to just get a second USB port is painful.

The Raspberry Pi Model B has two USB ports, and they're "on the go" ports, so you can set one as master and one as slave. So that should be usable as a general purpose USB MITM device.


Sure you aren't thinking of the Model A and Zero? The B and B+ have a USB hub & ethernet adapter, but no OTG or USB device ports exposed. It's kind of tricky to use the A and Zero's USB device port but people have been figuring it out recently: https://learn.adafruit.com/turning-your-raspberry-pi-zero-in...

Check out the Beaglebone Black too, it has a USB device and host port and its kernel is all setup to use the USB gadget kernel modules. By default it uses the g_multi module to make its USB device port look like a USB storage and ethernet adapter, but you can modify it to use any other USB gadget driver, GadgetFS, etc.


There is also a project called USBProxy[1] for BBB. It essentially aims to be transparent bridge for all USB device classes.

1: https://github.com/dominicgs/USBProxy


Thank you for this link, I've been looking for this kind of functionality ever since the first RPiA came out, thankfully some smarter minds finally got on the case with the Zero.


You cant use CP2102 to get USB host port. Every Raspee has only one native usb port.


I'm really hoping this might mean linux support for the xbox one controller wireless dongle could come soon.


I have one of those super cheap knock-offs. It's been the most trouble-free gamepad adapter so far out of: PS3 wireless, PS4 wireless, and even my Steam Controller when I first got it.




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