The Microsoft Xbox Adaptive Controller (XAC) ignores all USB HID devices except for joysticks. This project converts USB HID mouse messages into USB HID joystick messages. This allows the use of USB mice, track balls, and some touchpads. For example, this small touchpad works. Large touchpads usually require custom device drivers so are not USB HID mouse compatible so will not work with this project.
NOTE: Using joysticks, keyboards, mice, track balls, etc. with consoles is not new. If you do not need the XAC for button and switch inputs, consider the following alternatives. Or use one of the following with an XAC if you do not want to bother with building this project. I have not used any of them so you will have to investigate on your own.
- Mouse/track ball/touch pad movement maps to the right thumbstick.
- Primary/Left mouse button maps to gamepad X button.
- Secondary/Right mouse button maps to gamepad Y button.
- If present, third button maps to gamepad Right Bumper.
- If present, fourth button maps to gamepad Right Stick.
- The button mapping can be change by a configuration file stored on a micro SD card.
Create a file on a micro SD card at the top level with the name MSE2JOY.JSN and put the following three lines in the file.
Default button mapping.
{
"mapMouseButtons": [ 4, 5, 3, 2, 6, 7, 0, 1 ]
}
| Xbox Button Name | Xbox Button Number |
|---|---|
| View | 0 |
| Menu | 1 |
| right stick | 2 |
| right bumper | 3 |
| X | 4 |
| Y | 5 |
| X1 | 6 |
| X2 | 7 |
The default mapping means the first mouse button (usually the primary/left button) maps to the Xbox button 4 which is the X button. The second mouse button (usually the secondary/right button) maps to the Xbox button 5 which is the Y button.
- 1 x PJRC Teensy 3.6 board (t36)
- 1 x PJRC USB host cable
- 1 x USB mouse, track ball, touch pad, etc. of your choice
- Breadboard, headers, wire, etc.
The only soldering required is to attach the 5 pin header for the USB host cable. The other pins are not used.
- mouse2joy -- Mouse to joystick converter
- Install Arduino IDE 1.8.7. Follow the instructions at arduino.cc.
- Install TeensyDuino 1.44. Follow the instructions at pjrc.com.
- Install the ArduinoJson library using library manager. Use the latest 5.x version which is 5.13.3 as of this writing. Do not use the 6.x beta version.
- Unzip the patches for the joystick (joystick_teensy_20181201.zip) over the TeensyDuino files.
- Set the board type to Teensy 3.6 and the USB Type to Joystick + Serial. The joystick options with keyboard and mouse do not work with the XAC.
- Upload mouse2joy.ino to the t36.
- Install Arduino IDE 1.8.8. Follow the instructions at arduino.cc.
- Install TeensyDuino 1.45. Follow the instructions at pjrc.com.
- Install the ArduinoJson library using library manager. Use the latest 5.x version which is 5.13.3 as of this writing. Do not use the 6.x beta version.
- Unzip the patches for the joystick (joystick_teensy_1.45_20181212.zip) over the TeensyDuino files.
- Set the board type to Teensy 3.6 and the USB Type to Joystick + Serial. The joystick options with keyboard and mouse do not work with the XAC.
- Upload mouse2joy.ino to the t36.
Plug the mouse, track ball, touchpad, etc. into the t36 USB host cable. Plug the t36 into the XAC right USB port using a micro USB cable. Moving the mouse should now be equivalent to moving the right thumb stick. If the device requires more power than the XAC can provide, unplug the mouse and plug a powered USB hub into the t36 USB host port. Plug the mouse into the powered hub. This is necessary for a Kensington Expert track ball. Other large devices or devices with LEDs may also require extra power. Another possible solution is to use the optional XAC power supply.