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Tilt Board v3 – Source Code

screenshot047

I am releasing  my source code for Tilt Board v3.  It is released for personal use only.  Please contact me if you would like to use any part of it commercially.  The project files were written in C using the Source Boost IDE and the BoostC compiler.  It was originally written for a Microchip PIC16F88 microcontroller, but should be easily modified to work with most  microcontrollers.  I tried to comment the code well to make it easy to understand.  The download includes the C source code files and the compiled hex file.  The source will allow you to make your own modifications, and the hex will allow you to program your own PIC without the trouble of setting up the compiler.

This completes the information I have to release about the Tilt Board v3.  You should now be able to make your own and modify the code to suit your needs.  If you need any help, make any improvements to my code, or just like what I am doing please e-mail me and let me know.  Have fun!

Download Tilt Board v3 Source Code by clicking here.

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Tilt Board v3 – Schematics and Board Layout

Tilt Board v3 Layout

Download Tilt Board v3 Schematic and Board Layout

The link above gives you the schematics and PCB board layout for the Tilt Board v3.  They were created using the program Eagle CAD 5.4.0 which is available to download from here.  Eagle CAD is an excellent (and low priced) program that has a free version available.  The zip file contained in the link above  this post contains two files.  The .sch is the schematic and the .brd is the board layout.  For an excellent tutorial on how to use Eagle CAD software check out this tutorial by Spark Fun.  If you don’t want to mess with learning Eagle CAD but you still want your own board you can order as many as you want from Batch PCB.  They are who I ordered my prototypes from and are a really cool company.

Please feel free to use these files for any personal use.  I am making them available to help others learn more about electronics.  They may not be used for commercial purposes.

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Tilt Board v3 Installation Instructions

Equipment Needed:

  • Wireless Xbox 360 Controller
  • Tilt Board v3
  • Torx T8 Security Bit
  • Soldering Iron
  • Solder
  • Wire
  • Double Sided Foam Tape

These instructions will show you how to install the Tilt Board v3 into an Xbox 360 controller. There are two main types of wireless Xbox 360 controller boards. The older boards are known as the matrix version, because the digital inputs are wired as a matrix. The newer board is known as the common ground version because its digital inputs are wired in a simpler common ground fashion. The Tilt Board v3 is designed to work with the newer common ground boards. If you use an older matrix board, your digital inputs will not work correctly. It is very easy to tell which board version you have after you take off the back cover.

To take off the back cover you will need a Torx T8 security bit. This is a very uncommon tool, as there are both Torx T8 and Torx T8 security bits. The security bits have a hole running up the center of the bit to allow for a protruding section of the Torx T8 security screw. There are 7 screws holding the cover on. Six of the screws are clearly visible and one is in the battery compartment under the sticker with a barcode on it. You can either peel the sticker off or poke through the center of it to reach the screw. After the cover is off you should see a board that looks like one of the following:

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Tilt Board v3 – Video

Here is a quick video of the Tilt Board v3 in action. The games played are Burnout Revenge and Marble Blast Ultra. I apologize for when the controller gets in the way of the camera, these videos are always hard to shoot. The only part of the controller physically used in this demo is the right trigger in Burnout Revenge and the right analog stick in Marble Blast Ultra. All other control is done using the Tilt Board v3.

I have more documentation, source code, etc. still coming.

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Tilt Board v3 Announcement

Tilt Board v3

Video and more information coming soon!

The Tilt Board v3 is the newest version of the Tilt Board. This version follows the same basic idea as the older versions with a few big changes. The first big change is that it now uses a 3-axis accelerometer. This allows it to detect a jolt on the Z-axis and map it to one of the digital output pins. This allows you to jerk the controller up or down to perform an action in game. The second big change is the addition of an external input port. This is an RS232 port that will allow the functionality of the Tilt Board v3 to be expanded. (More on this in the future… ) The third big change is that it is now going to be an open source project. In the coming weeks(s) I will be releasing the schematics and source code to make it easier for those of you who are interested in making your own version.

I would like to release the source code and schematics under a license that allows it to be used in any not for profit way. If someone reading this has knowledge in that area, please contact me and give me advice!

Continue reading for the basic operating instructions.

Continue reading “Tilt Board v3 Announcement”