Pulsar v1 · Install guide

Cut the cord.
Keep the controller.

Pulsar replaces the original cable inside a first-party Dreamcast controller. Work through the steps in order and test the board before making the one permanent change to the back shell.

Fasteners
6 screws
Tool
Small Phillips
Modification
1 cable guard
Back of a Dreamcast controller with its six screw positions visible
Start with the controller unplugged and face-down on a soft surface.

  1. Open

    Remove the six back screws

    Remove all six Phillips screws from the back of the controller. Lift the back shell straight up and set it beside the controller. Keep the front half face-down so the buttons stay in place.

    Six screw positions on the back of a Dreamcast controller
    Two screws sit near the cable; four sit around the grips.

  2. Disconnect

    Unplug the original cable

    Find the white cable connector beside the accessory slots. Grip the cable close to the plug and pull it as straight out of the socket as possible. Lift the original cable and its strain relief out of the controller.

    Open Dreamcast controller with its original cable still connected
    The original cable before removal.

  3. Fit

    Seat Pulsar in the second slot

    Slide Pulsar into the second accessory slot. Route its cable through the right-hand opening in the bottom of the controller, following the path in the photo, then press its white plug into the controller connector until it is fully seated.

    Pulsar seated in the second accessory slot with its cable routed inside the controller
    Second slot, cable routed to the right-hand opening.
    Close view of the empty second accessory slot inside the controller
    Use the second of the two accessory slots.
    Close view of the Pulsar cable plugged into the controller board
    Match the plug orientation shown here.

  4. Checkpoint

    Pair and test before changing the shell

    Press Sync once to wake Pulsar. Then press and hold Sync for about 3 seconds, until the status LED starts blinking rapidly. Open Bluetooth settings on the device you want to use, find Xbox Wireless Controller and connect. Before closing the shell, verify the analog stick and a few buttons in a game or controller test. If Pulsar does not wake or appear, reseat the white connector now, while everything is still open.

  5. Permanent step

    Snap off the matching cable guard

    On the inside of the back shell, locate the small plastic guard that lines up with the side where Pulsar's cable exits. Press the guard sideways with your fingers; it should break away cleanly at its thin joints.

    This permanently changes the shell. Check the cable side twice before you snap anything.

    Before Inside of the controller back shell before the cable guard is removed
    The cable guard is still present.
    After Inside of the controller back shell after the matching cable guard is removed
    The opening after a clean break.

  6. Protect

    Add the cable cover

    Fit the 3D-printed cable cover into the opening around the Pulsar cable. Make sure it is seated against the shell and that the cable lies naturally without a sharp bend.

    Blue 3D-printed cable cover fitted around the Pulsar cable
    The cable cover protects the new exit from the shell edge.

  7. Close

    Keep the cable clear of the standoff

    Lower the back shell into place while watching the screw standoff nearest the cable. The standoff must land beside the cable, never on top of it. The shell should sit flush without force; if it does not, lift it and move the cable before trying again.

    No pinching

    A trapped cable can be damaged when the screw is tightened. Do not force the shell shut.

  8. Finish

    Replace the six screws

    Install all six screws and tighten them until snug. Do not overtighten into the old plastic. Turn the controller over, wake Pulsar with Sync and enjoy your gaming.

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