This one is actually finished as much as I plan to finish it. After playing IIDX for a while, I got the feeling that I would probably like to play Pop'n as well. I was also just removed from trying to build a DDR pad, and wanted to find something a little less complicated to try cutting my teeth on. So, deciding that I would like the game well enough, and really wanted to build something, anything, I set out on the task of building a Pop'n Music controller.
Due to a snafu with shipping, I actually ended up finishing the controller before I even received a Pop'n game. I had to tweak it a little after the games did start rolling in, but my first testing was with IIDX. Not the IIDX in the picture below; that's just because I'm lazy.
Setup for playing Pop'n Music
Overhead view of Pop'n Controller
Side view of Pop'n Controller
Now, what fun would a brightly colored controller be without lights? Since the buttons came with lights, I decided to hook them up, but frankly, incandescents just didn't come on brightly enough or quickly enough with the battery pack I planned to use. So, LEDs it is. Each button has an LED package inside it of the same color as the button itself. The "hot spots" don't really show up nearly as much as they seem to in the picture.
Buttons before being pressed
Buttons after being pressed
After I finished building the box, I originally planned to paint it. However, I never settled on a color, and after seeing how nice the wood looked naturally, I decided to apply a light color of stain, protect it with some polyurethane, and let the natural appearance of the controller prevail. I think it came out nice, and it looks unique.