How to Connect a Guitar Hero Guitar to a PC
Released on the PlayStation 2 gaming console in November of 2005, Guitar Hero was the first game of its kind. The game, released by RedOctane and Harmonix Music, spawned an entire sub-genre of rhythm and music games dedicated to playing the part of a rock star. Some PC games, such as Frets of Fire, allow players to use a ported Guitar Hero controller. Although some of the guitar controllers for other gaming consoles connect to the PC more easily, the PlayStation 2 guitar also works on the PC--it just requires a bit of work to set it up properly.
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Things You'll Need
- Internet access
- Guitar Hero guitar controller for PlayStation 2
- PlayStation 2-to-USB converter
- An open USB port on your PC
- Unzipping software
Instructions
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1
Open your Internet browser and go to the JoyToKey homepage. JoyToKey is free software that converts joystick input--in this case, the Guitar Hero guitar's input--into keyboard input so it can be read by a computer. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click the download link. After the files download, extract them using 7-Zip, WinZip or any other unpacking program. After you extract the files, no further installation is required.
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2
Install any software that came with your PlayStation 2-to-USB adapter. Most adapters are simply plug-and-play, requiring no software or drivers, but if yours does, it will come with an installation disc.
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3
Plug your PlayStation 2-to-USB adapter into your computer and connect the Guitar Hero controller to the adapter. Wait for a minute while Windows recognizes the device and automatically installs any necessary files. If you had to manually install software in Step 2, Windows won't need to install any files, and the guitar will be ready upon plugging it in.
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4
Open JoyToKey and map the buttons to your liking. You're now ready to use the guitar. With JoyToKey, you can even use the guitar on incompatible programs and games, though it'd likely be awkward to navigate most games and programs with a Guitar Hero controller.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Guitar image by Dimarik from Fotolia.com
