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I have an Xbox 360 and a wired USB 2.0 controller. I would like to be able to play a game on the console with the controller whilst a Windows computer registers what my input on the controller is. I want to run a program, showing me exactly what input I am pressing at a specific time.

My first thought was to connect the controller with the Xbox and the computer simply using a USB splitter (2x male to 1x female). However, from others I learned that the USB protocol is bi-directional, meaning that the computer and the xbox would start to fight over control over the controller.

My second thought was to buy a switch. But that wouldn't allow me to have the controller send data to both devices at the same time.

The third option I thought of, is working with an USB sniffer. I know that most sniffers are simply pieces of software running on a computer, although there are (very expensive) hardware solutions. I think a software-based USB sniffer won't work unless I find a way to connect the controller to both the Xbox and the PC at the same time without the PC trying to gain control over the controller.

To summarize: in the most optimal case, I would have the Windows computer recognize the controller as a gamepad, while still being able to play on the Xbox at the same time. Is there any way to accomplish this? Should I build something myself?

All help is appreciated!

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The most reasonable and cost effective way to achieve this is to commit one Xbox Controller to this study. Then open up the Xbox controller and tap in wires across all the switches and controls. Bring those wires over to a small microcontroller box where the microcontroller performs the basic low level monitoring that you want to study and then bundles that data into a format for delivery. That delivery path could be via a USB port or even over a serial UART link.

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