u/InsaneMushroomMan

Hello everyone, I’m back with another question. I’ve got this Panasonic Control Panel AW RP-615 that I’m trying to convert into a HID for my PC. After powering on it tells me to connect to the main unit, which I don’t have and cannot afford.

I believe the unit is in lockdown until that handshake happens, input voltage is good, but nowhere on the main data cable leaving the unit shows any voltage variation when any buttons are pressed.

There is a RJ45 on the back which I couldn’t get anything from, and a service port connector but I cannot find anything that would plug into it.

How could I “unlock” the unit without that main unit handshake? I very much appreciate any help!

This is a huge first for me, barely dipping my toe in the water here so if I sound silly that’s fine.

This is a Panasonic AW-RP615 Multifunction Camera Controller I got for $55 from a thrift store (with no question returns for 30 days if this plan tanks and ONLY if I don’t break it). It does have joysticks, I just removed them for cleaning and accessing the innards. I want to convert it into something my PC can use as a game controller/keyboard for purely hobby enjoyment, and maybe to command my sub in Barotrauma.

Here’s some info:
The main Processor is a Hitachi H8S/2144 which has built in UART output which feeds to a MAXIM MAX3223C chip, which converts the signal to RS-232 voltage levels. From there, the connector I plan on using is a DB25–>USB to my PC, where I will try to use PuTTY to see if I can pick anything up.

Kinda brainstorming a backup plan with a Pico, but I pray I won’t need it.

Attempting to turn this camera controller into a game controller for my PC. My current plan is to connect this to my PC with some Cat6, then use Wireshark to pick up inputs, then either find a program or write a python program to convert to usable PC controls.
There’s also a long flat connector on the back that looks like a CN50 maybe and says “Service.”

My question is this: would it be easier to stay on track with the Cat6-RJ45/Wireshark approach, or try to look farther into that service port? The manual has no information on the port that I can find, but online manuals can be weird, and I’m completely in the weeds here, this is only the second time messing with a game controller project for me.

Some knives I inherited from my grandad who passed away a year ago, I don’t know anything about knives, but they look pretty neat!