OG Console Setup Guide
Disclaimer
All instructions are provided as information only and we can not be held responsible for any damage that may be caused to yourself or equipment.
Therefore all of this is undertaken at your own risk.
Overview
The Sinden OG Console Adapter is a DIY project that aims to restore lightgun compatibility to original console games and hardware. By combining a Sinden Lightgun with a Raspberry Pi and a small amount of additional hardware, the adapter translates the Sinden's modern camera-based tracking system into the signals expected by classic consoles. This allows original lightgun titles to be played on genuine hardware and modern displays, without requiring modifications to the console or game software.
Currently focused on the PlayStation 1 and PlayStation 2, you will be able to build an adapter that restores functionality to G-Con45 (AKA GunCon) and G-Con2 (AKA GunCon2) games, with Konami Justifier currently in the prototype phase.
Introducing revamped "SindenPS" OG console adapter for 2026
Thanks to the efforts of community member th3drk0ne and his unofficial SindenPS project, the OG console adapter has been completely revamped as of 2026. Improvements include:
- Out-of-the-box support for multiple modules off a single adapter (G-Con45, G-Con2, etc.)
- Custom designed Pi hat for G-Con2
- Custom designed PCB and 3D printed dongles for PlayStation 1 lightguns
- General miniaturisation (Arduino Pro Micro for G-Con2 and Arduino Nano Supermini for PlayStation 1)
- G-Con45 jitter issue addressed (no need for Multitap fix)
- No need for donor controller cable/extension lead, and no crimping and multimeter method
- Automatic device mapping (no manual udev rules)
- Automatic detection of G-Con2/G-Con45 mode (based on detection of PlayStation 1 dongle)
- Software installed directly from Github via a script as opposed to a pre-configured SD card image
- ...Which allows for support for multiple RPi models, all the way down to Pi 0 2W for extreme miniaturisation
- True "headless" operation; the log, services and configuration panel are all available via a web page on your local network, with WiFi connection established during installation
Using SindenPS with the older adapter build
SindenPS is backwards compatible with the older hardware install. As such, if you are perfectly happy with your hardware but want to make use of the new software you can do so by simply re-flashing your SD card.
Just head straight to the SindenPS installation guide for the latest installation instructions.
If you have arrived here looking to troubleshoot your legacy Pi software install, take this as your cue to upgrade to SindenPS instead. It handles a lot of the old headaches automatically.
Resources
The SindenPS adapter is thoroughly documented here:
These resources should be considered the proper way to install and use the adapter and in the case of any discrepancies, the SindenPS resources should be considered the correct, more up to date documentation. This guide is written as a basic bullet point overview to help newcomers get started.
Building a SindenPS
Here is a basic general overview for getting started with SindenPS.
Choices, choices, choices
You do not have to include all modules if you don't need them. SindenPS takes a mix and match approach to the modules and handles various configurations automatically; everything from a fully loaded RPi 5 with two player support for both G-Con45 and G-Con2, to a RPi 0 2W with a single G-Con45 dongle plugged into it.
As long as you select a Raspberry Pi model with the capabilities that you need, you need only build and attach the various modules to it that you actually want to use.
A word on G-Con45 vs. G-Con2
Many PS2 games are (and always were) backwards compatible with the G-Con45, meaning you can build an adapter with pretty broad compatibility with just that component. Wikipedia has a compatibility list here. In general if a PS2 game made no use of the additional G-Con2 buttons (e.g. the D-Pad) then it likely supported the G-Con45.
Furthermore the G-Con45 module has proved to be slightly faster and more responsive than G-Con2 based on our testing - probably something to do with the slow USB 1.1 ports of the PS2, as opposed to the directly connected electronics of the controller port.
Suffice to say that building a G-Con45 only adapter is often a perfectly valid strategy - more-so than you may have thought. On the other hand, the G-Con45 dongle mandates some basic soldering, whereas the G-Con2 has a solder-free alternative build.
One or Two players?
As with G-Con45 vs. G-Con2, you need only implement the player two components if you own a second Sinden Lightgun.
Minimalist build suggestion
This project supports several Raspberry Pi models, and in general we recommend the official RPi PSU adapters across the board.
However, if you happen to be considering a single-player, G-Con45-only build and have a non-recoil Sinden Lightgun, this opens up the unique possibility of an inline solution with power drawn directly from the console.
This configuration naturally lends itself to the Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W due to its relatively low power requirements, and testing has shown that by using a USB Y-cable (2× male) to leverage the combined power available from both front USB ports on a PlayStation 2, enough power can be drawn to run a Pi 0 2W adapter reliably without the need for an external power supply. Combined with very short USB cables/adapters, this results in an extremely clean installation with very little visible wiring, all connected directly to the console.
Using Y-cables like this is totally legitimate, and was a common workaround for using portable hard drives on older PCs with weak USB power. You will probably find that the product page for the cable discusses this use-case.
Of course, this does leave you in the slightly unusual position of occupying both PS2 USB ports while not actually supporting G-Con2 games - its unfortunate that the PS2 only had the two USB ports, leaving the controller port as the only remaining input. Depending on your goals, this may be a perfectly acceptable trade-off, and there is nothing to stop you from switching to an external power supply at a later date.
One small thing to be aware of is that SidenPS startup takes longer than original hardware, and you will definitely land on the calibration screen before the adapter has finished booting. Just be aware that the gun will be unresponsive for a few extra moments while the adapter loads. TIP: The calibration screen typically dismisses itself when the adapter finishes booting. If you have dialled in calibration in the SindenPS config, you shouldn't need to calibrate in-game at all.
As PlayStation 2 hardware revisions vary be sure to test your own setup thoroughly before committing to long-term use. Again, you can switch to a different power supply solution at any time.
Shopping List
Sinden Lightgun/s
- Firmware 2.1 or newer is recommended. Update using the official Sinden desktop software
Upscaler
- You need something capable of drawing a white border around your gameplay area
Raspberry Pi
- Compatible Raspberry Pi
- Confirm the capabilities of the various Pi models before committing to a purchase. For example, Pi 0 does not support two players.
- Official RPi PSU (check whether you need the micro USB or USB C version for your RPi model)
- Micro SD Card
- Bundle of 11mm M2.5 brass or nylon standoff with 4mm M2.5 screws
- If you're using a Pi Zero, you'll need a USB hub such as a Waveshare ETH/USB HUB HAT
G-Con45
- Arduino Nano Supermini (do not purchase a version with legs attached - it will be surface mounted)
- SindenPS PS1 PCB
- SindenPS 3D Printable Case (for PS1 Dongle)
- PS2 Male 90 degree Connector (Search AliExpress)
- Rest assured that despite the product name mentioning the PS2, it's 100% PS1 compatible
- (Optional) PCB Audio Connector PJ-320A 4-pin DIP (for pedal)
- USB to USB C cable (ensure it carries data and is not just a "charger" cable)
G-Con45 Player Two
- In the case of G-Con45, player two is a whole additional dongle, so double up everything in the G-Con45 list
G-Con2
- Arduino Pro Micro (consider purchasing a version with legs pre-attached)
- Unfortunately there are some reports of the USB C version of the Pro Micro being more erratic than the micro USB version. Consider purchasing a micro USB edition for more reliable flashing
- SindenPS PS2 Pi Hat PCB (or see solder-free alternative method)
- (Optional) PCB Audio Connector PJ-320A 4-pin DIP (for pedal)
- USB to USB C (or Micro) cable (ensure it carries data and is not just a "charger" cable)
- 40 Pin 2.54mm 2x20 GPIO Female Header
G-Con2 Player Two
- You just need an additional Arduino Pro Micro, USB cable and (optionally) PCB audio connector. The SindenPS PS2 Pi Hat already includes a spot for the second Arduino Pro Micro
Assembly Guide
Assembly is remarkably intuitive once you have all of the components in front of you.
G-Con45 Dongle
- Solder the Arduino Nano Supermini to the PS1 adapter PCB, face up, so that the USB port is pointed to the edge of the PCB
- Solder the audio connector and male PS2 controller connector. Take care to connect the PS2 connector so it's level
- Place inside the 3D printed shell and screw it together
- Test that it seats correctly when plugged in to a console
- Repeat for player two
G-Con2 Pi Hat
- Solder the Arduino Pro Micro(s) to the Pi hat, face up, so that the USB port is pointed to the edge of the PCB
- Solder the audio connectors to the two pedal connections
- Solder the Pi hat to the RPi and use the standoffs where appropriate for support
Solder-free alternative
It is possible to recreate the G-Con2 Pi hat with Dupont wiring. It's not as durable or as clean, but it does at least present a solder-free alternative for G-Con2.
Player 1 Arduino
- Pin 6 of Pi GPIO (Ground) to Arduino ground
- Pin 8 of Pi GPIO (GPIO 14) to Arduino RXI (Serial RX)
Player 2 Arduino
- Pin 34 of Pi GPIO (Ground) to Arduino ground
- Pin 32 of Pi GPIO (GPIO 12) to Arduino RXI (Serial RX)
Pedal/s
- Install a momentary switch between ground and D10 on each Arduino
Installing the SindenPS Raspberry Pi software
At this point you are ready to connect your SD card to your PC and install the all-important SindenPS software. See the SindenPS installation guide for the latest instructions.
Cabling
- As a result of following the SindenPS installation guide you should now be looking at a powered on Raspberry Pi that is quietly running SindenPS. But if you haven't done so already, connect your PSU to the power supply port of your Raspberry Pi
- Connect your Sinden lightgun/s to a Pi USB port/s
- Connect USB to USB C cable/s to another Pi USB port for the G-Con45 dongle/s
- Connect USB cable/s to the Arduino Pro Micro(s) for the PlayStation 2. These cables will ultimately connect directly to the PS2s USB ports
You'll notice that the USB cables are oriented differently for PS1 and PS2, conveniently meaning you can spot at a glance which cable is for which system.
SindenPS boots into G-Con45 mode if it detects that a G-Con45 dongle is connected. You can unplug it from the dongle side to switch to G-Con2 mode, meaning there's no need to mess around inside a case long term.
Programming the Arduinos
The Arduinos each need to be flashed with custom firmware to emulate the original lightguns.
G-Con45
The G-Con45 module can be flashed directly from SindenPS.
- With the dongle connected to the RPi via USB, bring up your SindenPS portal via http://sindenps.local
- Navigate to the Services tab and locate the SindenPS G-Con45 Adapter Firmware section
- Select the appropriate PAL (G-Con45) or NTSC (GunCon) firmware
- Make sure the correct device ID is selected/detected and click Flash Firmware
- Allow the process to complete
- Repeat the process for player two
Alternate method (Arduino IDE)
- Download and install Arduino IDE
- Locate the PS1/G-Con45 .hex file and open it in Arduino IDE
- Make sure the Arduino is detected, and then click the "play" button to compile and upload the software to the Arduino (if you have issues, try selecting the legacy bootloader option)
G-Con2
G-Con2 flashing remains a PC-based process for now.
- Connect the PS2 end of the USB cable to your PC
- Download the latest official Sinden Lightgun drivers from the official Sinden webpage and use the official Sinden Windows application (or avrdude) to flash it
- Unplug the Arduino and then repeat for player two (its recommended that you should only have one Arduino connected at a time when flashing)
Drawing a white border
As you will know, Sinden lightguns work by detecting a white border around the gameplay area. Many devices are capable of drawing the border, but some require more manual config than others.
If you have yet to purchase a scaler and are looking for a recommendation based on lightgun support, then the RetroTINK 4K is arguably the safest choice. Other scalers are offering the border as a dedicated toggle, which makes it easier to use, but there have been several occurrences of the feature being removed without notice (e.g. OSSC) as it requires dedicated developer support. The RT4K method on the other hand makes clever use of integral features (see below) and as such we feel that support is less likely to be dropped arbitrarily.
RetroTINK 5x Pro
On supported firmwares, there is a "Lightgun Border" toggle in the "On-Screen Display" menu that you merely need to turn on to see the border. The border should respect the crop setting giving you some element of control over it.
Check firmware compatibility first; unfortunately the feature comes and goes - but the RT5x supports downgrading firmware if necessary.
RetroTINK 4K CE/Pro
None of the feature differences between the CE and Pro models have any direct effect on lightgun support.
In the Scaling/Crop menu, go to the Masking Colour section, and choose a pure white colour and then set Show to Always. Then use the various crop and scale options to draw a border of an appropriate size.
You may find that this locks you to a stretched 16:9 aspect ratio, or that the left and right sides of the border occupy the entire 4:3 pillarbox blackspace. To counter this you can force 4:3 by selecting a 4:3 modeline (e.g. 2880x2160) in the Output Resolution section, and then make sure your TV's own aspect ratio setting is set to 4:3.
Consider using a fast sync lock method such as frame lock or gen lock to reduce input lag. If your TV supports it, VRR may reduce input lag further still.
Custom modeline suggestions
The RetroTINK 4K ships with a 2880x2160p59.99 custom modeline pre-installed, which is a 4:3 version of 4K and is a perfectly fine choice if it works on your TV.
- 2880, 48, 32, 160, 1, 2160, 3, 4, 62, 0, 59.99, "2880x2160p59.99"
This version is the same thing but at exactly 60hz:
- 2880, 48, 32, 160, 1, 2160, 3, 4, 62, 0, 60, "2880x2160p60"
The community have come up with some custom modelines that may enhance your experience in various circumstances. As with everything in this guide, custom modelines are used entirely at your own risk.
This modeline is a 4:3 version of 1080p60, which is a more popular resolution and as such may have greater compatibility:
- 1440, 8, 32, 80, 1, 1080, 17, 8, 31, 0, 60, "1440x1080p60"
If your TV supports more exotic modelines (LG OLEDs have good support) and 120hz refresh, then give these a try (requires firmware v1.9.9.5+):
- 2880, 176, 88, 560, 1, 1080, 4, 5, 45, 1, 120, "2880x1080p120", 0, 2.0
- 2880, 176, 88, 560, 1, 960, 4, 5, 45, 1, 120, "2880x960p120", 0, 2.4
Try the 1080p version for PAL, and the 960p version for NTSC. These enable a double-wide resolution for high quality CRT effects inside a 4:3 120hz container with an integer scale and with support for BFI. They should let you draw a correctly sized border without losing much if any gameplay area. It's not confirmed, but it stands to reason that the 120hz refresh would reduce input lag.
Can you just provide profiles for this...?
We're keeping this under evaluation but for now the decision has been made not to upload pre-made profiles. Because there are many permutations (e.g. PAL vs. NTSC, 240p vs. 480i) and because it depends on custom modelines, it would be incredibly difficult to provide profiles with broad support.
PixelFX Retro GEM
The border can be enabled and configured in Video > Lightgun Borders. The border does not work in Direct Video mode, so you may have to revert to normal 1080p mode.
SindenPS User Guide
Congratulations on completing your adapter!
You should now be able to access its web front end via http://sindenps.local to dial in calibration, offsets etc. Having an in-game calibration screen open while you iterate on these settings is a good strategy.
Tip: If your phone is connected to the same WiFi network as the adapter you should be able to access the portal via the phone's web browser.
As always see the SindenPS user guide for more information on how to use it direct from the author.
Friendly reminder - th3drk0ne is a community member, volunteer and author of the SindenPS software only, and is not a representative of the Sinden Lightgun company.
Calibration tips
In common with original lightguns, Sinden lightguns usually require calibration. Calibration is designed to set basic gun alignment, correcting small variances in the camera module's physical position inside the gun.
Calibration can either be stored in the gun itself, or it can be manually entered and saved directly in the SindenPS config as X & Y values. Both achieve the same thing, but because we are correcting physical differences inside each gun, it makes more sense to store the variables there, allowing you to use the gun elsewhere and take its calibrations with you, and use multiple guns with their own calibrations on the same adapter.
In-gun calibration
To use calibration in the gun:
- Turn on the "Enable Calibration" and "Auto Save Calibration In Lightgun" settings in SindenPS
- Make sure that no calibration settings are stored in CalibrateX and CalibrateY (i.e. leave them blank)
- To calibrate, bring up an in-game calibration screen and hold the left d-pad button for two seconds
- You should see that the cursor freezes in place somewhere on-screen
- Shoot the screen dead in the centre to calibrate
- Test the tracking, and repeat the calibration as necessary
Config calibration
Pixel perfect refinements are easier when manually entering values into the SindenPS config. In addition the offset values are only available via the configuration page.
To use SindenPS config calibration:
- Bring up an in-game calibration screen while having the SindenPS portal open on your phone
- Manually enter positive or negative values into the CalibrateX and CalibrateY
- (Optional) Turn off the "Enable Calibration" and "Auto Save Calibration In Lightgun" settings in SindenPS
- You don't have to do this. Any calibration data in the gun should be ignored when CalibrateX and CalibrateY have values in them. However this step might give you greater clarity about where the calibration is coming from
- Tap the save button
- Give the adapter time to restart and aim at your screen
- See how the tracking is. Do not pull the trigger. If you need to make further changes, go back into SindenPS and refine the CalibrateX and CalibrateY settings
Offsets and offset ratios
If you're digging around in the configuration pages you will have noticed some offset settings in addition to the calibration settings.
OffsetX and OffsetY are similar to calibration in that they store X and Y values that adjust the aim of the gun by those values. The key difference is that they applied after and in addition to calibration. This allows you to combine per-gun calibration with a global offset - i.e. to handle deviations in your border or other display oddities.
OffsetXRatio and OffsetYRatio apply a small multiplier to the calibration + offset values to produce the final value. If your gun tracks well but horizontal tracking is exaggerated or understated, you may need to adjust OffsetXRatio.
Community member Widge kindly posted a detailed explainer on the Sinden Discord.
Always bear in mind that offsets are in theory only necessary to compensate for border irregularities. If you are able to draw a tight border, with the outer edges of the border matching the outer edges of the gameplay (i.e. border will be covering some gameplay), then the gun's factory assumptions will be correct, and no offset will be required - just calibration.
In-game calibration?
You are probably well aware that lightgun games typically present you with an in-game calibration screen to set up your gun for each session. However when it comes to the Sinden lightgun, this calibration step is superfluous, and at most should be used for minor tweaks (though it has to be said they are great for general testing). As a matter of fact, some PS1 games do not feature a calibration screen at all, so relying too heavily on in-game calibration is not a good idea.
A properly configured lightgun should mean that the in-game calibration can be skipped entirely. Depending on the game you may be able to skip it by pressing one of the buttons, or by not connecting the gun to the console until after the calibration screen would have appeared. That being said, completing the in-game calibration as normal just to get past the screen is fine, albeit a little redundant.
Troubleshooting/FAQ
Here is a collection of some of the more common issues and their solutions.
The game behaves as if no controller is connected - I don't see a calibration screen
This means that the console cannot see the Arduino, or it doesn't recognise the Arduino as a lightgun. Retry flashing the Arduino, and double check your soldering.
It's not impossible that your Arduino is faulty from the factory. It does happen, especially with clones.
The calibration screen appears, but nothing happens when I pull the trigger, not even a gunshot sound
The console is detecting the Arduino and recognises it as a light gun, which is great.
When the gun itself is dead like this the problem usually lies in the connection between the Arduino and the RPi. Check your wiring/soldering.
If it's a USB connection bear in mind that many USB cables do not have the data lines connected and are just "charger" cables, and even many fully wired USB cables are poorly made and prone to internal breakages. Always try a different cable before getting bogged down in more complicated solutions. People tend to vastly overestimate the durability of USB cables.
If you're using the solder-free G-Con2 build, triple check that you have connected the Dupont wires to the correct terminals. It's easier than you think to become blind to a mistake here. It also never hurts to try swapping out the wires in case one of them is bad.
As above, re-flashing the Arduino may help - as may replacing it.
If the Arduino-Pi connection seems solid, at this point you should open the log file in the SindenPS portal to try and determine the issue. If you cannot even access the log file then SindenPS may not be running on the RPi for some reason, in which case it may be simplest to restart the SindenPS installation from the beginning.
The issue could also be between the RPi and the gun itself. Double check that the gun is working in general (i.e. on your PC) and remember that firmware version 2.1 or newer is recommended.
The calibration screen appears, I hear a gunshot, but no cursor ever appears
If you are playing in G-Con2 mode you have to hold d-pad down for a few seconds and then pull the trigger to enable the crosshair on the in-game calibration screen. There's more info on G-Con2 calibration here.
Otherwise, this is actually indicating that the gun is completely unable to make out your border at all, which is quite unusual, assuming you have remembered to enable it. Check that your border looks correct, is bright enough, and have a look at your exposure and brightness settings. It might again be worth checking that the gun is working in general (i.e. on your PC).
The calibration screen appears and the gun is responsive, however tracking is very jittery
The gun is struggling to make out your border. Assuming you already have a tight 4:3 border around your gameplay area go to the SindenPS portal and start experimenting with exposure and brightness settings - they really do make a difference.
Tracking is smooth but gets jittery near the edges
The gun needs to be able to see all four corners of the border at all times, no matter where you are aiming. You may be sitting too close to your TV.
This could also be related to exposure and brightness.
When I aim near a particular edge of the screen, shots are consistently registered as an off-screen miss
This usually implies that the gun calibration is incorrect, and you have used in-game calibration to compensate. This tactic fails at the edges of the screen.
Take a look at the calibration tips section.
The gun tracks correctly and smoothly, however it drifts near the edges
This usually means that the border is not conforming to a correct 4:3 aspect ratio. How to fix this depends greatly on your upscaler, but in any case, try to adjust the border shape.
You can also take a look at the OffsetXRatio and OffsetYRatio settings.