gc-forever - Gamecube/Wii Forums

Why are controller pins 3 & 4 (ground) and shield all connected? I just checked the controller input ports on the Gamecube and found that controller pins 3 & 4 (both ground) and shield are all connected to each other. I guess my question is, why use two pins and shield for ground if they are all connected as soon as the controller mates with the cube? Couldn't they have just used one or even just shield? Sorry if this is a dumb question (I am rather new to these things).

The more wires (or the bigger the wires), the better your grounding is. Usually cables use at least one ground wire + the shielding which is physically separate in the cable itself but often the same on the device.

That makes sense. I get why they would use a ground wire and shield, but I don't understand why they would combine them all cubeside. Maybe because the cube doesn't have a chassis ground?

Shielding is always grounded in devices. That's what the earth prong is for in power sockets. The GC doesn't have an earth prong because AC/DC conversion is done in the power brick which only has plastic casing.

Indeed it is. I guess my mind is still in pro audio mode, where every unit has the shield wired to chassis ground and nothing else. Thanks Streetwalker!

You're welcome. And yeah, analog cables in general are built like that.