Issues with My Cobalt Flux Pad

[Bean]

I'm going to try and give an honest impression of the CF pad here. I haven't seen a review from someone who is really into oni courses, which demand perfection in a pad. And I want to use this topic to discuss my ongoing issues with the CF pad.

First off, yes, the pad is built impressively. The arrows do not work like arcade arrows. There are no 'brackets' and 'sensors' in this pad. The arrows have sheetmetal underneath them, and a screw in each corner. When you step on the arrow, the sheetmetal comes in contact with the metal that is on the base of the pad, thereby making the connection. It works well.... at least for awhile...

About a week after receiving my CF pad, JPN Max2 for PS2 arrived as well. I LOVE oni courses, which is why I wanted to get the most accurate home pad possible. After playing two days of the oni courses, I was cruising along. However, I did notice some 'ghosting steps'. Basicly, when I would hit the left arrow, for example, the arrow would quickly register two steps instead of one. Or I would hit the arrow, and then when I lifted up my foot, another step would register. For many songs, this isn't a problem, but when you start looking as songs with quick rapid fire 8th notes on a single arrow, you start seeing sequences like: "PERFECT PERFECT BOO PERFECT GOOD PERFECT PERFECT PERFECT".

I had known after browsing the CF forums for several months that their customer support is really good. So I sent them an email. The response came back giving three possible solutions to the 'ghosting' problem:

A) Cleaning the sheetmetal contacts to make sure that dirt and dust weren't causing random connections.

B) 'Re-bowing' the metal on the underside of the arrow. If the sheetmetal had been curved too much downward, it may be registering hits that you don't want. So curving it back upward a bit would fix that.

C) Checking for any exposed wires or fatigue on the wires.

I checked the pad for all three, made some simple fixes, and began the 'Love Song Collection' oni on Max2. It has a lot of freeze arrows and repeating rapid fire steps in the course (like on Silent Hill remix). All of a sudden the pad would randomly refuse to hold a freeze. And the ghosting/double stepping had gotten worse. After about 10 tries, I could not get past the 3rd song of an oni that I had demolished with no trouble just a day earlier on my first try.

Another great example of the current problems I have: Last night the final song I tried was Candy (Heart) light. I was getting all perfects, but I could see the arrows on screen registering multiple times after I had hit the step. It didn't affect the song though, because the steps were so far apart from each other in Light mode. I had gotten all perfects right up until the final freeze, and I'm thinking "Cool... AAA..."

Then on the final jump-freeze, the pad wouldn't hold the freeze, and the AAA went bye-bye.

In fairness to CF, these new problems started yesterday, and I emailed the CF staff last night. There may be a very simple fix that will cure this problem (the only thing that I could think of, was that maybe the screws that are used to hold the arrows down are making some unwanted connections between the two sheetmetal parts, so that replacing them with sturdy plastic screws would fix the problem).

I'm going to continually update this thread to let others know exactly what's going on. I'm sure I'm not the only one that enjoys oni courses, and wants a home pad that won't let you down in this regard.
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Bean
Oni Courses and Edits and Jokes and Jokes and Jokes

[CatchyPhraseOwen]

I too own a Flux, but I got mine a looong time ago, so I may have a different version. I have no problems to speak of, and my pad is in better condition than that of one at an arcade. It works perfectly, and I have never had a problem. However, make sure you've thoroughly cleaned your pad; I clean mine every other month or so, and a lot of crap gets down there, so if you are playing in a dirty area, you might accumulate a lot, very quickly. There also may be a problem with some parts in your pad. I for one know almost nothing about how the Flux works, but I know that if your parts aren't working in anything there is bound to be a problem. Maybe you should take some pictures and show them to the Flux Staff? Try starting a topic on their message board, too. Also, I know you mentioned that you only e-mailed them yesterday and they deserve to get some time to think of a solution, but you can't expect them to really be able to solve your problem this fast. Give it a week or so, and if you can't get anything done maybe try taking advantage of their warantee.

[Bean]

I have full faith in their customer service, and I'm in no rush.

However... last night I opened the center panel and the up-right panel to clean them. There was a lot of dust, dirt and leftover hot-glue in the center panel, and I cleaned all of it out. Finally, to confirm which arrows were the worst (as requested by the CF staff in an email received yesterday), I started a game.

All the arrows worked fine (save for minor ghosting on the right arrow). I was puzzled for sure. All I had done was cleaned two of the panels which weren't even arrows. So to make sure of this miraculous turnaround, I tried the good-old Love Song Collection oni once again. I promptly full-comboed it and earned a new high score on the course. WTF!

It was late so I didn't get a chance to report my findings to the CF staff last night, but I'm wondering what I could have done to change the condition of the pad so drasticly. Could static be involved here? Did I discharge something by fooling with those two non-arrow panels? Or maybe it's a wiring issue and I moved something just enough to get things working again? It's very odd.

I will continue to update and confer with CF to possibly find out the cause of these strange problems. I know that the area where I play the game is certaily dusty and I'm going to be making a pad cover for the CF when it's not in use.

For now, my pad is back, and I can't wait to tackle the 'Maiden*Road' tonight. Stay's going to give me fits, I just know it.
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Bean
Oni Courses and Edits and Jokes and Jokes and Jokes

[DJPhunk_infinity]

In the forums on the Cobalt Flux website, some users who happen to have a lot of dust and fuzzballs in between their panels have noticed the exact same thing as you. Basically, a good cleaning will fix it and make the pad as sensitive as it should be.

I've had my CF pad for over 6 months now, and I too do Oni Courses. As far as the ghosting you are experiencing....that truly sucks, but it may just be the grime and gunk in between panels; I've never experienced it myself.

Good luck with the ghosting issue - just be assured knowing that not all pads are like that, yours is an exception (which admittedly sucks).

[CourtJester]

I had minor ghosting issues when I REMOVED my foot from the panel like you described. I did everything-cleaned it, rebowed, loosened/tightened the screws, it turned out to be the cbox. Problem solved.

[olestevbone]

Bean, I too own 2 fluxes and I am currently attempting to learn oni courses. I have almost the same problems as you did. However when I am in the song selection screen on max 2 jap X keeps getting pressed and i think select is getting pressed. There is a little ghosting but nothing that a good cleaning wont fix. I'll write more later, I'm late for class lol. See you at the mall

[EvilDave219]

Your problem might be the control box. When I first got my CF pad, it worked perfect for a week, then the left arrow died out. I found out it was the control box that must have short circuited, so I had another control box sent to me (which was free) and it has been working fine ever since (which has been 3 months). So if you keep on having this problem, you might want to get another control box and see if that will help.
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[DuffMan_]

Well, the screws wont make a metal contact, so don't worry about that. Make sure that you clean underneath your arrows and stuff. If the arrow still isn't working properly, tighten or loosen the screws. Loosen them to make them less responsive. As far as I know, static isn't a problem with the CF's. If you just recently got your pad, its the new control box, and its most likely not that. Also, whenever I would think something is wrong with my pad, I would get more greats than perfects, I would freak out. Its just a mental thing that stopped me from concentrating. A little arrow loosening and cleaning fixed all my problems. Hope it works for you!
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[olestevbone]

Also I figured out that a good thing to do before worrying is to break them in. Use the pad a lot and it will start to work better the more it gets used. On one of my CF's there was a ton of ghoststepping with the up and down arrows and when I played last night it just went away and I even got to the 4th stage in the Sota Oni. (I'm fat so please don't laugh at me) But I was damn proud of myself. Not even one ghost step either. Hope this helps

[shinobier]

i see some of people are getting problems here and there. well, lucky for me not getting any sort of troubles like that. of course i too did have minor problem(like start button register when i step on center panel) but it's all fixed now. maybe it's just bad luck some of you got troubled CF(or maybe damage from ups delivery or whatever). i had mine for like 1 month and it looks kinda dirty now(due to not cleaning at all) but still works fine.

[Bean]

Well, it appears that after about a week of no problems, the ghosting issues are back. I'm not quite sure what to make of all this. The last game I played on Monday night was fine, and the first game I played on Tuesday night was horrible. This time I cleaned underneath every panel except the start and select buttons. And once again, after I cleaned it, the pad now works ok. I'm just puzzled at how horrible the pad got from one day of non-use. I'm not convinced that it's dust or dirt underneath the panels creating this on-again/off-again ghosting problem...

It's frustrating to hear that other CF pads have none of these problems.

To clarify also: When the pad is working properly, it's fantastic. The only complaint I have about the pad is the fact that the control box plug is utterly useless. It falls out after a few difficult songs. A little electrical tape solves this easily enough, though.
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Bean
Oni Courses and Edits and Jokes and Jokes and Jokes

[Devil Warrior]

I've had a CF pad for almost 2 months, not really any problems, I had to rebend the down arrow because I took the panels off and cleaned them, but tightened too much...

And I have no problems with the select button, since I don't have one... all the new Cboxes are wired with the select to act as triangle, so it won't hurt you when playing, as long as controllers are off.

[Chuck4]

I plan on getting one of these pads eventually but I just hope they are really worth every penny. $300 is not money I throw around often.

Just a question, what do you guys clean your pads with? Windex? Plain ol' water?

[Devil Warrior]

I clean mine with windex, yes. Just make sure you dry the panels COMPLETELY before you start using it again, or you may have things firing off that you don't want to do. Can be annoying.

[Ciaratha]

Clean clean and clean somemore. I set aside time this evening to perform maintenance on my pair.
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[heavy]

I've just ordered my pair of CF's today...they'll be here in a couple of weeks... i just hope i have no problems... as long as i clean them, I'll be alright...right?
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don't ask complicated questions; you'll only get complicated answers.

[VxJasonxV]

Helloooooooooooo thread bumper.
Don't expose the CF to lots of dirt and you'll be fine, if anything happens, clean it, and yes, you'll be fine. Thanks for asking the obvious.
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