My home built metal DDR pad (Part IV)

oranges · Trick Member Joined: 05 Nov 2003

Are the server's getting crappy or something? (edits the double post)

Knee-ill · Trick Member Joined: 10 Jan 2004

Yah I've also noticed that, (off topic sorry)sometimes I get a php error, like overload or something...
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hooded__paladin · Trick Member Joined: 10 Nov 2003

Shadow_Dragonz · Trick Member Joined: 16 Mar 2003 Location: California

Hi everyone,

I'm back after a long while. I've been busy with snow, friends, family, and college. I should be able to check back regularly now. The update on my dance pad isn't so good...basically I'm 2 months behind schedule.

Um, if anyone could, maybe PM me an update on what has been going on and about what I've missed, if anything important. Also if there's anyone that needs help or that I need to update my FAQ. Lastly, if there's anything I need to take care of, just PM and let me know. Thanks.

Thanks if anyone could take the time and do that...

Shadow_Dragonz
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Bioclown · Trick Member Joined: 13 Jan 2004 Location: So Deep

Alright, this soldering business is gettin' kinda wierd.
Is it required that you drill first?
Where the flying fsck is the ground connector?
I am using a PS2 controller, and I need some help. So if anybody knows how to solder the PS2 pad, please help.
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hooded__paladin · Trick Member Joined: 10 Nov 2003

I've returned to building my DDR pad after a while of having no time. It's a Riptide design. Concerning the brackets in the corner, and cutting the wood triangles and plexiglass corners to fit, my dad and I looked at the tiny lip the bracket has for the plexiglass and decided it was too small for just us using a tablesaw. Instead of cutting all those triangles, we decided to stand off the brackets with washers on the screw. However, that's not the biggest problem. Those work okay - but it's not springy enough. When I stand on the arrow (I've only started the process on one so far) it takes a little bit for it to spring back up (I've connected the wires to a multimeter that beeps when there's conductivity).

I think the problem is that I'm using old weatherstripping that was smooshed in my previous pad, a faulty DDRHomePad design. Has anyone encountered a problem trying to use smashed weatherstripping? It seems obviously the problem, but I have my doubts because I added 1" of quadruple-stacked foam to each side. My contacts are a bit high (they're corner brackets with 2 washers under each screw), but that shouldn't be an issue with 4 layers of foam.

My dad thinks that I need to ditch the foam, and use springs. My reasoning against that is 1) no one else here uses springs, and there might be a reason, 2) springs that are easy to press would also be easy to squash out of shape and 3) springs that are NOT easy to squash out of shape would NOT be easy to press. Any opinions on the use of springs as the 'springy' material?

tolookah · Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2004 10:54 pm Post subject:

about springs: you will have to find springs that are non conductive (which im sure you are considering) which will be a problem, you should try to get something coated that can take a beating, as most springs have a metal underside.

for my design (which works great i think) im using a system where i rely on the plexi/hyzod/lucite to bend to make the contact. I epoxied a conductive material to the plexi, and that works well, it bends no more than 1/16th of an inch in the middle of the sides to get a contact, and can be adjusted by adding thicker or thinner washers to the corners. though im a retard and used a cheap epoxy, i found a better epoxy works well.
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DDRPad Soldering and electrical Help: http://www.tolookah.net/DDR/ As hooded_paladin put it: "Currently, help for Beatpad Pro, official Sony Playstation Controller and ANY controller unless you are extremely stupid or lazy."

hooded__paladin · Trick Member Joined: 10 Nov 2003

conductivity is not a problem - with the Riptide design, the whole arrow isn't a contact. I just have contacts in the corners and I could put springs in the sides.

Snof · Trick Member Joined: 09 Jun 2003 Location: UCSC

scandalous bob · Trick Member Joined: 02 Nov 2003 Location: Naperville

does anybody know how to solder to an official sony ps2 dualshock control board? i've fried a bunch of madcatz pad control boards and this is all i have left. i've seen pictures of old psx controler boards with the points labeled but not of a ps2 control board. it's very different and i have no clue which points to solder my wires to. any help or a picture would be appreciated. I might even be able to get a picture of it if anybody needs it, but its the most common controler there is, its the one that comes with the ps2. in any case, i am sick of frying the madcatz boards and it would be nice to know where the solder points on the sony dualshock controler for ps2 are.

thanks
bmxbob3

hooded__paladin · Trick Member Joined: 10 Nov 2003

bmxbob3 - do yourself a favor and get a PS1 dualshock controller. it's very static-resistant, and its solder-able. Because the ps2 dualshock2 has analog buttons, there're only very tiny points you will be able to solder to.

and about myself, I've got my design working! I've done one arrow so far. I'm using riptide's old contact design, 8 screw heads around the sides, and 1 spring in each corner, sunk into a 1/2" hole because of the extra length. It works great. The only problem is that it has a big travel, but I will turn the screws up tomorrow and it will be solved. I'm so happy; this pad has been HELL.

maxxlimited · Trick Member Joined: 24 Jan 2004

is there any better way to hold up the arrow panel other than weather strip or springs?

hooded__paladin · Trick Member Joined: 10 Nov 2003

bluebeefman used springy plastic tubing instead. (Reportedly, it works great) Weatherstripping or springs are the most common, and work very well.

tolookah · Posted: Sun Feb 01, 2004 11:32 am Post subject:

Paranoia Survivor · Trick Member Joined: 22 Jan 2004

ComX · Trick Member Joined: 21 Jan 2004

Has anyone built a solo pad? How did you get the directional arrows to work? I have thought about it for a while and I can't think of a circuit board that can go with it.

Is there a guide to a solo pad? I am (confused) :baffled:

MarKoPoLo · Basic Member Joined: 18 Oct 2003

what do you mean a solo pad? do you mean a home built and self design one? if so than yes i have. if not then explain a little better as to what your asking eh?

anyways as for the wiring question... thats easy.

ok first off you take one wire...you solder it to the controller button. doesnt matter which one so we will start with the up arrow. ok so now you have a wire soldered to the up arrow. you take that wire and solder it to one piece of your contact. in my case a sheet of metal. next you take another wire and solder it to the ground or the ground of the button on the controller. now you take that wire and solder it to the other piece of your contact. so now what will happen is when you press the two pieces of your contact together it would be like pressing the up arrow on your controller.

ok here is a semi visual.

this is the contacts on the controller:
1 2
-(| |)-
^
you solder a wire to that (make sure your soldering doesnt cover both parts of the contact)

___1
___2
^
this is part of your contact on your dance pad.

so there you go. you solder a wire from your controller to your contact on your dance pad. 1 goes to 1 and 2 goes to 2.

so just use this method for each button and you'll be done in no time. it works the same for each of the 4 directions.

hope that helps some what.

by the way one of you asked me a question by pm and im not sure if i answered you. let me know k? ill help you if i havent and if i have then i wont have to worry. anyways later everyone. enjoy!
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Shadow_Dragonz · Trick Member Joined: 16 Mar 2003 Location: California

Hi,

For the "spring", I'm using double sided foam tape. It sounds a bit out of place, but the strips are usually really thin. I'm going to be using about 2 strips and leaving the plasic on the top piece. It leaves about 1/8 of an inch of spacing I believe, and it compresses like the arcade. With that, it'll sit low enough just like the arcade, which is what I"m looking for so I do not have to look down to see where my feet are hitting. The only thing that I have to check out is if I can get all the contacts to hit correctly so the lights and the controller circiuts hit. Hopefully I can test it out within a week. I'll post back with any updates on it when I can.

A solo pad is one where you have diagonal arrows. I believe these are just the R1 and L1 buttons. People have made them and have had them work properly. As for a guide, I do not know of any.

Paranoia Survivor
Best dance pad? I don't know if there really is the best...it really depends on what you are looking for. For myself, it'll be the one I'm designing because it'll have everything that I'm looking for from a dance pad.

Shadow_Dragonz
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My home built metal pad FAQ can be found at http://www.ddrfreak.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=6930450&highlight=#6930450
Some lurk in the day, others by night, but he creeps in the shadows.

Knee-ill · Trick Member Joined: 10 Jan 2004

Well you can really just solder them to anything then just cofigure it in the options...
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If you have DDR Cabinets, Metal Pads, Tutorials (or hosting), then PM me!

Paranoia Survivor · Trick Member Joined: 22 Jan 2004

would this be correct? and where would i buy a good solder iron/gun cheap, and are there any solder tutorials? should i get an iron or gun? thnx

[EDIT]
Also, when I wire the ground wire to the controller, can I solder 4 wires straight into it, or do I need to wire 1 wire, then connect 4 wires to that wire? Thanx
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