Red Octane Metal Pad PC controller locks up?

[selmo]

Anyone else having this problem?

My Red Octane Metal Dance Pad USB Controller for the PC had been working fine for about two months, but recently seems to be locking up. It will just stop responding mid song (usually when I'm doing well, of course!) It won't do anything until I unplug it for a few seconds and plug it back in, then it works OK again. Seems to do it about once every 15-20 minutes of play, which gets old fast since I usually play for about 90 minutes or more.

I've checked with the windows control panel and it's not generating any input when it's in this state, so it's not a problem with SM. The LEDs still light tho when it's locked up.

It may just be dying, but of course is beyond it's limited warranty. I may have to get a PS2->USB adapter and use the PS2 metal pad controller instead.

Anyone seem anything similar with this or similar USB controllers, or have anything helpful to suggest?

[Tashi]

well, i have no experience personally, but it sounds like wondows is forgetting the devise is there, if thats that case the leds would still work but windows wouldnt regonize what its seeing, have you tried going into controll panel and compltely removing it then reinstalling it?
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[Jeff's Bawls]

Thanks, now I know not to get that.
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[Dark Dexter]

i have been having the same problems. it is a error in windows. it keeps switiching back to "joystick mode". this has only been hapening recently. Ihave had my mat for about 1 yr now. someone help us!
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[Dark Dexter]

Come on, someone has to know......
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[selmo]

I've been playing with for a few times, and came up with some dead-chicken-waving things to try:

1. It seems to happen most with DDR3...makes no sense, but whatever...most of the time it stops responding, it's on DDR3, usually on a song at or near 170bpm (and usually when I'm doing well). Weird.

2. Try plugging the controller into a different USB port--I seem to have a little more luck with the ports on the back on the motherboard, instead of ones connected to a riser card, front panel, etc. Might be a power / current issue, or just moving it to another USB port makes windows do some driver fiddling. If it is a momentary power drop issue, adding a power capacitor might help.

3. Leave the Gaming Devices control panel open in the background. This seems to work best for me so far, oddly. Not on the properties / troubleshooting screen for the device, just on the main control panel screen where it shows the device status is OK. Just leaving that open seems to make it happen less often.

Try these things out and see if any work for you. I'm still testing and may find these don't really help and I just thought they helped by a statistical anomaly.

Unfortunately, there's no drivers to install for this device--it just shows up as an HID compatible gaming device in the device tree under win2000, using the windows default driver. Looking for updated or different drivers doesn't come up with anything.

I wouldn't recommend this controller to anyone at this point. The pad seems OK, rugged and strong, but seems to be a little less sensitive than I'd like. I still get missed events from time to time--maybe one out of every 200 steps isn't registered. Could be a controller glitch, could be the pad sensor, could be software, who knows. It's just enough to throw off high scores. But whatever, I'm playing for a workout, not scores anyway.

Anyone have any problems using the playstation controller and a PS->USB PC interface with the Red Octane Metal Pad? That might be my next step if these voodoo tricks don't end up helping.

[Dark Dexter]

I just talked with red octane and they had no idea what to do. After talking to them they decided to give me a new PC control box. I asked them what i should do if that didnt work. They said just call back if that dosent work. I thank the for sending a replacement but they really didnt know what to do. I hope that it works. So, Selmo, you should try that idea about the Pad>PS2>PC. Hopefully that might work. Until then... &
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Throughout the darkness I lurk for my next victim in the name of Justice

[Dark Dexter]

RedOctane said that the control box will be here soon so i wil finally get to see if that works... Selmo, please tell me how your experiment with the MAT>PSBOX>PCBOX>PC idea is working. Hopefully, if this idea dosent work i can fall back on your idea. Hopefully,
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Throughout the darkness I lurk for my next victim in the name of Justice

[Raiden Kitsune]

Same problem here. It works fine using the PSX control box hooked up through an adaptor, though. Must be a problem with the PC control box. Of course, since I don't HAVE an adaptor (borrowed my g/f's to test that out), I can't use my pad anyway...

Needless to say, I'm a bit pissed about that. Mine isn't every 15-20 minutes, I'm lucky if I get 2 minutes.

[Dark Dexter]

I too am in the 2 min range . It really sucks that this happens considering the amount of money we paid for the things. If the PSX>PC idea is working i am going to use that after i get my replacemant from Red Octane. It is a secondary soultuion for me. If the red octane box really is having these problems something haas to be done. I will have the results of my little experiment soon...
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Throughout the darkness I lurk for my next victim in the name of Justice

[selmo]