Red Octane Afterburner

ThorPrime · Basic Member Joined: 08 Aug 2005

well, after building a homebrew adapter, and having that present the same issues that I was getting with the official C-Box. I re-opened the pad iteslf and looked at all the wiring. Turns out the ground wire coming out of the right arrow had broken, and was being held onto the solder point only by the insulating tape. So it sorta worked but not really.

Anyway, after a little tough up with a soldering iron all is well again. YAY.

I'll looked deeper into the "Its the computers fault" for USB discharge. But Mine works fine through a USB adapter and doesn't through strait USB.

diddrstrait · Trick Member Joined: 01 Jan 2004

Assassin Ace · Posted: Wed Sep 28, 2005 4:01 pm Post subject:

OK, the pad (RedOctane's Afterburner) came in today. After about a half hour of testing on the PC and then PS2, here are my conclusions:

PC

Installing took about five seconds. No drives are needed. It recognized the pad and then told me that it was ready to be installed. Configuring the buttons took no time at all, and soon enough, I was browsing through game menus with no hassle whatsoever.

The pad is different than almost any pad on the market because of its recessed buttons. This means that you need to step flat-footed on the center of the pad to register. This isn't a problem at all. Playing heavy and expert songs, I was able to get a 75 perfect combo UNTIL I got one miss. Then, no matter how I stepped, I'd get a chain of about 15 or 20 misses. This did not happen with the PS2. What I'm guessing is that it was meant for expert players that won't get misses, but whatever. Anyway, what I'm really guessing is that because it's only hooked up to one USB port on a not-so-new-or-fast computer, a miss will freeze up the pad's data flow for a bit, causing all misses. This is a very annoying thing that I had to deal with. I'm probably not going to play on the PC until I either get a new computer or become good enough to avoid a miss, because one miss almost guarantees you a fail here.

PS2

I plugged it into the PS2 with no problem at all. Playing ITG, I got a C on Delirium Expert. The miss problem that happened with Stepmania did not happen here. This made me very glad, and I was able to pass Vertex Expert. Wow. Even Zach was able to get a 90.xx on Hybrid Hard, while he was failing Medium songs on Stepmania.

So, my conclusion: this was definitely noit made to be a PC pad. Try playing with a very fast computer and tell me if you see the miss problem there. And if you do, it's porobably because all that data can't flow through one USB port. Next time, RedOctane, try two USB ports or a Firewire port. Gamers all around the world will thank you.
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Natural Killer · Posted: Wed Sep 28, 2005 6:02 pm Post subject:

Yay I emailed RedOctane about the arrows cracking and they are sending me 2 new ones free of charge

They even asked which color I needed.... I am EXTREMELY impressed with their turn around in customer support lately.

ThorPrime · Basic Member Joined: 08 Aug 2005

Norkusa · Posted: Thu Sep 29, 2005 8:17 am Post subject:

Dalton Kuepker · Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2005 5:23 pm Post subject:

The reason I'm bumping this is because I have a question:
Is there a way to mod the arrows so that they don't crack? I'm thinking about getting one and modding it, but I just want to make sure.

Norkusa · Posted: Thu Oct 06, 2005 7:45 am Post subject:

Dalton Kuepker · Posted: Thu Oct 06, 2005 11:23 am Post subject:

Okay, thanks.

Solar-Wind · Trick Member Joined: 16 Jul 2005 Location: rumson, nj

lukejeff13 · Trick Member Joined: 14 Jan 2005

gaaah my X button broke... what do you think they'll do.. give me a new pad? or fix the X button. I think it has to do with the inner wiring? cause the soldering looks fine.
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Norkusa · Posted: Mon Oct 10, 2005 5:00 pm Post subject:

My Afterburner finally crapped out on me last week (left arrow only works about 90% of the time now). Took it apart and the soldering looked fine, so I don't know what else the problem could be. I did notice that the bottom of the pad is starting cave in around the left arrow though, so maybe that has something to do with it.

My AB couldn't have broken down at a better time too. It actually happened on the 87th day of my 90 day RedOctane warranty and my exchange request was just approved today (day 90). Close call.

I think when I get my repaired/replacement AB back, I'm just going to put it up on Ebay and use the money towards a Cobalt Flux. That's what I should have got in the first place.

Thomas Hobbes · Posted: Mon Oct 10, 2005 7:17 pm Post subject:

ThorPrime · Basic Member Joined: 08 Aug 2005

You might want to check the soldering on the Button that does work and the button next to it counter clockwise.

The ground wire is wired in serial going in a clockwise direction. So if the solder/wire is messed up there, it would affect all buttons after it. (This is what happened on my pad)

Geneity X · Trick Member Joined: 21 Nov 2002 Location: @_@

Three of the arrows on my left Afterburner cracked. It's kind of odd since I use the right side a lot more and none of those have cracked yet. I ordered 4 Red and 4 Blue and they said I can't get anymore after that. You have 8 arrows if you ordered 2 pads. I don;t know about 1 pad. I usually play doubles heavy stuff, and let me tell you that the screws come loose often in certain areas. It happens mostly with the 2 that hold the two pads together. They'll just come out and fall out of the hole after awhile XD. It also happens with the center panel occasionally. It's nothing big, but it's really annoying playing with loose screws because the pad feels like it's going to fall apart.

I'd still say I'm extremely happy with my purchase. I've been beating these things for 2 months and that's the only problem I've had.
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Norkusa · Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2005 1:20 pm Post subject:

alexmon27 · Basic Member Joined: 06 Apr 2005 Location: PA

Okay guys, I got great news, and terrible news. I got my AB pad in July, works completely perfectly on the PS2, never broke on me, nothing ever went wrong with it, it seems flawless... never worked for the PC, I got the same, perfect combo and then it stalls out for like 15 arrows or more. It has nothing to do with the PC, I tried it on 3 different ones and they're all high speed, very high speed. I just got off of the phone with the MANAGER of red octane, HE TOLD ME, sorry, we are aware of this problem, there's nothing we can do. I think they should at least put a warning on their site, probably won't work for PC or Xbox. Also, I tried the PS2 universal adapter thing, that only makes it worse. I take it everyone's prolly talked to Harris, extension number 121, he will tell you it's either your computer, your floor has too much static, or try to exchange it in, in which case you'll wait a month for the same cbox you got before. THIS FLIPPIN' SUCKS. I told you guys a while back, I'd get back to you when I was satisfied, but that just ain't gonna happen...

Now, what the manager said I can do is keep in touch with them and see if they come out with another control box in which case I can either purchase a new one, or if the warentee isn't up, I can exchange it in for a new one... this is good, but they don't sell their cbox's seperately yet, but I will keep calling and finding out more information. Maybe their customer service has been getting better, but their pads for the time being still crap it up. The ignition has a 1-2 month lifespan, and the afterburner won't work for the PC. So I will agree with one thing they told me... if you play on PS2 (which I still do, I have all the games for it, I just get bored with same monotonous songs, that's all, I wanna play the PC, more songs), then THIS IS DEFINATELY THE PAD FOR YOU! I love my AB pad, I love RO for sending it to me (thanks!

) I just hate the cbox wire to xbox/pc...grrr... if anyone finds out before me... PLEASE E-MAIL ME!

SilverViper04 · Basic Member Joined: 06 Jul 2005 Location: Indiana

I bought a PS2 to xbox converter off of ebay. Mine has worked perfectly since.....

ThorPrime · Basic Member Joined: 08 Aug 2005

The EMS adapter works fine with an AB. I think your prodlem is based more on the fact that the RO USB adapter is crap.

Pheonix Wing · Trick Member Joined: 07 Apr 2005

My RO 3.0 craped out on my ein the first week of playing. So I want a metal pad for PC. My RO kept disconecting till the point it doesnt work anymore. Does this pad work and is it worth my money or will it crap out in like 2 days?