Ultimarc U360 - Disassembly, Upgrade, Review and Critique

[blind_dado]

For those who are particularly interested in the Ultimarc U360, here is a video of me taking it apart and upgrading it to the long shaft, stiff spring, circular restrictor, and a Seimitsu bubble top.  I offer some critique along the way.  It is certainly a bit on the long side, but hopefully it will be of some use to the community.

[Breaker]

Nice video dado!

Can you advise where the circuit board orientation requirement (ie. up/towards monitor) is documented?
(first I've heard of this....though I have an older version).

Cheers,
Breaker.

[AndyWarne]

Great video!

Just one comment, its always going to be difficult to screw in the pillars unaided, which is why the website instructions advise to use the plastic thumbnuts to grip the pillar to help screwing it in, then remove the thumbnut to fit the PCB.

We have tried to get better tolerances on the pillars but they need to be non-magnetic which means using alloy, unless we move to expensive stainless steel or brass, and this means they are a little soft, although they dont need to support any weight.

There is a "TOP" markd on the PCB to orientate it correctly.

Andy

[syph007]

Ya you could go 310 stainless steel (non magnetic) for the pillars.  Ive worked with it before and its nice, but im sure costly.  My main wish for the pillars is that they were hex shaped and not round, then i could use a wrench on them.

The only thing overall I wish you would change on the u360 kit is to stop shipping in analog only unrestricted mode.  Im betting way more than half of end users add the restrictor kit, and then the parts the came with it are quite useless, 4 metal brackets and some screws.  I would have gladly paid for a pre assembled ready to use kit, with proper firm springs and restrictor pillars and plates installed.

[drventure]

Do the circular restrictors really make a huge difference? I've got normal 360's with the long shaft and hard springs, but no restrictors. Is the main difference that the stick just doesn't have a much of a range of motion (so it effectively generates moves quicker?)..

Also, anyone have any thoughts on how that little half dome bearing that the stick pivots on should be lubed. Mine gets very "sticky" after a while, meaning it binds and the stick won't just pop back to center, you have to force it back, even with the hard springs. I'd heard somewhere that Ultimarc might be changing the default configuration and using a new bushing or something, but I've been unable to find any more info about it.

And yeah, I guess I could always just write Andy directly 

Just wondering if anyone had come up with a simple resolution for that problem.

[blind_dado]

Ah, I never noticed the "TOP" printed on the circuit board.  That helps!

Andy, the other issue that I identified has to do with the curved slots on the plastic restrictor itself.  Those could certainly be made a bit wider, which would help a lot with getting the pillars in.

drventure: I find that there is a pretty big difference when using the circular restrictor.  This is especially the case with the longer handle because the amount of throw you get will increase as the handle gets longer (maybe the restrictor with the short handle would reduce the throw too much).  It really is just a matter of preference though, and I prefer the shorter throw that you get with the restrictor + long handle.

I've never experienced the stickiness you mention, but I imagine any kind of grease or WD-40 would help.

[emphatic]

Very nice video. If I ever build a pure MAME machine, I use this product as the complete interface. That default spring looks like crap.

[syph007]

It's for sure personal preference.  But to use the stick as they come stock, I would hate them and rate them a 2/10.  Sloppy huge throw with poor centering.  I wouldnt even want to use them in this state unless it was for an analog game.

Now add the circular restrictor and stiff springs, and you get a beautiful crisp responsive joystick with good centering, a 9/10 for me.  I top mount my sticks and the stock handle length hasn't been an issue for me.

So I just wish the default offering was more inline with anticipated usage.  ie. most of us are going to use them in 4way/8way mode, and not as an analog huge throw stick.  Dont get me wrong I still love them, I just want an option to buy them in the configuration (that I assume) most people want.

[LeedsFan]

As already mentioned as stock items the U360's are analogue sticks with a huge throw. But remember that when you add a restrictor (and you tick the correct restrictor box in the software) the mapping is compensated for with that particular restrictor. This means that you get the same "range" within the maps but over a smaller distance. So you could still use it as an analogue stick but your movements would be much more"twitchy", if that is the correct word.

Adding a restrictor is only used (I'd say 99% of the time) for use with classic games. I prefer the round restrictor as it's a comfortable "fit's all" solution. Having said that puritst will still want to feel the 4-way gate of a traditional 4-way stick. I myself have done that one one of my projects and swapped out the U360 for a reproduction Nintendo stick. But these are still the best all round joystick you can buy. Especially with the mapping utility and the ability to swap maps on the fly in the background as different games are selected.

[Vidiot]

Thats a great video. I'm definitely buying the U360 for my next build and I'll want to add the restrictor kit. I was looking on the Ultimarc website and it looks like they've completely redesigned the restrictor kit. I guess this vid would only apply to the older kit then?  Wonder why Andy didn't mention this in his post? I'm kinda confused.

[syph007]

Thats a great video. I'm definitely buying the U360 for my next build and I'll want to add the restrictor kit. I was looking on the Ultimarc website and it looks like they've completely redesigned the restrictor kit. I guess this vid would only apply to the older kit then?  Wonder why Andy didn't mention this in his post? I'm kinda confused.

Im pretty sure its the same. I bought one 2 weeks ago, and also when they first came out.  Same thing.  The only new thing Im aware of is that he made up a new top mount restrictor kit, but thats a different product to the bottom mounted regular ones.

[Vidiot]

Okay. I see that now. I guess I just need to figure out the differences between the regular restrictor kit and the top mounted one. I'll search around for more info. Thanks for helping clear that up.   

[blind_dado]

Wow, I somehow missed the introduction of the new Front-Mounted Restrictor Kit.  Would love to try one out.  The announcement thread is here: 

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=109572.0

[Knightlore]

Edit - nm found what I was looking for - thanks for this video!

[Yohan]

   Great Job!

Any chance of a followup video or even a quick review on how its actual use compares to a more typical joystick?

[AndyWarne]

Also, anyone have any thoughts on how that little half dome bearing that the stick pivots on should be lubed. Mine gets very "sticky" after a while, meaning it binds and the stick won't just pop back to center, you have to force it back, even with the hard springs. I'd heard somewhere that Ultimarc might be changing the default configuration and using a new bushing or something, but I've been unable to find any more info about it.

For a period of time, after we switched to a chrome plated swivel bearing, we stopped using silicone grease on it. This turned out to be a mistake as the stick, although moving very freely when new, became stiff after a time. So we reintroduced the silicone grease. That is the correct material.

[syph007]

Also, anyone have any thoughts on how that little half dome bearing that the stick pivots on should be lubed. Mine gets very "sticky" after a while, meaning it binds and the stick won't just pop back to center, you have to force it back, even with the hard springs. I'd heard somewhere that Ultimarc might be changing the default configuration and using a new bushing or something, but I've been unable to find any more info about it.

For a period of time, after we switched to a chrome plated swivel bearing, we stopped using silicone grease on it. This turned out to be a mistake as the stick, although moving very freely when new, became stiff after a time. So we reintroduced the silicone grease. That is the correct material.

I just did this to my sticks and it makes them nice and smooth.  Plumbing aisle at home depot had silicon grease in a little bluish small circular container.

[edge10]

A really nice video!

Certainly worth a bump.