PCB problem.

[Kore]

Hi

First and foremost, since English is not my main language, i would like to apologize for some language mistakes.

I'm trying to build a PC Arcade Stick using a Sidewinder Game Pad Pro PCB ( http://bubbasarcade.tripod.com//sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/fullviewlabeled.jpg ) but i am facing some problems.

I soldered each button of the arcade stick to each switch on the PCB ( 2 cables per switch like the photo shows), but when i press some of the buttons it activates two switches instead of one.

Also, some button combinations results in a third button being activated. For example if i press Z + A it activates also the button B.

It's not a PCB problem because this is the second one i tried and both had the some issues.

Does anybody have a clue? I don't understand why this is happening since it seems a pretty straight forward thing. The buttons are just soldered to each contact of the PCB.

Thank you very much.

[runawayabc123]

Are you making up how to wire the controller or are you following directions some where? 

Remember, you are making an analog controller.  This controller may have been digital in design and when you pushed some button, it sent a signal on wire "a" and when you pushed a different button, it sent a different signal STILL on wire "a". 

Now, when you push either button, you get a signal patching between the two buttons (by digital design on the PCB), because they both use to go to wire "a". 

I understand what you are trying to do, I just don't know that it is possible with your controller. 

Please note that if this controller had "analog" controls (for older games), that doesn't mean it didn't have digital translations inbetween to go to the computer over USB and then the hardware driver on the computer converted it back to analog signals again for the game. 

Good luck. 

[Kore]

Hi.

Thanks a lot for the response.

Sorry but i am not understanding what you mean by "digital in design".

This PCB was from a controller with a touch sensitive pad and the buttons are just normal buttons like you see in the first Playstation and on the XBOX.

I'm following the instructions on this site " http://bubbasarcade.tripod.com/home/id1.html "

There was a error on the guide, but just on the ground of the joystick. The joystick works like it should now.

Once again thank you very much for your response.

[ed12]

so u are wiring this for 6 button's as that is what it show's?
swa/swb/swc/swx/swy/swz
where the last 1 swshi would be the common...
the rest are tp's=test-point's

ed

[Kore]

so u are wiring this for 6 button's as that is what it show's?
swa/swb/swc/swx/swy/swz
where the last 1 swshi would be the common...
the rest are tp's=test-point's

ed

Thanks for the response.

Only the joystick has common ground. The six buttons i'm soldering directly to the contacts on the PCB (one cable on each side of every switch)

The test points that you see are the directions of the joystick and the trigger buttons (The two tp's on each lower side of the board). Since the pad is touch sensitive, it doesn't have normal contacts like the buttons.

[boardjunkie]

The sidewinder pro is an analog-ish controller. It won't reliably do straight u/d/l/r joystick type control. Ditch it and use a standard gamepad to hack.

[Kore]

The sidewinder pro is an analog-ish controller. It won't reliably do straight u/d/l/r joystick type control. Ditch it and use a standard gamepad to hack.

Hi

thanks for the response.

As i said above the problem is not with the joystick. That part of the board it's working like it should.

[ed12]

ah touch pad style
-matrix

ed

[boardjunkie]

Well then....ditch it. The only thing on those is some custom IC which can't be replaced. Get another one that works.

[Kore]

Well then....ditch it. The only thing on those is some custom IC which can't be replaced. Get another one that works.

Yes, most probably i'll have to do that.

It was most out of curiosity because i don't understand why it's behaving like this. Basically, instead of using the buttons and the triggers on the pad, i'm just connecting exterior buttons.

[equlizer]

To solve your problems, cut all the traces that lead to those pads.  So 2 traces per button you need to scrape.  I used a dremmel with a fine bit to do it.

[Kore]

To solve your problems, cut all the traces that lead to those pads.  So 2 traces per button you need to scrape.  I used a dremmel with a fine bit to do it.

Hi.

Thanks for the response.

Can you explain a little better you solution? Have you used this board for something similar?

I didn't understand the 2 traces per button thing.

Thanks.

[equlizer]

   Ignore my last comment.   

Ya know what.  The guy above is correct, the best thing for you would be to find a common ground board.  Its really hard to explain otherwise. sorry