How secure are your USB connections?

[CoryBee]

I had one of my bartops come back into my shop. Player one stopped working. Turns out the USB Gamepad got unplugged.

Has this ever happened to you guys? Or is it just a one time off situation? Maybe they dropped the machine or jostled it intensely. It was for a child....

I have remedied the situation by soldering the metal housing (ground) of the USB to the laptop's USB metal socket. Won't come loose again I know this.

Another time I had soldered the wires from the controllers straight onto the motherboard, bypassing the sockets altogether. This was done out of necessity though, there wasn't enough horizontal space available to plug in and USB cable to its ports.

 

[sandheaver]

Vibration can wiggle them out over time, especially in cases where gravity alone would pull out the plug if gravity were strong enough.  Some USB plugs/sockets just don't hold things tightly.  You should be able to fasten the cable in there in a milder fashion, though; solder seems a bit extreme. 

I use easily removable & replaceable methods whenever possible, just in case whatever's plugged in actually needs replacement.  Mild deformation of the plug or the socket will usually suffice and not break anything, but I try to use zip/velcro ties and creative cabling in situations where vibration is heavy and connectivity is important.

[404]

i tacked a usb connector for an unrelated project using a bit of low temp hot glue. I simply gauged how deep the usb connector went in and laid some hot glue right up to where the usb connectors mate up.

I attached an image of where i laid the glue at. I would suggest that you be careful not to add glue to the bottom of the connector, the female usb connector on the motherboard have the physical usb connections on the bottom half of the connector. You could end up getting glue in your connections.

[CoryBee]

Maybe soldering them on was a bit overkill, but it isn't going anywhere ever again. Would be easy to touch the soldering iron to the blob again and remove.

From now on I think I will just solder the 4 USB wires directly to the board of my Bartops. It saves space, doesn't take much time and a high reliability. Don't think it is needed with bigger cabinets, these just get moved around a lot and bumping as well as braking hard in a car can jostle stuff about if it isn't secured 100%.

[brad808]

Soldering is probably the method I would turn to as well. Remember too that a lot of motherboards have those pins for the "extra" usb connections. Different style connector that might hold a bit better than the standard usb type plug. You could probably slice a connection onto there quite easily and not have to solder directly to the motherboard pins. That way you could actually remove it easily as well.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus

[matsadona]

Here is one of example of industry standard connectors, that have this functionality:
http://www.sealevel.com/support/article/AA-00149/0/SeaLATCH-Locking-USB-Cable-Solution.html

[Malenko]

hot glue or duct tape

[BobA]

A touch of hot glue or a tie wrap for any USB that seems like a loose fit.   If the USB is a good fit I don't do anything and they have been OK so far.   All I build are bartops.

[sandheaver]

A touch of hot glue or a tie wrap for any USB that seems like a loose fit.   If the USB is a good fit I don't do anything and they have been OK so far.   All I build are bartops.

How do you find bartops in general?  Don't they move around a lot when people use the controls aggressively?  I imagine them tipping back when pushing up on the joystick in pac-man, for example.

[mcseforsale]

Just use a simple zip-tie.  Here:

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,117977.msg1266787.html#msg1266787

AJ

[CoryBee]

How do you find bartops in general?  Don't they move around a lot when people use the controls aggressively?  I imagine them tipping back when pushing up on the joystick in pac-man, for example.

The ones I build don't move at all, even with two-people on it. The rubber feet do a good job at keeping it stationary.

[rCadeGaming]

+1 on soldering permanent connections.  For a removable connection you could install a d-sub with locking screws.

[sandheaver]

+1 on soldering permanent connections.  For a removable connection you could install a d-sub with locking screws.

If you're soldering a removable connector to make it non-removable, you're using the wrong connector in the first place, IMHO.

[Nephasth]

+1 on soldering permanent connections.  For a removable connection you could install a d-sub with locking screws.

If you're soldering a removable connector to make it non-removable, you're using the wrong connector in the first place, IMHO.

Who said anything about soldering a removable connector? I don't think you're following what's going on here.

[rCadeGaming]

People are talking about having to permanently fasten USB cables because they pop out unexpectedly.  I was just mentioning that you could use a d-sub with locking screws if the application permitted, so it could be both removable, but still sure never to come apart accidentally.  IF the application requires.

Of course if it really never needs to come apart anyhow, fasten away.  Hence "+1 on soldering permanent connections."

Sorry to have bothered you.

[sandheaver]

People are talking about having to permanently fasten USB cables because they pop out unexpectedly.  I was just mentioning that you could use a d-sub with locking screws if the application permitted, so it could be both removable, but still sure never to come apart accidentally.  IF the application requires.

Of course if it really never needs to come apart anyhow, fasten away.  Hence "+1 on soldering permanent connections."

Sorry to have bothered you.

no bother, are you kidding?  if I said something to make you uncomfortable then I apologize.  I tend to do that, but i never set out to.

My point is that if you're aiming to permanently fasten a gamepad to a USB hub or USB port, just use a non-removable connector in the first place.  Given, though, that a USB hub and a USB gamepad already have working connectors, and that you just need to fix them in place, maybe I'm being a bit too pure with that message.  It would not be the first time.

Truly, though, I don't think that one would really want to permanently plug a gamepad into a USB port, just that it is the most convenient solution to the problem described by the original poster.  In that regard, I guess it's not a problem.  It certainly won't fall out again, if it's properly soldered in.

I find that implementing the proper solution (in this case a removable, but fastenable, connector) to be more rewarding, but I recognize that most people have more of a "get it done" attitude, and that's fine.

[CoryBee]

Doesn't bother me to hear people's opinion on the subject. Was curious on what you would you guys would do in this situation. Soldering them together was a quick and permanent fix for this issue, and in the future for the bartops I make I will just solder directly to the motherboard.

This works for me and I don't have to worry about any issues in the future coming from this. If the gamepad fails and needs to be replaced then it is quick for me to tack 4 wires on and off.

[rCadeGaming]

Sandheaver, I wasn't offended.  Just responding to Neph's post.  He's probably just tired of the opinionated things I've said elsewhere, so I probably deserved it.  No hard feelings.      

Was just throwing it out there, but yeah Cory, I'd do the same (solder) in your case.

[Nephasth]

Sandheaver, I wasn't offended.  Just responding to Neph's post.  He's probably just tired of the opinionated things I've said elsewhere, so I probably deserved it.  No hard feelings.      

Was just throwing it out there, but yeah Cory, I'd do the same (solder) in your case.

Wasn't responding to you. That's why I quoted sandheaver...

I'm all for soldering directly to the motherboard, especially in Cory's case. Anything to keep buyers from coming back bugging you about "this quit working."

[rCadeGaming]

   Woops, I should get my eyes checked.  Sorry for all the confusion.

[happyfunball]

I've been experiementing with layouts and made a hinged wood box to put them in so eveything was on the sloppy side a big, I had one sitting on a slideable drawer and the usb cable connected to the ultrastick 360 got snagged and when I picked it up to move it, it bent the ever loving ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- out of the connector on the bottom of the stick and killed the board.
i won't be letting that happen again.

[CoryBee]

Anything to keep buyers from coming back bugging you about "this quit working."

This ^^^

One hundred times this ^^^

They were acting like it was the end of the world.

Them: "HOW COULD YOU SELL ME SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T WORK!!!"

This is after 4 months mind you. With repeated emails about how awesome the thing is before that. So whatever keeps them from coming back.

[RandyT]

Epoxy putty.  Just pray you'll never need to remove it afterward.

[Gray_Area]

People are talking about having to permanently fasten USB cables because they pop out unexpectedly. 

On their mobile devices because they have no connection with their body movements I'd guess. Elswise, ---smurfing--- ghosts.

hot glue or duct tape

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