intermittent joystick problem

[Cynicaster]

I was playing some DK recently and there were moments when Mario would kind of freeze even though I was clearly pressing the joystick in a certain direction (usually left). It’s pretty maddening to have a great game going and then get hit by a barrel that you would routinely avoid with a properly functioning joystick.   

The joystick is a Happ Super with GroovyGameGear “True 4-way” restrictor installed, which I’ve been using happily as a dedicated 4-way for a few years now with absolutely no problems until now.

Thinking about it logically, the problem has to be one of the following:

1) Stick has worn causing inconsistent actuation of the microswitch
2) Microswitch is worn out
3) iPAC hardware is dying
4) iPAC software driver is glitching out
5) loose wiring causing intermittent connection

I don’t think it’s #1 because I can hear the switch clicking loud and clear.

I don’t think it’s #3 or #4 because I have an 8-way joystick wired up to the same iPAC inputs on the P1 side and have noticed no problems at all with that one.

I don’t think it’s #5 because… well, I suppose it’s possible, but I just don’t see how stationary wiring would suddenly become faulty. 

That leaves #2.  But I thought those switches were good for a gajillion presses—pretty much infinite life, for all intents and purposes.  Has anybody ever actually had a microswitch wear out?  It’s the first thing I’m going to check on the holidays when I have some time, but I was just curious if anybody else has had this happen.

[BadMouth]

Does this happen when trying to exit a ladder?  That's usually where he gets stuck when playing with 8-way sticks.
With that it's not a case of the switch not being activated, it's a case of two switches being active for too long.

Here's a good tool for seeing exactly which switches are tripped:
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=131879.0

It will show how well the 4-way restrictor is working.  I'm thinking maybe it has loosened up or the actuator has worn down.
In my experimenting (with mame v.146), having a very slight overlap where both directions are triggered yielded better results than having a gap where no directions were triggered.
On my own cab in 4-way mode: if I hold the stick perfectly in the corner I can get both directions to register, but if I move it AT ALL toward either primary direction it will only register that direction.

This has been handled differently in MAME over the years, so if you're using something like v.106 that may work differently than v.176

[Cynicaster]

The “8-way syndrome” is an interesting theory, hadn’t considered that. 

The actuator on the stick is inherently 4-way; the GGG add-on is there to provide a more precise 4-way “feel,” not to actually prevent dual-switch actuation.  So, I doubt that is the problem but I will definitely check.  And thanks for pointing me to that utility, that will be very useful to have installed on my cabinets. 

I haven’t had the problem happen enough yet to really have a good feel for what situations trigger it, but anecdotally I want to say that it seems to happen when I do rapid left/right movements as is often necessary on DK barrel boards to control and dodge barrels, etc.  For example, I’ll do something like a rapid left/right/left/right/left and hold the final left to walk in that direction; Mario might take 3 steps or so, then freeze momentarily.

[Laythe]

I had problems that felt similar to what you describe early in the onset of gradual microswitch failure in my sticks.  Is it always the same direction?

The diagnostic that shook it out for me was varying the amount of pressure on the stick - I could MAKE them "freeze" (act unpressed) by pressing the stick harder.  Eventually it degraded to where I had to hunt for the right amount of pressure to make the switch register closed at all.  Continuity test beep mode on a multimeter across the switch while everything was off was also revealing - the intermittent beep while holding a direction at different pressures exonerated everything downstream of the mechanism itself.   

Replaced the switches, and it fixed it - for me, anyway.  Don't know if it's also your problem, but what you describe resembles how mine started.

[Cynicaster]

I had problems that felt similar to what you describe early in the onset of gradual microswitch failure in my sticks.  Is it always the same direction?

The diagnostic that shook it out for me was varying the amount of pressure on the stick - I could MAKE them "freeze" (act unpressed) by pressing the stick harder.  Eventually it degraded to where I had to hunt for the right amount of pressure to make the switch register closed at all.  Continuity test beep mode on a multimeter across the switch while everything was off was also revealing - the intermittent beep while holding a direction at different pressures exonerated everything downstream of the mechanism itself.   

Replaced the switches, and it fixed it - for me, anyway.  Don't know if it's also your problem, but what you describe resembles how mine started.

Interesting, thanks. 

I've got a box full of spare switches, so I'm just going to replace all of them for that joystick.  I'm just really hoping for a simple fix because I need this thing running in top shape for Christmas and don't have time for extended troubleshooting or ordering new parts that I don't already have on hand.

[Mr. Peabody]

I have had switch connections come just loose enough to make the switch momentary via vibration. Unless the leads are tight on there, taped, or soldered, this can happen over months, especially years. In short, always test conductivity, simply by tugging on the leads and re-seating them.

[Cynicaster]

Problem solved.  I replaced the microswitch on the joystick and now it works perfectly.  Beat my PB on Donkey Kong about an hour after the fix. 

[Laythe]

Problem solved.  I replaced the microswitch on the joystick and now it works perfectly.  Beat my PB on Donkey Kong about an hour after the fix. 

Awesome!  Glad to have been of assistance.