need help with psx hack

[IguanaStorm]

the pcb im using is just like this one http://wrongcrowd.com/arcade/pics/eapad.jpg
.  the guides ive found dont show where to solder the buttons on this type of pcb.  they only show where to solder for the D-pad.  any help is much appreciated.  

[Bgnome]

you can solder ANYWHERE.  just follow the traces and pick a spot.  you can solder to the pad area or directly to the trace.  the idea is to just close the circuit to ground, so it wont matter exactly where you solder as long as it is continuous with the correct trace.  just scratch it up a bit  so the solder sticks and youre as good as gold.

[IguanaStorm]

how do i tell which is the ground trace?

[TalkingOctopus]

Ground will connect to each button so if you can trace a wire around that attaches to multiple buttons it is ground.  You can also use a multimeter and test for resistance (ohms).  If there is no resistance (0 ohms) between 2 contact points of different buttons then it is a ground.  The ground is visible on that picture.  

- For the Up & down buttons, the ground is the left contact.
- For every other button it looks like the ground is the top contact.

You only need to solder one wire to the ground and then daisy chain it around to all of the arcade controls.  Any of those points will do.

[IguanaStorm]

i tried soldering to a trace but it was so sensitive that it peeled right off the pcb.  maybe it got to hot?  

[Bgnome]

are you using a 30 watt iron?  a 15 watt is better for electronic work.  you may have left the iron too long on the trace/pad.  try a little flux and you should be able to just dab the iron to solder the wire on.

[IguanaStorm]

thanx a ton.  i am decent with a soldering iron but have never had to solder anything this sensitive.  ill give it a try when i get a free minute.  thanx again to everyone who posted.  

[CMIVXX]

Holy crap man..    What exactly are you doing?  If your trying to make a PSX controller work with a PC, it's ALOT easier than this....   Check this out.

http://shop4.outpost.com/product/3503594?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG

FYI, it your looking to mod-up a PSX controller to be a sort of iPac, your better off using the convertor anyway, it'll save your wiring effort immensely.

[SteveJ34]

Holy crap man..    What exactly are you doing?  If your trying to make a PSX controller work with a PC, it's ALOT easier than this....   Check this out.

http://shop4.outpost.com/product/3503594?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG

FYI, it your looking to mod-up a PSX controller to be a sort of iPac, your better off using the convertor anyway, it'll save your wiring effort immensely.

I'm sure the original poster can speak for himself but his initial inquiry is one of wiring arcade joysticks/buttons using PSx controller hack not necessarily interfacing a PSx controller to PC......though he may have that planned "next".

[TalkingOctopus]

Also, I highly recommend using some flux before you solder.  You can get it at a place like Radioshack.  Before attaching the wire, melt some flux onto the circuit board at the solder points.  It is kind of like a glue that will give you a better connection and make soldering to a pcb much easier.

[IguanaStorm]

that is correct stevej34.  after i complete my psx hack i will just purchase a ps2 to usb adapter.  i remember having to use flux on occasion on my rc cars.  ill give that a try.