Problem with custom arcade stick

[esvedebe]

Hello,

This year's summervacation I finally started with my custom aracde controller. Using Suzo buttons and stick and a Logic3 gamepad (http://www.game247.nl/Scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=16602) to hack (10 buttons and a single ground) I started the whole project.

The soldering went fine, even though is was my first time. I daisy chained the ground. All the buttons were connected, I was ready to go. I checked everything in the control panel and it looked and worked fine.

BUT... when I played Street Fighter for about a minute the controls became unresponsive. In the control panel the gamepad/custom stick was not recognised. I unplugged the USB wire, plugged it in again AND... it was working again. I can leave the stick connected for a day or play Puzzle Fighter with no problems, but as soon as I play any game with a lot of movement and buttonpresses the gamepad will become unresponsive.

It's on my mind now for a couple of weeks and I don't know what to do now. Order another gamepad and start soldering again, use different wire, rewire the whole thing?

I didn't order any extra parts (lesson learned), so I don't like to order everything again. I'm now curious if anyone has experienced the same thing and does know what the problem is? I hope someone can help me with this.

My top 5:
1. Bad soldering
2. Bad groundwiring
3. Bad button/stick wiring
4. Bad microswitch
5. Burned the gamepad during soldering


PS
I could post some photo's of my not so great stick.

[ahofle]

I've had similar problems when the USB bus isn't getting enough power.  The device just vanishes.  If you are using a USB hub, try plugging into the main USB inputs on the case and see if that helps.  Or try another input and see if that helps.

[Kevin Mullins]

Or try a "powered" USB hub.

I've had several devices do something similar even plugged into the pc's main USB port.
Gamepads, MP3 players, webcams, etc.
Plugged them through a powered USB hub and all worked fine.

Doesn't sound like a problem with your workmanship since it does essentially work.
Probably just a USB issue.  (my $.02)

[esvedebe]

Thanks for the reply, when I get home I'm gonna try that.

Stupid me, I used the USB port of my internal cardreader. Why didn't I try that sooner, I was about to start all over.

But thanks again.

[esvedebe]

Aargh, I just tried to connect it to my main USB port... Didn't work! Unplugged all other  USB devices still didn't work!

Well, all that's left is to buy a powered USB hub, I'll let you know.

[ahofle]

Good luck.  Please post back when you resolve it...others may later search for this same problem and find your solution.

[Gambit]

Could be shorting one pin to ground.

After soldering, make sure none are touching or shorting together then use a hot glue gun to cover them.

[esvedebe]

Well, I tried the powered USB hub... it didn't work. 

Could be shorting one pin to ground.

After soldering, make sure none are touching or shorting together then use a hot glue gun to cover them.

I checked the circuit board, it has one ground, I daisy chained it to all buttons and it is not touching any other pins. So how to check if it is shorting with a pin.

I do have a multi-meter (or how is it called), but I don't have I clue of how to use it. Is this thing able to check all my connections, if so how?
Does anybody have some tips or a website on how to use a multimeter on a soldered circuit board?

I do have the feeling that the microswitches of the stick have something to do with it. Everytime I use the stick intensively it crashes. So could the microswitches be faulty, or is that not possible?

I'm totally lost now, any help is appreciated

[ahofle]

It doesn't work at all?  Or it works and then vanishes after playing a few minutes like before?

[esvedebe]

It doesn't work at all?  Or it works and then vanishes after playing a few minutes like before?

It worked like it did before. It's recognised as a gamepad and I can play for a while until the action gets intensive, than it gets unresponsive.
It's still recognised by Windows in the control panel, but unresponsive, then I unplug and plug in it again and it works (for a while).

I

[ahofle]

Well I would say you've almost certainly ruled out bus power as a problem.  Sounds like it must be wiring as you suggest.