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Perfect 360 Joystick Opto Adapter - any good
Birdtales:
OK they came today. I'll PM Kelsey and get the show on the road.
OSCAR:
Quick update...
I have received the P360 module from Birdtales. However, I haven't been able to make it work correctly yet. According to the enclosed instructions, there is supposed to be a bushing included that wasn't. See the front page of the instruction sheet.
I've tried using the joystick with the standard 8-way actuator that comes on the Wico, but it gives funky results. When I move the joystick in one direction, it keeps registering that direction until a I move the joystick in a different direction. And I can't make it register "Left" at all. It seems like the optics aren't aligned properly with the actuator. The module is designed to be a direct replacement for the leaf switches.
Side-by-side
Module sitting on leaf switches
Leaf switches removed and module installaed
CthulhuLuke:
Hey oscar, couldn't you test all of the light sensors by doing a multimeter test aka: placing the positive prode on the left positive screw in, and the negative on the black, then having a 5v somewhere coming in, and just put something black in there to see if it's changing at all, because if it is working, shouldn't it send a shorted signal for the time its working *just like normal joystick pcbs or microswitches*. Or do I have my logic off somewhat....
-Luke
OSCAR:
I have no doubt that the sensors are operating, it just seems that they don't like the stock actuator on the Wico. Because the joystick is moving (except left), that tells me that it is working. I think the only reason it isn't moving left is because the module could be slightly off-center and not allowing it to register. Personally, I don't care for how the circuit board for the module is placed. The circuit board actually contacts the leaf switch holder before you can snap the module down in place. A very slight interference, and if it wasn't someone else's, I would just force it down and hope it didn't break something. :)
I'll check the opto's anyway, though, just to be sure.
Grasshopper:
Did Birdtales forget to send you the replacement actuator or did he simply not receive any actuators with his modules? If it is the latter then I can measure the actuators that came with a couple of very similar looking Perfect 360 modules that I bought ages ago but have never actually used. The only visible difference is that mine are fitted with screw connectors.
From memory they came with two actuators each - one for 4 way operation and one for 8 way. The actuators are significantly wider than the standard Wico ones. However you should be able to wrap tape around the Wico actuators to make them wider.
Unfortunately I can't measure them immediately as they're somewhere in the attic so I haven't got immediate access to them. Give me a couple of days.