Gamepad hack contact pads question???

[Tiger-Heli]

I recently took apart a SunCom USB gamepad.  The traces and contacts look similar to the gravis pad shown here:

http://www.planetjay.com/images/arcade/joystick4/10.jpg

except . . .

The traces on the contact pads are not golden.  They appear the same brown color as the spaces between the fingers in the pic above.  You can see ridges below the surface, so you can tell where the fingers extend to, but everything is brown.

Has anyone run into this before?  Is this some coating that needs to be scaped away, or can you solder to this?

Thanks in advance

[RandyT]

I recently took apart a SunCom USB gamepad.  The traces and contacts look similar to the gravis pad shown here:

http://www.planetjay.com/images/arcade/joystick4/10.jpg

except . . .

The traces on the contact pads are not golden.  They appear the same brown color as the spaces between the fingers in the pic above.  You can see ridges below the surface, so you can tell where the fingers extend to, but everything is brown.

Has anyone run into this before?  Is this some coating that needs to be scaped away, or can you solder to this?

Thanks in advance

There is metal underneath.  This is a coating that I'm guessing is used to prevent the bare metal from corroding, while still maintaining the conductive properties of the metal.

Use some very fine sandpaper (1000 grit?) or maybe even some steel wool.  If you have a dremel, there are probably a number of attachments that will make short work of the coating.

You'll want to blow off any residue as the material is conductive.  Then clean the pads with some alcohol before attempting to solder.

RandyT

[Tiger-Heli]

I recently took apart a SunCom USB gamepad.  The traces and contacts look similar to the gravis pad shown here:

http://www.planetjay.com/images/arcade/joystick4/10.jpg

except . . .

The traces on the contact pads are not golden.  They appear the same brown color as the spaces between the fingers in the pic above.  You can see ridges below the surface, so you can tell where the fingers extend to, but everything is brown.

Has anyone run into this before?  Is this some coating that needs to be scaped away, or can you solder to this?

Thanks in advance

There is metal underneath.  This is a coating that I'm guessing is used to prevent the bare metal from corroding, while still maintaining the conductive properties of the metal.

Use some very fine sandpaper (1000 grit?) or maybe even some steel wool.  If you have a dremel, there are probably a number of attachments that will make short work of the coating.

You'll want to blow off any residue as the material is conductive.  Then clean the pads with some alcohol before attempting to solder.

RandyT

Great, Thanks

[IIOIOOIOO]

BTW. Kudos to you for selling an emulator, yet posting help to a guy doing a pad-hack. OH, and you'll have to do this on the contact pads for any mylar keyboard you hack too, btw.

[Tiger-Heli]

BTW. Kudos to you for selling an emulator, yet posting help to a guy doing a pad-hack. OH, and you'll have to do this on the contact pads for any mylar keyboard you hack too, btw.

He's selling an encoder, not an emulator, and I'm asking how to do a pad hack, not committed to doing one yet.  Point taken and agreed with, though.  Thanks again, RandyT

[mazur]

Maybe that can be useful:

http://www.antares.com.br/arcadebrasil/old/circuit_36.gif
 its a pad hack/rebuild compatible with direct pad pro

[IIOIOOIOO]

*yawn* KB Encoder = KB Emulator...

KB Encoder = the Chip on the board
KB Emulator = The system encompassed by the board.