pad hackers/electronics experts help - NES MP3 player

[BurgerKingDiamond]

I was going to make project thread for this after I finished, but I've run into a problem.

I cut up a NES controller PCB and have a section for just the directions. I soldered wires to traces for the directions. These wires run to a connector. I'm trying to reuse the pcb and rubber membrane to keep the original "feel" of the controller instead of using tact switches...

I'm trying to test it out but I'm not getting anything. The membrane is making the connection on the pcb. I've checked continuity from the traces to my connector. The solder joints are good. I'm making sure that the rubber membrane part is lined up correctly so that it's bridging the gap. When I put my multimeter on the connector pins for a given button and bridge the pcb traces with the rubber membrane part it should close the circuit, but it's not. I also tried cleaning everything with rubbing alcohol because I thought maybe finger oil or something had contaminated. No luck there. WHAT IS UP!!!!!? I'm like 90% done with this thing and I don't want to partially redo the wiring and add tact switches.

If you can help me out please hurry. this is a gift and I'm on a deadline.
pic for reference..

[NiN^_^NiN]

It must be a connection on the backside
Easiest option would be to scrape the corner of each black pad and solder a wire there then you will know it will work.

[BobA]

The controller may not give a switch press that has a low enough resistance to do what you need.  If you are using the gamepad to connect to another controller with your soldered wires it may not give a clean contact when pressed.

Edit:  Apparently the output of the pad is not constant and needs to be decoded.  The NES probably does this internally and fewer wires end up being used.  Info Link

[NiN^_^NiN]

The controller may not give a switch press that has a low enough resistance to do what you need.  If you are using the gamepad to connect to another controller with your soldered wires it may not give a clean contact when pressed.

Edit:  Apparently the output of the pad is not constant and needs to be decoded.  The NES probably does this internally and fewer wires end up being used.  Info Link

Boba I believe (seeing his picture) he is only using the circuit board chopped up and using the button press as an on/off so he isn't using the chip inside the controller for the signal.

If you tap two of the wires together and the mp3 plays or pauses etc then there is an issue with you connection on the circuit board. Try what i said scrape a small part of the black off the contact and then see if the button then works when connecting the wires on the scraped off part.

I would also make sure the mp3 player still works tap or connect the wires under the circuit board of the nes controller to make sure the connection from mp3 to the circuit board works if it does then it's most likely the connection on the circuit board isn't working so you may have connected to the wrong wires or need to try a connection from the top

Worse comes to worse you can just use tact switches so it's done in time if you don't want to solder to the top of the circuit board I have found using a small piece of foam helps tact switches feel more like a game controller and muffles the click too.

[BurgerKingDiamond]

I ended up finding a fix to this. I scraped the black coating off the chopped PCB to expose the copper. Then cut circles out of aluminum foil and glued them to the rubber membrane. When a button is pressed the foil bridges the copper traces and it works great. Still has that soft feel too.

[NiN^_^NiN]

Glad to see you worked out a fix
Let us see the finishing product once done 

[bluemini17]

thats great you got it solved. i was thinking long and hard and came up with this thought....

since you were running the 'connection' to another source, say ipac, the original game pcb was still connected (now in parallel to the ipac) thus providing a route of less resistance. this would result in the 'signal' being absorbed by the original controller pcb and preventing it from reaching the ipac.

ignor my rant, just a thought