hacking a PSOne controller

[Gatsu]

Picked up 6 PSOne Piranha pads to hack and covert for mame use.

Here's the PCB layout:
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a205/Darthwesker/PCB2.jpg

I can see what section of the contact points are the ground and what sections are not.

For wiring the ground, do I just need to wire it to one contact point? Or do I need a to solder a ground to each individual button?

And do I need to solder directly onto the button/contact point itself?

thanks.

[SNAAKE]

you just need 1 ground and solder directly on the contact. put some masking tape where you dont want the solder so you wont bridge any connection. thats if you are really new to this. good luck

[Gatsu]

awsome. thanks very much.

I can solder with ease of mind now. lol.

[pmc]

Here's one technique I've used with success on those contacts that have a sine-wave gap to separate the signal and ground sides (like the start and select buttons in your photo):

Use a dremel cut-off wheel and cut a shallow line dividing the copper pad in two (so it looks like the d-pad connections in your photo). Then you can solder like a drunken sailor on one side or the other and not have to worry about a short-circuit.

-pmc

[ChadTower]

I'd probably scrape a little mask off just before the sine wave pad and solder there instead.

[KenToad]

You can also get a tiny drill bit and drill very slowly through the pcb at the corner of each of the contact points.  Then, you can push your pre-tinned wires through the back and after soldering them tight there will be a lot less chance of accidentally pulling the thin conductive metal of the contact points right off the board.  Also, that way, they stay put while you're soldering.

That's assuming that there's nothing you might be drilling through on the back.

Good luck.

[ChadTower]

On the back or inside if it may be a multilayer PCB.  This one is probably not.

[Gatsu]

You can also get a tiny drill bit and drill very slowly through the pcb at the corner of each of the contact points.  Then, you can push your pre-tinned wires through the back and after soldering them tight there will be a lot less chance of accidentally pulling the thin conductive metal of the contact points right off the board.  Also, that way, they stay put while you're soldering.

That's assuming that there's nothing you might be drilling through on the back.

Good luck.

Not too comfortable with drilling it. I'll probably just scrape some of the mask off like Chad suggested and solder there instead and maybe tape them down or something after I solder each point. Or would that mess up the board?

[KenToad]

You can also get a tiny drill bit and drill very slowly through the pcb at the corner of each of the contact points.  Then, you can push your pre-tinned wires through the back and after soldering them tight there will be a lot less chance of accidentally pulling the thin conductive metal of the contact points right off the board.  Also, that way, they stay put while you're soldering.

That's assuming that there's nothing you might be drilling through on the back.

Good luck.

Not too comfortable with drilling it. I'll probably just scrape some of the mask off like Chad suggested and solder there instead and maybe tape them down or something after I solder each point. Or would that mess up the board?

Haruman suggested hot glue to me as far as securing the soldered wires.  Just make sure your soldering job is good and then cover it all with glue.

[ChadTower]

Hot glue definitely works if you are confident you'll get the soldering right and not have to tweak it later.  Glue is hard to get off once it's there but is a great solution once you're good at it.