More Dead Joysticks, Is It Gonna Increase ?


Dorian Grey

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http://www.gp32x.de/board/index.php?showtopic=25879

Hey more and more people are starting to experience this and DaveC mentioned why.

Is this the start ? Is it going to happen the more people use their device over time ? I dont' wanna scare monger you, but it looks like its just something waiting to happen.

Probably because the microswitch was meant as an industrial control mechanism, not as a gaming joystick.

DG.
 
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In my case, I try not to use excessive force. I'm used to the less-than-Nintendo-quality build strength of the gamepark line, having owned 2 GP32s ;)

The new folks to the scene may be expecting a sturdier product, and so treat it as if it were a Gameboy.
 
grahf posted on Feb 16 2006 at 09:34 PM said:
The good news is it can be easily replaced if you break it.


Can it? :huh:

I can't be alone in not being too hot with a soldering iron. No pun intended.
 
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Anyone with basic soldering skills can do it. All you need is some soldering braid and a half decent iron. NOT a task for a beginner though, but its easy enough to find someone who is able to do it.

Edit: I really shouldnt have said "easily replaced" in my first post, since i guess it really isnt easy for the majority of people. Just those with moderate soldering skill.
 
grahf posted on Feb 16 2006 at 07:18 PM said:
Anyone with basic soldering skills can do it. All you need is some soldering braid and a half decent iron. NOT a task for a beginner though, but its easy enough to find someone who is able to do it.

Edit: I really shouldnt have said "easily replaced" in my first post, since i guess it really isnt easy for the majority of people. Just those with moderate soldering skill.

I built a radio when I was 12 ... I could likely do it :) I also installed an AfterBurner in my original GBA, now that was a chore ...

Tip: Don't forget the flux! Many a bad solder joint could have been avoided by using a bit o' flux ;)
 
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TelcoLou posted on Feb 17 2006 at 12:29 AM said:
grahf posted on Feb 16 2006 at 07:18 PM said:
Anyone with basic soldering skills can do it. All you need is some soldering braid and a half decent iron. NOT a task for a beginner though, but its easy enough to find someone who is able to do it.

Edit: I really shouldnt have said "easily replaced" in my first post, since i guess it really isnt easy for the majority of people. Just those with moderate soldering skill.

I built a radio when I was 12 ... I could likely do it :) I also installed an AfterBurner in my original GBA, now that was a chore ...

Tip: Don't forget the flux! Many a bad solder joint could have been avoided by using a bit o' flux ;)


Yeah I have a couple of spares lying around. I would mod them slightly to reduce the dead zone then install.
 
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replacing the joystick will be easy, if ever needed. my real question is would i be able to replace it with a better joystick?
 
Ando posted on Feb 16 2006 at 09:19 PM said:
replacing the joystick will be easy, if ever needed. my real question is would i be able to replace it with a better joystick?


Best point ever , davec looks like you have a new task .
 
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thelamer posted on Feb 16 2006 at 09:48 PM said:
Ando posted on Feb 16 2006 at 09:19 PM said:
replacing the joystick will be easy, if ever needed. my real question is would i be able to replace it with a better joystick?


Best point ever , davec looks like you have a new task .
The Chronicles of DaveC: The Joystick, The Cap, and the Wardrobe :p

Hopefully they dont give out too soon. :(
 
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For those interested, you can find the stock stick at http://www3.alps.co.jp/us/index.html
Search for RKJXL in the product search.
Another stick made by Alps which is similar, is the RKJXT.

The RKJXT differs from the one GPH used, in that it incorporates a rotary encoder (like on car stereos, those continuously rotating volume knobs). Hence why it has a few extra pins. Ive ordered two and taken one apart, and i noticed that it has ZERO diagonal bias, as opposed to the stock part. There are a few downfalls according to the spec sheet, the most notible being: Shorter life expectancy, tiny bit greater travel distance (read: dead zone), slightly more force required to move the stick. Also of note is that it has a noticable click when your moving it, not that it really matters.

All that said, im going to check the pinouts when i have more time, and consider trying one in my gp2x. I honestly dont have too much of a problem with the stock stick, but i really like fucking around with electronics :D

edit: edited because the links were timing out.
 
grahf posted on Feb 17 2006 at 03:26 AM said:
For those interested, here is the stock stick: http://www3.alps.co.jp/cgi-bin/WebObjects/.../10.5.5.17.10.3
And here is another stick made by Alps, which is similar: http://www3.alps.co.jp/cgi-bin/WebObjects/.../10.5.5.15.10.3

The RKJXT differs from the one GPH used, in that it incorporates a rotary encoder (like on car stereos, those continuously rotating volume knobs). Hence why it has a few extra pins. Ive ordered two and taken one apart, and i noticed that it has ZERO diagonal bias, as opposed to the stock part. There are a few downfalls according to the spec sheet, the most notible being: Shorter life expectancy, tiny bit greater travel distance (read: dead zone), slightly more force required to move the stick. Also of note is that it has a noticable click when your moving it, not that it really matters.

All that said, im going to check the pinouts when i have more time, and consider trying one in my gp2x. I honestly dont have too much of a problem with the stock stick, but i really like fucking around with electronics :D


I have one of those other small 8-way stick assemlies too the RKJXS. It has promise because it has all of the directions of the stock stick but lasts 4 times longer, has half of the dead zone too. With this you could make a *D-PAD* because of the short throw distance and small size. I was thinking of hacking one in but I don't want to carve up my GP2X. Maybe someday I will buy a beater to hack around with if I can get cheap.
 
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Dave, i was also looking at the RKJXS. Your right it does look nice.
One problem though, is it looks to have only eight terminals on the spec sheet. The stock stick uses a seperate pin for each direction, but from the looks of it the RKJXS would use combined pins to indicate diagonals.. i may just be reading it wrong, but maybe you could clear that up.
 
Does anybody know what joystick references were used into the Neo Geo Pocket and the GP32?

It would be great to find it as spare part.

The biggest problem to change the joystick for another model is much more finding a good one than doing an electronic interface to mount it on the GP2X...
 
Well the best bet i think right now, is finding a true 8 way replacement. The 2x stick has seperate signals for each direction, wheras most 8-way pads use, say, a combined up and left signal to indicate a diagonal.

Ive never had a chance to open a gp32, but what kind of stick does that have? Any hardware scans floating around? Ive been unable to find any..
 
From an electronic point of view, It is really easy to interface a "8 ways, 4 switchs" in place of the original "8 ways, 8 switchs".

I didn't think about it for a long time but I'm rather sure that a "4 to 16 demultiplexer" chip will do the job...

So if we can find good "8 ways, 4 switchs" like the one that is mounted on a Neo Geo Pocket, that would be really great.
 
I think your right, since 8-way "native" joysticks seem to be hard to find.. Im still hoping to find an almost drop in replacement, or something that can be made to work easily with a daughter board.
 
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