Padhacking; Did I Break It?, Looking for advice on how best to proceed with padhack Options

[Canpedo]

Trying to build an arcade stick from this PCB but I was a little careless with the scalpel and removed more of the residue than I intended to. Its an early (non-CG) wired controller PCB. Can I still use those contact points or will I need to use the alternatives?

Also; when wiring the alternatives, does it matter which is ground and which is signal, or do I just make sure that, for example, DU1 is connected to the same button as DU2?

Thanks in advance

[RDC]

In the Tutorials section the best places to use for the Wired Matrix board are shown. The buttons don't have a signal/ground in the Matrix layout, just have DU1 and DU2 on whatever button ya want to be DU.

Also, the newer Wired controller isn't CG, it's CL, it has voltage on the Common Line, not Ground.

[Canpedo]

Thanks; I already checked out your tutorial on the Matrix board, just wasn't sure about the signal/ground issue.

So, should I go ahead and use the alternatives or are those contacts still useable (dunno if you can see; the copper contact points themselves are fine but the residue shaped like 2 Es facing each other has been completely scratched off on the 'down' button)?

[RDC]

If the copper is still there and not torn all up then you're fine to use those, that's what ya need to get to so ya can solder anyway, the black carbon on the button contacts is conductive, but it can't be soldered to.

Either spots ya use though it's all the same, so long as the soldering is good.

[reidaj]

If your plainning on using the copper contacts you scraped off for the dpad connections, from experience I'd suggest 30awg wire and some sort of strain relief. Otherwise you'll find those connections are very easy to pull off, and if your really unlucky you'll take the copper off as well.

[Canpedo]

I was trying to get 24 AWG solid wire (recommended by slagcoin.com) but couldn't find any (I'm in Ireland; buying electrical supplies is a nightmare) so I ended up with solid 'doorbell wire', which doesn't have a gauge listed on it but seems alright. What kind of strain relief would you recommend? I was just going to use a little hot glue to keep it in place...

[reidaj]

Doorbell wire could be anything from 18-24. 30 is very thin, and allows for a nice joint that fits the Dpad contacts nicely. Anything thicker is going to be a pain, and there is a good chance the joint will just lift off with the slightest tug. You could try 24 if you can find it, but if all you have access to is thicker wire, then just use the VIAs (the alternate connections you referred to) for the dpad connections. You'll get a very solid connection that way and won't have to hunt all over for thin wire.