Wired Controller Button / Trigger Solder Points, Arcade Stick, Adding Extra Buttons, ect. Options

[RDC]

I made these up awhile back, figure some people will get some good use outta them. Wireless Controller points are shown HERE.

Pay no attention to the traces that are colored, just the lettering that points to the spot. These are about the best locations to go attaching wires to if you're wanting to add more buttons to the controller. If you're making an Arcade Stick they're pretty useful too, though you can just scratch off the black contact material on the button's contacts and solder there if ya wish also. That method is no good for adding extra buttons to a controller you want to keep functional though, so I made these up for that purpose mainly. One of the Guide button spots had to be made on a Via, so if you want to duplicate that button you'll have to attach a wire to it. Have a read HERE for the proper way to scrape down, prep and solder a wire to a Via so it's (hopefully) not damaged in the process and ya get a good connection that will last for some time. Removing the Triggers to get to a few of the spots is needed also and just makes it a lot easier. You have to desolder 3 joints and then they unclip from the board. The plastic can be cut away where the wires are so if ya need to reinstall them they don't pinch it, there's plenty of places it makes contact with the board and removing a little doesn't change how it sits, just groove out a little of it where it would be pinching a wire so it's just barely touching it instead, then reinstall it.

The spots are labeled as such...

A = A
B = B
X = X
Y = Y

DU = D-pad Up
DD = D-pad Down
DL = D-pad Left
DR = D-pad Right

Bk = Back
ST = Start
GU = Guide

LB = Left Bumper
RB = Right Bumper

LT = Left Trigger
RT = Right Trigger

Lth = Left Thumb Stick "Click" Button
Rth = Right Thumb Stick "Click" Button


Each button has two spot, like A1 and A2. It doesn't matter which one you attach to which side of your new button, as long as you get these two points to touch, you'll duplicate that button when it's pressed. Some buttons do share a common line, so they've been compounded on that one spot to make it less cluttered, for example: D-pad Down, D-pad up and the Right Bumper (DD2/DU2/RB2) all share a common connection, so for any of those buttons you can attach 1 of the two wires for your new button to that spot, and then the other wire would go to DD1, DU1 or RB1 respectively.











*NOTE: Actual soldering for the LT and RT spots is on the opposite side of the board. If you're going to attach an extra button to duplicate one of the Triggers, you use LT1 and LT2, or RT1 and RT2 respectively. The reason LT3/RT3 is there and marked is ONLY for those making an Arcade stick or wishing to remove the Triggers from the board for whatever reason. If the Trigger IS removed a 10k Resistor MUST be installed from LT1 to LT 3 or RT1 to RT3. Any common variety 10k 1/4w will do just fine. This is to keep the controller "thinking" that a Trigger is installed and "off", not pulled. Removing it without installing the 10k Resistor will cause it to act up in some cases, the new button either will not work or will not return to the "off" posistion when released. Pressing the new button you're installing between 1 and 2 will duplicate the "on", pulled effect of the Trigger. Also note that you WILL loose the Analog function on the new Trigger button, it will either be on or off, no middle ground like you can achieve by pulling the Trigger partly in. This does not change the way the Trigger acts if it's left installed, it will still be Analog when you use it.

Alternately here are most of the TP spots, the ones ya can use anyway. Because of the Matrix layout on this board, it doesn't have one for every spot, just these..


TP2 - Ground, LT2 and RT2
TP6 - Common for DR, Back and LSC
TP7 - LT3 and RT3
TP25 - Common for DD, DU and RB
TP26 - Common for DL and LB
TP27 - Common for A, X and RSC
TP31 - LB
TP33 - RB
TP34 - Start
TP35 - Back
TP36 - Common for Guide and Start
TP37 - LT1
TP38 - RT1
TP42 - A
TP43 - X
TP44 - B
TP45 - Common for Y and B
TP46 - Y


TOP


BOTTOM


This post has been edited by RDC: Jun 3 2009, 01:08 AM

[Xbox 360 Genius]

DANG RDC! Another great great tutorial that will prove to be very beneficial to the entire community.
Thanks a lot! (not sarcasm)

[sicknasty413]

That's awesome.

I've been thinking about making an arcade stick..I wouldn't really use it..but, I think it would prove to be a fun project.

[Mad-Man-666]

very good tut RDC



it will come in handy

[Darkmods]

im confused... i see that the right trigger is above where the rumble motor connects, but how do i take apart that trigger (section) so that i can solder that? can i have something like some pictures... or someone to help guide...

[YUNG ERIC]

the triggers have pins through the board if you want to solder to the trigger then the pins are on the other side from the trigger.

[Darkmods]

can i get something like a picture, because i am kind of confused by what you mean... thanks

but theres the plastic from the trigger assembly... thats covering where you solder the points...

[RDC]

Give reading the words in the tutorial a try, the first sentance after all of the pics is...

*NOTE: Actual soldering for the LT and RT spots is on the opposite side of the board.

YUNG ERIC also mentioned this and if ya can't flip the board over and look in the same spot (but on the other side of the board) and find the 3 solder points in a row, then you're bound to mess something up and should probably leave the thing alone.

[Darkmods]

no no no i wrote it at like 11 pm and i was real tired... but i could not find it, sorry thanks.. ive added extra buttons and painted my controllers and done LED's and shells all that

[Darkmods]

the trigger assembly's plastic covers it... i cannot find it, i tried these 3 points and did the top 2 like the picture but it wasnt it

[RDC]

the trigger assembly's plastic covers it... i cannot find it, i tried these 3 points and did the top 2 like the picture but it wasnt it

This is getting sad, flip the board over and look in the same spot, there are 3 solder joints in a row on the OTHER side of the board, you're still looking on the side the Trigger Assembly is mounted to.

This post has been edited by RDC: Apr 25 2007, 04:01 AM

[Darkmods]

i finally got it...


im kind of dissappointed some people learn slower than other... no need to be rude... especially as an admin!

[RDC]

Not an Admin, just a Mod, and you had to be told 3 times let alone it being in "black & white" right in the tutorial that the points were on the other side of the board, yet you continued to keep looking on the same side of the board. If I thought it warranted a pic I would have taken one, but come on, how hard was it for "flip the board over" to finally sink in?

[Darkmods]

i know it is, but how do you make the triggers not as "sprung" as they are right now.. so you shoot faster in COD2 how do you loosen it?

[Falkenheart]

i know it is, but how do you make the triggers not as "sprung" as they are right now.. so you shoot faster in COD2 how do you loosen it?

Darkmods poses a good question...