PS3 Controller Versions and TP Spots, DualShock 3 and Six-Axis Options

[RDC]

Hey all, Sony is in full swing with revision after revision change of the Six-Axis and now DualShock 3 controllers, seems like every time I open one up it's different. I'm up to 18 revisions so far, including the DualShock 3 controllers (there are at present 12 versions of them now) and on and on it goes..


MSU PP4.0 5 (Six-Axis, Old 'original version' board with 3 leg POTs, oldest I've seen anyway)
There is also an MSU PP4.0 9 (Six-Axis) BOTTOM - TOP and an MSU PP4.0 11 (Six-Axis) BOTTOM - TOP

BOTTOM


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Now, out with the old...

Here are some of the newer versions boards. The main differences in these newer controllers are the Battery and the Analog Sticks, the boards are completely revamped as well, but you'll notice the Battery and/or POT leads right off, plus the shell of the controller doesn't seem to be the transparent 'smoke' color anymore but a more opaque Black color.

The first version of battery was the LIP1359 (w/sticker) then came the MK11-2902. While the newer MK11 is smaller in size, it's still the same 3.7v 610mAh rating. It also uses a bracket to fit where the slightly larger LIP1359 went. These batteries can be interchanged between the 6A (Six-Axis) and DS3 (DualShock 3) controller versions if need be and I've seen both battery versions in the later versions as well. There is also an MK11-3020 570mAh (Typ610mAh) that turned up later on, and seems to be the same as the other MK11, and now the LIP1359 (w/o sticker) seems to be the more frequently used one in the latest controllers, but again they are all interchangeable and one is really no different than the other, you just need to have the bracket for the MK11 batteries so they fit properly is all, but even that's really optional in a pinch.



The big surprise is the Analog Sticks in these newer versions, 4 legs on the POTs, needless to say that sparked some interest. So I desoldered one, popped it off and looky here...






..gone are the days of the familiar 3 legged POT and in comes these little gems. Magnetic and nothing to get all dirty and scratchy since there's no Wiper anymore, pretty nice idea, though a bit high tech for something that has no user serviceable battery and will in most cases be replaced instead of repaired if it were to die or break, still really kool though. These are Hall Sensors, and there are now 2 versions of these in the DualShock 3 version controllers, though the older style ones aren't used anymore as they seem too have a flaw with them, in that the Rivets that hold the leads onto the small circuit board can cause an intermittent connection over time and this will cause a direction or two to stop working, the newer ones are designed a bit better and I don't see them having this issue. How these things work is they have a Current run thru them and depending on where the Magnet is at (the part on the stick) it changes the flow of the Current in this Sensor. This then goes to an Op-Amp setup as a Current-to-Voltage converter and when all is said and done they basically work exactly the same way as a POT setup as a voltage divider, the MCU in the controller doesn't know the difference. This was done years back in the Saturn 3D controller as well as the Dreamcast controllers.


MSU_V2 2.12 (Six-Axis) There is also an MSU_V2 2.14 (Six-Axis) BOTTOM - TOP

BOTTOM



TOP




MSU_V2.5 1.05 (Six-Axis)

BOTTOM


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This post has been edited by RDC: Oct 24 2012, 06:51 AM

[RDC]

Hi guys,

The led 4 doesn't light up on my MSU_V2.5 1.05 (Six-Axis) and I think the problem is from the negative soldering point. Do you know if there's an alternate Negative solder point for this led ? (SMT LED4)

I tried to look on the RDC picture of the MSU v2.5 1.05 Six-Axis) but i'm not too sure and before I tried I don't want a screw the led contact more.

Thank you !

If the LED just up and stopped working it could be the LED is bad, the connection between the MCU and LED has a problem or the MCU has the issue, and if the MCU is the cause there's not much ya can do about that. If you've swapped LEDs on it then most likely the issue is the LEDs is in backwards or the pad has been damaged/lifted there.

In any case, it's the player 4 LED and I honestly wouldn't even bother with it as long as there are no other issues with the controller, odds are it'll always be lit up as player 1 or 2 anyway and you'll never even see that it's out except when ya turn the controller on, or if ya play as player 4, 6 or 7 all the time.

There aren't any 'easy' alternate spots to solder to for the LEDs though. The only other spots ya get to choose from are some Vias, the LED Resistor (RN2 on that board) or the MCU leads, which are all a whole lot more difficult to solder to than the LED pad was, so for a quick and easy fix there just aren't any options and in this case it's kinda better to leave it as-is instead of messing with it any more unless you're confident ya can solder to those areas and not cause any more damage.

This post has been edited by RDC: Dec 20 2009, 08:17 PM