Latest Version Of Wireless Controller, CG2, Common Ground v2 Options

[RDC]

Yes you can solder all of your ground wires to one spot. You can also just solder up one and then jumper it from button to button, either way it's the same thing.

Neither the CG or CG2 have 'easy' spots to solder on for extra buttons. The CG2 would be the one I'd prefer in this case, but you'll need to remove the RT to get to most of the Vias that need soldering on. All of the ABXY traces are shown in this thread, and how to solder to a Via is in the Trace Repair thread in the Tutorials section.

This post has been edited by RDC: Apr 21 2012, 09:03 PM

[Tali]

Hi RDC I'm a big fan and have been reading all your threads for about a year now. I've always been busy, but now I finally have a chance (I think, haha =P) to finally mod my controller! So what I would love to do is add two buttons to the bottom of the controller, and add two LED's under the control stick's that will run by an On/Off switch.

I have the CG2 board and last year I replaced the ring-of-light LEDs with white ones. I am aiming to duplicate "A" and "B." I have some tactile buttons from a router and modem that I de-soldered and put some leads on them, I'm pretty sure that they'll work =P So here's my question:

http://i44.tinypic.com/24e0ujb.jpg

(The grounds are on the reverse side, I know my editing is horrible =/) I just don't know if I can do it because the vias are close to each other and really small.

This post has been edited by RDC: Apr 22 2012, 09:38 AM

[RDC]

Thanks.

Your diagram says X where you mean B though.

That's pretty much the best option for the CG2, without scrapping some of the carbon coating from the pads and soldering there instead, which I personally don't recommend. Practice up on some other board or a junk controller if you have/can get one, and if you think those Vias there are close, then you'll want to stay pretty far away from any PS3 controllers.

[Tali]

Oh I meant "B", sorry. Thanks for the reply! Sorry for necro-ing though or whatever it's called... Uhm So I found an old gamecube controller and a old computer gamepad. So I was thinking of trying to duplicate the thumbstick on the gamecube controller with one of the thumbsticks from the computer game pad. So I got my year old soldering iron that used to solder the surface mount LEDs on my 360 controller. I finally was able to de-solder the control stick modul, but it took like 20mins to heat up, and even then it would not hold solder on the tip. It's a 25w radioshack one so I thought that it was burnt out or something because the tip was fine and screwed in tightly.

So I went and bought the 15w/30w switch radishack soldering iron. It took 5mins to fully heat up and was awesome. I used some small wires and just soldered them accordingly to each module for fun. So then one that was done I tried it and it worked! So I took my glue gun and glued it to where the "R" trigger used to be. Then I got a button and took some screws and placed it so that it fit on the side grip, where I'm going to put the two tact buttons on the 360 controller, and I took one of the tactile buttons and put it on the other grip. I used some drill bits to do the dirty work first though.

Then I soldered the leads to the "R" and "L" respectively. So anyways, I know this is long-ish, but this is what I came up with:

http://oi41.tinypic.com/15g410x.jpg
http://oi43.tinypic.com/25u5geq.jpg
http://oi39.tinypic.com/2rmnne1.jpg
http://oi44.tinypic.com/20ge6nc.jpg
http://oi43.tinypic.com/35arvwk.jpg

Everything works perfectly! The control stick module even works better than the default one. But the "R" button was trouble some... Now I know why tactiles are so popular! I feel a lot more confident now though The problem is though now that my new soldering iron has the dark/black/smoked look on the main pipe thing-o like my old one. Is that bad? Am I using the soldering iron too long?

This post has been edited by RDC: Apr 3 2013, 01:27 AM

[hardrock351w]

The problem is though now that my new soldering iron has the dark/black/smoked look on the main pipe thing-o like my old one. Is that bad? Am I using the soldering iron too long?

Thats normal,...they all do that and theres nothing to worry about.

[bidrug]

I just got my hands on one of this controllers, which was given to me (if I can fix it, I keep it), but the controller is completely mad

All of the triggers and analog buttons give a constant reading in windows, they don't change for nothing, desoldered everything, behaves exactly the same...


It was a brand new controller in the wrong hands, a little girl sprayed some water from an atomizer, and problem started.

Any pointers at what could be possible wrong?

Seems like R15 and R24 are out of service...

[RDC]

Water by itself isn't typically found in atomizers, and it's not as bad for electronics on it's own as most people believe, but it shouldn't be left to sit on them for any extended period of time.

I'd start by removing the Triggers and Sticks, then take an old toothbrush and Rubbing Alcohol and clean the board thoroughly, and at least a couple of times. Use 91% or higher Rubbing Alcohol as well, anything lower just has more water in it.


R15 (46.5k) is in the Headset switch circuit, so if it's missing the only issue it will cause is not being able to connect up a wireless headset to the same channel as the controller will report that a wired one is plugged into it.

R24 (22k) is a PullUp Resistor that's also in the Headset circuit.


This post has been edited by RDC: Apr 4 2013, 11:28 PM

[bidrug]

Water by itself isn't typically found in atomizers, and it's not as bad for electronics on it's own as most people believe, but it shouldn't be left to sit on them for any extended period of time.

I'd start by removing the Triggers and Sticks, then take an old toothbrush and Rubbing Alcohol and clean the board thoroughly, and at least a couple of times. Use 91% or higher Rubbing Alcohol as well, anything lower just has more water in it.
R15 (46.5k) is in the Headset switch circuit, so if it's missing the only issue it will cause is not being able to connect up a wireless headset to the same channel as the controller will report that a wired one is plugged into it.

R24 (22k) is a PullUp Resistor that's also in the Headset circuit.

Hmm, I'm lost there... Here we call "atomizador (spanish)" to the bottles used to spray water and other liquids, very much used for haircuts and stuff, like cleaning windows, etc.

Already removed triggers and analogs, all input remains in the same position as if I haven't removed nothing, already gave some dielectric liquid and isopropyl alcohol with the recommended tool, nothing changed...

This post has been edited by bidrug: Apr 5 2013, 10:38 AM

[RDC]

Are you using the wireless adapter on the PC? If so did you Sync the controller up to it? and have you tried other controllers and know this test setup works?

That's what an atomizer is, but water alone isn't what's typically in them, as in window cleaner and hair spray, that's more than just water, unless it was new and filled for her to just go spraying around on whatever. At any rate, a couple of sprays of anything on the actually controller wouldn't really be enough to get inside the shell and cause serious damage either, so there's most likely a bit more that happened too that controller than a couple of spritzes.

The controller should not be powered up with the Analog lines floating (Triggers/Sticks removed) Make sure everything is clean and there's no damage, then reinstall the Triggers and Sticks to do any powered up testing.

If you're sure the PCB is clean, and I mean under the components as well. Then look for any corroded traces on the board. After that's all been checked and repaired if anything is found, check the Analog Voltage, it should be 1.6v and can be tested for on TP8.

If there is no 1.6v then there's either an open or short from pin 23 of the MCU to the AN+ traces, or the MCU is shot.

If there is 1.6v and it's still now working after being cleaned and no traces are damaged, then there's something wrong with the ADC of the MCU internally, again shot.

There's really nothing to the Analog bit of the controller that can fail and be repaired. If the 1.6v for Reference is there on one side of the POT, Ground on the other side, then the center spot is what goes to the MCU with the changing voltage on it. If that changing voltage is there and it doesn't work correctly, then it's a bad MCU or something I've never seen before.

[bidrug]

If there is no 1.6v then there's either an open or short from pin 23 of the MCU to the AN+ traces, or the MCU is shot.

If there is 1.6v and it's still now working after being cleaned and no traces are damaged, then there's something wrong with the ADC of the MCU internally, again shot.

There's really nothing to the Analog bit of the controller that can fail and be repaired. If the 1.6v for Reference is there on one side of the POT, Ground on the other side, then the center spot is what goes to the MCU with the changing voltage on it. If that changing voltage is there and it doesn't work correctly, then it's a bad MCU or something I've never seen before.

Yes, wireless receiver, either official and RF home made, tried several controllers before and my set up works just fine.

Will check the voltages!

Already cleaned entirely the controller, put some 10k resistors in place, readings are exactly the same, nothing changes.

My only idea is, the controller was on and charging, that way, water could really harm the controller if i'm not wrong.

Could the xtal be bad?

This post has been edited by bidrug: Apr 5 2013, 10:25 PM

[RDC]

Nothing will change on the Analog lines with Resistors in place.

If anything at all works on the controller, then the Xtal is good. It's rare for one of those to fail, and if it did the controller would act dead as it couldn't run.

[bidrug]

Nothing will change on the Analog lines with Resistors in place.

If anything at all works on the controller, then the Xtal is good. It's rare for one of those to fail, and if it did the controller would act dead as it couldn't run.

Even with the 10k resistor, both analogs gave me a 7 o'clock reading, and picture should say a lot more...

Already checked voltages, will add a picture with the readings...

Any other button gives a good push.



This post has been edited by bidrug: Apr 6 2013, 02:40 AM

[RDC]

You're not working on any 360 controller if those are the voltage readings you're getting, because you have 0v where the AN+ voltage is and voltage where Ground is. So that diagram was either made wrong, or you're not using Ground for a reference point.

[bidrug]

Indeed it was backwards, sorry for that.

Controller is receiving power, but not working anymore, seems like it's totally KO, guess is Game over for this controller, will use it for spare parts. Wireless controllers are near $70 USD around here, but at least it will become a donor.


Thanks a lot for the help RDC, as always.

[buggyboy100]

Is there an easy way to solder to the A button trace on the bottom of the board (green line)? With the old matrix board i had something to let my wire make a connection to, but not in this one. I've used a Flux pen to coat the surface, but i haven't cleaned it at all. Is that the problem? Is it because the traces are too small to attach to?

Cheers