Closer To The Final Replacement Of Stick

[nubie]

Even better - the µC version will have two pins left to other uses. And it's reprogammable as I will be using flash based µC. Not that I will not produce the 4067 based ones as well or the my firmware is bad. Actually it's quite fast and current drain can go as low as 12µA. But I might imagine someone would like to mod the mod.
(there will be plenty of memory left in the µC and processing power)

There will be two converters because I was learning the whole time when I was working on this mod. And I like to experiment. What you will like more I will see.
(both are working well)

Hold on, two pins, processing power, YESSS!!

Combos and Auto Fire capability maybe?

 

[Radek]

Even better - the µC version will have two pins left to other uses. And it's reprogammable as I will be using flash based µC. Not that I will not produce the 4067 based ones as well or the my firmware is bad. Actually it's quite fast and current drain can go as low as 12µA. But I might imagine someone would like to mod the mod.
(there will be plenty of memory left in the µC and processing power)

There will be two converters because I was learning the whole time when I was working on this mod. And I like to experiment. What you will like more I will see.
(both are working well)

Hold on, two pins, processing power, YESSS!!

Combos and Auto Fire capability maybe?

Please... calm down. Not that it isn't possible but it would need connecting wires to one of four GP2x's buttons. Which one?
(every game will have different controlling schemes)

And doing it (beyond the main function) will need soldering as only GP2x's stick pins are so easily available.

For sure - I can put in a chip with more I/O pins and rewire all GP2x's controls. But first the first - the eventual extra functionality of the µC converter will be rather a bonus, not a main feature.

The one of reason why I was working on the µC option was that I wasn't sure the 4067 would fit. I didn't want go SMD route because it would be more costly overall. And any PLD chips (logic programmable) in DIP packages draws too much current. The real good ones (the CPLDs) are available only as SMD or PLCC so are unpractical for this mod.

To drive the GP2x's stick inputs there is need of 9 discrete output lines. To read data from the dpad 4. So 13 plus two for powering the µC. Three left - one universal digital I/O, second with digital input capability plus some analog stuff and third the MCLR pin what I had sacrifice for some technical reasons.
(the µC what I'm using has 18 pins)

So for sure - you will be able to do some extra stuff with this converter but it will not be one of its main features. I could just lockup the chip and don't care but even if one person will be doing some extra stuff with it - why I should deny it?

Don't neglect the 4067 chips thought. I will make some of them too as I have few of them.
They work alright and will a bit cheaper than µC. Good diversity is a good thing imho.

 

[nubie]

Hold on, two pins, processing power, YESSS!!

Combos and Auto Fire capability maybe?

Please... calm down. Not that it isn't possible but it would need connecting wires to one of four GP2x's buttons. Which one?
(every game will have different controlling schemes)

And doing it (beyond the main function) will need soldering as only GP2x's stick pins are so easily available.

I just love hacking stuff and thinking about hacking stuff, don't mind me.

As an example of me and hacking consider this (under $50 total including the Remote, its mods, DVD players, my mom's broken philips radio and the Stereo VCR my friend gave me):

I love my UEI OneForAll remote I got from Walmart for $11, I got some 2KB i2c rom chips and soldered one onto its PCB bridged the path to its EXT header, installed the EXT header, built a Parallel port reader/writer for the i2c bus and programmed the thing for my Tevion (in germany Medion) DVD player (I got 2 on eBay for $20 including shipping), with macros to boot up the TV, my Phillips radio for stereo sound, my VCR with the stereo tuner, and another to shut em all off.

Then the punch-thru buttons so I can change the VCR to Line-in 1, do the volume on the Stereo, and control the functions of the DVD player without changing the device mode. B)

I just love hacking and your programming/processing power comment made me start drooling a little with crazy thoughts, I don't even have a GP2X right now, so what could I do with it?

Honestly this pad and the promise of Descent from Skeezix* are just about all it would take for me to sell enough of my crap to afford another one .

* I pm'd him and he says he is dizzy with too much work atm, but is definitely planning on a Descent port, I was a little worried when he got upset by the Firmware crap and GPL fiasco.

 

[jmetal88]

Any updates on this? I'm still interested.

 

[Jarska333]

Hmm, I hear many good things about the NGPC stick. Wonder if I could replace the 2X stick with NGPC one?

 

[lintsniffer]

The MKII one isn't really that bad.

 

[Radek]

Any updates on this? I'm still interested.

As you requested:

First the mounting of dpad:

The polymorph plug:

The dpad base from front panel hole:

For actual converter:

Close fit, isn't it? But you will be getting rather this:

I'm still waiting for my latest order of contact PCBs. But I will send some converters to ED (and someone else) to evaluate. Then immediately when I get the PCB whole units.

Perhaps my manual skills aren't too good because I had many issues when mounting the whole dpad in GP2x. Thought simple it must be done with fine precision. I done that using heated up polymorph, hairdryer to make it elastic for longer and tweaking it for a moment.
(damn you DaveC for your prediction! )

So I could have a "patched" GP2x and I have however:

Yeah - after so many openings and closing of my GP2x it had to happen. Now I have LCD screen without backlight. If you have an idea how to fix it I will be thankfull.

Hmm, I hear many good things about the NGPC stick. Wonder if I could replace the 2X stick with NGPC one?

4 switch based stick would be prefered because it wouldn't need any extra drilling.

 

[jmetal88]

Any updates on this? I'm still interested.

As you requested:

First the mounting of dpad:

The polymorph plug:

The dpad base from front panel hole:

For actual converter:

Close fit, isn't it? But you will be getting rather this:

I'm still waiting for my latest order of contact PCBs. But I will send some converters to ED (and someone else) to evaluate. Then immediately when I get the PCB whole units.

Perhaps my manual skills aren't too good because I had many issues when mounting the whole dpad in GP2x. Thought simple it must be done with fine precision. I done that using heated up polymorph, hairdryer to make it elastic for longer and tweaking it for a moment.
(damn you DaveC for your prediction! )

So I could have a "patched" GP2x and I have however:

Yeah - after so many openings and closing of my GP2x it had to happen. Now I have LCD screen without backlight. If you have an idea how to fix it I will be thankfull.

Hmm, I hear many good things about the NGPC stick. Wonder if I could replace the 2X stick with NGPC one?

4 switch based stick would be prefered because it wouldn't need any extra drilling.

Wow, that looks quite complicated, and yet very simple all at the same time.

That sucks about the LCD though. I tried to fix one of those flex cables once, and it was a disaster.

 

[grahf]

That flex cable looks bad, but it CAN be fixed. You will need extremely thin wire, and a GOOD thin tip soldering iron. The ribbon can be soldered to if you scrape the coating a bit, but you must be extremely delicate with it.

Also, peek under there and see where the ribbon goes. It may attach with solder, like it does where it meets the other ribbon.

 

[nubie]

@Radek:

What is the reason for the "buffer" thing right between the rubber membrane and the PCB with the button contacts? I ask because normally GamePads and TV Remotes have the rubber membrane directly on the PCB with the contacts. Is it a weird Ngage QD pad thing?

Will you sell that sweet looking smaller "board/chip/sockets" on it's own for a little less if people want to use a different D-Pad for their mod?

That flex cable looks bad, but it CAN be fixed. You will need extremely thin wire, and a GOOD thin tip soldering iron. The ribbon can be soldered to if you scrape the coating a bit, but you must be extremely delicate with it.

Also, peek under there and see where the ribbon goes. It may attach with solder, like it does where it meets the other ribbon.

That might work, but if it is long enough you might be able to scrape a little off the opposite side of each end and just press them together. Hold them that way with some kind of cloth tape or glue or something.

 

[Jarska333]

The MKII one isn't really that bad.

That comforts owners of First Edition & MKI by great deal.

 

[lintsniffer]

it better.

 

[Radek]

@Radek:

What is the reason for the "buffer" thing right between the rubber membrane and the PCB with the button contacts? I ask because normally GamePads and TV Remotes have the rubber membrane directly on the PCB with the contacts. Is it a weird Ngage QD pad thing?

I would say so. Look:

So without this "buffer" the QD dpad couldn't move at all. Its conducting rubbers are some kind of columns what are a bit longer than QD rubber springs.

Will you sell that sweet looking smaller "board/chip/sockets" on it's own for a little less if people want to use a different D-Pad for their mod?

Yes. I going to offer every part without need of buying everything.

At first I was interested in making a converter only. I accomplished that goal very well I think. Most of time I was spending on that QD thing lately. And thought I succeded I wish that someone could offer something else.

Not that I wasn't trying my best or QD is bad or whatever (it's actually pretty good). Just got little overwhelmed.

That flex cable looks bad, but it CAN be fixed. You will need extremely thin wire, and a GOOD thin tip soldering iron. The ribbon can be soldered to if you scrape the coating a bit, but you must be extremely delicate with it.

Also, peek under there and see where the ribbon goes. It may attach with solder, like it does where it meets the other ribbon.

That might work, but if it is long enough you might be able to scrape a little off the opposite side of each end and just press them together. Hold them that way with some kind of cloth tape or glue or something.

I will try scrape them then connect using glue. I'm not sure how ribbon will react to the heat when soldering.

 

[Feeg]

I think you can get a type of solder "pen" which obviously uses a conductive ink.

If I was you I'd look at getting some kind of conductive substance between the contact points, and not just glue them together. You'll probably either end up with a poor connection, or glue IN the connection, which is probably even worse - if it's non conductive it'll impede the current, if it IS conductive, you'll short the cable.

In my opinion the MK2 joystick is still not ideal. Maybe I need to get used to it, but it just doesn't feel right to me.

 

[minkster]

if you buy a cheap 15 watt soldering iron at radioshack..you should be able to do solder it together with ribbon cable (you can find this in old printer cables and stuff). Try scraping it with an xacto knife so you can see a brass like color. Then you should be able to connect it. Also, remember to tin the wires with solder to make it easier to connect to. I wouldn't suggest glue because if it doesnt work, it will be hard to remove without ripping more of the lcd cable.

 

[nubie]

I think you can get a type of solder "pen" which obviously uses a conductive ink.

If I was you I'd look at getting some kind of conductive substance between the contact points, and not just glue them together. You'll probably either end up with a poor connection, or glue IN the connection, which is probably even worse - if it's non conductive it'll impede the current, if it IS conductive, you'll short the cable.

In my opinion the MK2 joystick is still not ideal. Maybe I need to get used to it, but it just doesn't feel right to me.

It is the same stick, they just turned an 1/8 of a turn so what was the corners is now the up/down/left/right.

It will die, it was not designed to be a gaming stick, you are extremely lucky/extremely gentle if yours isn't broken within 3 months.

 

[PSyMastR]

I think you can get a type of solder "pen" which obviously uses a conductive ink.

If I was you I'd look at getting some kind of conductive substance between the contact points, and not just glue them together. You'll probably either end up with a poor connection, or glue IN the connection, which is probably even worse - if it's non conductive it'll impede the current, if it IS conductive, you'll short the cable.

In my opinion the MK2 joystick is still not ideal. Maybe I need to get used to it, but it just doesn't feel right to me.

It is the same stick, they just turned an 1/8 of a turn so what was the corners is now the up/down/left/right.

It will die, it was not designed to be a gaming stick, you are extremely lucky/extremely gentle if yours isn't broken within 3 months.

What the hell are you talking about? I had my gp2x from release date (Oct/Nov or whenever) till about march when it was stolen. I played it almost every day for about 3 hours, and it worked like a charm.

 

[GeminiDomino]

Wait a second.

Is this QD mod a no-solder solution, from an installation point of view, Radek?

Obviously solder is required to put the thing together, but I'm kind of fuzzy on the actual installing. Is it just a matter of open-file-replace-close the shell? Because that would rock ass.

Though even if soldering is required, I think I can manage. Been a long time since I modded my PSX though.

 

[nubie]

It is the same stick, they just turned an 1/8 of a turn so what was the corners is now the up/down/left/right.

It will die, it was not designed to be a gaming stick, you are extremely lucky/extremely gentle if yours isn't broken within 3 months.

What the hell are you talking about? I had my gp2x from release date (Oct/Nov or whenever) till about march when it was stolen. I played it almost every day for about 3 hours, and it worked like a charm.

Maybe not in the extreme, but still the stick is not designed properly, have you seen the PDF file for the stick? I am too lazy to do a search right now, but it is on the forums, try DaveC posts from ~3 months back.

Is this QD mod a no-solder solution, from an installation point of view, Radek?

Obviously solder is required to put the thing together, but I'm kind of fuzzy on the actual installing. Is it just a matter of open-file-replace-close the shell? Because that would rock ass.

Yes, no Solder, it will be great.

Did you even read the thread? I know it has gotten pretty big, but still, the answer is in the thread already.

@Radek, I have been pointing noobs to this thread and realized the first post is very confusing and mentions nothing about actual D-Pad replacement, either we need to start a new one or you could update the first post and point a link to the current posts. Not to destroy your first post for posterity you could move it down or add it on under the modified one.

 

[Epicenter]

This modification still requires you drill out a bigger hole in your Gp2X, doesn't it? I'd rather solder ..