D-pad modding (accessibility issue)

[Carnick]

So after I few days of frustrating growing pains, I've started getting attached to this little guy. The potential, especially with emulation, is amazing. There's just one big problem, but my main issue isn't with the system itself.


I am physically handicapped with very weak muscles, which means I don't have the strength to use many game peripherals properly. Now, the Pandora's buttons and nubs work great for me. They're very sensitive and I can work them a lot better than other portable systems like the 3DS. The one problem is the d-pad. I don't know if it's just my unit, but my Pandora's d-pad seems kind of stiff. It's hard for me to press, especially diagonals.


I thought maybe I could just forego the d-pad entirely and just use the nubs, since they work well for me. However, most emulators pre-PSX era don't seem to support mapping the d-pad to the nubs.


Is there a utility out there that can set the nubs to act as the d-pad? If there's no software workaround for this, I may have to consider cracking it open. If this is the route I have to take, what would be an easy DIY mod I could do to the d-pad to make more sensitive and easier to press?

 

[mcobit]

Here is a quick compile of qjoypad:


http://boards.openpandora.org/index.php?app=core&module=attach&section=attach&attach_id=1250


Maybe you can remap the nub to the arrowkeys with this. I haven't tried though.


Also you need to set the nubs into joystickmode before starting it.

 

[renegadechic]

Hmmm, I would actually not recommend trying to mod the D-Pad if possible. My Pandora came pretty stiff out of the box so far as the D-Pad is concerned but it loosened to a very agreeable degree quite quickly. It doesn't just keep becoming easier though, it kinda plateaus at a reasonable level. If you can give it a bit more time, or maybe even spend some time giving it a real working round and round and round because I think any more aggressive physical mod will end up more jarring than fixing.

 

[Link]

The D-Pad is just glued to the keymat. I think a mod would be tough.


It should get easier as the unit gets broken in as mentioned already.

 

[Linux-SWAT]

Maybe gluing on it a thin metal circle, larger that the dpad ?