Dave C`s Dpad

[Prometheus]

It's not unheard of. Extra points if you can name a console where this was done.

 

[SomeGuy99]

It's not unheard of. Extra points if you can name a console where this was done.

Random guess: Jaguar?

Would still like to know if the clack is tweakable, what causes it, if it voids my warranty, if I can buy a replacement dpad?

 

[Prometheus]

I've not ever seen a Jaguar pad. :lol: I was referring to the Sega Game Gear, in fact - though I suspect that the Pandora's d-pad design is LOT more durable than the Game Gear's ever was.

Anecdote follows;

Spoiler

The glue blobs under the Game Gear's pad, which were very, very greasy, could slip from where they were supposed to be under normal usage, with the result being that the machine would then believe that a direction affected by this was being held down when it wasn't. They were *completely* inept at servicing them, as well, and twice sent back the same machine with a silly "Void if Removed" seal, which many years later I learned was never even looked at, because upon opening it when I was older, it was more-than-obvious what was wrong and what was needed to sort it out.

 

[SomeGuy99]

I've not ever seen a Jaguar pad. :lol: I was referring to the Sega Game Gear, in fact - though I suspect that the Pandora's d-pad design is LOT more durable than the Game Gear's ever was.

Anecdote follows;

Spoiler

The rubber blobs under the Game Gear's pad, which were very, very greasy, could slip from where they were supposed to be under normal usage, with the result being that the machine would then believe that a direction affected by this was being held down when it wasn't. They were *completely* inept at servicing them, as well, and twice sent back the same machine with a silly "Void if Removed" seal, which many years later I learned was never even looked at, because upon opening it when I was older, it was more-than-obvious what was wrong and what was needed to sort it out.

Don't mention the Game Gear please. I'm having flashbacks of blurry screens and massive master system adapters

The Gameboy is still the king of reliability; 21 years and still going. The screen is the weak point obviously, and me and my friends broke a fair few that way (including leaving one out in sunlight). Other than this, I can't think of anything that went wrong with them.

Will any Pandoras still be working in two decades?

 

[Prometheus]

You know, I just realised that I said "rubber blobs" in my anecdote. That should actually read "glue blobs".

Anyway, it'll be fun to find out. I guess we'll have to be sure we're here to say so!

 

[craigix]

If the Pandora Dpad did come unstuck it would be possible to just lift it out without opening the unit, put glue back on it, and stick it back down.

But so far no one has reported one coming out, probably because we used some seriously strong glue on them, the kind that is lethal if you get it on your skin then touch anything (especially your other hand!).

 

[Prometheus]

I somehow doubt that any of those d-pads is ever coming unstuck.

 

[maplesugarlover]

The pandora contains toxic glue . That's not dangerous at all.

 

[notaz]

it makes loud clacking noises when you hit diagonals

Curiously the old Craig's proto doesn't do this, while a final unit does. Maybe it's caused by case painting or something.

 

[Loon]

My DPad was a little noisy at first, but this was a lot less noticeable after a couple of weeks of use, could be the paint wearing off.

What was pretty much immediately noticeable to me is that it is the best DPad I've ever used.

Huge credit to DaveC.

 

[SomeGuy99]

My DPad was a little noisy at first, but this was a lot less noticeable after a couple of weeks of use, could be the paint wearing off.

What was pretty much immediately noticeable to me is that it is the best DPad I've ever used.

Huge credit to DaveC.

After a month of usage, the clack didn't go.

Ironic really, but I'm being a bit DaveC about this issue. :lol:

 

[Chaser]

My apologies but this DaveC guy seems frankly only on these forums (despite his post count) to bitch about screen formats of various emulators not being to his taste, how the OS sucks in many a way despite wishing minimenu on us all and how he'd have been better designing the whole damn thing himself like he'd like a sticker or something.

Oh wait....given that the case and the buttons are largely his responsibility and that only a D-pad that 'clacks' but which can be apparently 'easily pulled out, re glued (with a secret formula) and shoved back in'.... 'without voiding any warranty', as the case can handle that apparently, I'd like to shake the guy by the hand.

Except I am leperose and thus a no nubber would've done me proud and also suggest that his name was best left off the worst aspects. The D pad is in a groove within the house and I suspect any clack was on porpoise, as given such a silent killer of a system you need a 'clack' to let people know they got taken out by a pandora to the back of the head at all.

"Did you get your Pandora yet?" Smirk lol ...'Wave iPhone'....Smug walk off...

...Clack...


...Thud!

....."yeah and it's beautifully fuckin heavy too"....

Love the pointy edges DaveC, really usefull afterall!

 

[sebt3]

My apologies but this DaveC guy seems frankly only on these forums (despite his post count) to bitch about screen formats of various emulators not being to his taste

If you got this, you should also have noticed that all the dev try to please him ?
There should be a reason...

 

[fusion_power]

If the Pandora Dpad did come unstuck it would be possible to just lift it out without opening the unit, put glue back on it, and stick it back down.

But so far no one has reported one coming out, probably because we used some seriously strong glue on them, the kind that is lethal if you get it on your skin then touch anything (especially your other hand!).

You mean, everything that holds the D-Pad in place is just glue? :blink:
Wow, never heard of gluing a D-Pad but if its working, I'm fine. But glue + critical moving parts seems to be a very risky combination. Are there no plastic elements that simply hold the entire D-Pad in place? So you stick it in from the backside and it can never fell off?
Standard solution in classic Gamepads, I've disassembled the nice SEGA Megadrive Gamepad and the D-Pad was hold in place with 4 notches, no glue needed, no turning possible, still perfect direction control.

 

[emcee]

If it hold it right up to my ear and press a diagonal on the d-pad, I can hear faint click. But I can't see the screen then, so I don't really play in that position.

Actually, with the exception of the wonky shoulder buttons, the gaming controls on my Pandora are awesome. Not too soft, not too stiff, all very responsive, and in exactly the right spot. They easily pass the "do I think about pressing a button or moving my character in the game?" test.

The nubs took a little tweaking in the settings, but as long as I remember to do the calibration dance, they're perfect. Having nubs to use as a mouse solves one of the major annoyances I've had with other devices with a hardware keyboard and a resistive touch screen (first my n810, and to a lesser extent my n900). Constantly switching between the keys and the stylus is just a pain, since I had to keep putting it back in the slot, since I couldn't hold it while typing and I didn't want to sit it down and risk leaving it somewhere. On the Pandora, if I want to switch to the mouse, I just move my thumbs up.

 

[#1 GameMaster]

I've not ever seen a Jaguar pad. :lol: I was referring to the Sega Game Gear, in fact - though I suspect that the Pandora's d-pad design is LOT more durable than the Game Gear's ever was.

Anecdote follows;

Spoiler

The rubber blobs under the Game Gear's pad, which were very, very greasy, could slip from where they were supposed to be under normal usage, with the result being that the machine would then believe that a direction affected by this was being held down when it wasn't. They were *completely* inept at servicing them, as well, and twice sent back the same machine with a silly "Void if Removed" seal, which many years later I learned was never even looked at, because upon opening it when I was older, it was more-than-obvious what was wrong and what was needed to sort it out.

Don't mention the Game Gear please. I'm having flashbacks of blurry screens and massive master system adapters

The Gameboy is still the king of reliability; 21 years and still going. The screen is the weak point obviously, and me and my friends broke a fair few that way (including leaving one out in sunlight). Other than this, I can't think of anything that went wrong with them.

Will any Pandoras still be working in two decades?

I still have my game gear and it still works (15 years), but the screen is pretty blurry now that you mention it (especially with sonic) and the adapter is a pain right at the connector I have some tape holding it from where it shorted. The main problem I had with it was that it really wasn't to portable because of size and needing six AA batteries. Never had to much of a chance with playing gameboys accept for my friends since my next handheld was a PSP.

Nice!