Davec Dpad Mods Still Available?

[Alex.]

The mod looks very professional and I bet it increases the value of the device a whole lot. However, the cost is somewhere around $50, plus shipping. How much cheaper would it be to just order the bits without the manual labour?

On a side note, after you'll cash in the mod for a while, will you badger GPH to integrate this technology in an MK3 of the GP2X? It would seem like the sensible thing to do.

- Alex

 

[Yorper]

I'd love to know how much for the kit (dpad + stick switch button + instructions) would be to do this as i definately would order it. I dont find the stick all THAT bad, but if i got the choice of this mod or the stick, the dpad mod wins

 

[TLJRyan]

I'm confused. What is the "+ stick button at the bottom?"

 

[TelcoLou]

I'm confused. What is the "+ stick button at the bottom?"

... it's a seperate button to replace the joystick's center-click.

 

[TLJRyan]

I'm confused. What is the "+ stick button at the bottom?"

... it's a seperate button to replace the joystick's center-click.

Oh wow I didn't realize the GP2X had a "stick click."

 

[DaveC]

On a side note, after you'll cash in the mod for a while, will you badger GPH to integrate this technology in an MK3 of the GP2X? It would seem like the sensible thing to do.

- Alex

They have already been badgered. GPH was sent a modded GP2X to evaluate. They liked it and proceeded full speed ahead... to do absolutely nothing :rolleyes:

This is GPH we are talking about. Their skulls are as dense as a neutron star.

 

[Thraka]

I'm totally lost and a bit frustraited. How and when can I get my GP2x modded from the USA and how much will it cost.

I cannot seem to find out this information...

 

[Mudi]

That is because there is currently no one who will do it in the US, the only distributor who is offering the mods is in Germany and it costs quite a lot to get it shipped there and back.

 

[Julius]

Maybe someone could ask the guys over that gp2xstore.com?
They could at least sell the selfassembly version.

But I guess the main problem ist that DaveC can't really keep up with the demand

 

[gamercorps]

DaveC are there any hard to find parts we can all help with locating for you? I'm also in the US (Calif) I would also be interested in purchasing a mod kit if made available. Actually if I could afford it I'd just rent out an auditorium, fly everyone in worldwide that needs the mod, set you and ED up in cage and do nothing but work on mods for everyone.....ok I forgot to mention the topless E3 women and twinkie / rockstar dispsenser in the cage with you...

ok back to reality.... I found this part with a supplier of nokia parts and emailed one of their suppliers to find exact cost/qty... currently they list it at $7.75(USD)... I realize this is only one part of about 10 and the time it takes to put the kit together ... but ... here to mitigate any and all part searches you might need....

tessco is the company... waiting to hear back from the supplier still

 

[DaveC]

DaveC are there any hard to find parts we can all help with locating for you? I'm also in the US (Calif) I would also be interested in purchasing a mod kit if made available.

ok back to reality.... I found this part with a supplier of nokia parts and emailed one of their suppliers to find exact cost/qty... currently they list it at $7.75(USD)... I realize this is only one part of about 10 and the time it takes to put the kit together ... but ... here to mitigate any and all part searches you might need....

tessco is the company... waiting to hear back from the supplier still

Well these pins are a problem to find. The problem is I need the "head" to be .040" diameter like this and the pin diameter to be around .022-.030". This presses into the base mounting board. No one sells them but these guys and they have a 1000 pc min order. They sell at .80 a piece meaning it would cost me $800 for fucking pins! What a rip-off. I have gotten by on samples so far but that option is exhausted.

http://www.mill-max.com/pin_rec_catalog/pr...rch=&pr=pin

The pads themselves that you show above are getting low too. I got by from scouring ebay but that source is running dry too I just tried looking on that tessco site did a search but couldn't find any pads for sale like that.

So unless I can get parts like these at a reasonable cost, the d-pad mods are sadly comming to an end.

 

[Laser]

The company I work for buys stuff like those pins from these people. I've no idea if they have a better MOQ or even something that could be made to work, but it might be worth a look.

 

[nubie]

Would anything on this page be useful?

http://www.suncountrygems.com/Head%20Pins.html

They have:

Copper 2" 22g Head Pins - WIEZ0011
$0.60
These 2 inch 22 gauge copper head pins are nicely thin - great for most beads. 12 pins per package.

According to this: http://www.vems.hu/wiki/index.php?page=WireGauge

22 guage is 25.3 thousandths. Close enough? I will sand them by hand if need be, seriously.


Edit: Forget it: 3,000 nails for $10 at amazon.com

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EM91F...rd_i=B00006411F

23 guage (22.572 th)

Nevermind No heads, Are heads absolutely necessary? Can we pinch/mushroom them to the same effect?

 

[nubie]

I see now what you have done, you are making a blind solder through the pins, and such close tolerances, I would be curious to see what other options there were of the less precise variety.

I guess it is time to dust off my flightstick pro and steal it's HAT switch to make a new stick for the GP2X .

It is similar in concept to the dpad, except all the tact switches are vertical and the stick presses them as you move it. Very nice. And you could mill something like your cap for the stick. I need to try google sketch and see if I can make a picture of what I mean. Wish me luck, I haven't used CAD for about 5-6 years.

 

[nubie]

Well the general 3D concepts remain true, just rusty.

The "blocks" are mini-tact switches. The problems would seem to be getting them constrained, making them fit, and making sure the stick has enough length to transfer movement to the switches. And then of course wiring them.

If they were all on a single PCB (90° from board mount), which would be better, PCB toward motherboard or toward face? I think if they rose off of a circuit board near the GP motherboard that the switch surface would be higher up and thus better for the action of the stick.

I guess this just makes a whole slew of new problems, but why not? I happen to like a stick, it just needs to be done properly .

Maybe mounting could be accomplished inside a piece of square tube, if they slid in the sides perfectly with some spacers in the corners, then they could be glued there (or left there, they can't get out), and then connected electrically by hand.

Better yet, mounted to mini boards, shoved in a square jig, and soldered into a PCB tube with pins, then we could use 90° header pins for sturdy connection to the GP motherboard in a couple spots, and hand connect the rest with jumper wire.

Ack, I should sleep. Damn GPH for the crap control. I can live with everything else but this lame stick.

 

[DaveC]

I see now what you have done, you are making a blind solder through the pins, and such close tolerances, I would be curious to see what other options there were of the less precise variety.

I guess it is time to dust off my flightstick pro and steal it's HAT switch to make a new stick for the GP2X .

It is similar in concept to the dpad, except all the tact switches are vertical and the stick presses them as you move it. Very nice. And you could mill something like your cap for the stick. I need to try google sketch and see if I can make a picture of what I mean. Wish me luck, I haven't used CAD for about 5-6 years.

I will need to research more to find better pin options. If only I had enough pins for the run of PCBs that I still have. I could re-design the PCBs for a different pin and a few other revisions such as eliminating the extra stuff in there for the logic board that will never be used.

Now if only I could find those tessco pads that were mentioned here. Then I could take leave from my job for a month to make pads. Then everyone that wants pads can get one.

 

[nubie]

I see now what you have done, you are making a blind solder through the pins, and such close tolerances, I would be curious to see what other options there were of the less precise variety.

I guess it is time to dust off my flightstick pro and steal it's HAT switch to make a new stick for the GP2X .

It is similar in concept to the dpad, except all the tact switches are vertical and the stick presses them as you move it. Very nice. And you could mill something like your cap for the stick. I need to try google sketch and see if I can make a picture of what I mean. Wish me luck, I haven't used CAD for about 5-6 years.

I will need to research more to find better pin options. If only I had enough pins for the run of PCBs that I still have. I could re-design the PCBs for a different pin and a few other revisions such as eliminating the extra stuff in there for the logic board that will never be used.

Now if only I could find those tessco pads that were mentioned here. Then I could take leave from my job for a month to make pads. Then everyone that wants pads can get one.

If you could do it without the blind solder, AKA re-design your mod (as long as you are doing a PCB re-design) to have the switches wired around from the back and just use the glue to center and connect the top PCB.

Too bad you don't have enough for the PCB's already made .

On to some good news, one of the places I contacted gave me this quote, only slightly less painful than $800:
QUOTE
I received a request from Mill-Max to quote the following for you..

1000min P/N 9185-0-00-01-00-00-33-00 .65/ea

5-6 week leadtime Non-Returnable

Thanks so much for the opportunity to quote you. Please advise of any questions. Have a great night!

Konnie



Konnie Hamilton

Sales Manager

Bisco Industries

916-773-7302

Fax 916-773-1638

775-882-9220

Fax 775-882-3308

khamilton@biscoind.com

Bisco Industries


Of course the problem lies with GPH and their failure to acknowledge a mistake. Are they just convinced that a Stick is better? Even if that is true, which it very well could be, I would like to see a Hat-switch based design using mini-tact switches.

Am I wrong in thinking that some constraining device could be designed into the lid mold to hold right-angle through-hole tact switches up as in my Google sketch a couple posts back? If they used 4 of those micro-tact switches wired directly to the board it wouldn't cause a huge problem with the PCB design, maybe they could even throw in some back "center push" surface mount switch solder pads.

It wouldn't require any more plastic than what is already being made, just a change in the mold for the caps to make it into a real stick, and a change in the front cover to make a cage, and possibly a socket, for the new stick buttons.

It shouldn't cost more either, 5 buttons VS. a whole stick? I am sure the buttons are cheaper.

 

[Zeviant]

I'm so going to buy this, I can't use the console properly because I've lost my stick and the push button is always being pressed (something broke there).
This will probably be the end of my problems, and I will finally be able to listen to music with it in my pocket without worring of the stick coming out.

It would be interesting if a Game Boy pad would fit.

 

[nim]

any news on that considered new version?

can anyone give a connoisseur opinion on this dpad?

it looks very small. how is it for hardcore street fighter or shmup playing?

or more specific:
* how's circling? (full or like forward, down, diagonal).
* how's the bowl shape? how round/deep is it really? (hard to see) does it feel like you're inserting your thumb and.. "grabbing hold" of the whole thing at once or can you slide about well?
* if you like sliding about like on a saturn pad does it feel like pressing/sliding on the edges rather than inside the bowl due to size/concavity?
* how's the precision in directions? ie. is it hard not to make a forward when you want a diagonal or vice versa?
* how's the resistance? is it really rigid or flexible or even loose (like the saturn dpad)?
* and how far down does the edge go when you press it? is that too far (wobbly) or too short or good?

I must've misplaced that page with the instructions on performing this mod. wasn't there one? can't find it in bookmarks nor google.
DaveC: for doing it oneself how much would the kit cost, with shipping to sweden?

 

[Ravnos]

I'm also wondering what's up with these. I ordered one back in March when they were available and I haven't heard anything since.