Guide: How To Build Your Own D-pad (& Centre-push)

[ste_167]

aluminium foil, sticky back plastic..

bacteria, admit it, you stole this idea from somewhere else..

 

[bacteria]

I am too concerned about my gp2x front being ruined and my joystick being crippled.

Clearly, going the whole hog as I did will ruin the raised area around the joystick and snipping off the joystick stick to this level will cripple this too. You don't have to do this (see my previous post) - I considered having the overall height low as far more preferable than having it higher. Months ago when I posted my previous effort, people said "too high", "ugly" etc - so I made it far lower this time.

Also at you use so much cheap material at don`t you think that the aluminium foil or the card board will break at some point?

It can't "break" as there are no forces trying to pull them apart or push them together (with the only exception of the centre-push button - although I pressed my last one literally hundreds of times and it was always perfect). Everything remains static, the only moving part is the small piece of foam pad which separates the D-pad top from the base. This is extremely simple and quick to replace if you need to at any stage. Therefore, no, there is no way at all that any of it will "break".

Maybe that the pad will suddenly make contact when not even touching it? Seems like a bitch to remove all that excessive glue then and repair it.

If the D-pad was pressed in the same position for a long time, then yes, the foam pad would lean that way temporarily: - remedy is to press it the opposite way for about 20 seconds and it will spring back to its original, and parallel position. In the worse case scenario, prise the D-pad top off with your finger, removing the bit of foam pad (it's on plastic, so you can scratch any residue off easily with your nail or a small screwdriver), replacing it, putting the D-pad top back on. 2 minute job (literally). If you get bored with the D-pad top, prise it off carefully, and pop on a new one (I just did that - found I believe the "perfect" top -will post a pic later, after further testing).

There is no reason to remove the base - it will not fail - the foam pads stick well, and keeps everything and their contacts together. On the document, before finalising this part of the assembly, it suggested turning on the unit and testing the 4 ordials - if everything is fine and connected, it will remain so.

This design is robust. I spent literally hundreds of hours playing frantic games on the GP2x on my last design, this is designed to last.

aluminium foil, sticky back plastic..

bacteria, admit it, you stole this idea from somewhere else..

Ever since I was about 4 or 5 years old I have enjoyed making things out of "bits" - I am 40 now, that's a lot of years!

I used to watch Blue Peter - in the 1970's, don't think I ever bothered to make things they did, they always seemed to be using washing up bottles and covering tinsel over coat hangers (yawn, boring; even for a nipper).

 

[Lazrhog]

Dude that is wicked sick. I am sooo not doing that to my lovely gp2x ! But you are to be commended on your innovation .... h34r:

 

[bacteria]

Dude that is wicked sick. I am sooo not doing that to my lovely gp2x ! But you are to be commended on your innovation .... h34r:

Thanks!

Query - Is it "sicker" to slice and grind down the joystick raised area and snip off the joystick stick, than cutting out the joystick raised area and desoldering the joystick? um, um... :lol:

 

[Feeg]

Bet it looks great in the flesh.

Nice work.

 

[nik166]

Would it be possible to raise the pad slightly and leave the joystick shaft intact, cutting it off seems rather final!

of course it's possible, but it may look strange with the extra height

but personally i'm aiming to some more professionally looking thing
if only i had some extra GP2Xs it would be done already! grrrr

 

[BenScar]

if only i had some extra GP2Xs it would be done already!

My thoughts excatly, not brave enough to tamper with the insides of my 2x (aside from the Head phone port)
Although this mod does make me think that it wouldn't be so bad to do

 

[bacteria]

Ok, this seems to be the best D-pad top. You can easily press all directions reliably. This is a design I used on my previous model, I modified it again - this works the best - easy and precise control!

When you have made your D-pad, as per my document, put a small blob of glue on each place and cut out a strip about 2mm wide out of cardboard (about 200-250gsm), cut out small strips from this (about 3mm long) and place a piece onto the glue (all 8 positions). Position and press each piece down with a craftknife/pin whatever (for precision). Then paint it. Pic below of the new one mounted - forgot to paint the edge of the D-pad top, never mind!

Just a thought, rather than black, why not paint the GP2x front with silver - snazzy!

 

[o0o0o]

Although I won't be cutting into my GP anytime soon, it's definitely nice to see a proper tutorial.

What skin are you using for the menu, btw?

 

[bacteria]

if only i had some extra GP2Xs it would be done already!

My thoughts excatly, not brave enough to tamper with the insides of my 2x (aside from the Head phone port)
Although this mod does make me think that it wouldn't be so bad to do

Easy peasy! Give it a go. This is a far easier, and requires far less "bravery" than any other D-pad mod, by the nature of the work required. Accuracy is not to important and it is an external unit. Your soldering skills only need to be very basic (like mine) - the only soldering required is for the back of the joystick connections. It doesn't get much easier than this! Really!

Although I won't be cutting into my GP anytime soon, it's definitely nice to see a proper tutorial.

What skin are you using for the menu, btw?

The Candy skin. An excellent skin, love it.

 

[nik166]

if only i had some extra GP2Xs it would be done already!

My thoughts excatly, not brave enough to tamper with the insides of my 2x (aside from the Head phone port)
Although this mod does make me think that it wouldn't be so bad to do

personally the insides are OK, but i don't wanna mess the front cover
i wish you could buy empty cases to make mad experiments!

 

[BenScar]

if only i had some extra GP2Xs it would be done already!

My thoughts excatly, not brave enough to tamper with the insides of my 2x (aside from the Head phone port)
Although this mod does make me think that it wouldn't be so bad to do

personally the insides are OK, but i don't wanna mess the front cover
i wish you could buy empty cases to make mad experiments!

Ah, I'm a function over form person (as my users at work will tell you, or see oxo interface )
As long as it works and does what it should, looks come secondary.

Personal taste has a lot to answer for

edit: Sadly the spelling function in my head is broken a lot of the time!

 

[DaveC]

Although I won't be cutting into my GP anytime soon, it's definitely nice to see a proper tutorial.

What skin are you using for the menu, btw?

The Candy skin. An excellent skin, love it.

You guys are still using the old stock GP2X menu? That is rubbish, you should be getting "with it" and be using Ryo's new menu it is like 100X better than the crap default

 

[nik166]

want something that looks "stock" ?

here's a teaser picture :

it'll be fine, yupyupyup

 

[xcen]

hehe I love gettho hacks =)

Thanks for doing the experiment and documenting it... very neat indeed and surely others will follow with more suggestions, well done.

 

[LordFu]

Thanks for the guide!

 

[micah]

Downloaded; read; enjoyed. I don't want to void my warranty yet, but I may do something like this later on. Excellent how to.

Micah

 

[mdinire]

want something that looks "stock" ?

here's a teaser picture :

it'll be fine, yupyupyup

emm.. wow lol

Thats the GBC d pad, right?.. hmmmm.. is it hard to do that?

 

[nik166]

no, this one is the NES one ,

it's not so hard to do that if you have the material, but that's only the case yet, i haven't tried fitting the inner stuff instead of the old stick, THAT will be the tricky part, cuz once you take the stick away, it's like a non-return point

but i'll make a thread with the detailed WIP , stay tuned

 

[bacteria]

but i'll make a thread with the detailed WIP , stay tuned

Great, then people can give feedback on your project on your thread...!