The Micro-switch D-pad Mode

[Rollo]

First some background info... I got a MKII GP2X for my 10-year old sister not long after they came out. She played it pretty much every day (mostly metal slug and what not). After about a year and a half the joystick broke (no longer stayed centered or registered movement). I tried Sonic-NKT's mode with a Gamecube controller, but I couldn't get the controls to register movement as well as I wanted. So I came up with "The Micro-Switch D-Pad Mode".

What I needed
1. old Gamecube controller (surprisingly hard to find)
2. thin wire (broken VGA cable)
3. solder and iron
4. sandpaper
5. silicon
6. micro-switches! (got them from an old CD-ROM dive)

I took the d-pad from the Gamecube controller, cut the general shape into the GP2X faceplate, and sanded it until it fit OK. I followed the wiring diagram from the wiki and rotated it 45 degrees, since this is an MKII. After wiring the micro-switches, I used silicon to secure them (so I could remove them if they wear out). Here are the pictures.

With the stock stick I found a few games quite difficult to play (like Q-Bert and Bomberman). Now I can play them just fine, and diagonals work OK in the games I've tried. So what do you think? Also, if you have more experience with micro-switches, how long do you figure they will last? Those who are familiar with micro-switches will also know they make a slight clicking sound :lol:

 

[senquack]

Great job, that's a smart mod. I would think they'd last quite a while, as I've never had a mouse microswitch wear out (though the microswitches in my old 1998 laptop have gotten softer with age). I'd think these have very little use since they were taken from a CDROM drive. Bet they last just as long or longer than anyone's stock GP2X stick. The silicone might have to be replaced every now and then or ultimately replaced with epoxy.

 

[bacteria]

Those are called tact switches, I use them quite a bit these days. They will last and last, unlike the stock stick. The manufacturers description of the life for the stock stick is only 100,000 cycles, so if you play a few games in a day, you could easily register one or two thousand cycles (movements), which is why they don't last long, they aren't up to the job.

Rubber contacts are quiet, tact switches make the click noise when pressed. The Nintendo DS uses tact switches for the D-pad BTW.

Only issue with what you have done is the fact the hole for the D-pad cross is a bit big, however this is looks and not functionality.

I believe I was the first person to go into how to rig up a D-pad into the GP2x (all be it a home made one), in the first months of 2006; it is nice that the generally accepted view these days is that the D-pad is fine for diagonals, you would be surprised looking back at the old comments when people who didn't have any experience of them were trying to argue differently, now many people have put in a D-pad or had someone do it for them they realize it works well.

Yes, GameCube controllers are hard to get hold of in shops but easy on e-bay, as with getting tact switches (yours are 6mm tact switches). Other D-pads to consider are from Game & Watches or GBA as their size is a bit smaller - personal preference; however SNES and NES crosses are a bit big for the GP2x.

 

[Blah]

1996?

 

[bacteria]

Typo obviously, 2006, sheesh.

 

[Jarska333]

I tried this, actually got the electronics to work, with the tacts attached to a cardboard (christmas card ).

The bugger bent.

 

[BobBorakovitz]

very nice! I might have to revisit mine someday as I'm not 110% happy with it yet!


::EDIT::
after looking at it again, how are you getting a center pivot out of that exactly? aren't you able to hit all 4 directions at once right now??

 

[bacteria]

Oh yeah, one other issue I forgot - your D-pad cross centre needs to be slightly higher than the tact switches, so you don't end up pressing all 4 directions at once by mistake.

 

[Rollo]

Only issue with what you have done is the fact the hole for the D-pad cross is a bit big, however this is looks and not functionality.

Yeah, I got a little carried away while sanding. If I did it again I'd be a bit more careful. After seeing what you did to your GP2X, I didn't think you would be complaining about looks

very nice! I might have to revisit mine someday as I'm not 110% happy with it yet!

::EDIT::
after looking at it again, how are you getting a center pivot out of that exactly? aren't you able to hit all 4 directions at once right now??

Oh yeah, one other issue I forgot - your D-pad cross centre needs to be slightly higher than the tact switches, so you don't end up pressing all 4 directions at once by mistake.

I can push all four buttons at once, but I don't accidentally. The switches have a bit of spring to them so I know when they are being pushed.
Also, I forgot to mention one more step. I sanded the back of the Gamecube d-pad so it would fit in the GP2X's case and removed one of the mainboard screw mounts.

 

[DaveC]

You know Digikey has a massive variety of tact switches? They are like .60 a piece and no need to track down and cannibalize a CD ROM drive. The switches used in my mod are 50g force. They works great.

You definetly NEED a center pivot though. Without it fast direction changes result in pressing too many buttons and this confuses the game. You also can't do 360 degree movements without a pivot.