So I was finding the dpad a bit clicky and occasionally missing presses on the main 4 buttons. I found loosening the screws seemed to help but I've tried a different approach...
I got some replacement silicone pads for under the buttons/dpad off eBay and the dpad feels alot better. The buttons seem about the same but the dpad is improved.
Anyone else tried this?
Replacements for controller
Re: Replacements for controller
Yes I did that as well with spare parts from a non official snes controller and it definitely improved the d-pad. Diagnoals register much better and the d-pad is overall quieter.
Re: Replacements for controller
Can you link the replacement pads please?greavous wrote:So I was finding the dpad a bit clicky and occasionally missing presses on the main 4 buttons. I found loosening the screws seemed to help but I've tried a different approach...
I got some replacement silicone pads for under the buttons/dpad off eBay and the dpad feels alot better. The buttons seem about the same but the dpad is improved.
Anyone else tried this?
Re: Replacements for controller
Yes, please if someone could recommend / link a good replacement silicone pad for the d-pad it would be much appreciated. I recently assembled my Raspiboy and am really liking it in almost every way except I am not a fan of the stock dpad's responsiveness.
Re: Replacements for controller
This is the one I got. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/391437197854
Not available now as it was a while ago. I didnt pick them for anything but the price though, if they didnt work I wouldn't have lost out much but luckily they worked for me. I left the original raspiboy start/select pad and cant remember if I changed the ABXY pad. I think I kept it on the original as well and only changed the Dpad.
Not available now as it was a while ago. I didnt pick them for anything but the price though, if they didnt work I wouldn't have lost out much but luckily they worked for me. I left the original raspiboy start/select pad and cant remember if I changed the ABXY pad. I think I kept it on the original as well and only changed the Dpad.
Re: Replacements for controller
Yes mine is not useable!
Re: Replacements for controller
So I went for these...
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ZedLabz-cond ... 2749.l2649
Just put them in and diagonals actually work now!
I can't say the original silicones look poor quality, and on appearance alone, probably look better than these eBay ones, but my diagonals now work well. Try crawling in Shinobi, or any shoot em up game. Much better.
Still a mile off the quality of the iBuffalo pads which IMHO (and many others) are hands down the best SNES pad available. Just as good as, if not better than the originals. So that got me thinking...
Would it be possible to model a new version of the Raspiboy on the iBuffalo pad? Even design the frame around it and use the internals from the iBuffalo?
Here are some pictures of the internals from the iBuffalo...
Lastly, although button presses are not too bad on the Raspiboy, I think the control pad PCB is a little small to capture reliable presses, as the silicone overhangs the PCB. I didn't picture the iBuffalo in this state, but PCB covers the button silicons completely and button presses are faultless.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ZedLabz-cond ... 2749.l2649
Just put them in and diagonals actually work now!
I can't say the original silicones look poor quality, and on appearance alone, probably look better than these eBay ones, but my diagonals now work well. Try crawling in Shinobi, or any shoot em up game. Much better.
Still a mile off the quality of the iBuffalo pads which IMHO (and many others) are hands down the best SNES pad available. Just as good as, if not better than the originals. So that got me thinking...
Would it be possible to model a new version of the Raspiboy on the iBuffalo pad? Even design the frame around it and use the internals from the iBuffalo?
Here are some pictures of the internals from the iBuffalo...
- Screenshot 2018-01-04 14.27.18.png (204.45 KiB) Viewed 9251 times
- Screenshot 2018-01-04 14.27.09.png (170.84 KiB) Viewed 9251 times
- Screenshot 2018-01-04 14.26.32.png (247.47 KiB) Viewed 9251 times
Re: Replacements for controller
Comparison of my Raspiboy control pad PCB and the iBuffalo...
- Raspiboy buttons
- Screenshot 2018-01-04 14.42.47.png (217.05 KiB) Viewed 9250 times
- Raspiboy D pad
- Screenshot 2018-01-04 14.42.56.png (212.87 KiB) Viewed 9250 times
- iBuffalo
- Screenshot 2018-01-04 14.49.54.png (134.86 KiB) Viewed 9250 times
Re: Replacements for controller
Thanks for this thread, just popped a quick order in from the ebay suggestion as I unfortunately sliced a shoulder silicon piece and my D-Pad is not my friend right now. Thanks for your posts and links!
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patientzerouk
- Posts: 5
- Joined: Tue 23 Jan 2018 02:03
Re: Replacements for controller
Just to add to the posts above, the raspiboy controller board is just a USB controller with a 4-pin JST plug on it to save space and connect it to the 8B-PCB.
I've found the bottom of the original board is too flexible, and nothing holds it against the silicon - so while replacement silicon pads improved the situation it still missed button presses and the D-Pad down needed alot of pressure just to register.
What I've done with my Raspiboy is remove the original controller board and swap it with an iBuffalo, and it works perfectly. Retropie see's it as a new controller when you restart, but the controller is now perfect.
To do this, you will need solder and de-soldering skills, and a spare iBuffalo controller.
1. Take apart your raspiboy and disconnect the controller board
2. When it comes to the Shoulder pad boards, the Raspiboy's pads are further away from the controller board than a normal controller. This means you have two choices,
a. De-Solder the existing pads from your original controller board and replace the iBuffalo pads
b. You can create extension cables for the iBuffalo boards. You will have to de-solder them from the iBuffalo, and you can use the original Raspiboy cables (I didn't, I used some spare wire)
When soldering the shoulder pads on, make sure they come out of the back of the board - the front is where the silicon pads need to make contact.
3. Now you need to connect the iBuffalo to the JST lead from the original controller. You have a few choices,
a. De-solder the USB lead from the iBuffalo, and de-solder the JST lead from the original board. Solder the JST onto the iBuffalo, taking care to get the colours lined up.
b. Cut the USB lead on the iBuffalo, but leave about 1" of wire so you can see the colours. Cut the JST lead to match, and solder the same colour leads together - and use heat shrink to cover them.
4. Install the iBuffalo board in place of the original board; you may have to create mounting holes (I didn't). I also used the silicon and pads from the iBuffalo, but you can use new ones from ebay or your original ones if you wish.
5. Rebuild and re-test your Raspiboy, and behold, a much better controller experience.
Sorry for lack of pictures, I didn't take any during the build, but I can take some of the finished article if there is any interest.
Note; when I look at the iBuffalo board in the pictures above it doesn't match what I have, but since its USB that shouldn't matter - its the USB functionally that matters.
I've found the bottom of the original board is too flexible, and nothing holds it against the silicon - so while replacement silicon pads improved the situation it still missed button presses and the D-Pad down needed alot of pressure just to register.
What I've done with my Raspiboy is remove the original controller board and swap it with an iBuffalo, and it works perfectly. Retropie see's it as a new controller when you restart, but the controller is now perfect.
To do this, you will need solder and de-soldering skills, and a spare iBuffalo controller.
1. Take apart your raspiboy and disconnect the controller board
2. When it comes to the Shoulder pad boards, the Raspiboy's pads are further away from the controller board than a normal controller. This means you have two choices,
a. De-Solder the existing pads from your original controller board and replace the iBuffalo pads
b. You can create extension cables for the iBuffalo boards. You will have to de-solder them from the iBuffalo, and you can use the original Raspiboy cables (I didn't, I used some spare wire)
When soldering the shoulder pads on, make sure they come out of the back of the board - the front is where the silicon pads need to make contact.
3. Now you need to connect the iBuffalo to the JST lead from the original controller. You have a few choices,
a. De-solder the USB lead from the iBuffalo, and de-solder the JST lead from the original board. Solder the JST onto the iBuffalo, taking care to get the colours lined up.
b. Cut the USB lead on the iBuffalo, but leave about 1" of wire so you can see the colours. Cut the JST lead to match, and solder the same colour leads together - and use heat shrink to cover them.
4. Install the iBuffalo board in place of the original board; you may have to create mounting holes (I didn't). I also used the silicon and pads from the iBuffalo, but you can use new ones from ebay or your original ones if you wish.
5. Rebuild and re-test your Raspiboy, and behold, a much better controller experience.
Sorry for lack of pictures, I didn't take any during the build, but I can take some of the finished article if there is any interest.
Note; when I look at the iBuffalo board in the pictures above it doesn't match what I have, but since its USB that shouldn't matter - its the USB functionally that matters.