Fixing an old DDR pad - would this work/soldering advice

[Llama Juice]

I have two MyMyBox DDR pads that died a few years back, and each panel is separate from each other, with plugs that are easily separatable from each other.

I think the main control unit died on them and they are wicked old (well... like... only ya know... like six years old or so...) so there's no chance getting a new one from MyMyBox.

So, I was thinking of trying to make the pad all connect in to a USB controller's PCB (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826127208) to not only fix the current problem with it being broken, but it'd then also make it USB, rather than having a PS2 connection to it.

I've never soldered anything in my life, but I think this would work... wouldn't it? Or am I just entirely off base about everything here?

pix
http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/3090/photo346df3.jpg

http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/7038/photo349jh1.jpg

http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/7580/photo348wm0.jpg

None of you guys would happen to know a thing or two about this stuff would you?

[legionaire45]

This might help. (http://www.geocities.com/ddrhomepad/)

My school has two non functional RedOctane Afterburners and two sort-of working ones along with a few other metal pads. All are beat to shit =/. I haven't managed to lobby enough to Game Club, so for now we have some nice but iffy pads =/.

[Llama Juice]

I bought a RedOctane the month before the afterburner came out, mine lasted about four months before their horrible craftsmanship killed it.

[legionaire45]

=/, sucks.

From what I have personally experienced, the Afterburners are great; the two that died lasted 3 years of abuse in the form of constant stomping on by idiots who don't know how to play =P. The other two have survived a year and a half of having cords yanked, control boxes stomped on and generally being abused. The other metal pads we use don't have insets of any type; I have trouble on those sometimes and I always try to grab the RedOctanes since they are win.

<3.

[Llama Juice]

The pad I got had screws coming up through the bottom of the board, a few of them pushing into the back of the copper circuit board causing it to bend and because of that it broke my up arrow and cracked another. The solder came off of a few of the circuit boards so they need to be repaired, and overall the thing just kinda fell apart. I wasn't happy at all with the pad.

... anyhow... does anyone have any suggestion on a decent cheap soldering set?... or what I'd actually need for a job like this?

[legionaire45]

Just get yourself a $5 soldering iron and some solder, you don't need anything fancier than that. The $5 will work fine for very light soldering like what you are trying to do.

[Llama Juice]

I ended up learning how to solder today.

I used my broken RedOctane pad as a test subject.

It's no longer broken. :D

hehehe.... *goes to DDR*

[dg]

You might as well try it. Six years old so there's nothing to lose. You could learn a lot!

(Orange names are awesome.)

[StankBacon]

soldering is pretty easy if you have a steady hand.

the 1st thing i ever soldered was an xbox modchip... that fucking d0 wire/contact or whatever it was was friggin tiny.

[BobtheGreatII]

(Orange names are awesome.)


C-c-c-c-combo breaker! :downs:

So do we get some sweet videos of you doing some DDR or what?

[Llama Juice]

Well... I tried fixing another DDR pad this morning... (one of the two I originally posted about)...

http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/3438/smcookingbooks.jpg

I'm not sure if those three misses were my fault or the pad's...

I AA'd Groove right before this as well... but... *shrug*

The upleft arrow doesn't work right, I don't really care though haha. What's wrong with it is that when it's being pushed down it thinks it's off... and when it's let up it thinks it's on... so I fucked up somewhere... or something... but.. I DON'T CARE hahahaha

I only really need five pannels so that eventually I can rearrange these arrows to make them work as a PIU pad.

http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/4600/photo359.jpg

I am gunna fix my 3rd pad probably Wednesday... and then I'll make a video of me playing doubles maybe.... :P

Until then...

t-CcbNfAMjU

You get an 8 month old video on shitty soft pad.

[Anton]

When I come down in April you better let me beat you in DDR. If not, I'll kill you in your sleep. Haha, I'm glad you got a few working. :P

[Llama Juice]

Oh snap.

I'll... take it easy on you.

Also... as for that doubles video... I have a better idea... and... I couldn't find a video similar to it on youtube... so that makes me wanna do it even more....

Soon..... soon.

[legionaire45]

I used to be able to easily A songs on heavy but now I suck :<.

Fuck, I even managed to get a AA on Dropout somehow...

[Llama Juice]

I need to find the values for stepmania to be able to make it more like arcade timing... because this morning I was playing and I would be getting only like 15 greats per song (the rest were marv and perfect) I know I'm not that good haha.