Soul Calibur 2 Stick woes

Ok well I purchased this stick maybe 3 or 4 months ago, and up until a few weeks ago I had absolutley no problems with it, until the triangle button started fucking up, and now it essentially doesn't work at all when I press it. So I open it up, unsolder the button and replace it with a less important one, thinking that was the problem, and although it works for a while, it goes right back to fucking up after about 15 minutes of play. The weird thing is, every time I resolder the button it goes back to working for a while and then fucks up again. Ridiculous, fuck you Hori, fuck you in the ass with a stic_. Anyway I was wondering if anyone has had similar problems with this sort of thing and has any idea wtf to do? I have a feeling the PCB attached to the buttons is broken somehow, but I see no real visible damage. /versus/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

Oh crap! I just got the evo stick. I hope this doesn't happen to me ever. Is your stick functioning ok Myke?

 

Don't get too unhappy, EMX.

My pelican stick's never last a month ever. The one

that I used at the gathering in STL went out of order .

 

Hmmm you've kinda got me worried now.I've been playing on a SC2 stick which I imported for about 2 months now but have just started to notice the X button ( button I use for guard ) to be getting " a bit sticky".ie I takes more pressure to press down than it used to. I haven't bothered opening it up just yet but only time will tell as to how long it remains useable /versus/images/graemlins/confused.gif...

 

This is probably obvious, but the last time I had an issue like this with a stick, there was a hairline fracture in the button pcb, so the traces moved out of contact during button punching. If you've got a multimeter (or even a battery, a bit of wire, and an led) check continuity between the points where the button solders and the corresponding legs on the chip. Should be pretty easy to trace back.

 

thanks kod, but I just ripped the pcb out and installed some of my old happ buttons, I'm gonna rewire it on to a crappy psx controller pcb and go to town, again thanks everyone for the input!

 

Don't be so fast! Try making some sort of tester for your problem. I suggest taking a AA battery and sodering the positive or negative to one lead of a small light bulb, the other lead of the bulb you just solder to another piece of wire to extend the lead. Then solder another piece of wire to the negative or positive of the battery, depending what you use. You'll notice that if you touch the wires together, the light should go on because you'll make a circuit.

If the light doesn't go on, then your bulb is too big for the battery and you should use a bigger battery or a smaller bulb. Caution! Don't keep the light on too long as the battery or the bulb will tend to get warm/hot, and don't go using those big ass lantern batteries.

Now just touch the wires on the button leads (one per contact lead). Pressing the button should make the light go on. If not, then you know the switch inside the button housing is bad and should be replaced.

Now if the switch is bad, these are standardized sized switches. I bought one of those Hong Kong generic sticks that has two sets of sticks on it. The buttons themselves uses switches the size of the switches found on the Sanwa Buttons. I bought a couple extra switches for MYuse, so I can't help you there.

But if the switch is fine, then it's the pcb board. Sounds like a wire is loose since it works sometimes and don't the other. You know it can't be the wires that connect to the button, since it's soldered directly on to the board right? I'M ASSUMING THIS. Also you said you soldered it a couple of times. So the most likely culprit is a wire that's loosing contact right on the cord itself, where the cord ends, and the wires are soldered to the board--- I'd check there for loose wiring. In fact, check the whole board for a loose wire.

That's all I can suggest from my meager DeVry Computer and Electronics education.

BTW, I have several Hori Sticks as well as other sticks and I find that Hori's feel the most similar to Sanwa's. The VF stick that I have has taken a ton of abuse, even a fall and it keeps on ticking.

I'll try and experiment with some sticks later this week.

 

In a way this sounds like a batch problem to me - certain batches are slightly faulty and others are fine.

 

Best sticks I have right now are converted Asci (green button dreamcast sticks) sticks....they are still the best out.

 

My Hori-ble Evo stick broken down too. Been using for 6months.
1st it was the Guard button. So I took out the red button(Guard) and tested the white plug-like button underneath and it was perfect. So it wasn't the contact problem. Then I stuck some paper into the groove of the red button. It worked perfectly for 2 days.
Then the Punch button became less responsive. I tested the white plug-like button and it was less responsive too. I tested the contacts at the back, they were fine. So I yanked out the white plug button and readjusted the spring and the golden ball. It worked for for couple of sessions then I had to dismantle it again to fixed it.

I fed up. I bought an Ascii stick.

PS: if your Hori button isn't working, try sticking some paper into the groove under the button.

 

Shadowdean,

How do you get a DC stick to work on the PS2? Are there any converters you can buy?

 

Kimble: I think maybe he means you need to gut the stick and take out the board, then wire the buttons and stick to a psx controller. Joystick Builder (catch's site) has directions that I assume would apply to what you'd have to do. I've never seen a dc to psx adapter. Maybe I'm wrong though.

 

I see. Thanks EMX. : )

 

For those interested,
I'm selling the Namco stick for $79 (which includes shipping in the continental US.)

I'm in a bind... so PM or email me if you're interested.

 

Is the stick modified in any way or is that an original namco?

 

I think all the original buttons were removed and Sanwa buttons were put in.

 

yes, the original Yellow buttons and stock stick were removed in favor of SANWA parts. The result? A better feeling stick IMO. I know there's people out there that absolutely are in love with this RARE stick... as far as layout goes. I found the "flatness of the stock buttons" and the "stickyness of the stock stick (had to go because of normal wear and tear)" not to my liking. But all that is mute cause I built it just to see if putting in a Sanwa stick was possible. The stick was just tested to see if it works, and I've held it since to offer the VFers here. My first offer was too steep I guess. But stock versions fetch a whole bunch *when* they show up on eBay... these sticks are very RARE.

 

so bad,,,i hope my stick doesn't have the same proble as yours