Print

[dtlj17]

Quick Question... Will you be doing the same for the DualShock 4 controllers? And if so, how difficult do you think it will be to mod them with the new clickable touchpad now added? Do you think it will be easy for the people who already have a good idea of what they're doing or should we expect to adjust to a completely new pcb? The DualShock 4 controllers are 2 months away so I know you dont have all the answers but, Im asking because Im definitely wanting to mod my PS4 controller pssibly 4 paddles (X,O,[], /\). Shouldnt the button relocation be same as the the previous verion? just follow the buttons to the corresponding points on the pcb and add the solder connections... I sure hope so!!!

[RDC]

Welcome.

You have to remove the solder mask (the green coating) and expose the copper under it before the PCB can be soldered onto. Scrape too much and you'll go thru the thin copper and end up into the PCB, then it's a real mess to repair. Look thru this thread on how to prep a via and solder to it. http://forums.xbox-scene.com/index.php?sho...p;#entry3406983

The vias on the PS3 controllers are very small and need to be done very carefully also. There's no need to use flux on something like this, just any type of rosin core solder will be all you need. Use a decent magnifying glass and lighting so everything is easier to see.


I've no idea on how much work I'll put into the next, next generation of controllers yet, but they all boil down to having too interact with a human in some way (buttons, sticks, etc.) so duplicating that so there is more than just that method can always be done at least one way or another.

[dtlj17]

Thanks for the link, it helped alot. Ok, so I finally got the solder to stick to the X point, but the O point im still working on. The O point is a little more difficult because its bunched in with alot of other points and Im scraping some of those neighboring points closest to O. I ran into a problem after I soldered the X points though. After I soldered my wires to the X and TP15 point then to a tact switch, I try to test the controller and most of the buttons stopped working. I reset my system but the X,O,/\,[], dpad, and triggers still werent working. I thought I screwed up another controller so I ripped off the solder points I made and scraped off the remaining solder from the pcb then I tested it again and the controller was working just fine. You have any idea why this is happening? Am I getting solder on multiple points maybe? Hopefully you understand my problem and what im asking.



Im almost there, I just need to figure this out and I will be a happy man. thanks again

[RDC]

The controller has to be together for it to work correctly, so if you had it half apart then the Daughter board (thin plastic piece) wasn't making a good connection with the main board and that will cause issues. When it's all together they're pressed together and it works.

I didn't see the solder job you did for the wiring, so it could also have been some short there to some other spot that you don't want the solder going to. This one seems the more logical as it worked fine after you removed your wiring and solder, so as long as you get it soldered up, and only where it needs to be, then it should work fine.

[NYCXBOX]

Here is an update on VX7 board for X O SQU and TRI For those of you who want button duplication.

[NYCXBOX]

Another NEW Circuit board revision.....

Here we go.....

I can confirm COM2 is the same point as the last revision.
AS I touched a wire diretly to the Plastic conductor pad.. But where the VIA's are - or the soldering points.
I am lost.. I am trying to figure it out.

[NYCXBOX]

OK figured it out guys..

BOARD MODEL VX8

here you go..

It's a bitch to scrape those VIAs and solder to them but it can be done.

Here is the layout of the 4 buttons and COM2





Here are some examples of my install...

I did X and O

The VIA layout is right in your face and matches the layout of the Front of the controller - I am sure that was done purposely.  I basically found com 2 easily and then decided to poke till I found X O SQ and TRI but then I decided to follow the tracers on the flex board to the MOBO then followed the tracers on the mobo to the first set of VIAs and WA'LA!







PICS taken with MACRO on GS4 Phone - not bad.. I remember when pics like this were my SLR only

[NYCXBOX]

This forum needs some updates.. but glad it is back!

[Leon20027]

You are the best

[jormagi]

dear RDC

[RDC]

If you have torn off the TP26 pad then the right side buttons of the controller are all dead now, as that pad is in the middle of the trace. You will need to start at the TP26 spot and trace that back a little bit in each direction. One side goes to a Via, the other to pin 55 of the MCU. Then prep the Via and solder a small wire to, then solder the other end to the MCU pin to restore that trace connection. That will get the controller back to a working condition again. Then you'll have to really use the same Via for your new TP26 location.

[RDC]

No mention was made of the controller still working, but you're right as that point is TP43. I was going off another pic I had here and it was R2 that was marked, not COM2.

[RDC]

No one here is going to know what the issue is. Help out by posting a description of the problem and some pics of whatever you've done in there.

[richard.gozinya]

Hi everyone, I have the MSU_v3.5X 1.12 board. I am looking for COM3, I tried all of the legs from L3, no luck. Please click the picture for a larger version. In the picture you can see Orange, White Orange, Blue, White Blue soldered to the legs of L3, Orange soldered to TP24 (PS Home), white green soldered to TP17 (COM1), and green soldered to TP18 (COM2). Note that the 4 LEDs never stop flashing when plugged in to my PC. And when I unplug from the computer I still get nothing. I tested the battery with my multimeter and it's charged, it gives off a solid 4.0v.

[RDC]

Hey all, Sony is in full swing with revision after revision change of the Six-Axis and now DualShock 3 controllers, seems like every time I open one up it's different. I'm up to 18 revisions so far, including the DualShock 3 controllers (there are at present 12 versions of them now) and on and on it goes..


MSU PP4.0 5 (Six-Axis, Old 'original version' board with 3 leg POTs, oldest I've seen anyway)
There is also an MSU PP4.0 9 (Six-Axis) BOTTOM - TOP and an MSU PP4.0 11 (Six-Axis) BOTTOM - TOP

BOTTOM
(IMG:http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f320/RDCXBG/PS3%20Six-Axis%20and%20DS3/MSUPP405.jpg)

TOP
(IMG:http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f320/RDCXBG/PS3%20Six-Axis%20and%20DS3/MSUPP405Top.jpg)


Now, out with the old...

Here are some of the newer versions boards. The main differences in these newer controllers are the Battery and the Analog Sticks, the boards are completely revamped as well, but you'll notice the Battery and/or POT leads right off, plus the shell of the controller doesn't seem to be the transparent 'smoke' color anymore but a more opaque Black color.

The first version of battery was the LIP1359 (w/sticker) then came the MK11-2902. While the newer MK11 is smaller in size, it's still the same 3.7v 610mAh rating. It also uses a bracket to fit where the slightly larger LIP1359 went. These batteries can be interchanged between the 6A (Six-Axis) and DS3 (DualShock 3) controller versions if need be and I've seen both battery versions in the later versions as well. There is also an MK11-3020 570mAh (Typ610mAh) that turned up later on, and seems to be the same as the other MK11, and now the LIP1359 (w/o sticker) seems to be the more frequently used one in the latest controllers, but again they are all interchangeable and one is really no different than the other, you just need to have the bracket for the MK11 batteries so they fit properly is all, but even that's really optional in a pinch.

(IMG:http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f320/RDCXBG/PS3%20Six-Axis%20and%20DS3/PS3ControllerBatteries.jpg)

The big surprise is the Analog Sticks in these newer versions, 4 legs on the POTs, needless to say that sparked some interest. So I desoldered one, popped it off and looky here...

(IMG:http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f320/RDCXBG/PS3%20Six-Axis%20and%20DS3/PS3NewPOTs001.jpg)

(IMG:http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f320/RDCXBG/PS3%20Six-Axis%20and%20DS3/HallSensors.jpg)


..gone are the days of the familiar 3 legged POT and in comes these little gems. Magnetic and nothing to get all dirty and scratchy since there's no Wiper anymore, pretty nice idea, though a bit high tech for something that has no user serviceable battery and will in most cases be replaced instead of repaired if it were to die or break, still really kool though. These are Hall Sensors, and there are now 2 versions of these in the DualShock 3 version controllers, though the older style ones aren't used anymore as they seem too have a flaw with them, in that the Rivets that hold the leads onto the small circuit board can cause an intermittent connection over time and this will cause a direction or two to stop working, the newer ones are designed a bit better and I don't see them having this issue. How these things work is they have a Current run thru them and depending on where the Magnet is at (the part on the stick) it changes the flow of the Current in this Sensor. This then goes to an Op-Amp setup as a Current-to-Voltage converter and when all is said and done they basically work exactly the same way as a POT setup as a voltage divider, the MCU in the controller doesn't know the difference. This was done years back in the Saturn 3D controller as well as the Dreamcast controllers.


MSU_V2 2.12 (Six-Axis) There is also an MSU_V2 2.14 (Six-Axis) BOTTOM - TOP

BOTTOM

(IMG:http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f320/RDCXBG/PS3%20Six-Axis%20and%20DS3/MSU_V2212Bottom.jpg)

TOP

(IMG:http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f320/RDCXBG/PS3%20Six-Axis%20and%20DS3/MSU_V2212Top.jpg)


MSU_V2.5 1.05 (Six-Axis)

BOTTOM
(IMG:http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f320/RDCXBG/PS3%20Six-Axis%20and%20DS3/MSU_V25105Bottom.jpg)

TOP
(IMG:http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f320/RDCXBG/PS3%20Six-Axis%20and%20DS3/MSU_V25105Top.jpg)

This post has been edited by RDC: Oct 24 2012, 06:51 AM