Hori RAP 4 - Did I just buy a dud?

Tech Talk
21

The Fluke 107 multimeter got delivered a couple of hours back in my home and I got on with the testing business immediately. I checked the microswitches and the small circuit board for continuity and the joystick came out pretty solid. The wiring harness from the joystick to the main PCB is fine too. I then started checking the connections from the joystick to the PCB terminals by engaging the joystick in the faulty direction and placing the red probe and black probe of the MM on the corresponding positive terminal and the common ground terminal in the PCB respectively. This test was a success too establishing continuity. I then checked for continuity from the first set of terminals(A) to the second set of terminals(B) following the signal lines and consecutively from the joystick to the second set of terminals(B) and there was nary an issue. Beyond the second set of terminals there are four miniature rectangular components© what appears to be resistors(?) to my uninitiated self. The signal lines from the resistors lead to four pinholes (marked D in the attached image). What do I do now ? Thanks in advance.

22

Hmmm, and youre sure youre testing the right direction? If so i dont know what to tell you. The trace should lead to the other side of the pcb, to one of the pins of the chip, but thats covered in epoxy afaik. I, and probably most others on here expected you to have a faulty connection between the wireing and the pcb. If youre absolutely sure you tested the wireing and the switch correctly then you should probably look into installing a brook pcb.

23

The connections between the joystick and the main PCB look absolutely fine from the continuity tests I performed. The signal lines beyond the resistors (?) lead to through holes (marked D) present on the top side of the PCB. Upon further inspection those plated through holes lead to something covered with epoxy present in the backside of the PCB like you’ve mentioned. So, I reckon the fault lies with the Hori PCB and I should look into a Brook UFB/Brook PS4+. I could ask my brother who would be returning to India in a week’s time to get one from Germany or I could go the ebay Global EasyBuy route and both these options would get me the previous iteration and not the updated one.

**Do Focus Attack or any other vendor in the USA ship the Brook fighting boards globally ? (I could get the updated board this way)
*Do I need to buy anything else ?
What is the difference between the one with the headers and the other one without headers ?

I’m grateful for all the support and guidance from you guys, thanks a ton.

24

If your brother is in germany he could get one from arcadeforge.net , theyre based in germany. The headers are for making a solderless install possble. If you want one with headers your brother should probably order from smallcab.net in germany arcade forge is probably faster though.
That said, youre 100% sure the connection is good right? It would be a shame to blow money on a new pcb if the current one isnt actually faulty.

25

Well, I did send my brother the arcadeforge’s product link earlier today just to be prepared for what I thought could be an eventuality since he is hard pressed for time. Smallcab seems to be based out of France and I don’t think the PCB will make it to his place in time with customs and stuff, I might be wrong though.

The connection looks absolutely fine to me, concurs with what a local TV mechanic had said. Looking at all the green I have to cough up and the time lost, I might as well have bought the stick in India in the first place paying the extra premium with warranty. When life gives you lemons, B) .

I have an other question though, do I need anything at all other than the Brook PCB itself ? Thanks.

26

It depends, if you want to do everything solderless then you might need some jst plugs and a crimping tool depending on how much functionality you want for the buttons on the side of the stick.

27

Time for an update, folks. From my previous post you might be aware of the fact that I was trying to buy the Brook’s UFB/PS4 from Arcadeforge, but they were unsure about delivering the PCB on such short notice since my brother was to due to leave Germany in a week’s time. After exhausting all other options, I contacted Focus Attack store since I wanted the Brook board’s latest iteration and it was out of stock then. I found the Focus Attack people to be very professional and courteous and they answered all my questions about the product and shipping it to India. Once the Brook PS4+ board was restocked I ordered it along with a bunch of wiring harnesses and got it delivered at a friend’s place who was scheduled to visit India.
I received the package from my friend last week and hurriedly started installing just to make sure the PS4+ fighting board was alright, since I was due to leave my hometown the next day on a 4 day trip. Thankfully everything was in order and the Hayabusa joystick was now working fine and the rest of the buttons were working like a charm. I had to temporarily map the PS4 and select function to R2 and L2 to make it work since there was a secondary board inside the Hori Arcade stick case by the side wall. I then disconnected the Brook PS4+ board since the breakout board needs an opening to be installed in the case. I’m yet to cut out the opening in the arcade stick case.
Is there any easy way to cut the required opening in the hard plastic case ?
How do I gain the functionality of the PS4 button present in the side ?
Appreciate all the help and support, guys.