I have access to both sticks and the HRAP ex just feels sturdier and more “tough” than the TE. No matter how I look at it, the TE seems to have a bit of madcatz rubbed off on it.
So you’d rather have Hori buttons that will break down on you after a couple weeks? More people have had to switch their buttons out on the HRAP-EX than the people who have problems with the buttons not working. You switch out the 8 face buttons, and that’ll cost you roughly $24 without shipping. Frankly, those that have problems with the TE are afraid to work with the internals of the stick. It’s sad, especially if one wire is loose. Additionally, you can dual mod the TE while you can’t with the HRAP-EX since it has an uncommon ground PCB.
The HRAP-EX feels sturdier and tougher than the TE since the HRAP-EX shell is one fricking chunk of plastic. In terms of the shell and build quality, the TE is far more advanced if you’ve taken yours apart. I too have both and I prefer the TE for lap play over the HRAP-EX, which is considerably bulkier. The TE might not feel as sturdy, but I believe the “sturdiness” was compromised for the ability to remove the top panel from the top with 6 screws rather than the tedious, painful procedure required to open the HRAP-EX.
It’s actually the SE that has problems with buttons giving out. The TE is made with quality sanwa parts.
lol. I always love when people complain how “tedious” it is to take the face plate off to swap buttons/stick/etc…
It takes me about 3-4 min to get everything apart. I can understand if you have 0 experience with unscrewing anything, but even then it’s childs play. Hell, cutting out my stick art was the hardest thing I had to do to mod my stick. And let’s be completely honest, how many times a year are you going to take it apart anyways?
It’s all personal preference. I love my HRAP-EX and cancelled my TE stick preorder once I got it. Out of the box, maybe the TE is better. After dropping in Sanwas and a extra spring for the stick (i like tight sticks), it’s a completely different joystick and 10x better than what I was going to get.
If you want something better out of the box, HRAP-EX-SE no doubt.
Also, I am completely changing up my joystick. Got tired of the blanka scheme. Going with
http://i537.photobucket.com/albums/ff336/jasonschilling/uploadthis.jpg
With blue seimitsu’s and a clear blue bubble ball top.
The only advice I can give to anyone who wants to put any art on their stick. Print, cut, laminate, cut. I thought I would just cut once, and well, the laminate will pull up and look like shit.
Here’s my old template
http://i537.photobucket.com/albums/ff336/jasonschilling/P2180058.jpg
Cashew
1586
Recently I did my first mod on this arcade stick, replacing the hori buttons with sanwa buttons.
The buttons aren’t registering correctly and when I hit up on the stick my character won’t jump.
When I hit right it my character jumps backward. The buttons won’t register properly and when I actually hit the surface near the LB button it does a low kick. same with the top left part near the joystick.
I have no idea what is going on, but it was working fine before. If someone can enlighten me on this problem, I’d be grateful. Thanks.
I’ll bet money that you disabled a few buttons, and left the old wires where they could touch…
I helped a dude on here for like three weeks of diagnosis, he had the same symptoms you have…and we eventually traced it back to the fact that he removed two buttons, and the wires from those buttons were not properly secured.
Hint: If you are getting missing or wrong inputs AND you have any kind of wackyness like hitting the case and moves come out…its crossed wires like 99% of the time.
Check all your wires and make absolutely sure none are shorting to each other.
I mentioned it was “tedious” because compared to a TE, it’s more work, and downright unnecessary. Bolts are still visible, so why not just make everything accessible from the top?
Because Hori hates us all.
I am going to do the top access mod…just haven’t gotten around to it yet.
What is the fascination with the Monster energy drink? Am I missing something? I see it on peoples cars a lot. What’s the deal it’s not exactly the coolest looking logo… It can’t be the fact that you enjoy that beverage because I love Starbucks but I don’t feel compelled to slap their logo all over my car… Does it have another meaning that I am not hip to? Help me out here brothers, I am losing sleep over this.:looney:
Honestly, I am 100% addicted to the blue lo-carb. I go thru 2 to maybe 3 cans a day depending on what I am doing (yeah, I work long shifts). I think the logo is pretty nice actually. Simple, and to the point.
They also sponsor Subaru world rally team and mostly any other sport I am interested in watching. It’s the same thing as putting any logo on a car, or what have you. You like it, so you put it there. It’s really nothing more than that 
Okay, I can finally get some rest haha I guess to each his own…
Back on topic. I love my Ex, even more than my TE. haha
Cashew
1593
Thanks for the help Parabellum. I did indeed remove two buttons. Now I just have to get back into the stick and fix the buttons. I’m going to get right on it.
Edit: You were right. I seperated out the two buttons’ wires and it worked. Thanks again!
Right now I am still trying to decide whether or not to get the Madcatz TE stick or the Hori EX plus Sanwa buttons.
The reason why I am leaning towards Hori is that I have an SE stick now that has almost completely crapped out on me. The PCB has shorted so RB is unusable, and 3 of the buttons have become unusable (I know the Hori buttons won’t be much better, that is why I am buying the Sanwa buttons).
Also, it seems like all of my inputs have a slight delay for some reason (tested in training mode, offline) for the last week or so. After all of this, compounded with the Madcatz joystick in the SE almost destroying itself with that damn washer (I used it for about 30 seconds before opening the stick to fix this), I have officially lost all faith in Madcatz.
Add in the fact that many people are complaining about PCB problems on the TE, as well as the fact that I have no plans to ever dual mod my stick (so the non-common ground PCB issue is really a non-issue), and I end up with the Hori. The extra 5$ spent on shipping for the Sanwa buttons isn’t too much of a sacrifice.
I’ve heard of other’s EX 2s pcbs failing as well but, I’ve had mine for close to a year now and it’s still fighting strong. Personally I like the EX over the other two. I’ve had a chance to try both a TE and SE and didn’t like how big and heavy the TE was (although to others that’s a plus) and the SE felt like playing on a shoe box. :lol:
I’ve also tried to stay away from madcatz since everything I ever had with a madcatz brand never lasted.
Oh very glad to hear it!
Nothing is more frustrating than having crazy stick issues.
:china:
I love my Hori I just wish the stick wasn’t soldered on. Soldering was never my forte sadly. So if I have issues I’m going to have to find a really nice friend. That or I might consider getting the new hori in october.
But personally mad katz has been a bad experience for me in the past. Using my friend’s it feels great on my lap, the stick and buttons are definitely sanwa quality, but the heart aka PCB which is actually made by mad katz sounds to be frail from reading on this board. I really like the look of the stick though.
The no solder hack:
Find one wire coming off your stick, cut it, strip the ends.
On the stick side, crimp on a male quick disconnect.
On the other side, crimp on a female quick disconnect.
Connect them.
Repeat for each wire.
Voila…now you can swap things in and out like normal and you had to do ZERO soldering.
mdsfx
1599
Does it drive anyone else nuts when people wrench their bolts down, creating sink-holes in the top panel? Maybe it’s just me, but it kills that perfect black gloss surface.
Like this one…
The stick is back in stock @ Amazon for $130 shipped!
