Light-up on activation button mod tutorial

Tech Talk
481

@Knightfall

I’ve used two leds in series for the [media=youtube]BaVEjkgLHGE"[/media]. Problem was that the used leds had only a lower brightness level. So I’ve used two per button. But using leds with a higher brightness level makes live easier.

Bye,

Ben

482

Thanks for the quick reply but got it working now.
i think it was the LED, i was using resistors for 3v LEDs and i think the LED was testing it on is 4 or 5v. my 3v LEDs came in the mail today, tried them and it seems to be working fine now.
do you think that could have been the problem?

483

Well, if everything seems to be in working order, then I was wrong =)

484

only real question i have for you is which specific LEDs have you used using this method? (color, rating, maybe even were purchased?

485

Lied thought of another
Also when doing multiple LEDs (1 LED per button on the Cthulhu board,) would i need individual connections from each LEDs anode to the VCC on the board? (6 led = 6 wires all to the same VCC line?) Or could/would that be daisy chained same as you would the ground for the buttons?

486

Got two quick questions regarding the ground line.

Can the inverter LED mod be used on PCB’s with no common ground?
Can the inverter-less LED mod (like the one bencao used) work on PCB’s with no common ground?

I’m inclined to think at least the second method, without the inverter, should work as the grounds being different shouldn’t matter, as each LED uses a ground and a signal on it’s own. Maybe it could mess up when two buttons are pressed simultaneously? Don’t know.

487

No*, and No*.

  • Can’t be 100% No because non-common ground pads aren’t just some standard, they’re done half a bajillion ways for different reasons. You’re free to try with whatever you like, but you’ll fail 99 times out of 100 for reasons that are different for each pad.
488

You could daisy chain the VCC line, sure, but from that daisy chain will have to be the rest and the LED. So, a VCC wire running around with a resistor and LED branching off at each button.

489

@oneday:

http://www.phenoptix.co.uk/

prewired 5mm Leds.

Bye,

Jochen

490

Ah, the rabbit hole just keeps getting deeper here! I’m goint to try my hand at a custom stick and there are just way too may options! Now I’ll have to try this lighted LED thing. But I’ve got a few questions. Please forgive the n00biness of some of them:

  1. I’m planning on doing a wireless ps3 stick with the sixaxis adaptor. Will the inverterless LED setup work?
  2. What is the VCC? I’m trying to picture the ps3 PCB and teh adapter in my head to get some idea of what wire runs where and I’m drawing a complete blank. (Sorry again for being a n00b at this)
  3. If I purchased a prewired LED, does that mean the resistor is already soldered inline with the LED, or will that still need to be done (again, ultra n00b here)? And would I want 12v or 6v LEDs?

I just ordered my happ case and I’m trying to decide on the electronics. If I can figure out the wiring, I’ll end up getting the clear buttons, If not, I can keep this in mind if I go with a Sanwa style stick next go round.

491

Hi,

VCC is your forward current. Take it from the PCB. Ive used this 6V led in wired setups. In your wireless setup you dont have enough current to get a good result. And you waste battery power. I recommend led mods with wired pcbs (or additional power source).

Bye,

Jochen

492

Thanks for the response. I’m not too worried about the draw too much (plan on a higher maH lipo battery if I went down that road). That said, I’d still want it to work. Since I’d, in essence, be doing a padhack with the PS3, would I run that positive LED lead (I’m guessing that’s what it would be) to the power solder point on the PS3 PCB? Or could I tap into the battery (or an external bettery) directly? As for the LEDs, could I step down to a 3.3v, or would they be too dim to shine thru and make a difference? And I’m guessing even with the prewireds I’d sill need to solder the resistor on, correct?

493

No, the prewired have intgerated resistor. I can’t believe that the 3.3V is enough for a good lighting effect. But give it a try or check out one of these led resistors calculator…

And probably you want to use then one a charging circuit. Try a search for max1811.

Led mod tutorials and pics

494

Since I’m ultra slow, and I want to make sure I have this right:

(Thanks to slagcoin for the diagram, btw)

If I were going for the inverterless LED mod in my setup, I’d wire the buttons up normally thru the axisadapter, chain the LED grounds (anode) to the signal button leads (which would be going to the corresponding sixaxis points), tap into the 5v output on the sixaxis PCB and either daisy chain the LED cathodes together or run them to a wire block and get a bigger battery.

Am I on the right trakc?

495

This PCB is not common ground (I’m not even sure the common is a common low or high ?), use the inverter for this (or buy Toodles’ Cthulhu)

496

Toodles: You mentioned in another thread that you and Kaytrim are working on a custom LED PCB with some nice added features (more than just light up on press)

When will you both be ready to unveil this thing? :wow:

497

As soon as we get the code done and tested. I have the code done I think, but I need to set it up on a breadboard so I can test it all out simultaneously to make sure it works right and any final debugging. I literally have one assignment due every day from now until Wednesday of next week, so I don’t expect it to be less than a few weeks, and with everything going on, possibly a month+.

498

Thanks for that, very nice find :wgrin:

After seeing Kaytrim’s latest I’d have to say I’m impressed as hell with your project!

499

That last stick was all him. Only thing I did was be a sounding board when his programming when wonky.

500

Thanks. I thought I could use benaco’s method, but if it’s not going to work, I can wait for the new board Toodles and co. are working on. Besides, it gives me time to plan my next stick.

Once they’re out, sign me up.