The Razer Arcade Stick Thread!

Tech Talk
1741

True to previous discussion, the Panthera is essentially a FightStick Pro version of the Atrox, with a top plate that cannot be non-destructively modded. I copped one off the CES Appreciation Sale, and was interested to see the differences between it and the XB1 Atrox (which already fixed a ton of shit in the problematic 360 version).

Basic pics:

Packing is WAY better. More plastic covers – it wouldn’t have surprised me if the Atrox was getting scuffed a bit in shipping.

Top panel is still a fingerprint magnet. No top facing-screws. The whole thing is essentially glued and sealed together, and the top plexi looks noticeably thinner. This means the artwork is closer to the surface and shines through a bit better, but also that it can never be changed. For comparison, here’s the XB1 Atrox:

Removable screws, but faded artwork because of the thicker plexi.

At first glance, looks like the same updated internals the XB1 Atrox had. Updated hinge attachment, a bit of reinforcement on the sides (not enough, imho), new/same cable connector. Screws holding in the metal plate are still in the same place… but buried under the sealed/glued top plate. gg Razer.

You can still get this thing to creak by pressing down on it. It’s somewhat better due to the revised top panel, but the real criminal all along has been those too-thin sides and no structural reinforcement in the middle.

Button clearance to the utility panel is thankfully not as tight as it is on the TE-S+, but I still think we’ll look back at these sticks in 10 years and find those things to be gaudy, stupid and unnecessary. I much prefer Hori’s approach in that regard.

It’s a good stick and I’ll probably keep it (I sold my two XB1 Atroxes to @nsdothack last year, who promptly quad-modded them), but it’s very clear this is an out-of-the-box controller and not an ideal mod project. I guess you can still easily add LEDs?

1742

I ordered one off the CES sale too hoping it’d be like the atrox but I’m kinda salty about the plexi but I’m sure there is a work around for it so that’s not that big of a deal. Thanks for the insight though.

1743

If you want to give this a go anyway, @Akshen, I’d recommend picking something up like the iFixit iOpener – a tool primarily designed warm up the glue holding together iPads, Surface Books, etc. Then at the very least, you can prep the separation from the glue a bit better and potentially non-destructively without ripping the whole top to shreds.

1744

Anyone know if the Madcatz pro cables (TE2/TE2+) work with the Panthera?

1745

Oh, thanks, I’ll look into it when I actually get the stick.

From what I’ve seen, yes.

1746

Razer ship fast. Order on Wednesday and the fightstick came in today at 9 AM

1747

Mine came in today, thing I’m worried about is the gas strut causing the case to fail eventually from the old atroxes. All in all pretty satisfied though.

1748

The Atrox came with a square gate, is the Panthera still using the square gate? If not I’ll have to buy the square gate insert =/

1749

Square gates are standard in most joysticks.
It cost extra to use something else

1750

Hello Everybody!
I have an Atrox 360.
Here comes the list of Mods that I’ve mande on it:

  1. Dual Mod with Cerberus - using the panel.
  2. Single PCB - Brook PS3/PS4 - but still using the panel.
  3. Here comes the 3rd:

I’ll put an UFB on it.
I already know all the simple mods for it: Panel, Player Led, etc…
But…

I’d like to know i is possible to use the “TURBO LEDS”?
I’d like to activate them (just the leds, not turbo function) for each button I press.

How should I do this?

Thanks guys!

1751

Got lucky and picked up a less than 1 month old Xbone Atrox cheap… With a Brook board, what is the preferred mod method? Rip out stock PCB and wires and start new, or hack whats there and integrate? Sorry for the dumb questions, new to modding, not new to fight sticks.

1752

Just take out the old board, get some new fresh wire encase you want to revert back and start fresh.

1753

this will be my first mod ever but what is the gauge of wire and size of blade connectors used on the buttons?

1754

If you are new at modding, I recomend the premade, precrimp wires. Make each button a different color wire, this will make insulation easier.
Also consider getting the pre-made daisy chain ground wire and a joystick wire harness. Daisy chain grounds make it less clutter and you only need one wire going back to a ground terminal.

Japanese style buttons use .110 sized connectors, .187 is for American style buttons and joysticks that don’t use the 5 pin wire harness

For wire gauge anywhere between 22 and 28 gauge is fine, 30 is getting a bit thin for work.

1755

Stuff like this:

https://paradisearcadeshop.com/525-wire-sets

The 10-connection daisy chain wire is pretty convenient for ground, since that’s your 8 face buttons + start/select. Then get the 16-wire rainbow pack and go ham.

1756

Has anyone attempted the panel removal on the Panthera yet? I picked one up during the half off sale, and I was thinking of taking a crack at it this weekend. If anyone was successful or even unsuccessful at it, I’d appreciate the help navigating through the woods, otherwise I will try to take pictures along the way to hopefully help others in the future.

1757

This might of been discussed, but whats the chance MS will ever release drivers so the Atrox fully works in Windows? (RT + LT)

1758

If they haven’t by now then probably never.

1759

In retrospect I’m shocked – SHOCKED, I SAY – that the Panthera somehow made it to market without the famed Razer “Chroma” treatment… RGB pushbuttons programmable through Synapse, Mamba-style rainbow wave around the edges. @MarkMan, what gives?

1760

Im trying to figure out the best method of wiring the Xbox One lock switch/LED panel to a Brook board with all the headers. Can anyone shed some light how they did theirs?