Third party PS4 padhack options

Tech Talk
421

The Hori FC4 is cheaper than that on amazon, plus there is more information on the FC4. I don’t know if anyone pad hacked the Gator Claw but people are just starting to get their hands on the FPS plus.

422

That Gator Claw actually doesnt look like a bad controller. I wonder what the inside looks like. Seems like there are LED behind those buttons. Hopefully someone picks one up to tear it apart.

423

Hi There! First post here. :slight_smile:
First, thanks Gummo for the thread and the usefull informations.
Second, please excuse my terrible English.

So, I’m working onto an easy padhacking solution for Madcatz SE/TE/TE-S.

I’ve designed a PCB which replace the one into the “control panel” of those stick since they are identical (minus the lock possibility in the start/select buttons).
I’ve made it with those points in mind:

  • Easy to put, limit as possible wiring stuff.
  • You can keep the original control panel with the Home and Turbo buttons and sliders (LS/DP/RS and lock)
  • You can replace the membrane from the Home and Turbo buttons with microswitchs
  • 100% compatible with the FC4, and as much as possible with others.
  • Easy plug/unplug pad, so you can replace for a better one without to much work
  • RGB LED to show you which plateform is selected.
  • Support dual platform AND dual PCB, so support up to 4 platforms
  • The plateform selection use the “lock” switch, but the lock function is still present on the PCB (so you can put another switch elsewhere)
  • You can choose the layout of the PCB with some jumpers: Normal (Single PCB) or Deluxe (Dual PCB)
  • You will loose the Turbo LEDs.
  • A clean deluxe mod will need a new control panel

Here’s a picture of the first revision:
http://i.imgur.com/6tljGk8m.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/YBPHZnzm.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/8G8SNLzm.jpg

It’s slightly different from the orginal one but perfectly fits. It’s was tested with the FC4 and the MKX pad for X360/Xone with success minus some small problems:

  • The contact for the membrane buttons (Turbo and Home) generates a 10kOhms resistance, which is not present when using microswitchs, introduction delay. ==> 6*6mm microswitch are on the way and will definilty replace the membranes.
  • I wanted a Blue led for PS4, and Red for PS3. Got it wrong, colors are swapped. :frowning: ==> Some Kynar wires and it’s ok, but not clean.
  • Since I wanted a quick wiring, I wanted to use IDC socket and a ribbon cable (see the pics above, it’s like an IDE connector). But with the ribbon cable + connector + housing, the total height is way to high to be used on the side I’ve designed it. Still can be installed in a Madcatz SE but the PCB is a bit bent and you can only use it for a single padhack. **==> I’ve to used a different connector and solder it in the other side of the PCB, but I have to crimp each wires from the ribbon cable, so I’m losing the easy process I’ve wanted :’( **
  • The Hori Fight Commander doesn’t want to work without its original USB cable. It works with a short USB cable, but it refuses to work with the one in the Madcatz (15ft). Maybe I need some ferrites in my design.

Madcatz SE single mod (don’t pay attention to the mess on the buttons, this was my testing unit):
http://i.imgur.com/6P9A3c5m.jpg

Madcatz TE round 1 single mod (for a friend)
http://i.imgur.com/8FELkRUm.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/57wMlCRm.jpg

For the deluxe mod on my TE-S, I wanted a clean layout. So I’ve made one in 3D and printed it on Shapeways:
http://i.imgur.com/q30izIXm.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/W1i6j0em.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/vTfkHdym.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/4OiJpbzm.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/rgO0INnm.jpg

Unfortunaltey the material I choose (the cheaper one) is not occluding the LED:
http://i.imgur.com/Kiwbcmam.jpg

But at least I know the dimension are right and the quality is fine.

424

Hmm, I just noticed a weird issue I haven’t been able to figure out. Everything is working fine, except that if I hold down the start (options) button for as short as 3 secs,
the ps4 will prompt that the controller has disconnected. This only happens with ps4 and does not occur on pc, and I can reproduce this consistently.

Have you seen anything like this before?

425

Awesome work, its nice to have another option on the table for SE/TE/TE-S modding

426

this looks good something i can use for my TEs and it looks easy just solder the ribbon cable to the FC4?

427

Thanks. I have a some of my friends who have TE/TE-S who want to keep them for playing SF5 on PS4 and don’t like or don’t want to buy the TE2, so I came up with this idea.
You can use a FC4, and if another pad or a mod comes up in the future whith a better latency, you can replace it.

I’ve forgot to add: the switching between 2 pads is done by a IC logic (74HC4053), which select the USB D+/D- you need. It’s exaclty the same thing than using a DPDT switch, but with an additional track so I could lit the Green led (which add to the current Red or Blue, so the four colors will be Red, Blue, Yellow and Cyan.)

428

Yup, That’s the main idea. You just have to respect the order of the ribbon cable.
http://i.imgur.com/N7NHI7nm.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/3zK5ba5m.jpg

If you have a TE/TE-S you also have to solder the two small ribbon cables for the buttons (like Madcatz did with PS3 version of the TE/TE-S
(on the right of the pic).
http://i.imgur.com/QuwnvNLm.jpg

429

Make sure you’re not soldering to the capacitor/small dot right next to the test points on the back on the controller.

Pics please

430

Wonderful work The_Real_Phoenix, sure beats the pref board solution I rigged up.
One quick question, because I don’t have one on me to check- would this be a drop in replacement for an FS Pro? For some reason I recall the FS Pro and FS Versus having a slightly different sized panel compared to the TE/TE-S. I could be very wrong, maybe it just sits more snug.

431

panel is the same size

432

I couldn’t grab a FS-Pro while I designed the PCB so I can’t confirm.
It should be compatible with the FS-Pro X360 however I don’t think it is with the PS3 version: the Home button is slightly off for the 4 leds indicators.

If I can grab one I’ll add the possibility in the design in a next revision of the board (like additional holes a let you choose where you want the microswitch. You’ll lose the 4 leds though.

For the control panel, I also need to measure the height if I want to printed one in 3D: the one in the SE is higher than the TE/TE-S, I suppose the one in the FS-Pro has the same height of one of them.

433

I recall the dimensions on the width and length of the panel is the same as far as the top panel is concern. I think the SE\TvC and Brawl guide panels is slightly thicker.
But both the Xbox and PS3 variants guide PCBs will physically fit into the other’s plastic shell.

I think the real difficulty with the pro and vs was not the guide area it self but where it’s positioned and the change of length in the wiring.

434

After weeks of reading discussions on ps4 pad hacks, from the now abandoned ds4 pad to the xrd pad, I decided to pursue in modifying a stick with the recommended hori FC4 pad.

I decided to go with the qanba hori FC4 combo in order to be able to play sf on the Xbox, while having the option to use the same stick on the PS4 as there is a guide that was tweeted by Valle himself.

My question is, while following this guide from http://www.diyandretry.com/?p=143,
could someone explain to me what is going on with the use of the USB cable in the case of that mod. I can’t seem to follow the guide when it comes to the USB cable section as in what’s being connected to what or Which is used to connect to consoles as far as that dpdt switch goes.

I think from what I gathered is that the qanbas usb cable is removed along with the HC4s and that the green and white cables from the pad usb are removed and soldered from the pad to the qanba board to the switch…? I’ve never messed with two boards before, let alone connect one to another to a dpdt switch.

I apologize for the long paragraph and possibly silly question but I’m hoping someone could break this down for me as the guide became hard for me to follow once I hit the usb section.

I sent a private message to a user here but I understand that their time is used on their work, etc. I’m hoping someone could help me out here.

Thanks

Mark

435

This is what is happening.

http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad66/jdm714_bucket/Diagrams/DPDT_Dual_Mod_QANBAxFC4_zps2fifkvcz.png~original

436

Thank you so much for breaking it down jdm714, this is all I needed.

Much appreciated

437

I didn’t solder those on the back, but I found the issue, thanks again for all your help!

438

Here’s the result of trying to wire everything together for the first time. I attempted to test the USB, Home and Options button before I finished for the day. Couldn’t get it to turn on on my PC or PS4.

http://i.imgur.com/XllcsB8.jpg

I think it’s because the solder from the green and white USB wires were slightly connected before the picture and I made it WAY worse when trying to fix it. I hope I can find a place that carrier a desoldering wick or braid tomorrow.

439

So, I ran into a problem while working on another FC4 pad. The D- contact pad came off. Is there another place I can solder the D- onto? Or I’m out of luck

440

that does not look like a slight connection between your data lines
that looks like one enormous lump that is supposed to be 4 separate wires

you don’t need a desoldering braid. heat up that blob and pull the wires out. Then use your iron and an xacto knife to “cut” the solder away from each point like you’re slicing pudding. you need something to take off the excess solder from your iron and probably your knife too, so have your solder cleaner handy. If you don’t have one of these, just use a damp sponge.

http://www.onlinecomponents.com/images/parts/LargeImages/11481230.jpg

i would then cut and restrip your usb wire and redo. don’t leave so much wire exposed and tin your points before you connect the wires.