Author Topic: D-Pad and Other Hardware Improvements (Read 44568 times)

Xaijiqq · « **Reply #80 on:** February 15, 2015, 04:48:27 pm »

Quote from: ker on February 15, 2015, 12:29:50 pm

Quote from: Xaijiqq on February 15, 2015, 10:11:24 am
what exactly did you use to cut the dpad? i wouldn't use the suggested X-Acto knife unless its a heavy duty one because i went through 2 of them breaking both blades it is a pretty tough material

I've used a x-acto knife with a #11 blade and it works just fine. Just made small cuts each time.

not sure what blade was on them but most likely neither was #11

vonzippenstein · « **Reply #81 on:** April 23, 2015, 08:06:13 am »

Primed and lacquered the d-pad along with a few mods and the buttons are from a red DS shell. Originally I was going to use the Gameboy d-pad like a few posts back but no matter how much I shaved off of it I couldn't get it to act right. So I switched back to the original.

Put a pen ink tube over the d-pad spindle that added a few millimeters of height. This made the directions hardly register when pressed since the ends rode more on the edge. I folded some little bits of orange paper and stuffed it in the pockets on the back to give it a bit more thickness. And now they press easier and the center has a pivot. DS buttons are not an exact fit. They're too wide and too short, but this is exactly what drew me to them in the first place. To add more height, and up the letters right side up, I cut the bases off the old buttons and used e6000 glue to attach them to the new buttons. But they were still too short to register so I cut some plastic up, a AAA card, and attached it underneath. Also I had to sand the button holes on the case to widen them out for the DS buttons.

Probably took it apart and put it back together like 30 times and broke then reattached every soldered connection. But I'm pretty happy with the result. It feels the way I wanted.

Surkow · « **Reply #82 on:** April 23, 2015, 11:58:30 am »

Looks very nice!

You could have added a JST connector if you broke the soldered connections that many times.

opt2not · « **Reply #83 on:** May 05, 2015, 11:14:02 pm »

I'd like to look into making the Start and Select buttons quieter.
From the GCW disassembly thread, it looks like the two switches are surface soldered to the mainboard and shouldn't be too difficult to replace, if you're handy with a soldering iron:

Anyone know of a good replacement for these switches, something with a lighter engage? Or is it not the switches themselves, but the actual buttons making the noise?

At the moment they have a pretty loud click, and when most emulators use both Start+Select presses to get to the emulator's menu, you really get double the clicking sound which sucks for people like me who tend to game on the GCW in bed at night when the kids and missus are sleeping.

opt2not · « **Reply #84 on:** May 12, 2015, 09:42:12 pm »

Anyone? Been trying to find the name of these buttons but I must be retarded at using google lately...

Xaijiqq · « **Reply #85 on:** May 13, 2015, 03:05:58 am »

Quote from: opt2not on May 12, 2015, 09:42:12 pm

Anyone? Been trying to find the name of these buttons but I must be retarded at using google lately...

http://boards.dingoonity.org/gcw-general/gcw-zero-replacement-microswitch-for-selectstart-buttons/

this thread looks to have a link for replacements not sure about making the buttons quieter. the caanoo appears to have similar start & select buttons and the clicking is definitely less noticeable. gotta be some way to adjust it

fosamax · « **Reply #86 on:** May 16, 2015, 09:14:05 am »

Hi, anyone looking for Dingoo A380 button could buy from AliExpress :

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/dingoo-a320-a330-a320e-a380-case-outner-replace-case-shell/669698913.html

I bought one shell (I stated I didn't care about color so I got a pink one !) and got all buttons except power switch but ABXY are there.

Here's some real pics.

I modified one GCW Zero for a fellow member from open-consoles but I will let him show you the result.

I may make an how to when I find time to apply the same changes to mine.

krs one · « **Reply #87 on:** May 16, 2015, 04:36:21 pm »

Thanks, just ordered a set. Been wanting some colored buttons for my white case. Will really make it pop then.

tekkaman · « **Reply #88 on:** May 20, 2015, 04:25:36 am »

Just wanted to update that my system is now unusable. The A button issue was tolerable but now the D-pad is stuck to the left. -_- I bought this in the last days of December and it didn't last long. I feel I bought a piece of crap.

Yertle · « **Reply #89 on:** May 20, 2015, 06:13:20 pm »

Quote from: tekkaman on May 20, 2015, 04:25:36 am

Just wanted to update that my system is now unusable. The A button issue was tolerable but now the D-pad is stuck to the left. -_- I bought this in the last days of December and it didn't last long. I feel I bought a piece of crap.

You should send an email to GCW. [email protected] or [email protected]

See if they are willing to help you out.

opt2not · « **Reply #90 on:** May 20, 2015, 07:27:59 pm »

Quote from: Xaijiqq on May 13, 2015, 03:05:58 am

Quote from: opt2not on May 12, 2015, 09:42:12 pm
Anyone? Been trying to find the name of these buttons but I must be retarded at using google lately...

http://boards.dingoonity.org/gcw-general/gcw-zero-replacement-microswitch-for-selectstart-buttons/

this thread looks to have a link for replacements not sure about making the buttons quieter. the caanoo appears to have similar start & select buttons and the clicking is definitely less noticeable. gotta be some way to adjust it

Thanks for this link. From the button suggestion, linked in the last post, it looks promising that these buttons might be quieter.

"Actuating Force: 100~300gf"

Any switch close to 100gf would be fairly quiet, so this could be a good replacement.

tekkaman · « **Reply #91 on:** May 21, 2015, 04:13:18 am »

Quote from: Yertle on May 20, 2015, 06:13:20 pm

Quote from: tekkaman on May 20, 2015, 04:25:36 am
Just wanted to update that my system is now unusable. The A button issue was tolerable but now the D-pad is stuck to the left. -_- I bought this in the last days of December and it didn't last long. I feel I bought a piece of crap.

You should send an email to GCW. [email protected] or [email protected]

See if they are willing to help you out.

Have you or anyone send their unit for repairs ? I think I read somewhere that someone here sent his to repair and never got it back or something.

howie_k · « **Reply #92 on:** May 21, 2015, 08:01:23 am »

I sent my KS unit back for repair (from the UK), and I had to chase a few times, but I got a replacement unit in the end, a few months later.

Yertle · « **Reply #93 on:** May 21, 2015, 09:02:19 pm »

Quote from: tekkaman on May 21, 2015, 04:13:18 am

Quote from: Yertle on May 20, 2015, 06:13:20 pm
Quote from: tekkaman on May 20, 2015, 04:25:36 am
Just wanted to update that my system is now unusable. The A button issue was tolerable but now the D-pad is stuck to the left. -_- I bought this in the last days of December and it didn't last long. I feel I bought a piece of crap.

You should send an email to GCW. [email protected] or [email protected]

See if they are willing to help you out.

Have you or anyone send their unit for repairs ? I think I read somewhere that someone here sent his to repair and never got it back or something.

I'm not sure if GCW is giving any kind of warranty on retail units. If he is, I wouldn't worry about never getting your unit back. It might take some time but right now it's unplayable. If you open it up and something gets messed up, that will surely void any kind of warranty that might be given. I think it's worth at least sending an email over to see what he has to say.

Beerman1138 · « **Reply #94 on:** May 21, 2015, 10:12:24 pm »

And to be clear -- it's really easy to break things inside the Zero. So, if you are not confident, go with the warranty.

tekkaman · « **Reply #95 on:** May 22, 2015, 11:41:29 pm »

Well [email protected] seems to be inactive. The letter bounced back to me and I haven't received reply from [email protected] .

Yertle · « **Reply #96 on:** May 23, 2015, 12:07:57 am »

Quote from: tekkaman on May 22, 2015, 11:41:29 pm

Well [email protected] seems to be inactive. The letter bounced back to me and I haven't received reply from [email protected] .

I will send him a private message through Kickstarter for you.

zear · « **Reply #97 on:** May 23, 2015, 11:56:50 am »

Quote from: tekkaman on May 22, 2015, 11:41:29 pm

Well [email protected] seems to be inactive. The letter bounced back to me and I haven't received reply from [email protected] .

The domain is gcw-zero.com, not gcwzero.com.

tekkaman · « **Reply #98 on:** June 14, 2015, 12:43:01 am »

Well I got only one reply from GCW Zero asking if I tried lube. I told him that my problem seems to be more with the membrane/rubber thing inside the D-pad. I haven't heard from him since.

jamboid · « **Reply #99 on:** June 15, 2015, 06:51:53 pm »

read my post here:-

http://boards.dingoonity.org/gcw-general/d-pad-and-buttons-sticking-issue/360/