My home built metal DDR pad (Part IV)

hooded__paladin · Trick Member Joined: 10 Nov 2003

The 'hot' sides are the sides that aren't the ground. They're called 'hot' because, well, since the ground is everywhere else, the other side of each button is considered the side that activates it, and is thus hot. It doesn't quite make sense, but that's the way electrical engineers and electricians talk about it. I'm sorry. I tried to make it clear that the 'hot' sides meant the sides that aren't ground, and I didn't want to always say "the other sides," but I guess it wasn't clear enough.

SpaceMan · Trick Member Joined: 03 Dec 2002

So, which side of the copper is which?

Ground/Direction .. It'd be helpful if someone can lable it.

DDRdre · Trick Member Joined: 08 Feb 2004 Location: Fl

I'm finally gonna start making a metal pad

. But i just want to no if there is anyway to save some money cuz im saving up for some other games and stuff
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hooded__paladin · Trick Member Joined: 10 Nov 2003

Verified · Trick Member Joined: 01 Jun 2004 Location: Behind You!

i'm no electrician, but i can tell there aren't little exposed circles next to my buttons on the hot side. There is the copper button with green wire running from it to the black processing unit.
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hooded__paladin · Trick Member Joined: 10 Nov 2003

You can also solder to the copper button area. Little circles somewhere along the lines are convenient, but not the ONLY place you can solder to.

Think electrically, people! A wire is a wire is a wire, and you can connect to it wherever you want*, whether it's a copper circle or a copper area or a component leg or whatever.

*as long as you connect it to the same section, not on the different side of a component or what have you. That would NOT be the same thing.

And if you need to know what a component is (because it seems like I'm giving a freaking electronics course in here), it's one of those things that stick out of the board.

SpaceMan · Trick Member Joined: 03 Dec 2002

Like I said.. A picture would be nice..

All I need to do now is find the ground point and then I can finish up so I can test it.

Please, just a picture or something? I don't want to create any more of a fuss over something so silly.

hooded__paladin · Trick Member Joined: 10 Nov 2003

the ground part is ANYWHERE ALONG THE GROUND SECTION, not just one point on the entire controller. See, it's just the opposite side of the 'hot' sides - you can tell which one it is because it will be connected to the other buttons. An easy way to do it - rather than looking for a copper circle - would be to just solder to one half of a button area, because that stuff is nice exposed copper, too. I don't know why it takes so long. You should just do one minute of thinking and one minute of working to find it out.

*New EASY way to find the ground*
See the side that isn't the ground? You know which one that is, right? Well, the ground is the side that isn't the side that isn't the ground!

-anyways-

If you want me to mark the solder points on a picture for you, you will first need to give me a larger picture of the circuit board, $1, and the eternal right to call you "freaking lazy moron." So, just do it yourself.

Verified · Trick Member Joined: 01 Jun 2004 Location: Behind You!

gee, someone seems antzy! the ground could be difficult for someone who doesn't know electronics well. Thankfully mine has a good contact point on the ground. My only issue now is which pad to build... I debating XEROX or DDRhomepad
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hooded__paladin · Trick Member Joined: 10 Nov 2003

My point is that there isn't one point that is the ground - it's any point along the ground, and he seems to be asking where EXACTLY the ground is.

SpaceMan · Trick Member Joined: 03 Dec 2002

Nevermind, I got it. -_-; .. Geez, I just asked were one ground point was where I could solder to. No need to make a huge fuss about it. So I did the upper 3 on the right hand side (More like accidentally melted them together, oh well.). It works.

Verified · Trick Member Joined: 01 Jun 2004 Location: Behind You!

just started work on my DDR pad! Using a Modified Version of DDRhomepad. No railing whatsoever. solid wood though! will tell how its coming along. I've already modled the arrows to look and feel identicle to the Arcade and is as sensitive as a baby! should take me 2 or 3 more days before i'm done!
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gamersource · Trick Member Joined: 11 Sep 2003 Location: Ontario

I need to know what type of wire to use for ddrhomepads version, I tried finding telphone wire but the only telephone wire I could find was like the cord that connects your telephone reciever to your phone which is like the cord that goes like this -_-_-_-_-_-_- all squigly

help would be much appreciated, thats all I have left to do is wire it
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tolookah · Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2004 7:57 pm Post subject:

check radioshack for the phone wire... they sell spools of the stuff for cheap (without the ends)
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Aim: Tolookah
MSN: Tolookah
XBox: Tolookah
DDRPad Soldering and electrical Help: http://www.tolookah.net/DDR/ As hooded_paladin put it: "Currently, help for Beatpad Pro, official Sony Playstation Controller and ANY controller unless you are extremely stupid or lazy."

hooded__paladin · Trick Member Joined: 10 Nov 2003

Remember, you will need at least five conductors (5 seperate wires) - most phone lines only have four.

tolookah · Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2004 9:08 pm Post subject:

link

that link SHOULD work... if not, radioshack does carry 6 and 8 conductor phone cables... or just rip the ends off a network cable, so long as its not too long, the twist shouldn't matter...
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Aim: Tolookah
MSN: Tolookah
XBox: Tolookah
DDRPad Soldering and electrical Help: http://www.tolookah.net/DDR/ As hooded_paladin put it: "Currently, help for Beatpad Pro, official Sony Playstation Controller and ANY controller unless you are extremely stupid or lazy."

Didjivibes · Trick Member Joined: 06 Jun 2004 Location: Springfield, VA

hi, first i apologize if my question has been answered in a previous post but i am currently stuck with a very slow dial-up and reading through all the posts takes a very long time. now on to my question.

i was testing an arrow and without the ground being used the arrow acted as though i was holding it down. i checked my wiring and noticed that once a wire touches any of the connectors other than the ground, the corresponding button reacts. is this normal? do all the connectors need to be wired for them to work properly? i'm at a total loss. i'd hate to give up so far into this project. any suggestions?

i hope my problem is clear enough to answer and i appreciate any help or advice i can get.

thanks,
didjivibes

Verified · Trick Member Joined: 01 Jun 2004 Location: Behind You!

Holy Crapola! I've created a madman!

My DDR pad seems to be solid enough! the only room for possible bending or breaking is where the weatherstripping is! the rest is solid! nice...

Not to mention, all i have left to do is basically wire it and cover the darned thing in sheet metal! *I am not using Stanley Brackets to hold it together, it is screws and boards. this thing is SOLID! will post pics of it completed.

Day1-figuring out exactly how we are gonna use aluminum on the pad-made first Arrow, tested contact and it is sweeet.

Day 2-Made other three Arrows, Silicon II drying, made 5 non-arronw panels.*Today.

Day 3-Put all the panels together, wire it, test it. Then begin to Cover it with Flashing.

Day 4-Will probably be done day 3, but if not we will finish it up mmm... Metal Dance Pad....
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sonyeddie · Trick Member Joined: 03 Feb 2004 Location: Mission,TX