My home built metal DDR pad (Part IV)

[mbw163]

Hello, I've built a DDR pad based on Riptides design. The only problems I have now are the start button not working correctly. It seems to do a start and select which restarts the ddr game to the main menu. It worked before for a while, so I dont know if i soldered it on the wrong way or if it is fried. The controller i used was a $10 pelican edge from Wal Mart. I'm not sure if I soldered the grounds in the right way either.

I'm thinking on replacing the controller with the box from a Red octane soft pad I have. Does anyone know how to do that? I opened it up and saw that there seems to be some kind of plastic wiring/connector running to the board. Where do I go about soldering everything including the ground?

Also, when ever my brother plays, he cant seem to keep the longer freeze arrows. The shorter ones seem to be okay, but when he reaches a longer one it starts to change colors like your not hitting the arrow. Would this be a weatherstripping problem? (I couldnt find open cell foam at Home Depot)

Please help and sorry for the long post.

[Kalek]

I ended up using a softpad control box on mine.

I'd imagine that its similar to a redoctane.

How I ended up finding out the wiring was I took SoymilkCharlie's advice and hooked the cb up to a usb adapter on my computer and touched the wire to ground (the HUGE strip in the middle of the cb) and the other end of the wire to all of the different small strips to figure out button wiring.

I guess I could go check it and write it all down for you if you don't have a usb adapter or something. I can at least get up/down/left/right and I know where triangle, x and square are. I could also probably guess where start and select are.

Also, on mine, there was some black stuff on the contacts that I had to scrape off before soldering to it.

I wouldn't know with the freeze arrows, I used matrix sensors instead of riptide.

[ChilliumBromide]

For the black gunk, you can use a medium grain sandpaper, and that should work fairly well. That's what I used, and it gave me 11 large copper solder points to use. It was very nice.
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I used to be active here lol

[mbw163]

Thanks for the replies. I might just take another chance and go purchase another $10 pelican controller. I did look for the MAd CAtz, but Ebgames did not have them under the used PS2 accessories. I was also thinking on using an old PSone controller, but it seems that the controllers do not look the same as the PSX controllers, which have the tutorials. Does anyone know where the ground and everything are on the PSone controller and the Pelican Edge controllers? Im posting up pics of the Pelican Edge controller

About the freeze arrows... When I take a place of sheet metal, I can put the sheet metal on top of the contacts and it registers as a continuous step for the freeze arrows. This works for all four arrows, but when the plexiglass goes on and it hits the contacts, it seems that it does not want to hold the complete freeze arrow.

So far those are my only two concerns, although when the plexiglass was cut it was not lined up correctly so it moves a bit and it creaks.

[img]http://www.flickr.com/photos/mbw163/1295317877/[img]
[img]http://www.flickr.com/photos/mbw163/1295317901/[img]
[img]http://www.flickr.com/photos/mbw163/1295317893/[img]

BTW, Would the 2 in. mending brackets I have for the Riptide sensors work if I decide to change them to the Matrix one?

Why wont the links work as imgs or URLS?

[AJAX the Insomniac]

[Travelsonic]

Does anybody have pictures of the blueshark or arcade DDR/ITG pads clearly showing the recessive-ness of the arrows so I can determine how much I need to raise the nondirectional panels now that I have the sensor holders, sensor brackets in place, which on top of making the left arrow work perfectly makes it so the plexiglass is now above those panels.
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I'll believe that when me **** turns purple, and smells like rainbow sherbet.

[ChilliumBromide]

[mbw163]

Just an update on the DDR pad that was made... It seems that the foam I bought was the culprit to the freeze arrow/sensitivity problems. (Like DancingTofu said) I decided to cut the foam in half (it use to be a 6 in strip on all four corners). Now its just two smaller strips with a gap in the middle. And for the extra effort, I decided to take a knife and poke holes through the weatherstripping so it has more air going through it. It doesn't look too well but, it works really well now.

As for the controller, I went back to Wal Mart and just got a new pelican edge controller. If this one gives out on me again i shall use the Red Octane Softpad. But for now everything works very nicely.

So now the only thing I need to do now is to get the arrows. I went looking for more arrows but the links seem to be broken. I decided to try something out with the plexiglass. I added three sheets of printer paper between the two and when I applied pressure, there was no creaking noise. So hopefully I can get the arrows soon.

So I would like to Thank everyone on this (riptide for his tutorial and video as well as the others for getting a idea for this project and for the help with troubleshooting) ! If I remember correctly, the price came out to be $185 (Beats paying $350 or so for the other kinds)

BTW, Does anyone know what to use to polish the sheetmetal? I read in the Galv. steel thread that I can use brasso and steel wool. Would it work on this sheetmetal?

Testing to see if the pics work (controller)

[Crimson7]

Has anyone tried using springs for the switch pads?
What springs should I look for? Any tips on how to set this up?

[DMS]

So uh, after about a month(maybe more?) I finally continued work on my pad today. First progress since those pictures I posted ages ago. Got the controller soldered, and some new panels cut(others were too thick)

Also, if I never said before... the DJ3 supply list for me came out to ~$400, when his site said like $160-ish or whatever. :x

[Weston]

Wow.. that seems extremely overpriced. I didn't count the tools in my costs, if that's something you did. I kept receipts of every single part I used to build the pad and then rounded it off. The biggest fluxuator in the cost would be the plastic used for the arrow panels... some brands are more expensive than others. But damn, $400? Must have been an expensive supplier.

[ChilliumBromide]

Wow, yes, that does seem way overpriced. Did you have a lot of scraps?


Oh, and I finally cut a bit of the 2x6's I got and they work beautifully. It seems that I cut the base too small though. I intentionally made it 34"x34" instead of 33"x33" in anticipation of it being too small, and then I start putting the pad together and the base is 32.6"x32.8". WTF. Oh well, I'll live.

Anyway, it seems that I did get SOMETHING right. I put an assembled non-button panel by an assembled button panel and the tops line up perfectly with the non-button panel just barely above the button panel. It'll be slightly higher with the metal on, and the result will be VICTORY.
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I used to be active here lol

[DMS]

[kev0]

Hey, I'm from Australia - Melbourne.

As some of you know, Metal DDR pads are practically unbuyable in Aus, so I've decided to make my own.

I followed Riptide's instruction and I have a few questions to ask;

1. In Riptide's pad design tutorial around 6 minutes in the first chapter, what was the size of the piece of wood, (He said something like 2 lengths of 8 ft of something something)
2. Since the main hardware stores uses milimetres to measure, not inches, does it matter if the plywood is like 3 mm thinner?
3. The acrylic sheets at my local Bunnings (Hardware store) only has 3mm Acrylic sheets. What is the disadvantages of using a thinner Acrylic sheet?
4. Sheet Steel. Anywhere where you can get those around Melbourne. I'm having quite a problem trying to locate a seller around here. Unfortunately our local Hardware store sells Sheet Aluminium. Is that a feasible alternative?

Yeah, quite a few questions, but I'm only 15 years old and I got one shot at this. So I'ma try to make the best one I can.

Thanks for your time.

[ChilliumBromide]

1. I'm unfortunately unable to view the videos because my computer is being an asshat, but do you mean the 2x4's? I'm not sure if those even exist in Australia, but what they are are 1.5"x3.5" loooong boards. Usually 7 to 9 feet. I think that would be about 38mm by 90mm, and each one should be 84cm long (you'll have to cut them down).

If you can't get them, look for some long, thick boards at your local hardware store and get the measurements on them, and hopefully I or someone else can help you figure out what to do with 'em.

2. It shouldn't matter, but make sure that the panels are also 3mm thinner so that the pad lines up right. I'd go for slightly thicker rather than slightly thinner though.

3. It will break. Get 6.5mm Polycarbonate if possible.

4. Aluminum SHOULD work, but make sure it conducts! If you're not sure, ask one of the people who work there whether it will conduct electricity or not. If you can't find out, you can still use it to cover the non-button panels, but for the sensors, you'll have to find something else. If you can't find a good conducive sheet metal, try making matrlx sensors instead.
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I used to be active here lol

[traydemark03]

Whoa... haven't been here for awhile.

Anyway...I'm planning to build another pad. Only this time, it'll be low budget. No sheet metal and no plastic panels.

I'm also aiming for less than 2" high while still using 3/4" plywood. Does anyone know the height of the matrix sensors?

If I remember correctly...they're suppose to be 1/4" thick...but I also remember the mouse pad pieces were 1/4" thick so I think I'm confusing something.

[ChilliumBromide]

[traydemark03]

[kev0]

Thanks DancingTofu.

I've decided to pospone the project (and continue using my crappy softpad) until I find the materials needed. (I'm lacking the acrylic and the sheet steel).

I'll contact this thread once I get started on the project and have any troubles.

[traydemark03]

If anyone wants corner brackets, I have a bunch of them for sale that I ended up not using...actually, one pack is open but the rest are still sealed.