homebrew ghetto pad

ceraf · Posted: Thu May 11, 2006 12:20 pm Post subject: homebrew ghetto pad

not sure if this has been done yet...but here it goes.

I always wanted to make a metal pad, but it always seemed too pricey for all the materials. I thought of using cardboard, but realized it's too easily bent.

Then I came across some hardboard. It was a little flexible, but hard enough to keep its original shape. Heck, it only cost about a dollar at home depot for a 2x2' square, so i gave it a shot. Turns out, it works quite well. Much better than those cheap soft pads; now i can do 9-10 footers without the fear of killing the mat...and even if i did wear out the aluminum sensors, i could replace them easily.

psisarah · Trick Member Joined: 06 Jul 2005 Location: Toronto

That is the most ghettotacular thing I've ever seen.

I love it.

How much did the whole thing cost?
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ceraf · Posted: Thu May 11, 2006 1:07 pm Post subject:

the foam board and office carpet mat were free (going to be thrown out), I probably could have used something else. got an old pc gamepad victim to hack...maybe i should have used a usb controller.

so, i spent about 4 bucks canadian.

Jaufwa · Posted: Thu May 11, 2006 1:46 pm Post subject:

Now THAT is hardcore! So how does it work? Whats underneath the hardboard? What system you using?
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AA Bob · Trick Member Joined: 24 Aug 2005 Location: Alllll right!

That's awesome. All you need to do is draw on some arrow decals with a crayon and it'll be perfect.

Edit: Do you have something besides the duct tape holding those arrow panels down?

Edit 2: What about the non-arrow buttons? How do you navigate through menus without them?
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DARREN HAYEZ · Trick Member Joined: 13 Apr 2006 Location: Michigan

Ghetto fabulous!

I need to make something like that.
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videoCWK! · Posted: Thu May 11, 2006 4:54 pm Post subject:

Thats pretty cool, you should start selling those.

Skit · Posted: Thu May 11, 2006 6:20 pm Post subject:

cornchipz · Trick Member Joined: 22 Apr 2006 Location: Stanwood, IA

Yeah, that's not really selling material. However, it keeps giving me more ideas for my metal DDR pad. Hmmmmm....

ceraf · Posted: Thu May 11, 2006 7:06 pm Post subject:

definately waaaay too ghetto to sell =P

I used aluminum strips as contacts, with aluminum on each of the buttons. here's a shot of the pad before i opted for hardboard.

http://img129.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img5718a6ir.jpg

For now, there's only duct tape holding the buttons down. does a decent job.

For navigating, i just use a keyboard....i might build something for it if i have the time.

cornchipz · Trick Member Joined: 22 Apr 2006 Location: Stanwood, IA

This could easily be made into a nice metal pad though. I would totally make one, if I had any sort of skills with wiring or anything.

Or a step by step guide... hmmm...

Marq(uistadorous) · Trick Member Joined: 03 Aug 2005 Location: Arvada, CO

LOL! That's is SO ghetto, but very good idea...
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cornchipz · Trick Member Joined: 22 Apr 2006 Location: Stanwood, IA

I think the most ghetto one I've seen is the aluminum foil tape one, that is only aluminum foil tape and wires.

ceraf · Posted: Fri May 12, 2006 8:05 pm Post subject:

^that's where i got the idea from =)

cornchipz · Trick Member Joined: 22 Apr 2006 Location: Stanwood, IA

Well, I think it goes without saying, that I REALLY like your ghetto pad. You could easily turn that into a fine metal mat.

DefaultGen · Trick Member Joined: 06 Nov 2005

I would trip over the wires and break it

ceraf · Posted: Sat May 13, 2006 6:15 am Post subject:

oh yeah, forgot to mention (if people haven't noticed): the wires are underneath the clear plastic carpet mat. They're only exposed when they reach the ends to connect to the aluminum strips

jammys · Posted: Sat May 13, 2006 2:41 pm Post subject:

I made a ghetto pad too. I don't have a picture but I'll try to get one.

I just took a soft pad and cut the stuff that doesn't have wiring on it and put that between a sheet of clear fiberglass thats really thin and a plywood board thats too big.

It works good too, seeing how it isn't in sections and the fiberglass is whole.
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whatever, I've played several times right after eating the 911 hot wings from Hooters

jpoppyz · Posted: Tue May 16, 2006 1:39 pm Post subject:

i made a ghetto soft pad arcade wood pad thing once. The only problem is i used to gamestop soft pad so it stopped working after a while. I taped the pad on a big old piece of wood, then made a cardboard overlay so the arrows were recressed. And i drew all over the cardboard and wrote "Stay Cool!" in the middle. I even drew stick people pelvic thrusting on the X, O, triangle, and Square buttons! And i made a name for it "GDTR," which stands for ghetto duct tape revolution!

it worked amazingly, until that pad crapped out after.....2 weeks!

anyways i might pick up a mad catz pad from my local grocery store(they have them for $12) so i can get that 5 year warrenty...except i have to cover the thing in tape so it doesnt bunch up...but that will only add to the ghettoness!

ceraf · Posted: Tue May 16, 2006 7:49 pm Post subject:

i think making recessed buttons for soft pads wear down the circuitry of soft pads much faster. probably why it crapped out on you after just two weeks.

unless the pad was really bad to begin with