rewiring ch stick for usb partway through

[deskpilot]

I have all the pots rewired and working fine on my previously gameport ch fighterstick, using one of leo bodners boards. The red buttons are also coming on fine and working when i test them but the first 4 way hat is lighting up 2 buttons at once on the properties screen even if I only push the hat one way (i.e only 1 button should be lighting up). A crossed wire or something worse? Any ideas?

[deskpilot]

I have all the pots rewired and working fine on my previously gameport ch fighterstick, using one of leo bodners boards. The red buttons are also coming on fine and working when i test them but the first 4 way hat is lighting up 2 buttons at once on the properties screen even if I only push the hat one way (i.e only 1 button should be lighting up). A crossed wire or something worse? Any ideas?

[Sokol__1]

You make a new conections to HAT buttons, or try to use original matrix in PCB?

You made any scheme to make conections?

Difficult to say something, without seeing how it was linked...

Sokol1

[deskpilot]

Hi, Sokol_1 thanks for replying.
I,ve tried to cut all the original traces on the ch stick pcbs and then i am using the following plan:
row 1 connects to 4 way hat (castle) -4way hat (castle)- 4way hat (cross)- 4way hat (cross)- 4way hat (boat (the one halfway up the stick))- 4way hat (boat)
Row 2 connects to the same (in other words to 2 inputs on each of the 3 4way hats)
row 3 connects to 1 input of each of the 4 red buttons
rows 4 and 5 aren't used.
row 6 connects to 4 of the 8way hat inputs.

column 1 connects to 2 of the 4way castle inputs and 1 trigger input
col 2 connects to 2 of the 4way castle inputs
col3 to2 of the cross 4way,1 button, and 1 8way hat
col4 to 1 cross 4way, 1 button, and 1 8way hat
col5 to 2 boat hat inputs and 1 8way
col 6 to 2 boat hat and 1 8way hat

I am not using diodes as according to the info on leo's board you don't need to.

I've only wired up row 1, row 2 and column 1 at the moment. It was when I tested the castle hat switch that I found the problem so I've not done any more until I know what's wrong.
i hope this reply makes sense!
thanks

[NDS_Camp.]

Cant you ask where you got the infro from how to do this?

Seems a bit risky to me and i think you really should ask the guy who wrote the article you got this from, or on the forum on that site.

Keep in mind that some sticks have gone trough several revisions through there production life, so it could be if they done this with a Revision 1.2 stick and you got a Revision 2.1 stick they probably look completly the same on the outside but internaly the PCB and Wireing could be completly difrent, maybe even completly unrecognizable to the author who wrote the article on how to do this.

[Sokol__1]

NDS_Camp.

Re-wire old gameport sticks means that you this creating a new joystick.
You should create a map of connections to his new USB controller's and solder wires in conformity.

Then, PCB revision don't matter.
He won't be used more for electric connections, only for structural function.

Deskpilot,

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I,ve tried to cut all the original traces on the ch stick pcbs and then i am using the following plan: </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

In one CH Combatstick that I re-wire, there were occult trails in PCB. You need to test continuity among the pins of HAT's to certify that they occult trails don't exist.

Sokol1

[deskpilot]

Not quite sure what you mean by "Occult" trails. Are you saying they can be inside the hat itself somehow? I'll re-cut anything that looks like a trail, but if there is something inside the hat how do I get at it?

[Sokol__1]

Well,... "occult" = invisible trail under varnish. http://forums.ubi.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif Im my case:
http://img250.imageshack.us/img250/5481/bugkz7.jpg
"Captions:
Cortes = cut
Trilha oculta no verniz = Trail under varnish

Check with multimeter. Or LED/lamp plus 3V batery and wires.

Your connections seem to be OK.
I prefer trigger and buttons in S1, S2, S3, S4 for game compatibility.

Maybee the lack of diodes is the cause of 2 simultaneous buttons.

Sokol1

[julian265]

I didn't use diodes on my CH flightstick pro's 8 way hat, and it worked fine.

As Sokol says, test for continuity with a multimeter, across the tracks you've cut, and also see if any of the hat pins are connected.

Have you triple checked for unwanted connections elsewhere?

Probably not useful, but here it is anyway:
http://www.members.optusnet.co...il2/fspro/wiring.jpg (http://www.members.optusnet.com.au/julian265/il2/fspro/wiring.jpg)

[deskpilot]

thanks guys I'll have another look and let you know how I get on

[deskpilot]

think I,ll use diodes as well to be on the safe side. Is it obviuos which way the diode will allow the signal to pass? I was wondering how you know which way up to solder the diodes into the stick?

[deskpilot]

sussed out re the diodes. i know which way round they allow the signal to pass. Now I shall start again!

[NDS_Camp.]

A revision change on a PCB usualy means that they used difrent components, this could also mean a difrent layout of the circuits (trails) on the PCB.

Thats what i ment Sokol_1, than if you would be using the wrong schematic of a difrent revision you would be running into problems like the circuits not running where they should be or/and difrent values on the components.

Aslong if you got a really good guide with pictures and schematics and a multimeter it shouldnt be to hard to figure out wich is wich, especaily if you know what values you should mesure on the difrent outputs.

[Sokol__1]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I was wondering how you know which way up to solder the diodes into the stick? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Solder diodes accord matrix.
The black part of diodes oriented to Row's.

In case this function is allow that electrical current flows only in one direction, to avoid "gosth" buttons.

Sokol1

[deskpilot]

I think, Sokol that I must have some of those occult traces because I'm getting readings on the multimeter congruent with your diagram. I'm going to have to take two of the hat switches completely off to get at them, as I must have destroyed all the traces I can get at. I didn't think I would need to get the hats completely off, but there you go. Many thanks for your help.

[deskpilot]

There's no way I can remove a hat from the pcb as it's soldered in place at 8 points. So after fruitless attempts at that I tried wiring the hat with a diode and it only gave me one light in the properties screen so the diodes seem to be doing the trick. All I can do now is re wire, uesing diodes all the way, and hope that most if not all of the buttons do work.
It's taken flippin hours just to get to this stage! I'll forget what actually playing IL2 is like at this rate!

[deskpilot]

goiod grief but this job is trying! I've got as much functionality as i really need and am leaving it at that. I've problems with some sort of hidden traces that I can't see how to get rid of but I'm happy that I've got all the axes, throttle and trim wheels, the 8 way hat, 4 red buttons and 3 more switches on the hat mid way up the stick working. I'm not bothering with the others for now. I've used the stick briefly but love the feel of it, very smooth in action, a definite improvement on my current stick. Many thanks to Stenka and everyone who gave me advice.