Chasing a part, I don't know what its called, but...

D n T

Senior Member
I used to use old playstation 1 controllers and grind off the components then solder in connection wires near the button pads, The PCBs were epoxy board that you could do that to.
However recently I got hold of 5 secondhand ones and upon opening them up I found theyare using a flexible printed circuit for the digital buttons and I don't think the plastic substrate will like heat at all. This flexible substrate plugs into a socket on the joystick PCB and the control chip is mounted here also.
I need to know what the sockets are called that I would use to plug this flexible substrate into (and perhaps who sells them) because salvaging and soldering onto the existing one is ... not practical lets say.
My wife doesn't see the point in me buying a $2.00 controller "if I am just going to wreck it".
 

Dippy

Moderator
Without an image or crystal ball or PS I can only guess.

Are they FPC or FFC?
Some are just stuff in and some are ZIF with a clicky thing.
They take that thin PET film thing that looks like a floppy bendy ribbon with flattened ends.
 
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Dippy

Moderator
Come on Andrew... you said the other day that you read ALL the catalogues.
Or was it just certain sections in the GUS catalogue ? ;)
 

D n T

Senior Member
Sorry about that , heres couple of photos

No need to play with your crystal balls lads, I have photos:
The first one is the whole circuit "board"
The second one is the point of connection,
the connector is non recoverable but is in the next post
 

Attachments

D n T

Senior Member
Sorry about that , heres couple of photos

Phot 1 is the end view of the socket and photo 2 is the top view after I tried to solder wires to it (not a good idea)
 

Attachments

Dippy

Moderator
Looks like FPC or variant.
http://uk.farnell.com/jsp/search/browse.jsp?N=500006+1003649+216107&Ntk=gensearch_001&Ntt=fpc&Ntx=&No=0&getResults=true&appliedparametrics=true&locale=en_UK&prevNValues=500006+1003649&originalQueryURL=http://uk.farnell.com/jsp/search/browse.jsp?N=500006+1003649&Ntk=gensearch_001&Ntt=fpc&Ntx=&No=0&getResults=true&appliedparametrics=true&locale=en_UK

FPC is available in different pitch sizes.
Might be a Custom variation?
Sony have more than a fiver to spend on developing products.

Quite honestly, after postage and packing and faffing and 75cents for the connector you may as well chop up your little Sony toy and sell the scrap to the lonely Hacker group ;)

PS. You are VERY brave showing the picture of your soldering. Personally, I would have kept that to myself as that would have been my results when I was about 12 - you must be a teacher? :)
 
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D n T

Senior Member
Sorry about that

Well, master baiter ( teacher baiter expert), the phots were taken at 2am and after a dozen attempts at low temp soldering and I had given up so my soldering at that point was of little consequence, but thanks for the help it makes life easier and I figure Sony would possibly use ar many already available components and fitting as they could to save money. That way they have more cash to spend on making the software better.
 
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Dippy

Moderator
Tee Hee! You should have more interesting things to do at 2am.

Seriously though, it does look like an FPC or variant. The floppy 'cable' looks very much like PET as used in printers and touch-screens etc etc.
Obv a contact pitch measurement would help, but FPC comes in a few sizes as shown in that link.

But is all this hassle worth $2?
 

D n T

Senior Member
Sorry about that

Well I would have better things to do but my wife works night shift.

The playstation controllers are easy to get, have more than enough inputs, are cheap and the student really like the idea of using a game controller to drive a real life machine, so do I.

Thank for the help mate.
 

boriz

Senior Member
What's the pitch?

Maybe you could use some of that conductive glue (the type used for PCB track repair) to glue the terminals to a breakout board, stripboard or some such.
 

D n T

Senior Member
Sorted thank you

Found it, thank you, ordered it.
Had to order a pack of ten ( $43.00 / 10) so that means it will cost me abot 60.00 to mod ten controllers. Thats alright a brand new controller is 40.00
Oh yeh I ordered some other goodies while I was there too, don't tell the wife
 
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