Saturday, March 28, 2009

360 D-pad mod to improve performance


I did this mod on my controller because right out of the box the 360 controller is horrible for fighting games, or typing things in with the d-pad due to its design.

It's quite simple this mod stops the d-pad from hitting the side wall as well as adds a spacer between the d-pad and the membrane on the board which improves springiness. You take all the components out of the controller, and unscrew the 2 screws on the d-pad and then use the screwdriver to pop the cap off of the top part.

Now, you take sandpaper and go around the outside of the ring around the d-pad, and take off as much as possible.

Using a plastic cap from pringles, nuts, or in my case the top of a tupperware lid, make a circle shape out of plastic to go directly under the plastic thing you took screws out of to take the d-pad off unscrewed, and then add small hole in the middle of it for the post to go through. Reassemble the controller and you're good to go.

I was originally aware of this mod from http://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-Fix-the-d-pad-on-the-Xbox-360-control-pad-mor/

Also, in the picture of my controller the thumbsticks are fitted with universal geltabz bought from gamestop for $5, they are a great product and are like a mod but store bought they truly make a difference.

DIY Duke or S sticks on 360 or switching the sticks

Difficulty: Easy
Controller: Any 360 controller
Details: The original Xbox had superior thumb sticks, and they probably got used less so they aren't as worn out as your 360's sticks, so consider the following. All you need is an old original Xbox controller, some sandpaper, a wood file or a dremel, and tools and techniques to open the controller, that I will show below. You can also do this by just swapping the left and right sticks for some extra grip if ones more worn out then the other.

TOOLS:
For a wireless controller, a Torx 9 security bit screwdriver or small flathead screwdriver that fits inside of the screw. Also keep a regular Torx 9 screwdriver handy in case the post in the middle of the screw falls off. All the screws are visable except the one under the barcode under the battery, unscrewing this will void your controller for trade in at gamestop or other game stores.


For a wired controller, any small phillips head screwdriver will work as long as its around the right size. You will need the same phillips head screwdriver for the original Xbox controller as well.

On both of the controllers, there is a hidden screw under a sticker in the middle of the controller.

Opening is as simple as removing all the screws and keeping it upside down, and then pulling up on the bottom shell, exposing the back of the circuit board, the triggers and the rumble motors. Your controller will look something like this:


Without removing the rumble motors, you should flip the circuit board over and over them, so you can get to the thumb sticks, all without making the buttons fall out of the controller. Then take out the 360 thumb sticks.

Now take apart the original Xbox controller with a phillips screwdriver and take the sticks out of it. You will notice the rounded plastic part is larger then on the 360 sticks, take sandpaper, a dremel or a wood file and sand it down to about the same size as a 360's sticks, or you wont have the full range of motion for the thumbstick.

Put the thumbsticks onto the 360 controller, and make sure it has full motion and doesn't hit the left bumper button or anything else.

Putting the controller back together may give you a hard time, keep the buttons faced down, and if it doesn't go together the first time try putting the rumble motors in the slots on the other shell and then putting it together.

Now, do the same thing to the original xbox controller, its the same process, and the controller will still work with 360 sticks just fine.

Happy gaming.

DIY 360 turbo controller for free

Difficulty: Medium
Controller: Old "matrix" style
Details: This mod is to be used with older wireless controllers that you've had for a while, the newer style they have recently released has a different board in it. It gives you rapid fire on your right trigger by using a button. This rapid fire works when AA batteries are slightly drained, and when the rechargable battery is 100% charged it does not work. It also doesn't work while the controller is charging. This mod does not work Call of Duty 5, but it does work with Call of Duty 4. This will only work if you are 1st player.


I take no responsibility for you breaking your controller, hurting yourself, breaking your xbox, getting banned for mods on xbox live, or anything else.

Tools required:
  • A soldering iron with solder
  • A small button, or momentary switch with 2 wires attached to it, you can salvage these from really old game controllers like I did, cd rom drives, electronics, and even toys.
  • For a wireless controller, a Torx 9 security bit screwdriver or small flathead screwdriver that fits inside of the screw. Also keep a regular Torx 9 screwdriver handy in case the post in the middle of the screw falls off. All the screws are visable except the one under the barcode under the battery, unscrewing this will void your controller for trade in at gamestop or other game stores.
  • Optional: Hot glue, depending on the button you may or may not need any glue.
  • Some small gauge wire to use to run to the button
  • A momentary switch, I used a double switch from a really old serial connection PC controller that had two shoulder buttons on each side, and they had 3 wires, and I found the ground (by trial and error testing the controller) and soldered the other two wires together.
You can buy a button at radio shack for under 2 dollars, and if you dont have a soldering iron, solder, or wire they can probably help you with that too. Wal-mart and craft stores carry hot glue guns.

Most tutorials say how to buy a button and put it coming out of the inside, possibly removing a rumble motor, there's an easier way. Heres a picture of the back of my controller, theres two wires going into the bottom plate of it leading to two solder points on the controller board.

To make a space in the bottom part of the shell just use a dremel, or a wood file, and make a little semi circle hole in the side right where I did where the wires are coming out in the picture.

I just melted a hole there with my soldering iron, but melting plastic inside isnt a good idea, so if you do decide this is do it out a window, outside, or under an oven hood. I take no responsibility for what happens if you do melt plastic and get hurt, because saying you can melt plastic doesn't mean you should.

I then just taped them on and tested them, a few days later I discovered a glue gun sitting around and it was perfectly solid on the controller, just a dab under it and around it on 3 sides just not on the battery side because theres no space for the glue. Cover all the wires too.

The soldering is quick and easy, make sure to put solder on the end of your soldering iron and on the end of the wire before applying to the board. Don't hold the soldeirng iron on the board too long or you may burn out the LED, solder to the bottom lead of the 1st player LED not the top.

Here is a video tutorial I found on Youtube showing the operation of soldering