Solo Pads & Places to Buy

Hey~ I am servicing a DDR 4th Mix Solo and am wondering if there is any way to make the machine a little more sensitive. Ever since I have found this machine I have heard people complaining about the "bad" pads on it. I have come to find out that it is due to the fact that it is not a normal pad layout under the arrow, but a cheaper design. With this design, I am not sure what would be the best way to make the pads more sensitive. After looking over all of the sensors, they all seem to be working... All of these sensors came with the machine in 2000, when the place got it. Anyways, I have taped some index cards to the upper plate. It's made the arrows a little more sensitive, but I am not sure if that is the best way to go with these pads.




Also, what are the best places to buy sensors and extra DDR materials? I'm worried about giving my credit card out just out of no where, you know? Anyone ever buy from here? http://www.arcadespareparts.com/arcade_parts/dance_dance_revolution_parts/ddr_floor_switch/12091.html

I am not sure how to go about it in a solo machine exactly but the sensors should be raised as high as possible (to lower the amount of compression needed for the sensor to register) without the brackets causing false triggers.

I have bought from arcadespareparts before and I wasn't disappointed, you may get a dud or two but for the most part it's a good and trustworthy place to buy from. The only problem is the cost of shipping, so make sure you order everything you need from there in one order.

Yeah, the problem with this machine is that you will step on the pad on the side and only one sensor will go off, if that, unless you are in the middle of the arrow at all times then both sensors go off. I am just not sure if others have made a rig that would make it more like the double pads or modded something to make it more sensitive. Might have to just make that myself maybe...

Thank you, dude, and thank you for the heads up!

This is what I did to mod my Solo's pads:



Basically, there are 4 u-shaped tracks glued to each each of each panel. I took two sensors, cut the connectors off, stripped the wires and the wire from one of the two connectors, then twisted all three of those wires together and wrapped them with electrical tape. (This was done twice per pair, once for the left wire set and one for the right wire set.) I repeated this process twice per arrow, sometimes adding in extra wire for additional length (as you can see in the pic, the green wire was necessary to extend the wire so it reached the connector). Multiply that process by 6 per arrow, and add a little bit of modding to raise the arrows up, and now I have an incredibly sensitive and responsive pad. Two sensors always map to one input so debugging issues is a little trickier but I haven't run into any major problems yet. The pad is basically the same as the doubles cabs everyone is used to, and since the sensors aren't in the center, there's no issue of the arrows rocking back and forth.

As for sensors, I'll also plug ASP. They're pretty cheap with solid sensors and ok shipping.

Thank you so much, [ICNH]. I am going to contact the owner of this machine and see if he would like me to mod this machine for him. What type of modding did you have to do to raise the arrow? I am not noticing anything in the picture other than the removal of the black bumpers and sensor bracket.

Sweet, thank you, I will be emailing them soon about some sensors to buy.

I didn't do it but the previous owner took some long rectangular pieces of plastic and layered them underneath the arrow where they would connect with the sensors and duct taped them on. I'm looking into alternatives because I don't really like that approach.