Post #1 · Posted at 2014-01-09 03:30:36am 11.5 years ago
Hey guys. After stumbling across the excellent DDR Homepad construction thread and existing pad modding thread, I decided to post to call on the wealth of the knowledge in this community. I have had this DDR Pad that looks very similar to the one that DDR Game sells, but I had bought mine going on 10 years now. I have constantly maintained the pad redoing wiring, replacing the 15-pin connector, redoing the soldering on the contacts, replacing foil (etc), and finally trying out the steel plate mod found in the aforementioned thread, it looks like my pad is reaching the end of its life span. I would like to make a new pad, and thought hey, my current pad physically isnt in bad shape, why not just gut it and start new?! Its a heavy metal pad with steel support bars on the inside in a cross section ( i can post pictures later if you guys want), supported by heavy wood, surrounded by sheet metal. Overall very solid.
Some time ago when I got the pad back from a friend (had been making the rounds for a few years), he had lost the control box so I ended buying a replacement one from DDR Game (that didn't work as it seems the pinouts were different). Since then that has been recovered though.
What I would like to do:
1. Completely gut the pad and remove all existing wiring.
2. Rewire the pad using the new control box which is a 4 in 1 (PS2 / Xbox / PC/ Wii). Upon opening up the control box, it looks like its based on an xbox 360 controller board ( I can post pictures later) so I could get an aftermarket controller to use for this.
3. Replace the sensors with something more reliable and more responsive than the copper plates that are currently in it (possible to use actual arcade pad sensors???)
4. Finally finish up the pad with new acrylic panels and such (found same size @ddrgame).
Has anybody gone this route before? Worth it? Thanks for any suggestions I get. I plan on documenting the process for the next person who is looking to do the same.
Some time ago when I got the pad back from a friend (had been making the rounds for a few years), he had lost the control box so I ended buying a replacement one from DDR Game (that didn't work as it seems the pinouts were different). Since then that has been recovered though.
What I would like to do:
1. Completely gut the pad and remove all existing wiring.
2. Rewire the pad using the new control box which is a 4 in 1 (PS2 / Xbox / PC/ Wii). Upon opening up the control box, it looks like its based on an xbox 360 controller board ( I can post pictures later) so I could get an aftermarket controller to use for this.
3. Replace the sensors with something more reliable and more responsive than the copper plates that are currently in it (possible to use actual arcade pad sensors???)
4. Finally finish up the pad with new acrylic panels and such (found same size @ddrgame).
Has anybody gone this route before? Worth it? Thanks for any suggestions I get. I plan on documenting the process for the next person who is looking to do the same.
Post #2 · Posted at 2014-01-10 10:44:27am 11.4 years ago
The first thing I would do is ask around locally if there are any DDR cabs for sale, especially broken ones. It's not uncommon to snag an older DDR machine for ~$500 with perfectly working pads.
Outside of that, after considering the time you would spend researching this, buying all of the parts, and the labor to build it, you're probably better off buying a Cobalt Flux and making your own bar for it. There's also that Omega GX pad for sale, but I know nothing about it other than the reviews for it are mixed.
Edit: Oh yeah, if you are just looking for a project, it's definitely doable and you can make a great pad but it's not going to be cheap nor easy. If I were you I would put sensors under all 9 panels so you can play ddr, itg, pump, and techno. That'd be awesome.
Outside of that, after considering the time you would spend researching this, buying all of the parts, and the labor to build it, you're probably better off buying a Cobalt Flux and making your own bar for it. There's also that Omega GX pad for sale, but I know nothing about it other than the reviews for it are mixed.
Edit: Oh yeah, if you are just looking for a project, it's definitely doable and you can make a great pad but it's not going to be cheap nor easy. If I were you I would put sensors under all 9 panels so you can play ddr, itg, pump, and techno. That'd be awesome.
Post #3 · Posted at 2014-01-11 05:18:03am 11.4 years ago
 songoku119 | |
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Ya kind of looking for a project, but I would also like to get something sooner rather than later to play. I'll take up your suggestion to look for an old cab, but arcades are scarce around my neck of the woods. Have you gotten a cab before? If so, did you just go to all your known spots, or go to auctions and stuff? Refurbing an old cab does sound like a more fun project though 
Post #4 · Posted at 2014-01-12 06:11:31am 11.4 years ago
| tj28 | |
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Quote: songoku119
Ya kind of looking for a project, but I would also like to get something sooner rather than later to play. I'll take up your suggestion to look for an old cab, but arcades are scarce around my neck of the woods. Have you gotten a cab before? If so, did you just go to all your known spots, or go to auctions and stuff?
Yes, craigslist.Quote: songoku119
Refurbing an old cab does sound like a more fun project though