[letsbereasonable]

Uh-oh. I think my Arcade Stick is broken. Well, my PS3 doesn't see it anymore, nor does my PC throw up its usual error when I try to connect it there. It's like it doesn't exist anymore. That's bad.

Like StarCreator said, it's either the USB cable or the PCB. Depending on how much time you have, you could replace the USB cable and see if that fixes it.

If not, putting a Cthulu in would probably be your cheapest fix, outside of looking for someone's old PCB from a gutted TE. If you want 360 support, too, a PS360+ or Paewang board could be put in for an easy dual-mod.

[McNum]

The IC on the MadCatz sticks is supposed to look like that. Could ask MarkMan if they'd still honor your warranty even though you've clearly opened it up. Otherwise, if you don't see any obvious cracks in the IC goo or the PCB itself, I'd try a continuity test to see if your USB cable is still good. A frayed cable is more likely than a dead PCB.

How do you do a continuity test? I don't have a voltmeter or similar to beep it. I'm thinking I should check the spot where it connects to the PCB, though. A hunch. I did some cleaning last week, where i coiled up the wire pretty tightly around the box. I may have tugged it a little too hard. Either that, or as you say, a disconnect somewhere in the cable.

Replacing the cable would be an easy fix, though.

If it's the PCB, then yeah, I'd be going for one that works on PC, too. But do they ship to Denmark with those? You order those from the makers directly, right? It'd be a little funny if I had to replace that, though. Because then it'd only be the box and wires that were left stock.

[Vans]

Here's both of mine:



HRAP 3 case with MC Cthulhu inside and Neutrik RJ-45 jack in the back.
Rin (Little Busters!) art with plexiglass panel on top (from Art's Hobbies)



Current system cables:

Dreamcast - XBOX1 break-away end - Sega Saturn
RJ-45-USB/XBOX1 break-away receiver - USB (PS3/PC) break-away end - PSX/PS2



And this one for XBOX360 (which I recently picked up in my trip to the US). Gotta love the classy start button cover!

I only modified the button layout to match default settings for KOF and Capcom fighters.

Can't wait to play the hell out of P4U next week!

[Kellen]

Here's both of mine:

beautiful.

[Kadey]

EVO stick signed by Mr.Wiz, the Cannon bros, Sp00ky, Haunts, Team Hori, God's Garden crew, Choco+Momo, Gamerbee, Laugh, Ryan Hart, Uryo, Gootecks, Nitsuma, SFIV producers, etc.

Thanks Marky. :)

[RedSquare]

^Very cool keepsake.

[Reluctant-Hero]

Yeah I used mine a lot too for shmups good times! My only real complaint is no storage compartment for the cable. You would think they would have made one considering how high quality the friggin case is.

I agree on the lack of a cord storage department as the only complait. But it Hori's defense, MC were the innovators of the cord storage compartment and it took Hori until the V3s to include that feature into their builds.

[NeoGIF]

EVO stick signed by Mr.Wiz, the Cannon bros, Sp00ky, Haunts, Team Hori, God's Garden crew, Choco+Momo, Gamerbee, Laugh, Ryan Hart, Uryo, Gootecks, Nitsuma, SFIV producers, etc. Thanks Marky. :)

I would put that shit in a glass case and not have a single smudge touch it.

[McNum]

I've been poking the broken arcade stick, trying see if I can find anything obvious, but no such luck. It doesn't look like a loose connection and I have no way to test if the cable still works or not. I don't have a multimeter to beep it. Hopefully I can borrow a multimeter later, but I'm not sure I know what pins are supposed to connect anyway. But the search is narrowed down a bit, it's with the cable, the PCB or a combination of the two. So it should be possible to resurrect the stick by replacing those two.

So, let's talk replacement parts. Cthulu seems like the immediate choice here, as far as I can tell. Looks relatively easy to install if you read the manual, at least once I find out where in an SE it'll fit, and it works either on both PC and PS3, or on practically everything but an Xbox 360 due to encryption. Which is okay, I have no 360. But is it better to get the Multi-Console version over the PC/PS3 version? Can it do anything else than just run on more consoles?

Where do I buy one of these? Keep in mind, I live in Denmark, so shipping and customs will be an issue when importing from outside the EU. Anyone try to order a PCB from the US to the EU? How much does shipping and customs cost?

I'll also need a new USB cable, but those are cheap and easy to find. Unless I need a special kind of cable. Cthulu uses an A-B USB cable, do I want anything in particular with it? Duarbility or shielding may be worth looking at, I'd imagine.

And finally, if I have to take pretty much everything apart anyway, disconnect all wires and so on to fit a new PCB, and wait a week or more for replacement parts, perhaps it's time to replace the stock Street Fighter IV art. And maybe paint the white plastic. Just to make the stick a little more personal. I mean, if I replace the PCB, only the box and wires to the buttons will be left as stock MadCatz. I don't really have any idea for new art, though. I like lightning, so that might be a place to start.

I'll probably have even more questions later, but I'm still in the examination phase.

[heliconsoul]

Where do I buy one of these? Keep in mind, I live in Denmark, so shipping and customs will be an issue when importing from outside the EU. Anyone try to order a PCB from the US to the EU? How much does shipping and customs cost?

Try here: http://www.gremlinsolutions.co.uk/pr...cthulhupcb.htm they're based on the UK

or

http://wp1114205.wp150.webpack.hoste...products_id=17 they're based in Germany I believe

All the multi-console PCB allows is playing on stuff like PS2 and Dreamcast. If you aren't bothered about that there's no other advantage.

[McNum]

My PS2 has been turned off for years. The only reason I could think of was to be able to use it on my Wii, but i only have Smash and Tatsunoku vs. Capcom for that. The first doesn't need a a stick, and I don't play the latter anymore.

I was thinking more along the lines of firmware upgrades for future consoles and such. But I suppose i shouldn't worry about that kind of thing yet. This is as much a repair as it's an upgrade.

I will probably be asking questions when I get to actually mounting the thing... Where DO you put it inside an SE shell?

EDIT: Is that "Cthulu Powered" badge that comes with it a sticker?

EDIT the second: I found it. The power wire in the USB cable had snapped off at the soldering on the stock PCB. Got a little help and a multimeter, and the culprit was discovered. Now I just need a soldering iron and someone who can solder that small. I'm a slob at soldering, so not me.

[Dragonzord]

Just ordered the All Stars stick since it's so cheap. Any way to remove Mr. H's and The Rock from the cover? I was using the MK Arcade stick that I was able to get for free, but the button placement... I just can't deal with it

[DasRaven]

Just ordered the All Stars stick since it's so cheap. Any way to remove Mr. H's and The Rock from the cover? I was using the MK Arcade stick that I was able to get for free, but the button placement... I just can't deal with it

It's just a sticker, you can easily remove it or cover it with the sticker of your choice or adhesive vinyl.

[Sora_N]

Quoting myself for the question (MarkMan directed me to this new thread)

I found a Saulabi 4K on Craigslist when looking for a copy of Tekken 6 PS3. Guy's selling stick + Tekken for $40, can someone tell me if that'll be worth it? I kind of wanted a stick for a while, but don't want to spend $100+.

It depends on which version of the 4K it is, some of them are easy to mod with better parts. Also, new thread is here: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=483428

That's what the seller put, it seems decent since Tekken sells for $20 CAD new here.

http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/va...043130242.html

[Cowie]

Here's both of mine: HRAP 3 case with MC Cthulhu inside and Neutrik RJ-45 jack in the back. Rin (Little Busters!) art with plexiglass panel on top (from Art's Hobbies)

A Rin Stick? You're alright in my book, sir!

As a bonus, it looks really slick too.

[Subxero]

Amazon has the Brawl sticks back in stock for $29.99. This will be my first Arcade Stick since Dreamcast. I have been debating wether or not to buy one for a long time and the price on this Stick was hard to pass on. Looking forward to trying it out next week. I'm going to replace the art but I'm going to wait on the stick and buttons til I get used to it.

[Jotamide]

Also got the Brawlstick in the mail. Stuff feels ok but that art is going away ASAP. Does anyone know a place in Vancouver that prints in type of sticker is needed to replace the art?

[Pupi18]

Hope someone likes them.

[McNum]

Got the broken wire fixed and resoldered, but my SE is still a no-go. It gets power now, but it still fails to work. The cable is practically shredding itself and a few solderings seem suspect as well. Frankly, I think it's just worn out. Even if I fixed it, it would break down again soon enough.

So, it's Cthulu time! Well, I need to get it shipped here first, but THEN it's Cthulu time. However, since the stick is down for repairs anyway, I'm thinking about replacing the art, so I have a few questions about both the Cthulu and replacing art on an SE.

On Cthulu:
1. What parts of the original arcade stick do I still need for it? Since the Home button is on the original PCB, do I still use that in some way?

2. What's in the package, exactly, when you buy a PC/PS3 Cthulu?

3. On an SE, you mount it on those four unused "towers" near the front of the stick, right? What size screws do I want for that? In millimeters, please.

4. Is there an Installing Chtulu for Dummies guide anywhere?

On Art Replacement:
1. If I can't get a Lamilabel, what can I do instead? A normal label and something to protect it?

2. I'm thinking of ideas for a replacement art, well, the best idea so far is the SFA3 grass field in thunderstorm stage as art. But is there a good version of that to use? One that I'd be allowed to use, too.

3. Any other good ideas for art? I'd like it to be night/lighting themed. I know it's a really broad question. A phoenix might be fun, too, as this stick is going to rise from the ashes soon enough.

Well, I think that about covers it for now. McNum's Arcade Stick v2.0 is dead. Coming soon: v3.0.

[Beckx]

My Hori Fighting Edge arrived yesterday. Some pics below - stick, a nightime pic showing how bright the LEDs can be, and a comparison pic next to my TE.

I love it so far. The buttons are really snappy - I prefer them to the Seimitsu buttons I have in my modded stick, which feel a little mushy in comparison. The joystick has a slightly tighter range of motion, which I like. All in all very happy with it. I still love my TE as my first modded stick, but I suspect I'll use it for shmups and the FE for fighters.

[notworksafe]

Hope someone likes them.

I dig the Catherine and Lollipop Chainsaw arts a lot! My only recommendation would be to stay away from large, empty, solid color backgrounds like on Bayonetta and LP. Those always end up looking a little dull when printed.

For example, I had mostly just plain backgrounds on my Poison stick at first:

but after I printed the art the blank space was actually a bit distracting so I added a bit of texture and everything was much better looking imo:




Of course I'm breaking my own rule for my Persona 3 stick that I'm working on right now, so maybe I don't know what I'm talking about. :lol

[Yes Boss!]

Beckx,

Nice, thanks for the impressions.

Never got to try mine other then checking them out and opening them up. Had to go into storage since I could not carry one back to europe ;-(

Hopefully amazon.com puts the Fighting Edge up soon so I can buy another and get it shipped free to my APO/EU address.

They did just start offering the stick on amazon.ca.

[razu]

Take one standard q4raf, buy pink buttons & ball top, new plexi, and one can of Tamiya paint, TS-16, Lunch Box Yellow :)

Take it apart, spray the back of the plexi, put it all back together...

Result...

Way happy! :)

[etae]

Joystick placement is ridiculous, haha.

[Dachande]

As an sort of extension of this thread, I've been looking at custom arcade cabinets recently...

I'm rubbish at building anything, and I have a big love for candy cabinets, so I've been looking round and there's a few people in the UK who seem to offer what I'm looking for, although none of them are perfect. I'd want all Sanwa controls of course, and I'd be a bit particular about my button placement...

Oh well, all pipe dreams until my work bonus happens in the coming months. And even then a car might be more important.

[Pupi18]

I dig the Catherine and Lollipop Chainsaw arts a lot! My only recommendation would be to stay away from large, empty, solid color backgrounds like on Bayonetta and LP. Those always end up looking a little dull when printed.

I might add some more Butterflies on Bayonetta and more blood splatters on Lollipop Chainsaw or maybe add this on the side :P

Dirty Quick Mock up obviously still WIP and gotta change the order of the buttons but thats simple things that I'll change later (too lazy to fix now)

[Yes Boss!]

Found a video that shows the differences between the old V3s and new Kai SA sticks slated for NA.. Based on the newegg listing, supposed to come out at the end of this month. They look great, especially the new surface. Can't wait, love Hori! Sadly, no amazon listing quite yet.


My J-SE is patiently waiting for me in CA :-(

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6QTI...e_gdata_player

[McNum]

Okay, let me try this again...

I got a PS3/PC Cthulu incoming for my SE stick, but I need to know what comes with it, and what I need to go buy separately. Wires and screws are my main concern. Can I use the wires already in the SE, or will I need to buy new ones? Does it come with screws, or do I need to buy some? If so, what size?

I've already tried searching for it, looking up the thread on SRK, but I can't find that information anywhere. And I kind of need it to be able to install the Cthulu.

I did learn that to get the Home button working, I'll need to solder something, so I think I'll skip that.

[zbarron]

I'm thinking about getting a brawl stick to start and modding it as needed as I go. Does anyone who has experience with custom art know if this will end up looking ok?

[notworksafe]

Should be fine. It'll definitely cover the whole stick and it doesn't look like anything important will be covered by panels or buttons

@Pupi18: Trying to find a pic I took of a friend's Bayonetta themed stick. I think you'd dig it.

[Mercutio]

My Okami TE is REBORN.

I managed to install a Paewang board in my PS3 TE, and I'm so pleased I can use it on my 360 too now.



Now that it's not just PS3/PC, I'll probably be changing the color of the buttons. Initially, I picked these colors since they're the old PSX ones, but that's all unnecessary now.

I'm thinking I'm going to get more of the blue / red buttons... punches in red, kicks in the blue. I'll keep the grey for the last two.

[MarkMan]

I found like 4 arcade sticks that I don't own already on my trip to Tokyo this time (complete with box), needless to say I'm excited to get home.

My VLX Diamonds showed up too!

[Pupi18]

I finally ordered the WWE Brawlstick so now I have to make the art from now using that template unless someone asks me for something.
I ended up changing it to this. ( I know the top isnt properly positioned but its fixed on the final version :P)

SANWA JLF-TP-8YT JOYSTICK

Seimitsu

I need some good quality Clear Buttons since the ones I found have no brand info (http://adafruit.com/products/471)

@Pupi18: Trying to find a pic I took of a friend's Bayonetta themed stick. I think you'd dig it.

PM me the picture when you can notworksafe. :)

[BanGy.nz]

A couple of hours before seeing this thread I busted out my VHGS for the first time in about two years and popped Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition in. Felt fantastic,. It's just such a shame that the MGS4 trophy patch came out because I'm about to jump down that rabbit hole.

[Doombear]

I finally ordered the WWE Brawlstick so now I have to make the art from now using that template unless someone asks me for something. I ended up changing it to this. ( I know the top isnt properly positioned but its fixed on the final version :P) SANWA JLF-TP-8YT JOYSTICK Seimitsu I need some good quality Clear Buttons since the ones I found have no brand info (http://adafruit.com/products/471) PM me the picture when you can notworksafe. :)

I got sad waiting for Focusattack.com to restock so I got mine from Arcadeshock.com. Focus Attack just restocked though. I grabbed Sanwa snap ins, but they have Seimitsu clear snap ins restocked as well! And of course Arcade Shock still has them for sale.

[Yes Boss!]

I found like 4 arcade sticks that I don't own already on my trip to Tokyo this time (complete with box), needless to say I'm excited to get home. My VLX Diamonds showed up too!

That is amazing. Seeing the Diamond with the stainless steel in the SRK thread is a site to behold. I cancelled my order a few weeks ago (in an attempt tp focus only on US stick releases for the next year) but will probably wind up ordering one next week if it is still in stock. Also, did a bit of travelling last month so kind of tapped out. Sucks being poor. Pretty class stick.

[michaelius]

Something that always wondered me - people use plexi to cover their custom art for sticks ?

Isn't it a bit uncomfortable for long gameplay sessions to rest you hands on plexi compared to default materials on for example madcatz TE ?

[Ken]

Are there any cool new arcade sticks coming out soon that aren't branded for a specific game? The eightarc stuff is cool but sold out. :(

[The Phantomnaut]

Are there any cool new arcade sticks coming out soon that aren't branded for a specific game? The eightarc stuff is cool but sold out. :(

Hori Real Arcade Pro V Kai models, Etokki Omni Version 3. I was gonna mention the Razer stick but nothing much really developed yet. Markman, what's up with the non-branded MCZ Versus stick?

[Ken]

Hori Real Arcade Pro V Kai models, Etokki Omni Version 3. I was gonna mention the Razer stick but nothing much really developed yet. Markman, what's up with the non-branded MCZ Versus stick?

When does that come out? Any links to where I can preorder/buy onoe?

[NinajHeartless]

Do you guys know if USB extensions give input lag to fightsticks? Ok that is amazing dude. Is that what you'll be using to school fools in P4A?

Hell yeah man!

It is my new tourney/PS3 stick. :D

[viewtiful_dru]

About 4 years ago I decided i wanted a stick for shmups so i bought both of the hori entry-level sticks for ps3 and 360. What pieces of shit they were. I ended up giving the ps3 one away, and I am going to do the same with the xbox one. With the help of some certain gaffers, I picked up a Hori Soul Calibur V stick this weekend for use with Gundam EXVS and p4a. The vibe I got was to not bother with sticks that retail for under 100 bucks or so.

really? I'll take that xbox stick off your hands if you don't want it

[Pupi18]

I got sad waiting for Focusattack.com to restock so I got mine from Arcadeshock.com. Focus Attack just restocked though. I grabbed Sanwa snap ins, but they have Seimitsu clear snap ins restocked as well! And of course Arcade Shock still has them for sale.

Thanks!

[letsbereasonable]

Wires and screws are my main concern. Can I use the wires already in the SE, or will I need to buy new ones? Does it come with screws, or do I need to buy some? If so, what size?

It doesn't come with wires or screws, so you'll want to get them separately. You want stranded wire, 18-22awg generally. Screws are going to be up to you as to where you want to mount the PCB, if you search around for SE dual mods you might be able to see what other people are doing.

I did learn that to get the Home button working, I'll need to solder something, so I think I'll skip that.

Yes, you need to solder a few point on the board to get the home button working. It's not really that hard if you're used to soldering. IIRC you need to solder the contact and ground of home on the MCZ PCB to the Cthulu and also connect the VCC of the MCZ board to the Cthulu.

[Mercutio]

Something that always wondered me - people use plexi to cover their custom art for sticks ? Isn't it a bit uncomfortable for long gameplay sessions to rest you hands on plexi compared to default materials on for example madcatz TE ?

Feels comfortable to me, it's just a nice plastic surface. It's actually more comfortable than the Chun-Li art I had on it previously, which was textured for the lenticular effect thing.

Hey question for moddy-folks...

Is there an easy way to get power to the LED under the Home button (or elsewhere) on the Madcatz TE? I love this Paewang board, but I'd love to have a light somewhere on that little board thing active when it's all connected up. I'm assuming that there's something I could sodder directly to the back of the board to power a light somewhere...

[MarkMan]

Yay... got one of these.

[Doombear]

Yay... got one of these.

All your damn sticks Mark, and that one makes me the most jealous. =P

[HoosTrax]

Between a Sanwa and a Seimitsu stick, would one be better for someone with small hands than the other?

[TricksterLoki]

Yay... got one of these.

Curse you!
The best I can do is this :(

[Chavelo]

Curse you! The best I can do is this :(

I think that's Aigis in the back... right? :(

Try to use that as a background image with an effect to it, and maybe use the sprites from the game that were released not too long ago :D

http://www.dustloop.com/forums/showt...racter-Sprites