I doubt its Nintendo pushing this like crazy. Everybody has learned from the MS RROD case study and I doubt Nintendo has money to burn to absorb any faulty products. Most likely Nintendo didn't do their due diligence with NA QS. NA hands are bigger, fatter, and we got frequency interference wverywhere. I expect will find a solution quickly and re-engineer the joycon antenna location. Doing so much QC doesn't guarantee a problem proof product until its out in the real world. But I'm aure Nintendo will probably address issues onna future direct
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Joycon connection issue may be hardware related
- Thread starter Its Quite Toasty
- Start date
Did you miss the whole iPhone thing? I don't really see what's so insane about it.
The right Joycon has a wired antenna that curves around where the analog stick is. The left Joycon's antenna is printed on the PCB. Apparently Spawn Wave has managed to attach a wired antenna to it but it's probably not a DIY fix most people could do. We'll see when he puts up the video.
Buggy Loop
Member
Having worked with wireless antennas in many devices as an upcoming engineer, it's so very hard to define these bugs.
https://d3nevzfk7ii3be.cloudfront.net/igi/D2UjaDgs3XDWjFlP.huge
From the ifixit teardown, i can't even spot where they put the antenna on the right joycon actually. The left one clearly has a dedicated area at the top right, near the analog stick. Actually, that metal casing for the analog stick is not super cool near an antenna if i would give my first impression?
Jubenhimer
Member
If this is the case, then I fully suspect Future Joy-Con/Switch consoles to have a repositioned antenna. I don't think Nintendo is just going to sit there and do nothing about a serious issue like this. This is the same company who offered replacement straps and Silicone casings for Wii Remotes during the "Wiimote TV smashing" debacle.
The two PCBs are different, one has a mini sma connector, the other one doesn't, it goes straight into the pcb antenna. It also has a fairly long trace after the impedance matching network, I suppose you could solder a 50 ohm wire to the middle of that trace.
Aztechnology
Member
Why is that. Chances are QC certainly caught this. It just wasn't seen as a big enough issue to change the layout/molds or delay the release. How is that going off the deep end?
TetraGenesis
Member
That was insane too!
MULTIPLE THINGS CAN BE INSANE.
A design flaw of this magnitude not being caught during testing (or purposely disregarded) is a huge deal any way you swing it. It was a big deal for the iPhone as well. You'd think the tech industry would have learned to look out for something like this.
OverturePT
Member
It's fucking weird, I have no problems whatsoever, tested multiple times with the joycon behind my back even. Tomorrow one of my friends should have his Switch, I'm interested to see if his joycons will have any problems.
Interested to see what Nintendo does, or doesn't do.
Interested to see what Nintendo does, or doesn't do.
Ricerocket
Member
Was the Iphone 4 antenna the same way? Built into the PCB like the left joycon?
But yeah, Right joycon has an external antenna, left is built into the PCB.
But yeah, Right joycon has an external antenna, left is built into the PCB.
//ARCANUM
Member
I mean if people are having trouble playing shave on 1-2-Switch, I'm not sure how ARMS is gonna suddenly not have the problem.
chillybright
Banned
Gotta get it out this fiscal year.
The iPhone antenna was the metallic frame on the phone. When people held it in certain ways it changed the impedance characteristics, thus making it less efficient.
Buggy Loop
Member
I thought that sma connector was for NFC reader?
UnemployedVillain
Member
Because the negative fallout/possibility of a HW recall/whatever measure this would require to rectify would far outweigh the benefit of simply getting it out by March.
Because this isn't even unprecedented in the realm of consumer electronics, considering the iPhone antenna issue, Nexus 5 bootloop, red ring of death, etc. The idea that just because an issue is seemingly "easy" to find means it was intentionally left in, seldom holds much weight in reasonable discussions
In the photo you posted you can see the antenna connected and dangling on the red joycon. You'll also note the reverse symmetry of the Broadcom IC and then you'll also see the exact same impedance matching components near their respective transceivers.
e: now with pictures
Whatever the cause of the problem is I hope (against reason) that it's found and can be fixed quickly and cheaply. I'm loving Zelda but I have to spend way too much time monitoring my body position and sync status while playing. It's actively harming my experience with the game, even though I'm still enamored, and it's total bullshit.
i HeaR MusiC
Member
Haven't had any issues with my joy-cons playing from 12 ft away. Covering them and putting them behind my back doesn't do a thing. If it's a hardware issue then it's not every joy-con.
Its Quite Toasty
Banned
Meant that you'll have to be real close for it to work, are there new issues in the motion controls?
Night Angel
Member
Bullshit. This is a design flaw, plain and simple, and it has nothing to do with NA people being fat (what the fuck am I reading).
And even if it were, it's a product being sold globally. It would take idiocy on an impressive scale to not test the product for real world conditions in the biggest market for said product.
Ditto here. I guess it's just another Nintendo hardware lottery, but it may also have a lot to do with environment. My Wii U Gamepad worked from much farther than a lot of people reported as well.
clarknova156
Member
After a few days of my left JoyCon losing its sync and making my experience with my Switch docked impossible I drove 40 minutes away to the only place that had a Pro controller for sale. It's total bliss now , the Pro controller is a dream to use and with Zelda having a legit D pad is a must.
I'm pretty upset that I had to spend $70 and drive an hour and 20 minutes out of my way to deal with this problem. Nintendo short stocking the Pro controller really pisses me off and if they don't stop acting like "everything else" is interfering with the signal when after a full break down it's clear as day that the left JoyCon has a piss poor arrangement for its antenna then they are in for a class action lawsuit.
Considering this is nowhere near the nightmare of RROD in which the entire console has to be returned they should just offer affected customers a revised left JoyCon and simply ask those customers to return the defective one for a revised JoyCon with an antenna arrangement like the right JoyCon which has virtually no reports of losing its sync/intermittent signal dropout it isn't a massive event like the RROD. But knowing Nintendo they will spend the next 6 months denying its a problem , blame any and everything else and then release revised JoyCon's for sale and tell its consumer base to "deal with it".
Really pisses me off that such an oversight got waved through though and just further tarnishes Nintendo's old "seal of quality" that basically no longer exists.
I'm pretty upset that I had to spend $70 and drive an hour and 20 minutes out of my way to deal with this problem. Nintendo short stocking the Pro controller really pisses me off and if they don't stop acting like "everything else" is interfering with the signal when after a full break down it's clear as day that the left JoyCon has a piss poor arrangement for its antenna then they are in for a class action lawsuit.
Considering this is nowhere near the nightmare of RROD in which the entire console has to be returned they should just offer affected customers a revised left JoyCon and simply ask those customers to return the defective one for a revised JoyCon with an antenna arrangement like the right JoyCon which has virtually no reports of losing its sync/intermittent signal dropout it isn't a massive event like the RROD. But knowing Nintendo they will spend the next 6 months denying its a problem , blame any and everything else and then release revised JoyCon's for sale and tell its consumer base to "deal with it".
Really pisses me off that such an oversight got waved through though and just further tarnishes Nintendo's old "seal of quality" that basically no longer exists.
//ARCANUM
Member
The issues are in hands covering up the joycons to my understanding. And in ARMS, you play by covering up the joycons entirely.
Jubenhimer
Member
Nintendo isn't going to just let a serious hardware issue like this pass by. You are forgetting, this is the same company that offered free wrist strap replacements and silicone grips for the Wii Remote, and recalled Famicom units due to a faulty chip way back in the 80s. They take quality control very seriously.
I had to buy a pro controller to make Zelda playable in docked mode. I would change direction and the game wouldn't register it causing me to run off various cliffs and buildings.
This is sitting in direct view of the console about 8ft in front of me.
No issues with the right Joycon.
This is sitting in direct view of the console about 8ft in front of me.
No issues with the right Joycon.
spazchicken
Member
I don't know why I was expecting there to be ice cubes inside...
Shpeshal Nick
aka Collingwood
So this really is the antennagate of video games.
Mmm, I appreciate the confidence, but with Nintendo under new management I'm not so sure. They feel like they're cutting corners already with the Switch.
They're stored in those tiny white boxes at the bottom. Those wires going out of them is to power the refrigeration unit.
I went about 30 feet away through about 4 walls and on a different floor of my house, and the controller still had flawless connectivity. So I must be lucky too.
Looks like the only way to fix a faulty left joycon is to get out a soldering iron and pray. Not good.
Gonna give Nintendo the benefit of the doubt here.
Gonna give Nintendo the benefit of the doubt here.
Fredrik
Member
This video shows that there is no manufactoring problem, it's a hardware design issue. All left joycons have the same problem. Those who don't experience the problems just have less bluetooth/wifi interference.Cuningas de Häme;231554364 said:
I couldn't notice this problem until I moved the Switch closer to the router, wore an Apple Watch and held the left joycon behind my back while covering it with my hand. But it was there. Yet I first claimed that mine was 100% faultless... It's the same for everyone.
I guess they missed it because their QC took place where they had less problems with bluetooth/wifi interference.
How do they fix this?
They can't expect people to do a DIY fix.
They can't expect people to close down all their wifi/bluetooth equipment.
I think they need to do a total left joycon recall and replace it with an official fix.
I'd wait and see. Nintendo under Yamauchi and Iwata never once told their consumers that they won't replace something they were at fault. It'll get addressed in some form. The last thing Nintendo needs is bad publicity after the Wii U fiasco. I still think their QS wasn't as thorough, since I heard rhey mostly rely on study groups in Japan for their products. Maybe they missed something so obvious.
I'm having this problem as well. I can't play it without my left joy-con going out of sync pretty often. Often enough to where it makes me want to stop playing at times. I can't count how many times Link just keeps walking in a direction(to my death at times when I'm by cliffs or drop-offs), or the menus being unresponsive cuz of it. It really hinders the experience when I have to have my body a certain way just to make sure my controller isn't blocked by anything. :/
If it wasn't a defect, and an actual flaw everyone would be experiencing this. There are many who aren't. Something else is up besides what the individual in the OP is describing.
miller.skippins
Banned
Does it work better in the joycon grip?
Jubenhimer
Member
I can deal with a rushed launch as long as these issues get fixed. I'm not happy that Nintendo rushed the Switch, but I can't blame them for doing so. They're coming off the heels of their worst selling home console yet, and Shareholders were running thin on patience. They probably saw getting something out before the fiscal year ends was more important than delaying the Switch to fix these issues.
I still would've rather they delayed the system, but considering their situation, they didn't have much of a choice.
Yoshimitsu126
Member
That reminds me when my sis and I were playing 1-2 Switch in the tour event and her left joy con disconnected randomly. Not even the marketing is safe from thus lol
I'll have to test it out. The grip just doesn't feel good to me so I haven't used it for a long period of time. I will try it though and see.
Edit: So it didn't seem to disconnect at all playing with the Grip, but I wasn't exactly comfortable while playing either, lol. Suppose I'll have to deal with that for now til that Pro Controller goes on sale somehow.
Mohonky
Member
No but it appears to be a patch which is pretty directional. If the antenna was orientated 90 degrees toward the front of the joycons, I suspect this wouldnt be an issue, if the length of the connection was longer, I would have run it to the front somewhere to make it more directed at the front.
The random incidence of it all could be explained by the wireless environment. A more scientific test with plenty of samples could verify this issue (in combination to the weaker signal from this antenna).