-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
Joycon connection issue may be hardware related
- Thread starter Its Quite Toasty
- Start date
TanookiTom
Member
As soon as I place the Switch behind the left corner of my TV Zelda becomes an unplayable mess which is impossible to enjoy.
So now I have to place the dock right in front of my TV obstructing the lower left corner. With this setup I have zero issues.
Really annoying setup. They should have expected people to place the dock in all kinds of position and as the right Joy Con seems to have zero issues this clearly is bad hardware design. They cannot expect you to rearrange your living room to accommodate the faulty left Joy Con...
So now I have to place the dock right in front of my TV obstructing the lower left corner. With this setup I have zero issues.
Really annoying setup. They should have expected people to place the dock in all kinds of position and as the right Joy Con seems to have zero issues this clearly is bad hardware design. They cannot expect you to rearrange your living room to accommodate the faulty left Joy Con...
Panajev2001a
GAF's Pleasant Genius
Looking at the pictures a bit more, that soldering point on the antenna trace does not look ideal:
Just speculating a bit, but the fact that some people are having issues and others don't, suggests that it might be a manufacturing issue which could be related to this soldering. It looks hand soldered so it's possible that some Joy-Cons have a bad solder where the antenna trace is not well connected. It seems unlikely, but anything is possible.
Also, the "impedance matching" components do in fact appear to be for the radio and not for the antenna. Since there is no bandpass filter component, this appears to be an LC bandpass filter implemented using discrete components. Looking up the datasheet for the Broadcom/Cypress chip used, it does require extra filtering to get rid of harmonics from the transmitter, so that is likely what those components do (aside from the fact that you want to filter out out-of-band signals that could saturate the receiver anyway). Also, the chip is capable of output power of 9/12dBm depending on the required datarate, compared to the 4dBm that the Joy-Con is certified for.
Neat post, thanks for taking the time to write it up. It makes me miss my ECE days
.If there is no way to boost signal through firmware they will release some sort of fix or offer a voluntary recall. Anything that gets send back will likely be stripped apart and used for new controllers.
notenoughscarabs
Neo Member
I've had the exact same issues with Link continuing to run in one direction whilst I'm not touching the stick, sometimes it's 4 or 5 seconds before I can take back control.
I'm finding the issue is much more frequent when I have my mobile phone nearby which is going to be a big problem if voice chat for online games is going to be handled by a mobile app!
MoogleWizard
Member
I couldn't find a copy of Zelda for the Switch so I'm playing it on the Wii U. I haven't even taken my Switch out of the box yet. Now I'm glad I only found a Wii U copy of Zelda, I'll return the Switch and wait for a revision or a fix.
Having the same issue, link runs off cliffs in front of bosses. Disconnects are irregular and for no apparent reason, sometimes for only a second which is what I think cause a joystick command to get stuck.
chillybright
Banned
This doesn't sound good...
Panajev2001a
GAF's Pleasant Genius
It depends on how much noise people and the media make and how widespread the issue is... the option could also be that they ignore the issue, try to adjust the next batches of controllers a bit, and then they redesign the controller a bit more and sell it at a slightly gut premium Wii Remote Plus style (not that he original Wii Remote had similar issues though).
Nintendo is still the company that decided not to fix Wii U VC issues with NES and other console games and then turned around and sold people a new device offering software emulated NES games...
IlGialloMondadori
Member
Mine have been fine, thankfully, but it looks like Nintendo will replace your left joycon:
https://www.reddit.com/r/nintendo/comments/5xqpvu/psa_nintendo_will_replace_malfunctioning_left_joy/
https://www.reddit.com/r/nintendo/comments/5xqpvu/psa_nintendo_will_replace_malfunctioning_left_joy/
TanookiTom
Member
Well I would still like to use the Joy Cons while my Switch is docked behind my TV (on the very far corner of the TV). Should it really be acceptable that the Dock needs to be in plain view even though you are sitting a mere 2-3 meters away from the system?
Serious question here. Because it seems like Nintendo deems this normal.
Agreed, why I am expected to rearrange my livingroom!
Welp. had no issues for 2 days, tonight my left joycon was NOTICEABLY disconnecting/hanging, even had the chance to glance down and see the lights cycle while it reconnected once or twice. This was in the grip (was playing docked zelda) the entire time, with the switch like, less than 3 and a half feet from my controller, though slightly out of line of sight.
I tried replicating the issue using the analog calibration like in the GameExplain video and I didn't start noticing any issue for my Switch until about 20 feet out. This was with me holding the left joycon behind my back by the way. When I held it in front of me it still worked perfectly fine. I've been playing exclusively in split joycon mode and I haven't run into desyncing at all yet sitting at my normal living room position.
the_milkybar_kid
Member
My problem with the joycon isn't so much the range, it's the fact that there's any sort of obstruction between the joycon and the console- someone walks past, it's slightly behind my leg, it's too close to the arm of the chair- it won't register button prompts.
Whatever the problem is- it's not mine. The problem is Nintendo's hardware. I've had 6 different consoles in the same place as the Switch is now during the 7 years I've lived in my house and never had a problem.
Whatever the problem is- it's not mine. The problem is Nintendo's hardware. I've had 6 different consoles in the same place as the Switch is now during the 7 years I've lived in my house and never had a problem.
witchedwiz
Member
good thing i bailed out of my preorder..
bad thing is that if this turn out to be a faulty (quite large) batch or to affect the large majority of the first SKU, it will take a WHILE for the stock to be cleaned up of this first version..
sooo breath of the wild wii u, or wait for 6 months???
Technically nintendo could approach this by simply starting a joycon replacement program, but it will take time, and basically buying a new console knowing that you'll have to pronto send a piece of it into RMA is a bit anticlimatic..
bad thing is that if this turn out to be a faulty (quite large) batch or to affect the large majority of the first SKU, it will take a WHILE for the stock to be cleaned up of this first version..
sooo breath of the wild wii u, or wait for 6 months???
Technically nintendo could approach this by simply starting a joycon replacement program, but it will take time, and basically buying a new console knowing that you'll have to pronto send a piece of it into RMA is a bit anticlimatic..
If you intending to play Zelda on your TV get the WiiU version. I honestly could not recommend getting a Switch at the moment and Zelda framerate whilst docked is not fantastic.
Joy-Con Plus
Fox Mulder
Member
It's Nintendo.
They'll come out with a new color joycon+ or whatever and people will gladly buy it.
I've not really followed the news outside of Gaf but how widely have other media outlets been reporting this issue? I feel that we might need their help to really get the ball rolling on Nintendo recalling them or at the very least admitting to a problem outside of their tips to not place the device behind the tv or next to aquariums.
Mine has been acting up constantly, making Zelda impossible to play docked without using the pro controller instead, but I do have the dock sitting behind the TV at the moment.
Mine has been acting up constantly, making Zelda impossible to play docked without using the pro controller instead, but I do have the dock sitting behind the TV at the moment.
This a real problem.
Noticed it losing connection while moving on the left joycon on launch day a couple of times and thought it was odd, before I knew there was a problem. Moved the dock a bit just to see and it seemed to go away. Cool. Next day though was confronted by a press L+R screen nearly as soon as I woke the console and the left wouldn't reconnect unless taken really close. You can then play at normal distance, but it's spotty, and the dreaded L+R screen came up again later. Same thing yesterday. The joycons are great, split mode is damn comfortable to play, but this is not.
I absolutely love Zelda, best game I've played In a long time but if it was anything else I would have given up on it, and wondering if Link is going to throw himself off a cliff before you regain control isn't a gameplay element the game needs.
Nintendo really need to get on top of this, that response at launch suggests it was a known problem which is really disappointing. I read the transmitter on the left joycon is in a different place, is there a good reason for that? Or maybe the manufacturing has something to do it like the post above suggests because it seems really low power. Have never had this amount of problems with a controller going all the way back to the Wavebird.
It can't stay like this anyway, must really be harming a lot of people's impressions of the console and if it becomes widely known it will damage sales.
Noticed it losing connection while moving on the left joycon on launch day a couple of times and thought it was odd, before I knew there was a problem. Moved the dock a bit just to see and it seemed to go away. Cool. Next day though was confronted by a press L+R screen nearly as soon as I woke the console and the left wouldn't reconnect unless taken really close. You can then play at normal distance, but it's spotty, and the dreaded L+R screen came up again later. Same thing yesterday. The joycons are great, split mode is damn comfortable to play, but this is not.
I absolutely love Zelda, best game I've played In a long time but if it was anything else I would have given up on it, and wondering if Link is going to throw himself off a cliff before you regain control isn't a gameplay element the game needs.
Nintendo really need to get on top of this, that response at launch suggests it was a known problem which is really disappointing. I read the transmitter on the left joycon is in a different place, is there a good reason for that? Or maybe the manufacturing has something to do it like the post above suggests because it seems really low power. Have never had this amount of problems with a controller going all the way back to the Wavebird.
It can't stay like this anyway, must really be harming a lot of people's impressions of the console and if it becomes widely known it will damage sales.
Wtf is that. Okay now I'm back to manufacturing error. Bad PCB and someone at Foxconn(?) thought he could fix it by hand?Looking at the pictures a bit more, that soldering point on the antenna trace does not look ideal:
Just speculating a bit, but the fact that some people are having issues and others don't, suggests that it might be a manufacturing issue which could be related to this soldering. It looks hand soldered so it's possible that some Joy-Cons have a bad solder where the antenna trace is not well connected. It seems unlikely, but anything is possible.
Also, the "impedance matching" components do in fact appear to be for the radio and not for the antenna. Since there is no bandpass filter component, this appears to be an LC bandpass filter implemented using discrete components. Looking up the datasheet for the Broadcom/Cypress chip used, it does require extra filtering to get rid of harmonics from the transmitter, so that is likely what those components do (aside from the fact that you want to filter out out-of-band signals that could saturate the receiver anyway). Also, the chip is capable of output power of 9/12dBm depending on the required datarate, compared to the 4dBm that the Joy-Con is certified for.
Hmm... Standing at the same point at the corner of my room, the left joycon included with my console works fine when the region where the antenna is located, is covered up completely, and is partly behind a wall. This is approximately 10-11ft away.
When using the left joycon from the extra pair I purchased (at that same position), there is stuttery movement, latency, and no response to input at times.
I tried it twice.
Seems like there is a bad batch, and that the issue may not be the antenna's design.
Going to try to get the extra joycon pair, repaired by Nintendo. Or get a refund.
When using the left joycon from the extra pair I purchased (at that same position), there is stuttery movement, latency, and no response to input at times.
I tried it twice.
Seems like there is a bad batch, and that the issue may not be the antenna's design.
Going to try to get the extra joycon pair, repaired by Nintendo. Or get a refund.
AusRoachman
Member
Seems like they have a ton of potential design issues they really should have picked up at launch
- dodgy left joycon connection issues
- bad dock design causing units to get scratched
- flimsy kickstand (not as big an issue)
Plus whilst not faults some other weird design problems such as
- charging cable being positioned at the bottom of the unit
- people having issues when putting straps on the wrong way
I am glad I have decided to wait. Hopefully they can clear up some of these issues in future revisions as I love the concept
- dodgy left joycon connection issues
- bad dock design causing units to get scratched
- flimsy kickstand (not as big an issue)
Plus whilst not faults some other weird design problems such as
- charging cable being positioned at the bottom of the unit
- people having issues when putting straps on the wrong way
I am glad I have decided to wait. Hopefully they can clear up some of these issues in future revisions as I love the concept
That wrist strap is one stupid ass desing choise. It's very easy to put it in a wrong way and then it will get stuck forever. Designs like that should be idiotproof on console that is marketed as being kid friendly. Or do they really expect 6 year old to first carefully to read instructions before doing anything. :'D
Still that is lesser problem than the left joycon connection issues because that one makes playing games on tv mode pretty much impossible.
good, this is the way to go
The difference between left and right is what is infuriating. It's always the damn left one. The concept works, why the difference between the 2?
There better be a definite answer and solution to this coming soon, not going to play replacement controller lottery before design and/or manufacturing flaws have been identified and acknowledged.
There better be a definite answer and solution to this coming soon, not going to play replacement controller lottery before design and/or manufacturing flaws have been identified and acknowledged.
time to rearrange your living room
You missed peoples TVs being turned over to hdmi /warning messages appearing whilst the Switch is docked and in sleep mode!
i think it's due to reverse placement of sticks. so antenna on left joycon is lower
mocolostrocolos
Member
I tried to make my joycons desync and failed.
Good for me, I guess.
Good for me, I guess.
So lack of room to put the antennas in the same place?
Eurogamer
I think this test is interesting and shows the difference with left and right joy-cons. This chart is pretty much accurate for me as well. Sitting cross legged is enough to obstruct the signal and making Link to run from the cliff.
Similar to what I am finding too
I did that the first time but was able to remove it with some extra force. At least nothing broke but if it's anything like BotW items it may not endure for long
For me at least It's not desyncing or disconnecting completely but the signal is so weak that there is huge lag and when playing Zelda, Link does not always respond the movement correctly and he could randomly just run from the cliff (this happened to me). So basically making games unplayable.
You can also test this by going to system settings -> controller and sensors -> calibrate controller sticks. Move the left stick and try to obstruct the signal if it still moves correctly then congratulations you were lucky at hardware lottery!
Unfortunately I wasn't so lucky and I'm going to send my left joycon to warranty and meanwhile use my pro controller.I don't think it's just the Joycons unfortunately, I've also had the Pro Controller lose connection completely and not work again until I put the console in and out of sleep mode. This was after it had worked perfectly for over 20 hours of Zelda, with everything set up the same way.
For me at least It's not desyncing or disconnecting completely but the signal is so weak that there is huge lag and when playing Zelda, Link does not always respond the movement correctly and he could randomly just run from the cliff (this happened to me). So basically making games unplayable.
You can also test this by going to system settings -> controller and sensors -> calibrate controller sticks. Move the left stick and try to obstruct the signal if it still moves correctly then congratulations you were lucky at hardware lottery!
This is the same thing, the disconnects range from small ones like you are seeing to longer ones where the left joycon can be seen looking for a connection.