Dance Pad Recommendations for the DDR PSX

[fairyland]

I've owned the original PSX DDR game for years and I've never bought a dance pad for it because I'm a very cheap gamer and thought I'd get pads for it cheap someday at a garage sale. About two years ago I bought two used DDR pads for a dollar each. Today I finally got around to using them and so I plug them into several different machines and I'm confused as they light up and flash when I press around with my feet, but nothing is registering on the machines. I've tried the pads on a PSX, PS2 and a Wii (for the Mario DDR with a conversion plug) and nothing. So I'm wondering if I'm doing something wrong or are these pads are known to be faulty or perhaps they are just worn out from so much usage from the prior owners? They look a lot like this: http://www.overstock.com/Books-Movies-Music-Games/Dance-Dance-Revolution-DDR-Pad-Playstation-2-PS2/3572974/product.html?cid=123620&fp=F&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=11645112#custreviews .

I'm a chubby mid-30s guy who is trying to get a little exercise in and I don't expect to be hopping and twirling around like the teens in the arcades so I won't need high end like those crazy iON set ups I've seen in garage sales for over $100.00 yet I do expect to have something that will last me a few weeks before I grow tired of it. I just would like to get a little expert assistance from people who had used these things in the past to guide me to a proper pad. Thanks!

[Shadow Kisuragi]

Those type of pads have an issue where the sensors can become loose and migrate around the pad, especially if they are well used. They're also known to break easy if abused (I've gone through about 6 sets of pads in the past...I haven't played in a few years though). Have you tried stepping all around on the arrows to see if the sensor has moved around? Are all of the arrows not working, or just a couple? Do you get input if you step on the buttons (these function the same as the arrows)?

[Zing]

You need one that has a foam pad inside. Any of the flat, foldable pads (such as the official Konami ones packed with the DDR games) are useless unless you tape them to the ground or plywood. They will shift and bunch if you attempt anything but light mode.

Get a Redoctane "Ignition" pad or something similar to it. There are plenty of fakes out there, and they likely work almost as well. I played DDR to death and my BNS ("buynshop", they were extremely popular at one time for DDR) pads are still fine, although I had to put some packing tape on the surface to fix cracks. The sensors are fine, though. I also had some official Redoctane pads for a while and they worked just as well with no damage.

I paid $50 each for my BNS pads direct and $60 each for my Redoctanes from Best Buy.

[Kitsune Sniper]

I think Gamestop has those foam pads for $20-$30 each. I got mine for five bucks off the flea market and they worked fine, but they really shouldn't be used for hardcore playing since they move around.

[MachineGex]

I know when we opened our pads for the first time we had to smooth them out with our hands. There was a paper inside the package explaining to flatten the pads out with your hands every time you unfold them. Every time one of the sections stopped working, we just smoothed the pads out with our hands. Kinda like flattening them with your hands. Kind of a "Karate kid" wax on, wax off, thing.

I am sure if all the sections are dead, this isn't your problem. But I did want to mention it in case you get another set. Best of luck!

[darkslime]

The In The Groove is like $20, I think they sell it at Target.com still, and comes with 2 good quality redocatane pads and in the groove for PS2.

That's what I used before I got a metal arcade quality pad for $4.70 at a thrift shop. :D