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Thread: Playstation 2 Dualshock 2 Controller not working

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    Default Playstation 2 Dualshock 2 Controller not working

    Hello, I bought this Playstation 2 Dualshock 2 Controller off of eBay to repair. It seems that none of the buttons are working. I even tried cleaning the controller, including the contacts, rubber pieces, and buttons. I also tried switching rubber pieces and buttons; and I tried crumpling up paper to put inside the buttons. Nothing worked. When I go to use this controller, the Analog LED lights up, but none of the buttons work when I'm either in the main menu or playing a game. I've tried other functional controllers and they work flawlessly. Does anybody know how I could make the controller's buttons work again? Help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you and have a nice day.

    P.S. I have a lot of the same Dualshock 2 Controllers that don't work, that you guys could probably help me with.

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    Great Puma (Level 12) jb143's Avatar
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    Sounds like a problem with the electronic or maybe the wiring.
    "Game programmers are generally lazy individuals. That's right. It's true. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Since the dawn of computer games, game programmers have looked for shortcuts to coolness." Kurt Arnlund - Game programmer for Activision, Accolade...

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    Quote Originally Posted by jb143 View Post
    Sounds like a problem with the electronic or maybe the wiring.
    How would I approach the wiring if that is the problem? I really don't want to strip all of the insulation off for nothing. Also, what do you mean, the electronic? Do you mean the components?

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    Pear (Level 6) retroman's Avatar
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    why buy a broken one? Just go get a new one if you need too...

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    Quote Originally Posted by retroman View Post
    why buy a broken one? Just go get a new one if you need too...
    This is because I have a Home Business where I live off of eBay. I buy broken controllers, repair them, and then resell them on eBay again. I have repaired many and still have many more in my inventory. I am just stumped on this one. I have also made some profit off of reselling these controllers in the past. Please help me repair this one. Anyone who helps me repair this controller, will be extremely appreciated.

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    Cherry (Level 1) raylydiard's Avatar
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    Just see you can get a replacement conrtoller.
    Quote Originally Posted by BooperGrandson View Post
    This is because I have a Home Business where I live off of eBay. I buy broken controllers, repair them, and then resell them on eBay again. I have repaired many and still have many more in my inventory. I am just stumped on this one. I have also made some profit off of reselling these controllers in the past. Please help me repair this one. Anyone who helps me repair this controller, will be extremely appreciated.

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    Strawberry (Level 2) Compute's Avatar
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    Something may be shorting on the input bus line, or the 'electronics' (there's some kind of encoder chip on there, right?) are fried. Unless you are good with electronics your best bet may be to keep that one for parts. Perhaps you'll find another with a smashed case but functioning pcb.
    See my latest arcade repair at the Holodeck 2 Arcade Repair Blog: http://holodeck2arcade.blogspot.com

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    Great Puma (Level 12) jb143's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Compute View Post
    Something may be shorting on the input bus line, or the 'electronics' (there's some kind of encoder chip on there, right?) are fried. Unless you are good with electronics your best bet may be to keep that one for parts. Perhaps you'll find another with a smashed case but functioning pcb.
    Yup, that's pretty much what I was trying to say...only I was much less specific.

    There's a lot more in a controller these days(since 1985) than buttons and wires. It essentially has what amounts to it's own computer chip inside the controller to route all the signals back and forth. If that's fried, then it's game over. Not that it can't be fixed. It just takes specialized equipment/skills to work with surface mount parts like that. Or it could be any number of the other parts on the board.

    If it was a problem with a break in the cable somewhere, you might be able to switch the cable out. The time I've seen this happen though, it caused the controller to just act weird instead of not work all together.
    "Game programmers are generally lazy individuals. That's right. It's true. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Since the dawn of computer games, game programmers have looked for shortcuts to coolness." Kurt Arnlund - Game programmer for Activision, Accolade...

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    I also have another controller that no buttons work on. I am assuming that it's an earlier model. Do you guys know how I can find out if or where there is a break in the cord without having the strip the whole thing for nothing? Thank you and have a nice day.

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    Great Puma (Level 12) jb143's Avatar
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    You need a multimeter or at the very least a continuity tester. Open up the controller. Find the end of the wires comming from the cord (or a bare metal spot they attach to) and test continuity between there and the contacts on the plug. Each wire should show a connection to somehwere on the plug. If one doesn't then you have a break. If so, it seems as though it would be much easier to replace the whole cable than to fix it.

    Someone with experience fixing PS2 controlers should gladly chime in but in general I can offer these tips...

    If the whole controller is dead then the best place to start would be the ground wire or one of the power wires. It seems more likely that something else would be wrong though. Like in the ciruitry or traces goign to the buttons.

    Another place to check would be where the plastic keypad film connects to the board, since it looks to just be held there by pressure. Also visually check all the traces on the plastic keypad. They are usually painted on and can be damaged quite easily.

    You can look at this pic to see what I'm talking about.
    http://www.slagcoin.com/joystick/pcb...2_diagram2.jpg
    "Game programmers are generally lazy individuals. That's right. It's true. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Since the dawn of computer games, game programmers have looked for shortcuts to coolness." Kurt Arnlund - Game programmer for Activision, Accolade...

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    Here's what I'd do. I'd use the tried and true process of elimination. Take another controller that works perfectly and is identical. On the good controller, start swapping parts from the bad controller into it until you can duplicate the problem. First start with the cord. Does it still work? Then it's not the cord. Then try swapping over the PCB, does it work? If not then it's the PCB, and so forth until you can figure out which component is causing the problem. Once you figure that out, find another controller that's got issues, but different issues and piece one together.

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    I have this other Dual Shock 2 Controller that nothing worked on. Only the Analogue Light lit up. I tested the cord in order to see if I could find any breaks in the wires. I found out that there was continuity going through all of them. The Green Circuit Sheet is plugged into the circuit board all the way. I am pretty sure it is one of those that can't come out of the connector. I also tested all of the components in the whole circuit and they all had continuity. The black parts of the rubber contacts also look good with no tears. What am I missing here? Is it unfixable? Thank you and have a nice day.

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    Quote Originally Posted by BooperGrandson View Post
    I have this other Dual Shock 2 Controller that nothing worked on. Only the Analogue Light lit up. I tested the cord in order to see if I could find any breaks in the wires. I found out that there was continuity going through all of them. The Green Circuit Sheet is plugged into the circuit board all the way. I am pretty sure it is one of those that can't come out of the connector. I also tested all of the components in the whole circuit and they all had continuity. The black parts of the rubber contacts also look good with no tears. What am I missing here? Is it unfixable? Thank you and have a nice day.
    Does anyone have any ideas? I am really wanting to get this controller out of my way! Please help! Thank you and have a nice day.

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    Strawberry (Level 2) Compute's Avatar
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    You tested the components, did you test the traces between the components? If those pan out, then it must be the IC that handles encoding/etc. Or one of the components could be broken but still conducting, i.e. wrong resistance.
    See my latest arcade repair at the Holodeck 2 Arcade Repair Blog: http://holodeck2arcade.blogspot.com

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