Gaming cursed analogue stick...grr...

[Blaze163]

As you know, my PSP 1000's stick has seen better days. It drifts like crazy on some games. Games confirmed to drift so far are Burnout Legends, Afterburner, Rock Band, etc. So I'm understandably pissed off with it. Oddly it doesn't seem to affect Dissidia or Soul Calibur.

So I'm bidding on a replacement stick on eBay. it's coming from China so truth be told I don't trust it, but its only a quid so no harm no foul, really. But with it coming so far, it probably won't be here for weeks. So I'm looking at opening up the system, giving it all a damn good clean and hoping that helps a little.

To that end I have purchased a set of small screwdrivers, the sort usually needed to open watches and the like. They're the cheap crap ones from Wilkinsons but they should do. I've watched a vid on Youtube regarding the location of the screws and how best to clean the system, but I figured I'd ask the pros before attempting anything. So here's what I want to know:

- What are the risks to the system if it's opened and given a damn good clean?

- Is cleaning the connecions likely to improve the stick's responses, or are the problems more serious?

- Could this possibly be endemic to Prometheus 5.50 as opposed to the actual analogue stick?

- It doesn't drift at all in the web browser or while playing certain games. Why does it only seem to trigger with certain games?

- Anything else I should know before attempting this? I'm notorious for being as far away from technically minded as you can get, so please explain in simple terms. Imagine you're teaching a five year old how to fix his PSP and you're pretty much there.

 

[MelodieOctavia]

Cleaning the contacts should fix your problem. /you will need to take the faceplate off, but thats not the problem. your problem will be keeping dust off the faceplate and off the screen. Just remember that canned air is your best friend.

 

[Blaze163]

Well, I couldn't open the faceplate entirely. Evidently the previous owner had tried to do so before, the screws in the battery compartment are wedged in good 'n' proper and simply refused to move, the screwheads are stripped almost bare. But I was able to open the left side of the system far enough to get to the stick contacts. I gave it a good blow (behave yourselves...) and swabbed them with a q-tip with the tiniest bit of cleaning solution on there. The system switches back on so I didn't F it up entirely. It still doesn't drift in the web browser so I'm now 'acquiring' one of the games known to drift (I deleted them all earlier before I had this idea) and will test whether I've had any effect at all. Worst case scenario I can still use PS1 games and a select few PSP games. If I can ever find a working ISO/eboot of FF8 or 9 the stick won't be such a problem any more.

EDIT: RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGE!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yeah, doesn't seem to have made the slightest hint of difference. Not with Afterburner, at least. And of course I can't actually open the system fully due to these wanky screws, so I can't try again, nor can I replace the analogue stick when my new one arrives.

Suggestions are welcomed, particularly how to get past these god forsaken screws.

 

[MelodieOctavia]

unless you can get the faceplate completely off you wont be able to clean the contacts entirely. there is a piece of clear rubber that has tiny wires in it to act as a bridge between the contacts. that is usually the part that gets dirty (usually not visibly so), and if you try to clean it by wedging in a q-tip you might just dislodge that part, and the analog stick will be useless until you can get it back in place.

as for how to get the screws out, your best bet would be to push DOWN as hard as you can against the screw before turning. you also might try wedging a very small rubber band between the screw and the driver (dont double it up, just one side).

 

[Blaze163]

I have a better idea: let the old man do it. He's a carpenter. He's been using screwdrivers most of his life. Added bonus, if he breaks it he has to buy me a new PSP. So it's a win-win situation.

 

[alucard77]

Take it to a videogame speciality shop. I got mine fixed for $30. It's worth it if your trying to keep your system.

 

[Blaze163]

The only place around here that'll even take a look at it is a total rip off. I got a quote from the guy, he said it'd cost £45 to get a new analogue stick installed. Even if I provided the stick myself. I only paid 40 for the system. I'll be damned if I'm paying that much even if I could afford it.

 

[jan777]

google : joysens

 

[Blaze163]

I'm starting to think that might be the solution. I don't think the stick is actually damaged, as proven by it working perfectly on the web browser, Dissidia and Soul Calibur, all of which use the stick extensively. It may be a side effect of Prometheus. Incompatible with some games, perhaps. Someone with Prometheus test out a UMD of Burnout Legends or Rock Band Unplugged and see what happens.

Well, worst case scenario is that the stick is genuinely F'd. IE: not just dirty. Unlikely but best to be on the safe side. so I just bought a replacement analogue stick array from eBay. It probably won't work after taking 3 weeks to get here knowing my run of luck with eBay, but it only cost me a penny so I can't really complain.

 

[Devin]

Meh...My Analogue stick does that everytime, I try to play a game. I solve it by rotating it, in a circular manner, and then it would usually start working right. Have you tried this?

 

[Blaze163]

Yah, Ive tried rotating it, getting all the gunk out from under the cap with a little brush, everything. What bothers me is that is only triggers in certain games. Dissidia, Soul Calibur Broken Destiny, Harvest Moon, my emulators and PSX games, all seem unaffected, as is the web browser which is normally where it goes wrong when the stick's busted. It only triggers during PSP games, and even then some are immune. That doesn't sound like a damaged stick to me, if it were truly damaged it wouldn't be so picky, surely? My old man's analogue stick drifted and it was noticable in the web browser. Mine does exactly what its told with most stuff, except older PSP games. Could it just be a symptom of Prometheus' incompatability with certain games?

 

[Goli]

I've alredy told you this several times yet you keep not listening to me!
JOYSENS!!!

 

[Jolan]

System settings, system version, do 5 clockwise spins and 5 counterclockwise spins with the analog stick.
If that doesn't help, then Joysense will.

 

[Blaze163]

Just installed Joysens. Of course I deleted all the files that were going all wanky on me, so now I have to download them again to see if this works. Ah well, got the laptop all night so I may as well. Will chime in with the results when they're known.

EDIT 1: Have set the sensitivity to 70% and it made no difference to Soul Calibur Broken Destiny. It never had any problems with the analogue stick, it's just nice to know that altering the sensitivity settings doesn't mean I have to put added pressure on the stick to get a response...which is not in any way a penis joke.

EDIT 2: IT'S ALIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But seriously. Seems to be working fine now. Not spazzing out on menus or anything. Cheers. Although that does mean I kinda wasted that penny on the new analogue stick...Ah well.

 

[Jakob95]

I have the same problem. I download the JOYSENS plugin and installed it. But it doesn't solve my problem I don't know how to adjust the stuff after I enable the plugin like the sensitivity how do you do it?

 

[Goli]

I have the same problem. I download the JOYSENS plugin and installed it. But it doesn't solve my problem I don't know how to adjust the stuff after I enable the plugin like the sensitivity how do you do it?

Each button does something, mess around and you'll get the hang of it eventually...

 

[Jakob95]

I have the same problem. I download the JOYSENS plugin and installed it. But it doesn't solve my problem I don't know how to adjust the stuff after I enable the plugin like the sensitivity how do you do it?

Each button does something, mess around and you'll get the hang of it eventually...

Wait what do you mean each button does something?

EDIT: In google it tells me to do note+square. But what is note?

 

[Goli]

I have the same problem. I download the JOYSENS plugin and installed it. But it doesn't solve my problem I don't know how to adjust the stuff after I enable the plugin like the sensitivity how do you do it?

Each button does something, mess around and you'll get the hang of it eventually...

Wait what do you mean each button does something?

I mean that, each button does something, the d-pad adjusts sensitivity IIRC, others do other stuff, you can see the changes in real time with all those stats that get displayed like deadzone, et cetera.

 

[Jakob95]

But how do I access the menu from where you have to press the buttons? And what is note?

 

[Magmorph]

Note is the button that has a note on it. ♪