UDraw Pen Problem

[Aletron9000]

Hello! I'm hoping someone could help me with a problem I recently started having with the Wii uDraw tablet.

When I try to use the tablet on any game, the Wii is able to detect if the tablet is connected to a Wii remote and I'm able to move the cursor around the screen, but the system won't recognize when I press down on the pen. I read on a Reddit thread that it's possible a cable from the pen got partially detached on the tablet (because the soldering job on the tablet is usually crappy) which is why the pen is still recognized, but pressing down on the pen isn't recognized.

I tried opening up the tablet to see if there was any glaring problems that might be easy to fix, although I couldn't see any (My experience with soldering and wire connections are limited so I feel like I might be missing something obvious). I attached an image of the wires connecting the pen to the tablet's board. Does anyone see anything that might be causing this problem or anyone have any ideas what I could do to fix the tablet?

Thanks.

 

[JuanMena]

When I try to use the tablet on any game, the Wii is able to detect if the tablet is connected to a Wii remote and I'm able to move the cursor around the screen, but the system won't recognize when I press down on the pen.

Depends in what kind of touch technology UBISOFT used for the tablet.

If it's old Touch Digitizer, then I'd assume there's something wrong with the tablet itself.

If it's Resistive Touch, then I'd still think it's something wrong with the tablet.

If somehow it's Capacitive Touch, then definitely it's a pen problem.

I'm afraid Capacitive Touch should be ruled out given that this device is old.

 

[Aletron9000]

Depends in what kind of touch technology UBISOFT used for the tablet.

If it's old Touch Digitizer, then I'd assume there's something wrong with the tablet itself.

If it's Resistive Touch, then I'd still think it's something wrong with the tablet.

If somehow it's Capacitive Touch, then definitely it's a pen problem.

I'm afraid Capacitive Touch should be ruled out given that this device is old.

Hi! Thanks for responding. I don't think it uses any of those technologies. The tablet is more like a pad that senses the position of the pen (I'm not sure of the exact technology behind that) and the pen tip is like a button. You move the pen on the pad and press down on the pen, thereby pushing on the button on the pen, to trigger a "click". It's that button press that it isn't detecting anymore.

It could be a problem with the pen, but the pen definitely doesn't seem like something I can open up without completely destroying it so I wanted to see if there was any other areas I could check before ruling it's a pen problem.

 

[JuanMena]

Thanks for responding. I don't think it uses any of those technologies. The tablet is more like a pad that senses the position of the pen (I'm not sure of the exact technology behind that) and the pen tip is like a button. You move the pen on the pad and press down on the pen, thereby pushing on the button on the pen, to trigger a "click". It's that button press that it isn't detecting anymore.

It could be a problem with the pen, but the pen definitely doesn't seem like something I can open up without completely destroying it so I wanted to see if there was any other areas I could check before ruling it's a pen problem.

Most of these types of pens are glued.
Try with a heat gun, if you don't have one, use a hair dryer.

OR hold your pen with both hands, and twist it to left and right slowly but with hard grip. That should loosen up the glue so you could take a proper look. There's also the possibility that you'll have to pull on both ends to loosen the pen.

I honestly don't know this pen, but as you mentioned, it's very likely the button you mention desoldered or has oxide.