Let's save some money! - Repairing Broken Controllers

[@monkeywithocd]

Important to note with USB wires, no one can seem to agree on the colors that should be used so you should always check with a multimeter what the wires are (unless they're actually labeled or something)

[@crazychainsaw007]

i needed to hit a vape cartridge once but didn't have a battery on hand so i grabbed the cheapest USB cable i could find and cut it - they used a bright purple and cyan for the power it was the weirdest shit iv ever seen as far as color coding goes ( i work in PCB assembly)

[@shotguntimmy]

@@crazychainsaw007 lmao

[@graealex]

@@crazychainsaw007 The intention might have been for them to be blue and red at some point, but the pigment ran out or got old.

[@mattthemouse1]

Standards are wusses.

[@Ale.K7]

Cables should be checked with a multimeter even if the colors seem right. I have seen cables where red is negative, black is positive...

[@rossmadibo]

Here's something I came up with after years of fixing and refurbishing old controlers which might also help you: Even after you clean the conductive rubber pads with alcohol, the response might not be the best, the button might need a stronger press or respond a bit later than usual. If you look closer, the pads become shiny after a lot of use and you can actually see some marks that are the result of millions of presses against the copper traces on the PCB. Grab a piece of regular paper and rub the pads against it a couple of times with some preassure. The thin, shiny and less conductive layer should rub off and the pad will have matte look with no reflection as it originally did. You'll find that the response is a lot better.

[@KillahMate]

A real pro tip - thanks!

[@thunderbolt10031]

Would it hurt anything to run the pads through soapy water? That's what I always do, I just dump the pads in with all my plastic pieces when I clean a controller.

[@MidnightMarrow]

@@thunderbolt10031 Perfectly fine so long as the soap doesn't have an ingredient that reacts with rubber. Pretty sure what people like about the old rubber is it was the more natural denser stuff vs cheap shit now days.

[@rossmadibo]

@@thunderbolt10031 It won't hurt but you'll just be cleaning them. Getting rid of the used surface like I mentioned will restore the pads to pretty much the same condition they were when the controllers were bought

[@wobblysauce]

You can but soapy water shouldn't be needed.

[@skeeeeebs]

Controller library is one of the best resources for GameCube controllers. So happy to see you mention it. There are so many controllers people don’t know exist and the owner spent years cataloging the information. It is/was quite the passion project.

[@PhaythGaming]

More right to repair content! I love learning about this stuff. It’s a great introduction to fields I never thought I’d be curious about!

[@marxmaiale9981]

There is lots of how to repair things videos on Loius Rossmann's channel. May have to back a good ways, but he has many how to's on his channel.

[@PhaythGaming]

@@marxmaiale9981 yeah I learnt of his channel through ltt. That’s more my point. Ltt is my gateway drug!

[@radradR0bot]

It's just called repair. It's not a right

[@PhaythGaming]

@@radradR0bot it should be is the whole advocacy groups point. So you’re right, but only technically!

[@radradR0bot]

@@PhaythGaming when it comes to rights, technicalities mater.

[@paulpires2434]

I’ve been repairing and refurbishing older controllers for a few years now. Out of all of them, my absolute favorite to service has got to be the Dreamcast controller. Something about the way everything goes together just pleases my brain

[@caodesignworks2407]

It's H.E.S stick is just so easy to take care of. I've got about a dozen DC controllers and the only thing to ever go bad on mine have been the cable from being pulled out of the system

[@link1565V2]

What's the worst to work on?

[@TheNadazza]

I love my Dreamcast controller. Now you’re making me want to play again.

[@paulpires2434]

@@link1565V2 my least favorite would have to be the original Xbox Duke controller. The screws are nearly impossible to take out without breaking the posts they screw into off

[@mbsfaridi]

Any suggestions for dualshock 2 analogs?

[@NatesMiniatures]

So weird watching Linus talk about these but then have someone else's hands fix the controllers lol, it was a wait a minute moment! I have been Bamboozled. Great video, I have a fair few controllers that need repairing.

[@Kindachi08]

Stunt double hands

[@rcotrina94]

Linus Tech Hands

[@JamieShultz]

I'm guessing Jake...

[@miasinterestinglife]

Don't you remember Lie-nus?

[@finlandjourney6065]

Not weird at all to people who watch this channel. Every time you handle Linus something he'll drop it!

[@avattz]

10:37 For anyone that will replace lithium batteries like this, make sure to put supportive anti-static cell foam between the circuit board and the battery pack. The pins sticking out of the circuit board can pierce and short the battery if enough pressure is applied (or if the controller is dropped)! Notice how the original battery is in a hard plastic case.

[@wobblysauce]

Yep.

[@luigigaminglp]

My pitch would be to wrap it in tape a few more times.

[@Kelocyde]

@@luigigaminglp Would be totally fine. Especially with that kapton tape.

[@luigigaminglp]

@@Kelocyde duct tape would probably work just as well or better, those strings should keep it nice and safe.

[@Vinnay94]

Yeah, pretty sure every PS3 controller I've disassembled has a plastic frame to keep it away from the PCB, but maybe the previous owner/s forgot to put it back or it broke.

[@medplays9333]

I love how during the repair process, linus has lost his watch and his rings 😏 good job on the repairs! It's always satisfying and rewarding fixing your broken tech, highly recommended!

[@KatRollo]

Because it's not his hands 🤣 I found that funny too

[@stefanmisch5272]

he also gets and loses freckles on his hands from cut to cut. 🤔😅

[@anewbimproves5622]

And also gains and loses hand hair 🤣

[@namAehT]

"Linus" also got hella freckles in the overhead shots.

[@Proxiir]

Also, the color of the usb cable on the 360 controller magically changes from black to white before he takes it apart lol

[@azyfloof]

Important note, if you're replacing a battery and the replacement lipo doesn't have a plastic shell, then put some thin plastic or foam between it and the backside of the PCB. If the solder joints on the back of the PCB poke through the lipo over time because of pressure and vibration, it's gonna let the magic smoke out in the most spectacular way possible o.O

[@BelleVanSchijndel]

...yup. Been there, done that. "There we go!" - "Babe. It's smoking." - "It's WHAT?"

[@ChrisTian-sd5yq]

Galaxy note 7 in a nutshell

[@Mulengr0]

Right to repair and reduction of e-waste are both noble goals. It may feel like you were preaching to the choir, but there are enthusiasts who don't realize how easy it can be with a little practice.

[@Cosmitzian]

I'm right now in a situation with a very modern Canon QX10 portable printer. Battery just died after a year, even with me taking care for it not to deep discharge, and storing at 40-80%. I sent a support request in, but i'm quite confident i'll need to replace the battery myself with aftermarkets or compatibile bricks. I absolutely will not throw it away though, nor buy a replacement. Since it's just not needed. The device functions perfectly.. aside from the battery being dead.

[@toonv4023]

@@Cosmitzian Some batteries revive if they're christian, I heard

[@fredwupkensoppel8949]

"But, like, I can just throw the old one away and buy a new one, it's far easier! Hey, have you heard about that micro plastic thing? Wonder where this all comes from."

[@CobraFat2000]

Yeah, look, how with practice both hands of Linus become bulkier and different shade of color when the soldering iron is picked up - it's like they Hulk out.

[@heyspookyboogie644]

Or people who think right to repair is only about fixing things yourself. Not about having the parts/documentation for a shop to do it. I’m just tired of people acting like the ONLY option is legislation. The issue isn’t the law, it’s consumers not caring. Part of why user replaceable mobile batteries, RAM, etc died out wasnt because apple said so. It’s because MOST people didn’t care. They wanted the option, but never actually used it.

[@KoenvdW88]

Just a little heads-up on the PS3 controller: you might as well have popped the board completely, and put some padding on the front of the frame that holds the conductive pads. Sony put some foam there to maintain pressure, but the foam will slowly shrink over the years, resulting in ghost-clicks of your buttons. Add some padding (most of the time 2 or 3 small strips of electrical tape on top of the foam is enough), and you're good for quite a while. It's good preventive maintenance while you've got the controller open anyway. Fixed my PS3 controllers last year, haven't had an issue since. This trick also works for shifting C stick assemblies on GameCube controllers. Also, it's getting easier these days to get new springs for your thumbsticks, so if you've got no ghosting or irrisponsiveness, but just a floppy stick - sure beats having to either get a second hand stick or a crappy new one.

[@henrik1743]

Oh so that's why I had ghost clicking, lmao. Thanks for this ,any other common issues and easy fixes while at it? Appreciate your comment man

[@ashazhamzah5886]

In my PS3, As soon as I connect my controller the UI just goes haywire. Like it ghost registers every direction, So selecting team in FIFA is a nightmare. Is this the fix for it?

[@pinkchckn]

This, I didn't know what caused this problem and while messing with the controller to understand it I broke one of them, on the second one I learned what caused the problem and first I fixed it by forcing the whole assembly against the conductive pads. That worked for some years, until at some point I realized this had cracked the battery housing. At that point I was a little bit more conscious of what I was doing (and the thought of having a problem with the battery scared me a bit), so I opened it once more to understand what was actually happening, and from then on, I did what you mentioned. Haven't had a problem since, for the last 3 years at least. Recently when I went back home, I got the 3rd controller, did the same thing and it's working like it's brand new.

[@seraphfawkes]

Can confirm, fixed it couple years ago with that method.

[@TitusSc]

Can confirm. PS3 controllers are one of the stupidest controller design I’ve come accros; the thing was born to fail

[@Micromation]

Now this is a type of content I can wholeheartedly get behind. Raising awareness to normies that electronics repair is not some arcane magic for selected few is a good thing in my book. Hardware side of things is very straightforward, as anyone who makes custom controllers will attest that the decent software is the hard part.

[@tylermeehan6117]

U my friend are spot on.

[@enigma2311]

as someone with absolutely no experience in hardware repairs or electronic parts at all.. this still looks like arcane magic :(

[@760creations]

I've been repairing Guitar Hero controllers since 2019, and it's one of the most fulfilling things I've ever done. Just being able to make them better than they were before and watch people enjoy the game again is amazing. We need more controller modders in general for everything.

[@jasonclark2636]

I went to repair my 360 sunburst and after I got it to work again it seems like it has a delay or something. Which is weird because the only thing I touched was the battery contacts

[@hernanhernandez6567]

My problem with them back in the day were the whammy bars. I abused the hell out of them, and had it between my pinky, and ring finger. Lol

[@jasonclark2636]

@@hernanhernandez6567 whammy bar is broken but I play almost exclusively clone hero so I just use my keyboard for it now

[@chriswalters5747]

I have been looking for a good quality guaranteed working guitar controller that wont cost me a ton of money for my pc for too long. Would you happen to sell them anywhere I can find?

[@Dreddy72]

most common issue i had with those were the ones with the disconnecting necks. the pins would either stop pogo-ing or punch a hole through the landing pad and lose connection. had a pair i hardwired with enough slack to still break down for convenience.

[@charsiuwu8084]

After seeing a boom in repair channels like Odd Tinkering and the Right to Repair stuff here, I started repairing stuff myself way more. I've fixed about a half dozen PS1 and PS2s, and about a dozen controllers (mostly Switch JoyCons). Super rewarding and very cool!

[@IzzySarru]

I want to get into this stuff, but man...I swear Odd Tinkering is either incredibly lucky or just exaggerating the prices he gets stuff like Old Gameboys for. Can't find any that sell for less than like $50.

[@charsiuwu8084]

@@IzzySarru As far as I know, he's in a well populated area trolling what is basically scrap to folks. There isn't a market at all in my part of the world for damaged stuff to buy, I've got all my experience from systems given to me by people who knew I was interested, or offering to fix them for free to friends and family of friends.

[@IzzySarru]

@@charsiuwu8084 Maybe that's my problem then. My area is a mixture of rural farmers and college kids. So...not a big market for old tech, really. Unless you're looking for an old tractor. Lol Though that doesn't really explain the eBay listings.

[@charsiuwu8084]

@@IzzySarru I'm in a similar boat! Big college town! There's a few small collectors who are regulars at farmers markets and stuff and that's it. Once I get my second booster I'm gonna start heading to yard sales again.

[@IzzySarru]

@@charsiuwu8084 Maybe I'll try to convince my sister to go trolling yard sales like we used to. I don't have a car, so I need a chaperone. Lol

[@machocheez01]

I would've loved to see the video touch on the PhobGCC along with the discussion of hall effect sensors. It's an open-source solution to replacing the Gamecube controller's potentiometers with hall effect sensors. One of the best videos from LTT in a long time that touched on one of my favorite hobbies of fixing up old controllers.

[@Soljarag5]

How did Linus just straight faced the line "dirty nipples"

[@frikinrikin]

Where are all the comments time stamping him saying nipples!!!

[@XX-pq6cu]

@@frikinrikin 2:56

[@XeroShifter]

@@frikinrikin Definitely miss the days where the internet was all about making songs out of clipping statements out of context. Dirty Nipples could have been a mad auto-tuned song.

[@hooptiej]

im wondering how many times he can get away with saying dirty nipples without getting hit with the demonitizer

[@NippyNep]

because we dont act like children

[@dragon2knight]

I've been repairing my own (and my friends) controllers for years. Being poor makes this the only way. Nice to see this being pushed so much more these days, though, it's great to let folks know that this is a viable option, thanks Linus!

[@mikep9418]

I've tried but some of the components are so small and fiddly I've just given up and thrown it in the bin! 🤣

[@dragon2knight]

@@mikep9418 Some of them WILL be a PITA to fix, but the thought of having to buy a brand new one always makes it worth it in the end. Heck, some of the aftermarket components are even better quality than the original parts, so there's also that.

[@mikep9418]

@@dragon2knight I remember buying 100 microswitch (I only wanted 1!) for around £2.50 here in the UK but I honestly didn't have the patience to do it.

[@Bro_from_bama]

Open your own biz if you can as this being your service

[@dragon2knight]

@@Bro_from_bama Nah, I have a life, lol, and this is a business model that doesn't make too much, if any, profit unfortunately. There are tons of YT videos explaining how to do much of it now, so much better than even a few years ago, that doing it yourself is almost getting easy to do. And don't discount the tons of text based fixes either, some of them have great photos showing exactly what you need to work on, it sometimes is so much better than videos.

[@TheBamaChad-W4CHD]

I love how the cuts to soldering are someone else's hand. Obviously not the hands of Linus. Me too Linus. Me too. I can't solder worth crap. Unless it's pipe for plumbing. I'm a copper joint soldering wiz lol

[@HeavenAintClose]

This style of video is so fun to watch. Linus giving a full blown tutorial on how to do something. I like the content you guys normally do but this feels like 2015-2018 content and I like it

[@RedGryz]

This is quite probably the video I’ve enjoyed the most of anything I’ve seen in the last past several months. I quite like informative videos about odd repairs, and even found myself wishing you’d slowed down and talked through some of your process a little more at various points, even though this wasn’t meant to be a strict how-to video.

[@manaylodha]

This!!

[@KalamazooEAS]

I have a feeling we will see more from this new writer

[@carlosIC]

This, very fun to watch

[@jamesmacleod8388]

Would not be surprised if they did on floatplane 😅

[@ANDRY6147]

This video was amazing!!! Commenting just for engagement so that this gets more coverage, should always support right to repair, especially in easy jobs like this that can bring soo much satisfaction if you get your controller back in working order

[@guiAI]

Man i love how the anatomy of linus's arm and hand changes when he is fixing a controller.

[@PrecisionAcc]

ring disappears too

[@loanqypol6797]

😂

[@inhalants]

For all the GameCube controller people, there's an open-source custom PCB that uses hall-effect sensors called the PhobGCC so you will never have a control stick degrade. Melee fam

[@scraps7624]

Damn, the Melee community never ceases to surprise me

[@inhalants]

@@scraps7624 Well we're not going to let something like declining controller availability get in the way of a perfect ledgedash.

[@pikasso2432]

melee gang

[@Nate612]

Keep doing this off camera, I'd actually pay for you guys to help fix some controllers i still have. This shit will save so much money and make more controllers in use and drive prices down.

[@ericjordan2205]

One tip I would like to recommend just in general taking stuff like this apart is to take photos of the wire layout and parts positions to reference when fixing and putting back together.

[@zepo82]

as an avid...well I take things apart for fun and sometimeget paid- and I'm alright doing it (laptop screen, fans and such) you are right - I take a pic every step of the way...then I do it for myself...always a missing screw :D

[@ThePaintitwhite]

@@zepo82 as a fellow avid take-things-apart-for-fun..er, the job is not done until I scan the whole floor to find the stupid missing screw, never find it and try to convince myself that it will probably stay together anyway.

[@TH3SHUR1F]

This, 100%. Especially handy for automotive work.

[@ultimabear]

@@ThePaintitwhite They are not missing. It is a well-known fact that the static energy generated by the friction of passing air as it falls makes a small wormhole appear that whisks the screw away and instantly collapses.

[@Adroit1911]

I've been waiting for retro gaming to get to the point it is now!!! Thank you rapid prototyping, and all the developers out there!

[@pwnmeisterage]

You can use membrane-repair kits to fix broken rubber membranes. It's a hassle but sometimes there's no other option. You can use contact cleaners (like DeoxIT or Stabilant 22) to clean and repair damaged contact pads or potentiometer wipers. If you use isopropyl then be sure you buy "electrical-grade" (99% anhydrous) stuff, not drugstore stuff which usually contains perfumes and other additives which will coat conductors with chemical residues.

[@GoPaintman]

It’s important to mention that some membrane switches with a flexible metal coating on them can have that coating dissolve off with isopropyl alcohol.

[@MidnightMarrow]

True, and luckily in that case I think it's just a conductive pad. If it did dissolve on a newer controller though you could clean and re-coat it yourself so with a conductive paint or resin.

[@arthurmint]

I love how many repair / diy videos Linus has put out recently they are perhaps my favourite type of LTT video :)

[@TheCod3r]

It's good to see you covering more repair stuff Linus. I'd love to see some in depth stuff from you guys

[@fangoroth6600]

When the pandemic started I ordered a cheap soldering kit. Resoldered a Gamecube rumble motor that I'd torn one of the wires for by accident, and cut out a section of a PS2 controller cable that had gotten so twisted that it actually pushed through the rubber and made a wire tumor. DEFINITELY learned the value of some clamp arms and a magnifying glass by trying to solder all those wires back WITHOUT that for help. I was fully prepared to junk the controller, but with older hardware getting so scarce I'd rather learn how to maintain than replace. I haven't had any Joycon drift yet, but it's nice to know about that trick where you put a business card behind it to increase the pressure. Counterfeit controllers are another really good reason for this. Bought a reasonably expensive PS3 controller on Amazon that turned out to be the BAD kind of fake (joysticks have at best 8 way directionality instead of the fine control a normal PS3 controller has). I would have returned it if not for a combination of laziness, and the fact that having the fake on hand was actually beneficial for comparisons with other controllers I ordered down the line. On that note, for anyone who doesn't know, DsHidMini can actually detect fake PS3 controllers, haven't had to test it with anything else though. The gamepad tester site is also really good for testing possibly broken/fake/low quality stickboxes ( I had a PS5 controller where the right stick only got to 75% pushing up that was within warranty, and it was a great indicator of how bad that fake PS3 controller was). Love to see more of this kind of content, never know when I'll need to fix something because it's cheaper to buy the tools than the replacements.

[@maxrichards5925]

This is an issue with N64 Controllers. I'm glad you were able to get a fix for them. Also retro brighting makes all the difference with yellowing plastic

[@genderender]

N64 controller joystick was so weird. So much plastic rubbing on plastic, I'm not sure how Nintendo missed it. At least with the Switch there aren't really any options with modern manufacturing demands

[@Norweeg]

@@genderender Because the Nintendo didn’t have much to go on when designing the N64 controller. It was a new time for analog stick designs.

[@genderender]

@@Norweeg I’m no mechanical engineer, but if I see a component that relies on translational movement of 2 plastic pieces I would probably say that it wouldn’t last at all

[@m.f.3347]

Retro-brighting is reported to make plastics more brittle, so YMMV

[@rossmadibo]

I never owned one as a kid but my friends used to complain about the joysticks all the time. When I bought one a few years back the first thing I did was to crack the joysticks open and fill them with vaseline so the plastic doesn't rub so hard. Works like a charm.

[@valasdarkholme6255]

I would love to see more Right to Repair videos, and more Controller videos as well. I'd also love to see you guys build some custom controllers if you'd be up for that. I've seen some cool ones Ben Heck made, and some cool fightstick videos on here, and I'd love to see some new projects along that vein.

[@pixelpuppy]

there's a UK dude I watch that repairs all sorts of gaming hardware, and he's constantly learning as he's doing it. his humor is great too. just search "Steve fix". There's also OddTinkering, who restores old gaming hardware.

[@valasdarkholme6255]

@@pixelpuppy Thanks!

[@Neoxon619]

Funny enough, the competitive Smash community actually makes quite a bit of money through repairing GameCube controllers. I remember seeing an entire stand at a tournament dedicated to fixing controllers. That said, my DualSense could already use a new analog stick. And as an aside, I’m curious about what Linus thinks about the official Nintendo reproduction of the SNES controller for the Switch.

[@crisnmaryfam7344]

DualSense likely just needs the potentiometers cleaned. Alcohol and some make up applicator sponge sticks (they are basically q tips, but dont have tiny hairs that get stuck on shit) is all you need. 10$ in supplies on amazon will last you years. And save you buying sticks/controllers. Alps sticks can be had on Ifixit too by the way... Why Linus failed to mention this a single time in this video ill never know.. he plugged the tools.. the Y driver, but not that you can buy all the parts you need for any of these on ifixit as well.

[@matthewstreet845]

I’m going to hijack this comment to say that Asumsaus has a fantastic video on gamecube controllers for Smash Bros Melee and it is well worth checking out if you want a look into how far smash players will go with modding controllers.

[@alexcarlone7967]

DualSense uses the exact same analog housing as the DS4, which had horrible milage

[@Neoxon619]

@@matthewstreet845 It’s not really hijacking, you’re right on-topic. But I’ll check their video out when I can.

[@deraile]

Official NSO SNES controller is pretty great. I bought 3. 2 for multiplayer, and a spare one in case something bad happens to one of the others. It's so good I want to still have a brand new one when they stop selling them a while from now. I mean, being a big fan of the SNES myself, I'm sure Linus would love em. Not a shill though, the NES ones are good for what they are, and I simply wouldn't recommend the N64 one. They put in the same mechanism in the analog stick that will sand it off very prematurely. Makes much more sense atm to put money into a stick replacement for an old controller, as there's no current brand new offering that gets everything right (the Brawler64 gets very close but the analog stick for some reason uses a weird, badly compatible range that makes diagonals not go far enough; Nerrel has a great video going into that).

[@johnnysims6301]

I really do love the right to repair content. Nice seeing a larger channel like LTT putting out videos like this. As a side question, when will the next million dollar unboxing video release?

[@gimmickmusic8827]

Controller repair is something that I became very passionate about during the pandemic. Due to the fact that I purchased a used PS4 and the controller that came with it had… problems.

[@phitsf5475]

I like how Linus changed his shirt and freckles to solder on the new USB cable on that xbox controller. Impressive, very nice.

[@menixx1337]

Thank god i wasn't the only noticing this :D Has to be Jake or Alex soldering things i'd imagine.

[@cos3rr]

Me 2

[@malgaras6204]

That editing choice was so awkward! Why not just present it as a voice over to begin with instead of acting like he's actually working on all the controllers and constantly cutting to someone else's hands all video? Especially when he was "going to get a cable" for the controller he wasn't fixing, or the "prying" at 14:50. Just, why?

[@phitsf5475]

@@malgaras6204 lol that's a weird one. Maybe linus recorded all the same shots too but they needed to be improved

[@johnmorris9063]

Can we just get more videos of Linus fixing older things, I really enjoyed this one!

[@jonnycorb]

Or at least Linus pretending to repair things while someone else does!

[@CrabHead501]

@@jonnycorb #lie-nus

[@amihart9269]

The GameCube controller has the same stickbox under the c-stick as the primary stick. Usually the stickbox under the c-stick is in perfectly good condition, so imo the best fix for GameCube controllers is to get one of the cheap stickboxes online and place that under the c-stick and swap the one from under the c-stick to the primary stick. It will make the controller feel pretty good without having to source scarce parts.

[@kapre88]

I love how Linus is pretending the whole video that he’s the one actually repairing these.

[@funtaril]

Lie-nus

[@Rex_Nichts]

Like how one of his employee's blunder is the blunder of the entire team, the success of one employee is the success of the entire team. *USSR anthem plays*

[@OnIiKa]

Noo noo Linus's hands just look a bit different from above 🤣

[@kiyosenl.3889]

@@Rex_Nichts i appreciate that you have massive mandarin symbols for your name while making communist jokes

[@emeraldknight6603]

​@@funtaril I'm not good with sarcasm but the video that started this was a April fools joke.

[@Krex06_]

I actually just started doing that on my ps4 controllers and was amazed at how easy some of repairs really are

[@NinjaChris77]

I love how Linus's hands change all the time when "he" fixes different controllers! 😏😏

[@NinjaChris77]

12:45 Looks for donor cable, while the donor cable is clearly already been soldered on to the pad by someone else before, HAHA. Sorry, i just find it funny 🤣

[@leovbernardo]

I bet those are Jake's hands!

[@jiangyiliu6504]

LIE-NUS🤣

[@crestofhonor2349]

Batteries being easily replaced in Xbox controllers is one reason why I love them. Pairing it up with Xbox’s official rechargeable battery pack is perfect. Not only is it rechargeable through the micro USB port but it’s also easily replaced with no tools at all. So when it does die getting a replacement is simple and very quick to do

[@ea8455]

It creates a solution to a problem that is artificially created. It's contributes to e-waste and holds more negative aspects to the end-user than positive ones. -needing a pack of batteries in your home e.g buying them like a supscription basically. Changing the batteries every 16 hours gametime. And ofc which percentage recycles them accordingly. There's literally no aspect that makes batteries the better alternative than soldered-in besides that after the controller survived something like 6 years, it's capacity is unaffected. But by that time all the money spend on the batteries you could easily buy 5-6 brand new controllers. Edit: btches failed 4th class reading comprehension and riding on a high horse telling me again and again how wrong I am to have the lights shine on them like the queens yellow teeth. Your answers with "just use rechargeable batteries or buy official battery expansion" is exactly the solution to a problem that doesn't exist.

[@gazza272]

@@ea8455 most people use rechargeable batteries in their controller - using disposable batteries would be crazy, rechargeables pay for themselves in no time.

[@0osk]

@@ea8455 You replied to a guy talking about how great rechargeable batteries are with a rant about how bad disposable batteries are???

[@prospekt_1]

@@ea8455 *Rechargable* batteries. You can’t charge disposable batteries through Micro USB…

[@KnowThyWeakness]

i actualy use a powerA rechargeable battery, it comes with its own door with 2 holes, 1 for a secondary usb port for the battery only and another for flush pins meant for the powerA charger dock that i dont have. its a great option if yours dies

[@joshuaspromise]

This was fantastic! i'd love to see a similar video disecting old handleld consoles. In particular the DS and GBA SP

[@jameswoll]

Check out Retro Future on KZbin!

[@Graslu00]

Amazing video, thanks for pointing out how good the N64 sticks were! Optical sensors still beat potentiometers any time!

[@radornkeldam]

The only problem with the N64 stick was being all plastic (except for the spring and electronics, that is), all those plastic pieces rubbing together into a dust :( Other than that, tightest deadzone ever. That said, if I were to make a new controller today, I'd probably go for Hall effect sticks. Seems to me that Saturn and Dreamcast had that right. Unless someone can point me to problems with those, in which case I guess, the ideal would go to N64-like all metal ones heh.

[@Graslu00]

@@radornkeldam Yes that's the biggest flaw on N64 sticks but very easy fix today as pointed out in the video, and metal replacements existing although pricey will make a controller last virtually forever. Hall effect sticks are great to get rid of drift and deadzones but its accuracy is still similar to potentiometers. It's the ideal next step but there's still room for improvement, a deeper gate that allows for greater resistance, similar to the N64, would help with the feel and accuracy on slow movements.

[@Kiefy1984]

Can we get an f in the chat for all the controlers that get thrown at the wall on a daily basis?

[@blitz5941]

Gone through 13 controllers in this fifa

[@MarkGibbons]

No.

[@dookcurruff9047]

By wingsofredemption?

[@astrodott6080]

i went through 2 already

[@doglookingatcamera7954]

I throw it at my Grandma instead

[@wertacus]

At 11:50 Linus does time travel and uses the bootstrapping paradox to fix the controller. Us home users may have trouble doing the same with consumer grade time travel equipment.

[@StevenTristanTristansti]

so i'm not the only one who noticed the cable went from black to white lmao

[@DJ_Dett]

My Valve Index controllers ended up developing stick drift (which is a common failure points). The fix ended up being buying the same stick bases (I think it was $10 for a pack of 10), carefully prying open the sensors on the joystick, and then transplanting the actual halifax sensor from a donor. Been going strong for about a year now.

[@devilmikey00]

Honestly, most of the time a soldering iron, screw driver kit, the internet and time can fix most broken or malfunctioning controllers. It's a good way to pass the time and a fairly solid way to learn how to solder in general because chances are nothing you do is completely irreversible and if you do mega screw it up, oh well, it was bound for the trash anyway. You at least tried.

[@foldionepapyrus3441]

That last few words really speaks to the right ideals. Though I'd take it one step further - oh you screwed up, but you (probably) won't make the same mistakes next time! Plus A little hands on experience with a soldering iron (or any other tool) is required to get the feel for it, and those first few tries no matter how much book/video study you have done are going to be less adept and may well need redoing more than once. But once you have had that hands on, and/or practiced with a wide variety of other tools the hand-eye coordination and feel of the tools doing their job can be picked up very quickly even years later...

[@vgamesx1]

I mean I totally agree, but if you just want some practice there are better options like a bunch of $1-3 kits you can solder or grab some old device you'll never use again like one of those cheap $20 DVD players that you probably have more than one lying around and tear it apart, then attempt your repairs rather than learning on the thing you want to fix.

[@dimasfazlur5926]

@@vgamesx1 you are right, frying some pcb is the way i master my soldering technique, and dont forget to always clean the tip of your soldering iron, and remember, do not put a soldering iron near you when u didnt use it, that thing is so hot 😭😭😭

[@kasus123]

Love how companies advertise for ecology but try to fight right to repair which is literally "why throw out and buy new when you can fix the old therefore saving resources". Wish the automotive world understood this..

[@lvl5monk297]

I can literally still by parts for my 1998... The automotive world does. Repairing cars is in a much better place than repairing electronics

[@Apersonl0l]

(Correct me if im wrong but) iirc the automotive DID produce car to last a long time but it hurt them financially (nobody would buy more cars bc their old cars were still in good shape). It was then when car producers got together to agree to make products that fails on purpose after a few years, and now it is the norm almost everywhere

[@kasus123]

@@lvl5monk297 depends on model. Some older german cars have no spare parts left in europe anymore

[@iro-huncarguy8367]

Is it just me or am I an absolute god at keeping my ps3 controllers working. The batteries still last a VERY long time and they are easily at least or over 10 years of age. The look like brand new and I PLAYED them when I was a little kid, and currently still do

[@bdaubry]

2:55 Linus really gonna say "dirty nipples" and not even make a face? dang

[@parkerr3244]

Fixing our things shouldn't be something that some people are into it should just be a thing we all do, the more right to repair friendly content the better. Normalize it until the idea of not being annoyed at companies preventing people from fixing stuff is as ludicrous as not minding that someone is smoking in a restaurant.

[@TheLegoPerson]

Better yet, normalize products needing to last forever without a repair in the first place.

[@nope9310]

@@TheLegoPerson no

[@nope9310]

yes

[@johnsausage]

Also this skill should be teached in school now to save a lot of future waste!

[@kaneki1056]

@@TheLegoPerson you see the thing is companies used to do that and advertise that for the products too but then they realised that they won't keep making money if no one buys more because their shit lasts forever and then started making products that last for maybe 5-10 years and then inevitably needing replacement after for stuff like household appliances.

[@petervilla5221]

This video boosted my confidence to repair my Steam Controller when it eventually does break down. Since the thing is no longer in production, it is more vital than ever to be able to repair the stupid thing. Unless somebody else comes up with a touch pad controller, but i doubt that will happen.

[@Stweaner]

I'd love to see you guys do a video on controller customization. Imagine making a custom LTT controller either with off the shelf parts or make them yourself

[@GSBarlev]

It's honestly a little surprising that LTT hasn't put a lot of focus into 3D printing and microcontrollers. Not that there aren't great channels in that niche--GreatScott and Nerdforge come to mind--but it does seem like something that would be in LMG's wheelhouse.

[@Aremisalive]

The rock candy xbox 360 controllers were brilliant. Dirt cheap and worked well. You can still get them brand new in stores if you're lucky. Mine has developed stick drift however. I've since upgraded to an official xbox one controller.

[@tOSdude]

My brother and I got one each for Christmas a few years back, they were both DOA and returned to Walmart.

[@PureRushXevus]

2:45 "cracked nipples" or "dirty nipples" were said without any attention made to the innuendos, damn. impressive

[@anarchangel7]

This was a huge step for the channel. I can tell the extra effort and time that went in to this video. It shows, nice level up guys.

[@scooterrodriguez2711]

WTF are you talking about

[@shauryaawashti9472]

13:38 Alex caught it as if his life was on the line

[@zweihanderr221]

Was hoping to hear more about stick drifts. Has been such a huge issue for many years for me. Even had to learn how to solder. But I'm glad to hear some companies are trying to fix this issue. It almost feels like there's a joystick conspiracy going on, with how much the top controller brands refuse to use anything other than potentiometers.

[@Acorn_Anomaly]

Not really a conspiracy. Just capitalism business as usual. Potentiometer-based solutions are cheaper than other solutions. So everyone uses pots.

[@zepo82]

@@Acorn_Anomaly its the lightbulbs all over again! :D

[@rubiconnn]

This wasn't an issue 15 years ago. The xbox, gamecube, ps2, xbox 360, ps3 all had great controllers. Now they cost 3x as much and are nowhere near as well made. The modern ones even feel cheap when you hold both and compare the joysticks and triggers.

[@fetB]

people keep buying them and some even make excuses for it. Somehow people dont understand that they dictate what the market offers

[@nasko235679]

Never thought I'd see Linus say the phrase "dirty nipples" but I've lived to see that day.

[@bits2646]

Controllers are huge business, I know a guy who built entire business around repairing controllers which hugely BOOMED in 2020 during lockdown, like whole population was living for games, some said that's like a wife or a car, you get used to one and maintain it rather than switching for new one, even for same model... P.S.: Oh, and about the hull sensors, they were dumped for a reason, and that's as usual, money... You don't sell many if the don't break, right?

[@wertzuz]

11:16 Il like that the controller cable turns from black to white to black. Thanks editor

[@SmokeytheBeer]

Kudos to LTT for a repair video.

[@dolfies]

12:01 - That controller might be better than you give it credit for, given that it can change its cable's color...

[@GrandeAmbermybeloved]

Hey Linus... Great knowing I'm not alone stuck in the past XD. Late 90s to mid 2000s were the best gaming years man!

[@RaynmanPlays]

2:47 I have a feeling that this is going to be clipped.

[@平和-v1z]

I hope future Xbox controllers ship with hall sensor joysticks... Also: I love it when Linus explains why the user accessible battery compartment on Xbox controllers is a very good thing. Keep the *Right to Repair* content up!

[@Villanousfats1]

Contact cleaner is a godsend for a lot of electronic repairs. I have a PS4 controller which had bad stick drift on the right analogue stick. Taking off the back and giving a quick spray with the straw nozzle under the PCB did the business. Seemed to move whatever crud was causing the issue. It also worked perfectly for sticky trip computer buttons on a motorcycle dashboard. As a general rule for almost all repairs under any circumstances: it is a good idea to try the quick and easy solution first by cleaning the problem before you order the expensive replacements and the soldering irons and other tools you will need to go deeper. TLDR: if it doesn't move, hit it. If it does move, stick it. Always clean it.

[@killerkip1]

I do walk-in customer stuff like this, thank you for putting this out! More people fixing controllers and fixing old hardware will help us all waste less

[@10100rsn]

Alps part number for new style analog joystick _without_ pushbutton is RKJXV1220001 ... Note, this _should_ work with GameCube but I'm not sure how much the footprint has changed. These are modern sticks with 10k linear B taper pots which is pretty standard. These are the sticks that I would try to make work as a modern replacement part for the GameCube style controllers. Fitment of toppers is also questionable but Xbox style toppers might be useable on old GameCube controllers if you use these analog sticks as replacements. For modern consoles there is also the RKJXV122400R which is _with_ the pushbutton. So this would work with modern Xbox/360 controllers or any modern controller with a pushbutton style analog stick. Mouser carries both of these and they are in stock. Haven't seen them at Digi-Key but I'm sure other suppliers will stock them. Suppliers usually order them in batches of 1420 at a time so your sure to find a supplier. These are the more modern versions of the sticks from Alps and the RKJXV122400R is the one that I use in Xbox/360 controllers as replacements... If the sticks do not center properly after replacement because of calibration differences then I add multi-turn pots in parallel with the new ones on the stick and adjust for perfect center. Would be great if they made hall-effect direct replacements of these...

[@UjimasaShun]

Couldn't agree more with the thumbnail, the pillars of waste management should also include repair, where applicable of course. Thank you for making this video.

[@yaago]

14:26 for those who don't understand why a micro usb charging port broken is "a pretty minor issue" for Linus indeed is, we at Xbox charge our batteries (often doble A) outside of our controllers to game wireless at all times, then we swap batteries. Basically we never plug our controllers

[@Papinak2]

Yep and microusb can be quite challenging to change, especially on small crowded PCB - not worth the risk

[@MpSniperM1911]

For people that play on pc and don't want or can't buy an overpriced dongle to connect a xbox controller to the pc this is a major issue, when price is above 20 USD or you have a first gen controller that don't connect to other bluetooth devices it is a good reason to connect via wire. My ps4 controller is starting to get that wiggle in the connection and i prefer to spend the dongle price in another first party controller. But good thing i have a steam controller so i can just use rechargeable batteries (i don't have a ps4).

[@ff1077]

@@Papinak2 it isn't impossible, but very challenging for any novice controller repairman. It could be easily removed with a hot air rework station or using solder wick to remove most of the solder and using a regular soldering iron with an angled tip.

[@witcherbob]

I actually use my controller exclusively wired I find it more better then wireless and i don't have to swap any batteries ever or wait for anything to charge. Also the micro USB port will be needed when the controller would require a firmware update. So for me personally a broken micro USB port would be a big deal.

[@yaago]

@@witcherbob firmware updates are done completely wirelessly in xbox / PC, you just have to make sure not to move the controller while updating IT

[@oneuptheextraman]

When the new joysticks come out for the steam deck, I would love a deep dive like this (maybe deeper) to cover how to do it. I know the steam deck video from the other day showed it a bit, but I think something deeper would be nice. I don't have a steam deck yet (I have pre-ordered it), but I think it could get alot of use over the years.

[@RAHelllord]

Check the various teardown videos, as well as valve's own stick replacement guide video here on KZbin. It's pretty much just open the deck, discount the tiny stick board ribbon cable, pull it out, drop the new one back in, connect the cable, close it all up, and done.

[@PenguinYayOne]

11:48 Continuity error: Black USB wire -> White USB wire. Also, multiple repairs involving soldering are frames like it's done by Linus but that's not his hands.

[@Clavichordist]

We always repaired controllers even back in the early Atari 2600 days. What was great about then was having a Radio Shack around the corner that actually used to sell electronic parts long before they sold cheap electronic kits. If we needed a pot or a connector, we could go there and for about a buck or two come home with the parts for the repair.

[@GSBarlev]

If Radio Shack hadn't fallen victim to Vulture Fund investors and had managed to stick it out a few more years they would have caught the Maker wave and been so incredibly successful selling microcontrollers, 3D printers, filament and accessories, and replacement / repair kits and components of all flavors. Microcenter is pretty much the only non-online player in that game today, and while they're amazing, they're also far too few and far between.

[@Clavichordist]

@@GSBarlev Absolutely! Imagine a Radio Shack or Tandy branded printer and consumables. They could've sold both the fusion deposit and the SLA. My brother has both kinds and uses them constantly. We had two Radio Shacks near us with one about a mile away and he could've picked up reels of ABS or whatever when he needs it instead of waiting for a delivery. Unfortunately, for Radio Shack it was too late and as you said the Vulture Capitalists got ahold of the company and bled it dry. I went to a not so nearby Microcenter a few years ago. It's a great store but it's located inconveniently for me in Cambridge where the traffic is truly unsafe to put it mildly, or maybe it's just me because I live up in the country and going to the big city is scary. 🙂

[@alolanstarboy]

Ive been doing a lot of repair work for Dualshock 3s and Sixaxis controllers over the past couple of years as ive been building up my PS3 collection. Official DS3s are only going to get more difficult to find so I've been ordering replacement joysticks to fix controllers as well as scanvenging parts from already broken ones to repair or refurbish other controllers. It feels so dumb to think of throwing out an entire controller because of one drifting stick or a faulty button I just fix them as much as I can at my skill level.

[@RetroBoxRoom]

I've been repairing not only gamepads, but the retro joysticks as well. It's often the same sort of problem - they could do with a good clean. Or, the microswitches have to be swapped out for new ones. It often means, you don't even have to get a soldering iron out. So it's something many should look into doing as well. The joysticks I'm talking about are basically the sort that work on Atari, Commodore, MSX, Amstrad, and Sinclair. Of course, making sure you keep the wiring the same for the console/computer you're using. Granted, there's still some waste, but at least it's not the whole thing all at once.

[@someonestolemyname]

8:58 many people say that, but the DS3 is still special in that it has that love it or hate it analog face buttons.

[@Colty0]

The analog or "pressure sensitive" face buttons are awesome. It's the only way some games (Metal Gear Solid 2 for example) can be properly played without remapping. I'd love to see them return on a future controller, but I doubt it'll happen. For now, I'm happy with the Dualsense features.

[@joshjlmgproductions3313]

And gyro controls, more comfortable triggers, and USB charging. Also, symmetrical thumbsticks.

[@DrivenKeys]

Aahhh, the memories. I used to take apart my SNES controllers often. For Hall Effect, the Gulikit King Kong 2 (and Pro) have Hall Effect sticks, it's now my favorite contoller. It has a no dead zone mode that's incredibly accurate, especially when you turn off dead zones in Steam. I'd like to see a video on these Gulikits. For the price, I'm surprised they're not as popular.

[@garrettsandberg4035]

Can't you use it on the Nintendo Switch as well?

[@WyvernVin]

So glad my nearly 20yo Wavebird still works pretty fine. I do have a third party Switch Pro like controller that started drifting on both joysticks, then the click on the left one broke that i happily repaired myself. Loved the video.

[@Sergi762]

I wish I knew where Wavebird sourced their stickboxes. that name come up a lot.

[@Derethevil]

I know it is mostly going to be internal problems like drift, but my biggest gripe with the Xbox Elite Controller are the grips that come off. My 360 and the Elite controller still work like on their first day internally. The exterior stuff is the bigger issue for me and those are the exact parts you just can't get anywhere. Meanwhile the Dualsense for example had 2 months before drifting became an issue. Making me fear that soon once warranty doesn't cover it anymore, i have to resolder those damn potentiometers every 2-3 months.

[@cwdrsch]

I still use my gen 1 elite controller for all games that require it on PC, no stick drift, motors are great, but the left bumper recently broke for the second time 🤦‍♂️

[@crisnmaryfam7344]

What do you do with your controllers? Or do you sit and eat Cheetos when playing? I have 3 boys under 16... 2 Ps5 controllers between the 3 and not a drift issue one.. Original Ps5 btw, bought right at release. Keep them clean and dont throw them when you get owned on CoD by some hacker... and they last for damn near ever.. Ive got ps3 and 4 controllers ive cleaned many many times, replaced micro b charger ports and all that jaz.. never had to actually replace a stick. Just clean the potentiometers and you are good, No soldering needed.

[@-SP.]

@@crisnmaryfam7344 Same, I got mine on launch and use it almost daily for around 3-4 hours. Still no issues.

[@Derethevil]

@@crisnmaryfam7344 Great to see you jump to conclusions. No i was absolutely normally using the Dualsense. Extra careful after already reading about all the issues it had and never dropped it. I cleaned off nearly every day after i was done playing, most careful not to get anything in the stick and it still started to drift after 2 months badly. And i am not going to pull it apart if there is still warranty on it. You can whiteknight for Sony on this all you want. It doesn't change the fact that they have done a poor job on the potentiometers on them. Even worse than Nintendo and that has to say something, seeing how many friends told me about their stickdrift issues. And you can say all you want. If my 360 controller from my YOUTH is still working absolutely fine who DID experience the worst kind of abuse, then you are part of the problem defending Sony for this kind of bevavior. There is no excuse for this. It is a problem that should not even exist if they would really go for the best quality they always claim.

[@Derethevil]

@@randommcranderson5155 No. The only problem my 360 controller has and why i don't use it anymore is the stick itself that the rubber grip has worn off so hard, that it is mostly painful to play with. And back then i didn't care much for repair. I just ordered the Elite Controller that now is layign around with the grips issue coming off. Otherwise i would never ever even bought a different controller. Let alone a Dualsense.

[@Samiby]

Tip for drifting or unresponsive sticks such as on PS4 or ps5, spray deoxit around the inside of the opening between the stick and the case and give the stick a good wriggle to ensure the deposit makes it way between the carbon contacts (by all means, you can dismantle the case for better access, it just takes longer). Stick should now be perfectly responsive for a couple of months of heavy usage before repeating cleaning process.

[@ToonerSKooner]

The way this video is edited and the music choices I feel like I'm 8 years old again watching Gearz hosted by Stacey David on SpikeTV. Awesome

[@NookieCrusher]

That was a great show!

[@ToonerSKooner]

@@NookieCrusher It really was! Those shows were a great source of info and entertainment

[@J.G37]

Alex has actually got the CEO spending time fixing that 360 controller for him 😂

[@Papinak2]

The CEO spent time hosting the video. Fixing was done by the writer, who couldn't host, because they're on probation

[@lw3171]

The smash bros Melee controller community actually just started producing a new PCB board called the "PHOB" which uses hall sensors to allow smash players to use the same controller for much longer and develop consistency, as well as the performance benefits.

[@HomegirlKikimora]

I didn't get a Switch or PS5 til just this year (my last Xbox was the 360 which died back in 2013). But I will say though, the Switch Pro & PS5 controllers are probably my new favorite feeling when playing. Shame knowing that they use the crummy potentiometer in their build. Whereas my Gamecube and PS2 controllers joysticks have held up absolute champs after 16 and 20 years (respectively). The original controllers that came with the console itself have no drift or anything. While my PS4 left joystick has such a deep groove carved into the shaft of the joystick that if pushing forward and going to click in L3 when playing, it doesn't click in. I should get some replacement sticks for it. But man, just feels like corporations make things to not last on purpose (looking at you Apple). But knowing that folks out there make 3rd party replacement parts is just awesome. I salute y'all. I've been eyeballing one of those all metal sticks for the N64.

[@pg63clothing]

back when I was heavily invested in retro gaming mid to late 1990s-mid 2000s I bought big lots of hardware/games as often as I could find them (a dime a dozen and easy to find as everyone had "some old junk" sitting in a box somewhere. would clean, catalog for my own personal collection. then all the rest got cleaned/tested and sold in big "starter lots" on ebay to profit to buy more to continue buying more for personal collection. 90% if the systems/controllers that did not work as simple tear down dusting/iso wipe down brought most back to life. an occasional joint resolder or new power cord and good as "new" lol. made good money and based on market value now on what I owned makes me sick I sold it all in 2006 (my focus was CIB JRPGS, CIB NES, CIB SEGA Saturn games most painstakingly assembled and upgraded piece by piece every time a better condition one popped up

[@Lucas_McToucas]

2:28 how did he keep a straight face

[@GrandTheftHollow]

The kind of video that's insanely useful for years to come

[@AMPProf]

Doomsday bunker skills!

[@CarbonPanther]

It's really unfortunate that new replacement options by 3rd parties are STILL not even close to the original part even though we have much better options in producing them than we ever did before.

[@vgamesx1]

It's understandable though, no money in selling high quality replacement parts when few people want to fix their stuff, combined with those that do usually don't want to spend much and will just buy the cheapest or first few options that show up rather than specifically looking for OEM quality parts.

[@HandsOC]

Due to Linus mentioning the HAL sensor group. I found they make pro controllers ready to go! GuliKit (No Stick Drift) KingKong 2 Pro

[@Lem_On_Lime]

Nice!

[@SkinnyBlackout]

No joke, I got my King Kong 2 Pro literally a few days ago and so far I'm just mindblown by it. The sticks feel out of this world, extremely smooth. The build quality seems top notch as well, I've read some comments complaining about it but it's certainly not the case for me. It also came extremely well packaged, with a cable and a case bundled in to boot.

[@tavio_42]

I have to say, I didn't even think about repairing my xbox 360 controller. I'm capable of doing it, usually repair my phones by myself but simply never had the idea of doing it for a controller Thank you for that video, it's here just in time for me to cancel the order on that new controller, and I'll be repairing the old one.

[@derekjensen1995]

This is awesome. Love the repair videos!

[@Tomd4850]

Good content here. It's pretty easy to repair some other peripherals, once you get down to it. Especially when compared to many other consumer electronics that are less than RtR friendly. One of my best repair stories came from buying a few "broken" Vive controllers from eBay and gluing in a shim of plastic film. Fixed the click of the touch pads and got myself a cheap pair of controllers for my second Vive 👍 I gotta say though, it's quite obvious those are not Linus's hands doing the soldering and repairs 😆

[@charliebeij5181]

For years I've ignored this channel because I thought it was for Linux based computers.. lol, took me ages to find out it's Linus tech tips, not Linux.. Great channel though! Love it 😀

[@dekulinkmx]

I'd like more videos like this one, the right to repair needs to become actually a right instead of just for the ones that understand another languages because a lot of times, there are manuals and tutorials in a language that you cannot understand.

[@stevethepocket]

I'd say this is the least of our problems these days because everyone can just put Google Translate on their phones.

[@sonickrnd]

@@stevethepocket Ну, да, но нет. Читать самому сильно проще, чем через телефон. )) Это работает пока текст маленький и не сложный. Если брать несколько страниц сложных текстов, гугл переводчик может перестать справляться)

[@paulbrooks4395]

This is a major issue in the flight sim/HOTAS space, where controllers start at over $200. The top quality products can go into the several hundred dollar range. For these products, we require contactless sensors, but many companies still use potentiometers, which is a terrible business practice for something so expensive. I agree that we should not be using them at all, but unfortunately, they make a kind of sense for many barebones, cheap controllers. This is a symptom of race-to-the-bottom and wage stagnation, as people who earn more fair wages are able to afford and demand better quality products.

[@tristanwegner]

The old Microsoft Joysticks from the 90s used optical measurements. Works just fine with a USB adapter and Plug and Play in Windows 10. Shame more expensive Stick are cheapening out.

[@nerdstrangler4804]

A $60 controller is not that expensive. The only hall effect thumbstick I can find on digikey costs $150 each. And it's rated mechanical life is HALF of what the potentiometer thumbsticks in modern controllers are rated for. Almost like hall effect sensors aren't the silver bullet for everlasting controllers that people make them out to be. I suspect there may be engineering challenges beyond simply slapping a hall effect or optical sensor into an thumbstick. Sony is reportedly designing an elite style controller where you can easily swap the joysticks if they develop drift. Which is probably a lot more design work and increased manufacturing costs more than simply slapping in a hall effect sensor. Guess we will finally see if this conspiracy theory has any merit with GuliKit, but since they offer no durability testing results like traditional component manufacturers. Probably gonna have to wait until they are out in the wild and have time to accumulate wear and tear from users. But my money is on them being overpriced crap, and all the engineers at valve/sony/nintendo/microsoft might actually know a thing or two about designing controllers.

[@tristanwegner]

@@nerdstrangler4804 LOL. The gamecube controller had hall effect sensors decades ago. Optical mice that work on most surfaces cost like 10$. 100s of controllers are designed a year. This is easy possible. Also with many worn out potentiometers, you can change it it with some effort while keeping the mechanics, which is most cases still fine at that point.

[@nerdstrangler4804]

@@tristanwegner I think you mean dreamcast not gamecube had hall effect sensors. N64 joystick used optical sensors. But the thing is they both sucked. Just nobody realized it because they were only used as glorified dpads. You never actually used them to make precise adjustments. I would bet big money trying to aim on those joysticks would make modern shooters completely unplayable. Yes it is possible. but why would they want to? The current thumbsticks they use are rated for 2 million cycles, which are the highest rated thumbsticks on the market. The only hall effect thumbsticks I can find online are rated for 1 million cycles. Why would a controller manufacturer want to pay significantly more money, for thumbsticks that break twice as often? And yes I know it is easy to replace the thumbsticks. Thats why I put elite series 2 thumbsticks in my elite series 1 controller. Not because there was anything wrong with my original thumbsticks, but because they are cheap, simple to swap out and I wanted adjustable tension thumbsticks.

[@Antares-dw9iv]

@@nerdstrangler4804 There already are hall effect joysticks that at the very least match ones with potentionmeters when it comes to accurscy. Also I am pretty sure the durability is simply what they tested for in the same way that capacitive, optical and hall effect switches in mice and keyboards massively undervalue the switch life span. There is no real reason a hall effect joystick should ever wear out short of some unrelated mechanical or electrical issues/wear and tear, but thats no different from the issues that would be present in a desing using potentiometers.

[@guerillagrueplays6301]

No lie, if y'all decided to make a series on Short Circuit that was just controller repairs... I'd watch every episode.

[@oscarcamey8]

I decided to refurbish and fix joysticks for N64 controllers a year and a half ago. I'd buy broken lots and fixed majority of them. Even got lucky and got a bunch of Pikachu edition ones, and sold them for a good profit. But when it came to the regular and colored ones, people would lowball me so hard, I decided to give up cuz it just wasn't worth the time and effort, especially the price people would want. They were almost like new. Oh well I guess haha