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Technical knowledge compilation (Gamecubes, controllers, TVs, recording)

Minimu5e

Smash Cadet
Joined
Jun 14, 2015
Messages
36
Location
Virginia,USA
"Video of flick inputs on a new (Smash edition) controller at 420 fps, showing the over-extension" 420 fps ayyyyeeee lmao
 

jmlee337

Smash Journeyman
Joined
May 8, 2008
Messages
303
Slippi.gg
LEE#337
I used 0.68 uF capacitors. No scope readings, but haven't had a snapback incident in game since. Empty pivots unaffected as well
 

Kadano

Magical Express
Joined
Feb 26, 2009
Messages
2,160
Location
Vienna, Austria
Have you tried reducing the weight of the stick to fix this? How much could it be reduced and still be comfortable/durable?
I did try that, however even when I made the knob be just a small stave, snapback still existed. It would be necessary to produce stick knobs with just a tiny outer mesh that's barely strong enough to not succumb under the force of the thumb so that the mass is small enough.
 

SpiderMad

Smash Master
Joined
May 6, 2012
Messages
4,968
Are the Japanese Whites shells heavier than others (like Purples?)

Also out of all the controllers I've taken apart, only one of them (a really old Purple) has their shoulder triggers not locked in with any screws (and doesn't have any holes for them). As well instead of having any trigger plate coverings it has the back of the motherboard have plastic in the shape/replacement of the plate coverings. How common is this type of controller?
 
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thf24

Smash Cadet
Joined
Dec 23, 2015
Messages
27
Kadano Kadano

Is there a capacitor mod that will result in more reliable smash turns? A friend of mine seems to think he's seen you mention this in the past, but I haven't been able to find it; just your posts on capacitor mods to fix snapback.
 

Kadano

Magical Express
Joined
Feb 26, 2009
Messages
2,160
Location
Vienna, Austria
Kadano Kadano

Is there a capacitor mod that will result in more reliable smash turns? A friend of mine seems to think he's seen you mention this in the past, but I haven't been able to find it; just your posts on capacitor mods to fix snapback.
He must have misunderstood something. Capacitors don't help with smash turns to a noticeable degree. On some controllers, they can improve some inputs to be about 5% less likely to tilt turn, but they always set a certain limit to PODE improving smash turn rates.
 

Deg

Smash Cadet
Joined
Aug 11, 2013
Messages
38
- I'm sorry if this is posted in the wrong place but this is the most topical thread i could find
- I also beg forgiveness if this has already been discussed. It is way to hard to find things on this forum

Basically, I went on a quest to find out the exact specifications on any of the gamecube stickbox rockers(the mechanism the actual stick and potentiometers are attached to). Of course this information was impossible for me to find (this is Nintendo we're talking about after all).

What i DID find is that you can use the rocker from any of the following systems controllers: [playstation 3/4, wii, wii u, xbox 360/one]. The question is; which of these rockers would one want? Which is the most durable one? Does that one have worse precision than another version? Is there a better third party one? Do they have different parts in metal so that you could somehow make a Frankensteins monster out of pure durable material?

Another thing is if any of the other stick rockers have a version number attached or some way to find the specification we're looking for. I have not found anything like that yet.

Thanks in advance for any input.
 

ToastMaster

Smash Rookie
Joined
Dec 4, 2016
Messages
1
Have you tried using a capacitor with a smaller value or using two in series to see what the minimum required capacitance is to remove the snapback?
I know there's probably no noticeable impact in game but the capacitor does slightly increase the time it takes for the pot to read it's maximum voltage and it would be cool to have as little impact as possible.

Deg Deg I'm also interested in seeing what type of rockers could be dropped in.
 

Dr3amSm4sher

Smash Cadet
Joined
May 26, 2015
Messages
54
With all the talk and controversy surrounding SmashBox (and Leffen's tweets) I was wondering is there a while to make an analog joystick only read digital inputs when a button is held. Something like a button hooked up to series of capacitors that would make the gamecube read a much higher value then it should (since the magus display goes from 1 to -1. Something like 3. With a value like 3 you would only have to make it to .27 so it would dash?? which is pretty easy to hit in 1 frame.) making it dash immediately. Or if it was possible to do the reverse. Create a button that could only make smaller analog values, possibly by adding resistors to circuit. Making it impossible to tap jump or dash.
 

Massive

Smash Champion
Joined
Aug 11, 2006
Messages
2,833
Location
Kansas City, MO
With all the talk and controversy surrounding SmashBox (and Leffen's tweets) I was wondering is there a while to make an analog joystick only read digital inputs when a button is held. Something like a button hooked up to series of capacitors that would make the gamecube read a much higher value then it should (since the magus display goes from 1 to -1. Something like 3. With a value like 3 you would only have to make it to .27 so it would dash?? which is pretty easy to hit in 1 frame.) making it dash immediately. Or if it was possible to do the reverse. Create a button that could only make smaller analog values, possibly by adding resistors to circuit. Making it impossible to tap jump or dash.
Capacitors aren't necessary for analog stick to proc as fully pressed. Button mods for the C-stick or analog stick simply require you to connect one lead to the center and one to the outer terminal.

The smashbox hitbox (in it's current incarnation) takes advantage of this and carefully tuned resistance values to produce the full press and tilt mechanics.
 

Lucky13the2nd

Smash Cadet
Joined
Oct 12, 2016
Messages
49
NNID
josiahs13
So first time for me modding a controller; so any other tips on how to not mess a controller up are appreciated. My question: When decreasing click resistance for something like the y button (those fox short hops), should the perforations be all the way through, how many holes should there be if I want about 75% of the current resistance, and how big should they be in relation to the thickness of a thin thumbtack? Multi-part question, I guess. Sorry bout that.
 

Avalancer

Smash Journeyman
Joined
Aug 24, 2008
Messages
262
Location
The Netherlands
Has there been research on what controller shells can be orca'd with other ones ? Someone i know wants to combine the top shell of an emerald blue and the bottom of a smash 4 one
 

Pauer

The Pauerful
Moderator
Joined
Dec 25, 2013
Messages
595
Location
Linz, Austria
Has there been research on what controller shells can be orca'd with other ones ? Someone i know wants to combine the top shell of an emerald blue and the bottom of a smash 4 one
All 1st party gamecube controller shells are compatible with one another. I've heard that 3rd party (5$ cheap remakes) that have the same shape as a 1st party one can be sanded down in the right places to make them fit. It would make for a cheap source of shells but I don't have experience with them and have my concerns about the octagon gates on the front shell.
 

ThaQAtaQ

Smash Rookie
Joined
Mar 24, 2016
Messages
21
I have been trying to replace the new Hori Battlepad control sticks with that of the Silver Controller's.

However, the circuit board is covered in glue which is making it difficult to de-solder. Does anyone have any recommendations in how to safely remove this glue?
 

TheFlipside

Smash Rookie
Joined
Feb 21, 2016
Messages
9
Location
Charlotte, North Carolina
I've been thinking of replacing the triggers on my White 2008 JP Controller with a set from an original run purple controller. Is there a way that I can do this without using the whole back shell of the purple controller? Like can I take the whole trigger mechanism/housing from the bottom shell of the purple controller and put it straight into the bottom shell of the white one?

Sorry if this isn't the right place to ask this but this seemed to be the most relevant place to ask from the threads I found.
 
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Dolla Pills

Smash Ace
Joined
Mar 9, 2015
Messages
894
Location
Connecticut
I've been thinking of replacing the triggers on my White 2008 JP Controller with a set from an original run purple controller. Is there a way that I can do this without using the whole back shell of the purple controller? Like can I take the whole trigger mechanism/housing from the bottom shell of the purple controller and put it straight into the bottom shell of the white one?

Sorry if this isn't the right place to ask this but this seemed to be the most relevant place to ask from the threads I found.
Yeah if you open up your controller pull see the trigger mechanism is screwed onto the back, so you can just unscrew the one you want and plop it in the controller of your choosing
 

Chesstiger2612

Smash Lord
Joined
Jun 1, 2013
Messages
1,753
Location
Bonn, Germany
Kadano Kadano or anyone that knows:
I have a problem where the shield input sometimes keeps being sent after I let go of the trigger. Exchanged my L button (a JP White controller) for a L button from a black controller (with rod) and at first it worked but the problem reappeared after a few matches, although it happens less than before now.
The rubber plate hasn't broken into 2 parts so that can't be the problem. What else could it be?

Would this (cutting the rubber plate into 2 pieces and glueing the inner circle to the tube of the shoulder piece) solve the issue and does it have disadvantages?
 

Pauer

The Pauerful
Moderator
Joined
Dec 25, 2013
Messages
595
Location
Linz, Austria
applying some silicon oil (or other lubricant suitable for plastic) to the shaft that the shoulder trigger slides across should solve the issue.
 

Chesstiger2612

Smash Lord
Joined
Jun 1, 2013
Messages
1,753
Location
Bonn, Germany
Tried it out but the issue is still there.
The shoulder piece getting stuck isn't the issue, it returns to its place as intended after I let go of it, if that helps.
EDIT: Shield being held after letting go of L happened 12/50 times after some testing, sometimes it lets go shortly after, sometimes it stays until I hit L again.
 
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Pauer

The Pauerful
Moderator
Joined
Dec 25, 2013
Messages
595
Location
Linz, Austria
you can try swapping out the springs from your other controller. If that doesn't work, you can always push L in a tiny bit before plugging in the controller to disable this slight lightshield. You can also do this modification and use about a 17,5-18mm spacer, see if that helps.
 

Chesstiger2612

Smash Lord
Joined
Jun 1, 2013
Messages
1,753
Location
Bonn, Germany
Hm I'm not quite sure if I understand the problem correctly.
What would the spring change? From my understanding the issue is not that the button isn't pushed back to the standard position fast enough.
Plugging it in slightly pressed would probably work but I want a permanent solution, also there could be problems with inconsistencies from calibrating it a little differently each time.
The modification you describe would make it easier to full-press, however, the problem also appears with light-press, and it would mess up muscle memory.

There are also sometimes phases where the problem occurs way less, but I haven't found any pattern.

Could it have to do with something about the potentiometer not working correctly?

I took the controller apart again and tested the L button functionality, and it worked fine. My theory therefore is that the problem was caused by friction between the shoulder piece and the black cap with the screws.
I replaced the cap with one from a controller where the problem didn't appear and screwed the screws less tight, and for now the problem is fixed. Despite that I'm not sure if it will stay that way because the last times I tried to fix it it went away at first, too, and then reappeared after a few hours of playtime.
 
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TheHayax3

Smash Rookie
Joined
Dec 5, 2017
Messages
2
Hey, I am going to fix my loose analog stick and you said that silicone grease makes a sticky sound.

1. Does it still do that after a certain time?
2. Can I use silicone oil?

Thanks :)
 

Pauer

The Pauerful
Moderator
Joined
Dec 25, 2013
Messages
595
Location
Linz, Austria
Hey, I am going to fix my loose analog stick and you said that silicone grease makes a sticky sound.

1. Does it still do that after a certain time?
2. Can I use silicone oil?

Thanks :)
Kadano has since found out that silicone grease will sooner or later cause problems with the potentiometer if applied to the stickbox, resulting in stick drifting. So he strongly advises against it now. He actually had to recall a good number of controllers he modified due to the issue.
I've had silicone grease in my controller for about 2 years now and don't have any issues yet, but that's probably just luck. Sooner or later I'll probably have to remove it.
The stick still makes that sticky sound though when I move it. :)

Silicone oil probably lacks the viscosity to achieve the effect you want and will probably cause issues even more quickly due to the lower viscosity. It's great for lubing the shoulder buttons though.

Have you considered some of the the suggestions in section 2.6 for making the stick feel less loose?
 

TheHayax3

Smash Rookie
Joined
Dec 5, 2017
Messages
2
Yea I have decided to just install the nunchuk stickbox on my purple/clear. But I dont think its going to work. Apparently my controller has a white plastic box or type 3 (i think) and the nunchul has a metal one (type 2?) And it said that they arent compatible or did I understand something wrong?

Thanks again for the help :)
 

oogway

Smash Rookie
Joined
Feb 28, 2017
Messages
15
Location
Rochester,NY
NNID
strife622
For any one interested.

These are ( from what i can tell through testing ) original game cube controller stick boxes. Got a sample of 26 and they work perfectly even after a solid 100 hours of heavy use in Smash 4.

https://www.alibaba.com/product-det...?spm=a2700.7724838.2017115.125.46dbed07FJLChT

Also found these caps which work better than anything i've found on ebay/amazon

https://www.alibaba.com/product-det...?spm=a2700.7724838.2017115.225.46dbed07FJLChT

The caps are really good quality....the only issue is there seems to be a wax/plastic coating on these caps and after using them for a few sessions i started to notice this coating rubbing off on the corners of the controller, which caused the cap to "stick" when moving in a circle. I might try to dip the caps in hot water and see if that helps. Once removed they should last just as long as the OEM ones.

Plus they come in 10 colors!
 
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ridemyboat

Smash Apprentice
Joined
Aug 13, 2015
Messages
152
I looked around but didn't see anything, how much variance is there in audio lag between CRTs? I wondered whether audio can be used reliably for inputs that have to be done at very specific times, or if it tends to change from setup to setup.
 

jmlee337

Smash Journeyman
Joined
May 8, 2008
Messages
303
Slippi.gg
LEE#337
Kadano has definitely done some measurements involving audio latency, so if he has anything to share, I'm sure he'll be here soon.

I can tell you one trick, which is that at least some CRTs have headphone outputs that are directly connected to audio inputs. If it turns out there is audio latency variance, you have a better chance of getting 'true' audio timings from the TVs headphone out if it has one.

Obviously if you're an always-headphones player and you use splitters, you'll be bypassing any possibility of the TV adding audio latency.

For any one interested.

These are ( from what i can tell through testing ) original game cube controller stick boxes. Got a sample of 26 and they work perfectly even after a solid 100 hours of heavy use in Smash 4.

https://www.alibaba.com/product-det...?spm=a2700.7724838.2017115.125.46dbed07FJLChT

Also found these caps which work better than anything i've found on ebay/amazon

https://www.alibaba.com/product-det...?spm=a2700.7724838.2017115.225.46dbed07FJLChT

The caps are really good quality....the only issue is there seems to be a wax/plastic coating on these caps and after using them for a few sessions i started to notice this coating rubbing off on the corners of the controller. I might try to dip the caps in hot water and see if that helps. Once removed the should last just as long as the OEM ones.

Plus they come in 10 colors!
This sounds like a big find. Did you have some methodology to narrow down which suppliers were promising, or did you just buy down the list until you found them?
 
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oogway

Smash Rookie
Joined
Feb 28, 2017
Messages
15
Location
Rochester,NY
NNID
strife622
This sounds like a big find. Did you have some methodology to narrow down which suppliers were promising, or did you just buy down the list until you found them?
I basically spent weeks searching in forums and electronic shops for every recommended stick box. The trick was looking through google images, which is where I found the above one. I noticed it had "supports" underneath the plastic arches, and figured they might be good quality. The supplier tried sending me the orange ones that most 3rd party controllers used, until i specified i needed what was in the picture (the black sided ones). The shipping was about 25 bucks, but each stick box was only about .80.

The only other step beyond what I could get would be to find out which manufacture in china (the controllers were made in china) made the NGC, and ask them if they could send spare parts.

The caps were definitely either OEM or in my opinion better quality. I bought 90 of those (30 pairs ( c-stick & left stick) of dark blue, red, and green. Was about $60 with shipping.

Pics below.

https://ibb.co/eCD7ew
https://ibb.co/i7YUsG
https://ibb.co/cVbhCG
https://ibb.co/mbUfzw
https://ibb.co/bNhdmb
 
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BlumpkinPatchKid

Smash Rookie
Joined
Nov 13, 2017
Messages
8
I basically spent weeks searching in forums and electronic shops for every recommended stick box. The trick was looking through google images, which is where I found the above one. I noticed it had "supports" underneath the plastic arches, and figured they might be good quality. The supplier tried sending me the orange ones that most 3rd party controllers used, until i specified i needed what was in the picture (the black sided ones). The shipping was about 25 bucks, but each stick box was only about .80.

The only other step beyond what I could get would be to find out which manufacture in china (the controllers were made in china) made the NGC, and ask them if they could send spare parts.

The caps were definitely either OEM or in my opinion better quality. I bought 90 of those (30 pairs ( c-stick & left stick) of dark blue, red, and green. Was about $60 with shipping.

Pics below.

https://ibb.co/eCD7ew
https://ibb.co/i7YUsG
https://ibb.co/cVbhCG
https://ibb.co/mbUfzw
https://ibb.co/bNhdmb

Thats an awesome find!!

Let me know if youre planning to sell any of those red analog and C-stick caps. Just got some custom buttons off Battle beaver and really want to change my c-stick mainly.

Pm or reply here if you are.
 

Kadano

Magical Express
Joined
Feb 26, 2009
Messages
2,160
Location
Vienna, Austria
Yea I have decided to just install the nunchuk stickbox on my purple/clear. But I dont think its going to work. Apparently my controller has a white plastic box or type 3 (i think) and the nunchul has a metal one (type 2?) And it said that they arent compatible or did I understand something wrong?

Thanks again for the help :)
Hi, sorry about my long absence and the lack of reply from my side. Yeah, you can't put type 2 in type 3 slots easily. You'd have to drill holes into the PCB to make them fit, which I haven't ever done yet. And even then I'm not sure whether the potentiometer spacings are exactly the same.

For any one interested.

These are ( from what i can tell through testing ) original game cube controller stick boxes. Got a sample of 26 and they work perfectly even after a solid 100 hours of heavy use in Smash 4.

https://www.alibaba.com/product-det...?spm=a2700.7724838.2017115.125.46dbed07FJLChT

Also found these caps which work better than anything i've found on ebay/amazon

https://www.alibaba.com/product-det...?spm=a2700.7724838.2017115.225.46dbed07FJLChT

The caps are really good quality....the only issue is there seems to be a wax/plastic coating on these caps and after using them for a few sessions i started to notice this coating rubbing off on the corners of the controller. I might try to dip the caps in hot water and see if that helps. Once removed the should last just as long as the OEM ones.

Plus they come in 10 colors!
Wow, thank you so much. I once found a seller on AliExpress who sold original stickboxes, and someone alerted me to another one that also had them, but I always just barely got their last stocks (8 and 20 pieces, respectively). The ones you received are definitely original type 2 white ones. I wonder whether this seller also has the black sub-type that's used for the C-stick. I guess not though, my hunch is that these are leftover from Nunchuk production.

I've sent both sellers inquiries and am looking forward to their response. I'll give an update here about the quantities they have in stock of the original stickboxes. The pictured ones are used in some third-party controllers and of insufficient quality. Roughly on par with worn-out original type 1 stickboxes.


I looked around but didn't see anything, how much variance is there in audio lag between CRTs? I wondered whether audio can be used reliably for inputs that have to be done at very specific times, or if it tends to change from setup to setup.
I haven't measured CRT TV audio lag yet (not sure whether my analog microphones are sufficiently sensitive to show up properly on my oscilloscope), but just thinking about it logically: for the audio to have lag, there would need to be some audio buffering or elaborate post-processing system. With audio, there is no real reason to do so, so I'm pretty sure the modulation that's done, like bass and treble adjustment, are done with "instant" analog filters that add microsecond-level latency (if even that). So the most reasonable thing to assume is that the analog audio signal received is amplified directly to the speakers without (non-analog) post-processing. So no CRT TV should have noticeable audio lag.
I might confirm this some time, but the only CRT TVs I still have (mostly converted to monitors) are in my basement, and the oscilloscope is mounted in the first floor. So I'm not making any promises on that.
In any case, the speed of sound is actually quite slow, so if you sit just 3 meters away from the CRT TV, that will already give you audio lag from the speed of sound compared to using headphones of 9 milliseconds. So using headphones for the in-game sound, ideally by bringing a distribution amplifier setup for sound to tournaments, does give you a noticeable advantage.
 
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BlumpkinPatchKid

Smash Rookie
Joined
Nov 13, 2017
Messages
8
Would be willing to sell some caps sure, i'll PM you.
If anyones wondering i got a set of the red sticks and they work perfectly. main analog feels oem and the c stick felt a little crusty at first but after a minute of rolling it around the gate it got rid of that little bit of crusty feeling and it feels like a brand new controller. fresh rubber on the c stick and main stick is always nice.
 
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Kadano

Magical Express
Joined
Feb 26, 2009
Messages
2,160
Location
Vienna, Austria
Would be willing to sell some caps sure, i'll PM you.
Thank you, I already ordered 50 sticks + button sets of the white color though. They told me they stopped offering the sticks only (without the buttons), sadly, and the clear color is out of stock and won't be produced again until at least March.

Just yesterday, a new listing for the stickboxes appeared on AliExpress, 10 pieces for about 11€ shipped: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/xun...do-NGC-for-gamecube-original/32850667737.html

This might be a good offer for everybody who just needs a few pieces. *As in my update post below, these aren't actually genuine type 2 stickboxes, so whether they are really worth it can't be said yet.

For referencing, below is a photo of a T2W stickbox on the left from the previous supplier and oogway's photo of the black stickbox from the current seller on the right:
Type2white_back.jpg Type2black_front.jpg
It also should be said that these seem all to be unlubricated, so after installation, they should be treated with a very thin, evenly spread layer of silicone grease to prevent friction from running the rails down and creating a large disjointed zone (wobbly feel) quickly.

The same store also sells replacement rubber pad sets quite cheaply, 0.62€ per set: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/xun...d-for-Controller-Replacement/32836421096.html

I've ordered ten of them together with the replacement stick + button sets and will review them once I receive them (in about two weeks, probably).
 
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oogway

Smash Rookie
Joined
Feb 28, 2017
Messages
15
Location
Rochester,NY
NNID
strife622
Thank you, I already ordered 50 sticks + button sets of the white color though. They told me they stopped offering the sticks only (without the buttons), sadly, and the clear color is out of stock and won't be produced again until at least March.

Just yesterday, a new listing for the stickboxes appeared on AliExpress, 10 pieces for about 11€ shipped: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/xun...do-NGC-for-gamecube-original/32850667737.html

That's a great offer for everybody who just needs a few pieces. Interestingly, the product shown is a type 2 black stick, which is only used for the C-stick by default and has 20% less spring resistance than type 2 white.
The pieces I had received from (long sold-out) listings on AliExpress from other sellers were all type 2 white (T2W), so I asked the Xunbeifang suppler just now whether they have both.

For referencing, below is a photo of a T2W stickbox on the left from the previous supplier and oogway's photo of the T2B from the current seller on the right:
View attachment 135024 View attachment 135025
It also should be said that these seem all to be unlubricated, so after installation, they should be treated with a very thin, evenly spread layer of silicone grease to prevent friction from running the rails down and creating a large disjointed zone (wobbly feel) quickly.

The same store also sells replacement rubber pad sets quite cheaply, 0.62€ per set: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/xun...d-for-Controller-Replacement/32836421096.html

I've ordered ten of them together with the replacement stick + button sets and will review them once I receive them (in about two weeks, probably).
Great addition Kadano! Now only if we could find the type 3 Smash controller stick boxes...
 

Kadano

Magical Express
Joined
Feb 26, 2009
Messages
2,160
Location
Vienna, Austria
Great addition Kadano! Now only if we could find the type 3 Smash controller stick boxes...
I received the initial sample of 50 pieces today. Sadly, these are *not* original type 2 stickboxes. I got too excited when seeing the promising look of the stickboxes from your photos that looked much closer to any other third-party stickbox that I had ever seen, especially from the (perhaps genuine) black potentiometers, that I didn't stay critical enough to check for small differences, which are in hindsight quite obvious to me.

Below are photos of the differences. I will refer to these replacement stickboxes as "T1BF" from now on (Type 1 Black Fake). The stickboxes itself have the same build design as original type 1 stickboxes, although there are minor differences. The potentiometers are of the black wiper type that's not normally found with type 1 stickboxes, which is strange.

P1100276.JPG P1100289.JPG
T2W SE vs T1BF SE.jpg T2W N vs T1BF N.jpg

Now, this post's focus was only on whether they are official stickboxes, which they are not. They were never used in any official Nintendo Gamecube controllers for sure.
That still leaves possibility for them being valid replacement parts. I'll disassemble the potentiometers of one of them and install one of them in a worn out PCB and playtest it a bit and take some electrical measurements.

Edit: I installed one. The quality is mediocre in feeling. The loose zone is fairly large (3-4 values vertically) and the notch accuracy isn't good (range of -0.70 to -0.73 at SW / SE notches for the Y input, depending on stick rotation). The spring resistance is also fairly low, as the black bottoms indicated. About 70 gf (0.7 N) until the stick starts to reach values beyond the dead zone (100 gf is default for new T3W ones, and about 80 gf for new T3B ones. Original T2W and T2B are about the same, maybe 5 gf lower each).
After that, the force curve increases a bit more steeply. So for players who need to do quick tilt inputs without going all the way into the smash-level input zone, these might be useful. I personally prefer the resistance curves of original T2 and T3 stickboxes, though.
 
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oogway

Smash Rookie
Joined
Feb 28, 2017
Messages
15
Location
Rochester,NY
NNID
strife622
Ah! So close! And the search continues...

I received the initial sample of 50 pieces today. Sadly, these are *not* original type 2 stickboxes. I got too excited when seeing the promising look of the stickboxes from your photos that looked much closer to any other third-party stickbox that I had ever seen, especially from the (perhaps genuine) black potentiometers, that I didn't stay critical enough to check for small differences, which are in hindsight quite obvious to me.

Below are photos of the differences. I will refer to these replacement stickboxes as "T1BF" from now on (Type 1 Black Fake). The stickboxes itself have the same build design as original type 1 stickboxes, although there are minor differences. The potentiometers are of the black wiper type that's not normally found with type 1 stickboxes, which is strange.

View attachment 135082 View attachment 135083
View attachment 135084 View attachment 135085

Now, this post's focus was only on whether they are official stickboxes, which they are not. They were never used in any official Nintendo Gamecube controllers for sure.
That still leaves possibility for them being valid replacement parts. I'll disassemble the potentiometers of one of them and install one of them in a worn out PCB and playtest it a bit and take some electrical measurements.

Edit: I installed one. The quality is mediocre in feeling. The loose zone is fairly large (3-4 values vertically) and the notch accuracy isn't good (range of -0.70 to -0.73 at SW / SE notches for the Y input, depending on stick rotation). The spring resistance is also fairly low, as the black bottoms indicated. About 70 gf (0.7 N) until the stick starts to reach values beyond the dead zone (100 gf is default for new T3W ones, and about 80 gf for new T3B ones. Original T2W and T2B are about the same, maybe 5 gf lower each).
After that, the force curve increases a bit more steeply. So for players who need to do quick tilt inputs without going all the way into the smash-level input zone, these might be useful. I personally prefer the resistance curves of original T2 and T3 stickboxes, though.

Hey Kadano, have you tried reaching out to Mitsumi or contacting the foxconn facility in Guangdong to see if you can get any stick boxes? Sent out a few e-mails today, although i doubt they'd be interested i figured it was worth a shot.

Im imagining this old dusty box of 1000 pieces sitting somewhere just waiting for us to find!!
 
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oogway

Smash Rookie
Joined
Feb 28, 2017
Messages
15
Location
Rochester,NY
NNID
strife622
I received the initial sample of 50 pieces today. Sadly, these are *not* original type 2 stickboxes. I got too excited when seeing the promising look of the stickboxes from your photos that looked much closer to any other third-party stickbox that I had ever seen, especially from the (perhaps genuine) black potentiometers, that I didn't stay critical enough to check for small differences, which are in hindsight quite obvious to me.

Below are photos of the differences. I will refer to these replacement stickboxes as "T1BF" from now on (Type 1 Black Fake). The stickboxes itself have the same build design as original type 1 stickboxes, although there are minor differences. The potentiometers are of the black wiper type that's not normally found with type 1 stickboxes, which is strange.

View attachment 135082 View attachment 135083
View attachment 135084 View attachment 135085

Now, this post's focus was only on whether they are official stickboxes, which they are not. They were never used in any official Nintendo Gamecube controllers for sure.
That still leaves possibility for them being valid replacement parts. I'll disassemble the potentiometers of one of them and install one of them in a worn out PCB and playtest it a bit and take some electrical measurements.

Edit: I installed one. The quality is mediocre in feeling. The loose zone is fairly large (3-4 values vertically) and the notch accuracy isn't good (range of -0.70 to -0.73 at SW / SE notches for the Y input, depending on stick rotation). The spring resistance is also fairly low, as the black bottoms indicated. About 70 gf (0.7 N) until the stick starts to reach values beyond the dead zone (100 gf is default for new T3W ones, and about 80 gf for new T3B ones. Original T2W and T2B are about the same, maybe 5 gf lower each).
After that, the force curve increases a bit more steeply. So for players who need to do quick tilt inputs without going all the way into the smash-level input zone, these might be useful. I personally prefer the resistance curves of original T2 and T3 stickboxes, though.
Also wondering, how do these T1BF sticks compare to other non OEM stick boxes? Should i preference these over some of the other readily available ones online like the orange and blue ones?
 

Kadano

Magical Express
Joined
Feb 26, 2009
Messages
2,160
Location
Vienna, Austria
Also wondering, how do these T1BF sticks compare to other non OEM stick boxes? Should i preference these over some of the other readily available ones online like the orange and blue ones?
Difficult to say. For Melee notch values, I doubt many of the samples are accurate enough, although there might be enough variation within them. If Smash 4 doesn't require as precise notch values, they might be good enough and I would say that they are better than all the similar replacement types (except for original 'Mitsumi' ones, of course).
 
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