Super Action Controller reliability if untested

[bikeguychicago]

I'm trying to determine how reliable untested Super Action Controllers would be should I buy a pair from eBay. I've had good luck so far with the Driving Controller and Roller Controller that I bought but I've heard that the Super Action Controllers are not as serviceable as the aforementioned devices.

 

If anyone can provide some insight or your own experiences, I'd appreciate it.

 

Thanks!

 

[mumbai]

In a word: poor.

[phattyboombatty]

Hit or miss.

 

I receive and refurb these controllers often, and there are a number of weak points in the design and technology. If the plastic nibs (on the 8-way switch pressure piece) are warped, then it's difficult to make the SAC stick work accurately. I don't know of a replacement part for these, but I'd love to have one made.

 

Buttons and spinner controls can often be flaky due to age/wear/dust/corrosion.

 

That said, many SACs can spring to life with a solid cleaning if it has no broken parts.

[Jeremy Popp]

I don't have experience with many of them, but I once bought an untested pair on ebay and after a good cleaning they worked great. Of course, by good cleaning, I mean I took them apart cleaned them inside and out using rubbing alcohol, q-tips and a pencil eraser for the contacts. As long as there is no damage to the wire, a lot of them can be restored. Just depends on how mechanically inclined you are.

[scobb]

I've had bad experiences with them...they don't hold up well and most will need to be refurbished / cleaned. Buyer beware!

Scott

[+Yurkie]

Worse thing in my experience is the white piece with 8 legs that sits between the bottom of the joystick and the contacts, they tend to be extremely brittle and not glue-able.

 

I believe Phattyboombatty was saying this above in his post.

[Lord Innit]

I recently bought a boxed set and with one controller it is quite difficult to get diagonals working. UDLR all work perfectly making Frogger a real joy to play. Would the 8 way pressure piece be the likely candidate for the difficulty with the diagonals ?

[coleconut]

I just have a helluva time taking them apart without breaking those little tabs

[Nebulon]

Hit or miss.

 

I receive and refurb these controllers often, and there are a number of weak points in the design and technology. If the plastic nibs (on the 8-way switch pressure piece) are warped, then it's difficult to make the SAC stick work accurately. I don't know of a replacement part for these, but I'd love to have one made.

 

Buttons and spinner controls can often be flaky due to age/wear/dust/corrosion.

 

That said, many SACs can spring to life with a solid cleaning if it has no broken parts.

 

If you ever decide to make a YouTube video of how to refurb a Super Action Controller, please let me know.

 

I have a few that with cracked plastic above the 8-way switches. It's the white plastic ring with the bumps on it for the contacts.

[sgtdave]

My eBay-acquired SACs also have dead keypads -- two with the exact same problem. Sounds like it may be as much the connector as the contacts. I want to be extra careful taking it apart, as I had them signed when I met Dr. Dennis Sustare. I also want to put my vote in the hat if anyone is willing to record and post a video next time they need to take one of these apart. It would be most helpful.

[Swami]

I don't trust anything used with a joystick from ebay, unless they are praising its functioning in actual games they've tested it on or saying its only been used a couple times, so I have a legitimate gripe if it sucks. "Works" is a relative term, "untested" is even more of a crap-shoot. However, if you don't mind buying and installing whatever wears out in a particular joystick as soon as it arrives, then suit yourself. Sometimes they come used with a system and sometimes work well, otherwise I try to get a deal on some NOS open box, although that sometimes bites you as it was a bad customer return.

[thegamezmaster]

Too bad. Seems like you can't get any reliable SAC anymore.

[NIAD]

Too bad. Seems like you can't get any reliable SAC anymore.

You can, but it's best to deal with a reliable seller like someone on this forum. Even the one that I bought CIB from a seller on eBay that stated "NEW, NEVER USED" was false. The box was carefully opened on the bottom or the glue came loose, but even worse, the controllers were used or tested (wires where not bound up with a twist tie like they are from the manufacturer) and the Speed Roller took a lot of exercising to get to work properly. Ultimately, they worked and everything looked minty, but it was not NEW or NOS as some state.