Broken SNES controller Start button-How can I fix it?

[Ace_1]

I got a used SNES controller today(the official one, not one of the reproductions you see floating around), but found out that the Start button is malfunctioning. Now, I took it apart, and saw white mixed with I don't know what on a trace that runs from where the rubber button hits the board that triggers the button input. What can be done to fix this? Do I need another controller(I can always bring this one back and exchange it for another one, but that one has a piece of the black shielding over the wire broke off), or can I fix this one?

[Atariboy]

You could press hard if its not too bad yet. Seems to be a common problem even when these things were new for the start and select buttons to wear out. Thankfully, the rest of the controller is bulletproof.

 

Afraid I don't have anything real constructive to add. I wonder if any techniques used to get 5200 controllers going could apply to this, or if its a completely different technology.

[SRGilbert]

You could press hard if its not too bad yet. Seems to be a common problem even when these things were new for the start and select buttons to wear out. Thankfully, the rest of the controller is bulletproof.

 

Afraid I don't have anything real constructive to add. I wonder if any techniques used to get 5200 controllers going could apply to this, or if its a completely different technology.

It should be similar, just silcone buttons with carbon pads, pressing down onto a circuit board. Did you try just cleaning the white crust off? A little tuner cleaner or alcohol on a q-tip usually does the trick. Edited October 6, 2007 by SRGilbert

[Atariman]

Yeah, try what SRGilbert said - the white, crusty junk is probably what is causing it not to work properly. If you're getting ANY of the other buttons to work regularly, you know that it isn't a broken cable as the SNES communicates serially with its controllers and therefore won't work at all if there is a broken wire.

[Ace_1]

Will do. And, yeah, the wire's fine. The D-Pad, Select, L, R, A, B, X and Y buttons work properly.

[Ace_1]

It's a deeper problem. I think the trace was scraped off at that place, because I see something on the board that looks like gold or copper on the board with a green space in between. I'll try to jump it, see if it helps.

 

UPDATE: Yup, that was it. The button now works

Edited October 7, 2007 by Ace_1

[SINGLE TOOTH]

It sounds like your describing the button traces. When you push down on the button, the carbon dot bridges the two sides, completing the circuit. If you jump it, it would be like holding the start button down.

[SRGilbert]

Maybe if you take a look at this and tell us if yours is different (besides the extra wires hacked on of course!)

Edited October 7, 2007 by SRGilbert

[Ace_1]

It's the same trace, not the 2 traces that lead to the black carbon spot where the Start button hits. And, like I just edited in my previous post, the jump worked. I can press it and the bridge is complete(looks like the bridge was stopped when it hit that particular spot.)

[SRGilbert]

Ain't it cool to be able to ressurect stuff rather than throwing it away like most people would? Makes you sick thinking about all the consoles and carts that are buried in landfills because someone didn't know how to clean cart contacts.

[Ace_1]

I second to that, although I was unable to fix several systems due to internal problems. They are: 2 front-loader NESes(1 smoked from the power/video box inside the system when I plugged in the power supply, and one has a damaged PPU or something, because replacing pin connectors did not help to fix garbled and discolored images), my other 2 SNESes(they seem to both have a fatal failure somewhere relating to the PPU, not to mention 1 of those 2 has rust on some of the contacts of PPU 1. If I can find out what those pins do(I have some schematics), I think applying some new solder might bring it back to life), a mini PlayStation(this one seems to have a broken IC of some sort, because it powers on, but I get no A/V signal and the CD drive does nothing). I also have a Model 1 Genesis that is "supposedly" broken(the plastic over the power switch was not touching it, so you couldn't turn off the system). Just goes to show how many systems CAN actually be fixable, even though I failed at the ones I've mentioned.