Amiga cd32 controller problem! Help!

Hey folks!

I have an issue with my CD32 controller, and I'd ideally prefer to fix it rather than purchase a new one.

Every time I press up or left, it appears to freeze a game momentarily. It's almost as if the game has been paused, and is usually only rectified by pressing the red action button, or sometimes right or down.

I have opened up the controller, but there doesn't appear to be any damage when looked at visually.

Any ideas on how to repair it?

Thanks!

[Amiga1992]

It could be the cable, or probably a broken multiplexer.
Check out the multiplexer specs and measure the connections with a multimeter to see if there are no shorts and values make sense.

[Daedalus]

Very strange... Have you got a different controller you can try? The D-pad works identically to a standard joystick, so it's hard to imagine what could cause that sort of behaviour. Trying another controller (even a standard joystick) will help make sure it's not an issue with the CD32 itself.

Check that there isn't any dirt or contamination near the pause button contacts that make it very sensitive. Perhaps pushing a certain way on the controller i scausing the pause button to be triggered unintentionally.

Poor connections can cause issues like that by causing bad data to be received by the CD32. Check that all 9 pins are intact in the port and that the plug fits snugly - those plastic moulded connectors can wear out over time. Or a faulty part inside the controller as Akira suggested, though they tend to be pretty reliable.

Hey! Thanks for the replies!

I've tried a mega drive controller in my CD32 and it works fine in terms of the dpad. As for the CD32 controller, I switched it over to a mega drive and it had the same problems initially (although not as bad), and upon loosening the connection slightly the dpad worked completely fine during Sonic games.

I tried to also 'loosen' the connection on the CD32 console, but it doesn't really improve things. I looked at the board and all seems fine but I suppose that I could apply some contact cleaner to it. As for the 9 pin cable, I've bought a replacement one and was thinking about replacing the cable in case it's somehow bridging contacts through a loose wire within the cable itself.

Anyone else have any experience with CD32 controllers?

[Amiga1992]

Yeah I forgot that the D-pad isn't on the multiplexer pins (got confused with the Megadrive pad), so, it could be a short on the cables. Those are a bitch to find and diagnose, but checking for shorts on the pins is your best bet. Use a multimeter and check that the direction that gives you issues is not connected to any other pin. If it is, you have a short somewhere.

Do NOT use a CD32 pad on a Megadrive!! Completely different pinout, it could create serious issues on the pad or the console. That +5V line goes around weird.

vs

Originally Posted by Akira

Yeah I forgot that the D-pad isn't on the multiplexer pins, so, it could be a short on the cables. Those are a bitch to find and diagnose, but checking for shorts on the pins is your best bet. Use a multimeter and check that the direction that gives you issues is not connected to any other pin. If it is, you have a short somewhere.

Do NOT use a CD32 pad on a Megadrive!! Completely different pinout, it could create serious issues.

Ah, I literally only used it to test once as I am genuinely at my wits end with the controller... don't worry, it wasn't a long term thing!

I was speaking to a console mod/engineer chap who feels that it's likely a short in the cables or the connector, but I was just wondering if anyone here has had a similar issue. Looking at the board, it doesn't appear to be difficult to resolder a new cable on to it, but I'll need to grab a multimeter from someone as mine has bitten the dust.

[Amiga1992]

With electricity, time does not matter, if you fed +5V from the MD to that "L Load shift" line, which I don't know what it is for, it could have broken the multiplexer. But your pad was misbehaving beforehand, so let's hope the 5V were ignored by the mux.

I agree with whoever you were speaking and think it could be a cable issue and that is why I told you to use a multimeter to check fr a short. Put one end on pin 3 or 1, and then test with every other pin. Do not do anything brash before you test, like plugging it to an incompatible system

Originally Posted by Akira

With electricity, time does not matter, if you fed +5V from the MD to that "L Load shift" line, which I don't know what it is for, it could have broken the multiplexer. But your pad was misbehaving beforehand, so let's hope the 5V were ignored by the mux.

I agree with whoever you were speaking and think it could be a cable issue and that is why I told you to use a multimeter to check fr a short. Put one end on pin 3 or 1, and then test with every other pin. Do not do anything brash before you test, like plugging it to an incompatible system

No worries! Thanks!