PS4 DS4 analog ALPS replacement and calibration

[MadMaxGR]

Hello everyone,

Due to pandemic and my location, I was forced to change supplier and get (supposed to be?) ALPS original analog sticks to replace faulty ones.

It looks out that most of them have issue and drift. Sorry being noob in this, since I am not into calibration, can you please provide a step by step tutorial how to calibrate properly these sticks?

Also I have read few months back a post regarding using a diode (I think), or capacitor (?), can't remember, soldered to the ALPS legs to stabilize the effect. I can't find that post. Anyone has any idea where I can find the information?

Any guidance to the matter is welcome.

[wickated]

helo. that was me.
just take a lokk on how its made on normal game gear.



tutorial of calibation here(not best way imo) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uoxz0oHX9TE

[MadMaxGR]

Hi mate, I am referring to PS4 controllers. Either way, from that pic I can't tell what you did 

On the vid, I understand that I need to solder and resolder in height and check if the analog drifts etc?

The fix I have seen in the past was with a Schotsky (I think that's the name) diode. Maybe I am wrong?

[wickated]

Hi mate, I am referring to PS4 controllers. Either way, from that pic I can't tell what you did 

never late to study yep.
p.s. on that pic i replaced whole stick, no worry you didnt notice it. and group of decoupling elements are prebuilt by engineers of xbox.

p.p.s. my previous post is here https://acidmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,44668.msg335708.html

[LethalPrime]

Ah yes the all elusive thumbstick replacement that always fails. Sometimes I feel like I charge way too little to replace them but if I charged any more theyd just go out and buy a new one. Something I recommend people do anyway once it gets old.

I really hate how repair people on YouTube make it seem like all you need is an ALPS branded stick and youre good to go lol. If you have a genuine American alps maybe you would be but China sells these by the dozen and most of them have even cheaper carbon strips than the OEM ones.

Its always a process of finding the correct value pot that wont mess with whatever Sony put in their SOC as calibration or finding a donor that had something else wrong with it. Sometimes it just needs dielectric grease to prevent corroding of the metal piece and slightly better contact.

Moving them around like in that video works but it also sucks.

I wish both companies would have just decided to use the bigger ones used in the 360 controllers rather than using the ones used on PS3 that have always been plagued by drift. At least if the 360 ones suffered from deteriorating they wouldnt have your game look like it was a toddler going crazy with the camera.

You can find a resistor value that will give it a fake center if you really want to fix it that way, its not awful but also not ideal. Youll need to find the value that works on your own though because there isnt just a universal value you can use to ?fix? it. All controllers are different.

[wickated]

Ah yes the all elusive thumbstick replacement that always fails.
Its always a process of finding the correct value pot that wont mess
You can find a resistor value that will give it a fake center if you really want to fix it that way

actually resistance only stand for linear sensivity of stick. center point only is physical placement of stick shaft itself and washer spring.

[LethalPrime]

actually resistance only stand for linear sensivity of stick. center point only is physical placement of stick shaft itself and washer spring.

Yes but that center is calibrated at factory by Sony either way that?s why even swapping a brand new genuine pot between controllers can make it look like a drunk driver at times. Centering it physically is only a workaround just as adding a resistor to a damaged one is. Same reason you can?t swap orange C&K for green Alps Or green Alps for Black Alps.

Blows my mind that Nintendo is the only console maker to provide a stick calibrator on the console itself

[wickated]

you can?t swap orange C&K for green Alps Or green Alps for Black Alps.

i do

[LethalPrime]

i do

Thats after figuring out which will work though, for the most part you cant swap them outright, without physically creating a center (like in that video) that is.

The most difficult part about the process is not ruining the through hole but thats why we get quality desoldering irons or heat stations

[wickated]

you cant swap them outright, without physically creating a center

i can

thats why we get quality desoldering irons or heat stations

i use famous 5 bucks "blue iron", its pretty enough for any work with controllers

[MCorgano]

My method is probably horrible but it works for me. I take the wiper out and with tweezers and a magnifying glass carefully change the shape of the middle contact until the deadzone / slop is perfectly centered around 0%, ex -0.02 - +0.02. IT's extremely finicky but it's worked well for me in the past.

get quality desoldering irons or heat stations

I'm actually curious about this. I'm an idiot that needed to learn the lesson of not buying cheap tools more than one time, and i ordered literally the cheapest hot air station that of course didn't work. What is a good hot air station to get started with?? I'm not really wanting to like replace cpu on motherboards, but something powerful enough to replace large connectors like HDMI and thumbstick modules would be nice.

[wickated]

I take the wiper out and with tweezers and a magnifying glass carefully change the shape of the middle contact until the deadzone

there are round shaped twezzers perfectly suited for this. i do same way most of time. other most effective way is to bend shaft lug

What is a good hot air station to get started with?? I'm not really wanting to like replace cpu on motherboards, but something powerful enough to replace large connectors like HDMI and thumbstick modules would be nice.

quick 857dw+ is mid range industry standart. and yes, it IS cheap. it provides high temp and airflow stabilty which is crucial for not damaging elements u work with.

[LethalPrime]

Any heat stations that have an air hose instead of a small blower fan on the element are good. I prefer desoldering guns cuz hot air is for surface mount imo.

[MCorgano]

there are round shaped twezzers perfectly suited for this.

No kidding please link me, or what are they called if i wanna look them up? I figured some kind of pliers or a bending jig could exist but had no idea what to google.

[wickated]

No kidding please link me, or what are they called if i wanna look them up? I figured some kind of pliers or a bending jig could exist but had no idea what to google.

this