Strange Gamepads

This is bit of an update to the previous Xbox 360 wireless controller post: https://strangegamepads.blogspot.com/2019/06/cleaning-xbox-360-wireless-controller.html Now I finally got my Microsoft official Xbox 360 Wireless Receiver for Windows. The Microsoft original receiver might be quite hard to come by so I suggest you grab one if you find them for cheap. The receiver works in Windows 10 without any extra drivers and it supports up to four controllers. I paid around 20 euros for this but it came bundled with another Xbox 360 wireless controller. This is the "S" black model. As far as I can tell the only difference to the original black model is that the controller is now all black and the "home" button has nice shiny chrome finish to it. Also the text in front says XBOX 360 instead of Microsoft. Comparison of the two models. The newer model looks much better in my opinion. I will be selling the old model since it is fully functional and now also cl...

I've been recently playing quite a lot of Fallout: New Vegas on my main TV using Steam link. I've been using wired Xbox 360 controller and it works fine, but I'd like to move to wireless solution. I've had one Xbox 360 wireless controller laying around, but I didn't have the PC receiver for it. I ordered one 3rd party receiver from dealextreme, but it never arrived. However I finally managed to find one original Microsoft receiver cheap. So I decided to clean my controller while waiting for the receiver to arrive. Front before cleaning. In nice shape. Even the analog stick caps are in good condition. Back. Again only minor scuff marks. But here is the real problem. The battery holder has had some leaking batteries inside. Luckily it seems that the leakage has not gone to the terminals on the PCB. Those were clean and without corrosion, so I'm assuming the PCB is fine also. First a warning. That white gunk is not good for you. It is corrosive so ...

Today I'll be taking a look at an old wireless controller for PS1. This uses infrared for communications. Thankfully nowadays we have much better wireless solutions. I tested the controller and it works kind of randomly. Sometimes button presses are registered and sometimes not. I'm hoping its only dirty contacts or pads and not the IR part that is giving problems. Front before cleaning. Quite sturdy controller but still feels cheap. There is 1P/OFF/2P switch which can be used to select to which output the receiver sends the control inputs. I think this was originally sold in bundles with two controllers and one receiver. I have only one controller. The IR transmitter lens. The IR receiver. This has two plugs because it can handle two pads at the same time. Back before cleaning. Battery compartment. Looks clean. Usually these are filled with gunk from leaked batteries but this one was in pristine condition. Eight screws hold the controller together. Al...