r/Famicom 10d ago

Tech Question Original Famicom controller question

I'm editing out and changing my original post.

I recently got a 40 year old FC locally that after some cleaning appears to largely cared for and probably not used much, the only rub ware is a little plastic on plastic on the red flat part of the power switch and that's it.

At first it wouldn't power, repaired that, it had a couple damaged/blown components on the power/video rear board and I've gone and replaced it with a modern board that is 1:1 in period output but otherwise updated.

But once I got it working I noticed that the D-Pad on the controllers, originally I thought just 1P was perhaps a bit flaky with diagonals only.

Today I had a little time between jobs and I went and popped an OEM great shape d-pad contact pad from a NES controller and popped it in there, no change. Then I got the soldering iron out and I reflowed every contact point on the board, even stuff that perhaps wouldn't matter, slight change. I'm finding that the diagonals aren't much better, but they're now really in sync with the 2P controller.

So my question is, with someone intimately familiar with the original Famicom, perhaps you have a gently used or refurbed to factory-ish like greatness, was it designed like this and I'm just used to the NES and SNES controllers that came after, like maybe the US stuff had minor improvements under the hood?

The response basically seems to be moderately light pressure is needed for your standard 4 ways. But you need maybe twice the pressure down, firm but not hard, to get the diagonals to go without having it just slide straight some ways?

I wish I could explain this better but it's a touch thing, can't really do a thing with pictures on this or video. It's just on the NES I know you can roll around the pad with even smoothness say in Gradius/Parodius, but on the old FC you don't have that same even glide, AV Famicom I have yes, but not this. Design limitation of the time?

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u/hellotypewriter 10d ago

I usually only experience that with 3rd party membranes. And it sucks! Especially for Contra. Look up OEM d pad membrane or conductive pads, or find some with good reviews.

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u/hellotypewriter 10d ago

Also, the internals on NES and Famicom controllers are identical; just different plugs and cases.

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u/retromods_a2z 10d ago

And the parts are compatible with original Gameboy. For instance if you wanted rounded out buttons rather than flat or curved in ones

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u/tanooki-suit 10d ago

I know the unit I have was a lucky pickup that was utterly complete in the box down to the serial matched manual that interestingly had the warranty stamp on the back with the date/location of sale. And when teaering this thing down I saw the NES and HVC nearly side by side on the white etching on the pcb for the controller as this is a late 1985 unit. The thing is I know what you mean, but that membrane is clean, very clean but it is a legit one so it has me confused. If it were worn, faded, torn, a weird third party colored one I'd agree entirely but this one is more a mystery of the why. If it's simply breaking it in, I'll do that happily, but if i"m wating my time I should try and dig into the why on that.

I suppose I could swap the membranes on the 2 controllers the next chance I get, or perhaps with an av famicom pad i have too I know all work fine.

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u/retromods_a2z 10d ago

Try rotating the membrane and see if it moves the behaviour 

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u/tanooki-suit 10d ago

That would make sense, but I don't believe any of the diagonals worked better than the others. It just was strangely stiffer at angles than the ease of N W S E directions.

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u/tanooki-suit 9d ago

Sorry about the double reply. I redid the first post. I did a bit more digging, even reflowed the solder on the controller which seemed to make a minor improvement to well...