The dualshock 3 situation is so tragic. It’s really hard to find genuine ones that aren’t in poor conditions. I wish somebody like 8bitdo would come up with a suitable replacement

The replacement thumb stick that was crazy sensitive may have different max resistance values on its pots. Resulting in hitting the max value the controller expects before hitting the physical limits

Actually with the dualshock 1, 2 and 3 the thumbsticks become sticky and oily by themselves due to the chemical deterioration of the rubber, usually after a light cleaning and a few minutes of use they turn out ok again, but if you leave them for months in a drawer they come back sticky again.

2:12 the person who tested that controller probably tried using a wall charger (which the official dualshock 3 controllers do not support charging from) and that's why they thought it was not turning on

Challenge: Play something with the DoubleShock 3's wrongly mapped controls

Keep in mind if you will have problems with any ps3 controllers that randomly starts sending random inputs to your ps3 is because the sponge that holds the circuit foil lost it's "spongeness". You can fix that with a piece of paper under the sponge. Just in case you encounter this problem.

you always need to do some re-calibration after a joystick swap since every joystick made differently

I noticed from the used ds3s I've refurbished, a lot of them have this ghost button press issue and that is because the foam used to add pressure to the contacts deteriorates. Adding a layer of tape or paper fixes that issue. It's crazy how hard it is these days to find genuine ds3s.

6:06 F is a Shanwan controller which I believe requires custom builds of drivers for both Windows and Linux for BT and proper mapping. LED 3 also works but just doesn’t light up while pairing. Suddenly got PTSD from the hassle on making those work on pc

The 2.4 GHz controller probably doesn't use BT to avoid license fees, but 2.4 GHz is in many cases more performant than a BT controller (less input lag).

Really cool how you got 3 ps3’s for 50 and now 9 ps3 controllers for 40. Nice vid

Next up: I bought 81 broken TVs for $30… how bad could they be?

I taught myself how to fix PS3 controllers and I learned a lot in the process. Initially it would appear that there are two controller types, with and without vibration. The reality is that there are at least 5 variants that I found, and they don't interchange parts, even with identical model numbers. Not even the battery interchanges perfectly.

Today I have learned not to solder ribbon cables :) lol This channel always gives me a renewed confidence to get out there are start repairing any old tech I've got! Matt's channel is what made me decide to give repairing N64 cartridges a shot and, sure enough, I got my first one working again on my first try :D Thanks for the videos and being an inspiration to get in and tinker with our own hardware! :)

The clear controller I know needs a USB receiver that you plug into the ps3. one of my once friend had the same one

All pots have different readings, so you have to closely match it as best as you can since the pots that were on there is what they used to calibrate it at the factory

I love your content. It's super fun binging your videos and learning at the same time!

They made some very convincing knock off DualShock 3s. I have a knockoff that is a nearly perfect copy inside and out, and the plastic casting and silkscreening is flawless, however it doesn't work in the PS3's safe mode. I've actually never come across any counterfeit DS3 that works in safe mode, so maybe you can test the supposedly genuine controllers to see if they're actually legit.

The 4 pin joystick is a hall effect joystick, which uses magnets to measure stick movement. The 3 pin joysticks are standard alpine potentiometer modules.

the weird thumbprint on the joystick on the 1st controller is 100% certain from someone stepping on it. been there done that!

PS3 controllers are so complicated in getting nowadays, I went from thinking my PS3 controller couldn't connect wirelessly on any console, to having to find used genuine controllers in great condition since Ebay is bombarded with knockoffs that look exactly like an official controller, thankfully I'm near a Book-Off in the states and was able to snatch any PS3 controllers they sold, also with verifying myself if it's genuine and in great condition while buying extra brand new PS4 controllers so I don't make that mistake again lol.

You have to be careful, some of the controllers that look official may not be. They sell third party controllers that look genuine, but use knock off parts. Also, a little trick I learned with the sticky thumb sticks is to clean them with a q tip dipped in goo gone, it makes them feel so much better.

The clear ps3 controller has no issues. It's actually comes with a separate USB dongle, without it it just a paperweight. I have that same controller

I’m very happy seeing people repair old electronics🤗

Super interesting Video again as always Matt! its almost like being in a room with you, trying to figure out whats wrong with the controllers. Thank you very much and have a Merry Christmas and a Happy new Year!

You got lucky. That is a damn good deal. And oh yeah, I also messed up one PS3 controller by trying to solder on that membrane. Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!!!!!

Matt has become my favorite KZfaqr by far, his videos are always so interesting and I end up learning something every time. Keep it up!

Felt right at home watching this since I fix DS2/DS3 controllers all the time haha. Was a nice refresher on what i'd go through fixing them and the mistakes I've made along the way. Thanks Matt for the christmas/birthday gift 📼🎄🎅🦌

I hope you're able to get those sixaxis controllers working again. There's something about their lighter weight that makes them feel right. The DS3 is a solid controller, but I've got a soft spot for the sixaxis.

You just gave me the inspiration needed to reassemble a box of 3-4 dismantled dualshock 3 my brother got few years ago to fix his.

Best christmas gift I could get honestly, I absolutely love your channel ever since I found it, thank you for your content and Merry Christmas!

With those film cables, I find that heating using a heat gun can sometimes repair them. A common fault in the original Gameboy (missing lines on the display) can be fixed by applying heat to the film cable connected to the screen.

I know you’ll probably never see this and idk if you fixed it as I’m not far into the video. But for controller B nothings wrong with the actual controller itself. There’s this foam pad that puts pressure on the ribbon cable to make contact to the board. Over time the pad deteriorates and stops making contact. You just have to add more bulk to it. What I did was take this pad out and add a couple cut down to size pieces of tape and flipped it back over so the foam pad was sticking up still and the tape was on the back side. After you do that just reassemble the controller and it should work as good as new! Cant tell you how many times I had to do this fix. But hey, it works lol EDIT: nevermind, you fixed it with mounting tape.. but if you ever have a similar issue or buttons are pressing themselves on any controller try this fix as it’s most likely the issue :)

I love seeing you try to fix the film. I always wondered how those could be repaired if at all but now I know you can’t soldier them lol 10/10

There's nothing like seeing a new MattKC video pop up in my inbox!

That clear controller probably needs a receiver to work with the PS3. I owned one back in the day and i feel like i remember needing one of those dongles. But i could be mistaken with a power A controller i owned.

When I go through the process of refurbishing old controllers I always disassemble and bathe all the plastic parts in a water alcohol bath while scrubbing any grime with an old toothbrush. The alcohol makes them dry quickly and they always come out squeaky clean just like new. Its a really simple process for converting old used controllers into viable refurbished ones that feel and operate like new

I just watched the PS3 one yesterday and now you put this one out today. Such comfort videos! MattKC videos are so cozy!

Merry Christmas Matt keep up that fantastic work man

My parents bought a ps3 and two controllers new. They still use it as a Netflix/prime/Hulu machine. Everything still works. I had no idea this stuff is “vintage” or collectible, doesn’t feel that old to me. Or that so many of the ps3s and controllers don’t work anymore

These things are so damn hard to work on, I did it once and promptly started squirreling away very nice ones

You've been uploading more, glad to see you're doing good :) I've been subbed for a few years haha love the content!

keep popping up in my side bar and your content is pretty cool lots of wacky fun, surprises and see you tinker on retro consoles!

love how it says untested but the controllers have notes with their faults

14:15 Yep, been an engineer and Hobbyist for over 10 years and even I made that mistake my first time working with one of these. Its a lesson we all learn eventually.

best christmas present, i always love your videos!

This is a great Christmas present!! Thanks Matt!

i have one of the same clear ones and i gotta say they feel pretty nice, but mine had the need for a usb to plug into the ps3 (like a wireless mouse) which doesn't help much, and the l2/r2 buttons aren't very well made and fall off easily, i had 2 and the l2 fell off on one and the r2 fell off on the other, and the lighting up was nice, even if its a single colour (per controller) edit, the problem with your clear one might also be a missing wireless usb dongle, to check just look between the bases of the thumbstucks for a usb dongle holder built into the controller

The 2,4Ghz Wireless/WiFi connection over Bluetooth makes some sense for the battery powered one as it can be designed to require lot less power, so far all gamepads I seen which offers both Bluetooth and 2.4Ghz connectivity usually had much better battery-life with the 2.4Ghz - USB remote connection.

New *MattKC* _AND_ *Technology* *Connections* videos today? A great Christmas indeed!

I was in need of a sixaxis controller for my pc and ended up buying a used PS3 with 10 games and 3 controllers, all of which are mostly working but only one is fit for use. This video is great for getting into overhauling those controllers, and I love watching electronics repairs on youtube. Subbed!

Next video: i bought 20 power supplies for 3 dollars

I bought 15 controllers for about the same, 5 just worked perfectly, got another 4 working after switching parts around, 3 of them where Chinese copies, got one of them working, the remaining had problems that probably needs more in depth work, gave them away so someone else could have a shot :)

Amazing video! Keep up the great work!

When replacing the conductive film, you want to match the part number. For one of my controllers, I ended up having to order a replacement from France because they were the only seller that had it. After repairing a fair amount of the PS3 controllers, I noticed that there are so many different revisions. Trying to match even the shell doesn't always work. Most of the time cleaning them resolved the issues, but there was a good amount that just needed the foam replaced for the back pressure for the film to come in contact with the PCB.

man i remember when these were worth $70...

Matt saying "You sussy baka" is very cursed. Please carry on saying sussy sundae instead.

These PS3 videos were timed well since I've taken an interest in my own PS3s as of late (after picking up a CECHB a couple of weeks ago). I've got some hybrid drives on order to upgrade all of them.

YOOOO I had that exact same blue clear one!! It actually felt pretty good to use as I remember. In fact the triggers where more comfortable than the official controller

I always add a piece of paper under that little foam pad that holds the flex connector against the board. The controllers start pressing random buttons as they age due to that pad compressing over time.

always love to see you've uploaded a video, thanks

It brings me instant satisfaction when I always see MattKC upload a cold one 😎

Merry Christmas, Matt!

Controller A has the same problem I had with my ps2 controller ✌️ basically the thumbstick has widened the round hole on the plastic front panel over the years. The thumbstick has literally dug in the plastic and there is no real solution other than changing the front panel. You can see the difference in widthness between the two sides in the round black profile around the hole. Great video as usual 😉

One controller I fixed was the thumb stick having slid off its post... with no damage to any other part of the controller. It's like the plastic casing around the opening flexed over 1/4" (or however long the post is) without cracking or plastic deformation (permanent deformation).

5:50 While this is possibly/likely a mapping issue (I'm not expert), it brings to mind an issue I had with my main DualShock 4. Eventually, whenever the left trigger was pulled, the left joystick would also send signals as if it was pushed forward. Cleaning the joystick's conductive axis pads fixed it for me, not sure why that was linked to the trigger though.

Merry Christmas matt

Man I still have one DualShock 3 controller that I used for a long time, plus PlayStation Move stuff that I would experiment soon. Merry Christmas MattKC.

a friend of mine had the connection issue too. a push on the small reset button in the tiny hole on the bottom side fixed it!

YES thanks for the Video an merry christmas

Merry Christmas Matt!

You Can solder ribbon cables, but you need a little iron for that. A pinecil with a fine tip already would do the trick

18:20 Different consoles / controller revisions/generations uses different potentiometer resistances. You have to buy the stick with the right potentiometer resistances for it to work properly. 10k and 2.3k are the most common but there is 5k ones. There is also the range of motion of the potentiometer. 45° and 60° are the most common but there is 90° ones. And there is also the tipe of the potentiometer. A for taper and B for linear.

Merry Christmas Matt! Hope you have a good day

The clear one I assume would need a wireless receiver. I bought an afterglow wireless that came with a wireless dongle. So it could be that

What a great Christmas present! Thanks Matt for the video!

Also look into type C modding them. I modded one of mine and am going to do the next one soon

Happy holidays Matt!

Happy christmas and new year Matt. Will be waiting for more "stupid", cool, intresting videos next year.

i love having lunch when u post videos and u r posting a lot recently

Merry Christmas Matt and happy new year

This guy is a hilarious console repair KZfaqr. Coming from Tronicsfix serious tone to this lighthearted humor is undeniably amazing

I loved these controllers for one reason and one game only, NBA 2K18 (or any NBA 2K game on PS3). I loved the free-throw mechanic that those six-axis controllers had. It made competitive local games so much better.

Yeah I'd recommend not touching those flat flex type circuits with anything hotter than a hair dryer. Even if you don't burn them sometimes the substrate is not very happy with large temp changes and will shrink, causing breaks in your traces. Bit of trivia: the reason they use silver-based repair materials is because silver is more conductive than copper, and the way those ecas/ inks are formed make them VERY resistive compared to straight copper traces

Bro you uploaded a video just when i was looking if you uploaded anything new :D

Merry Christmas MattKC

4 pin potentiometers are actually magnetic, so they probably work fine. You should try using those potentiometers with another stick module

Merry Christmas Matt!!🍰

Yo what did Matt use for the controller diagnostics screen? Also yeah, that's definitely the "finding a DS3 replacement" experience. Always a gamble if it's flawless or not.

Hi Matt! I love all your videos!

the one who can light up with the house home button is one of my fav controller its so good on the hand i miss this controller it sadly broke we had 2 of them

Happy new year!

The new joystick that isnt moving smoothly is most propably due to cheap pots, you can have a look on the carbon path inside the pots, I've seen all kinds, they need to be uniform to work as intended. I buy my sticks from mouser/digikey

18:07 The issue with the analog sticks here is that because they're Third Party replacements, the potentiometers (the green gear on the sides) is lower quality than the official Sony potentiometers The reason for that still mystifies me, as this is an issue NO ONE talks about online (outside of stick drift repair videos, I wanted to improve the analog sticks on a 3rd party bootleg controller) , and I've suffered a lot myself to solve it, and to this day I'm still not wholly sure BUT BASICALY A potentiometer has a little copper piece with a ridge that rubs against a graphite "arc" inside the green piece that increases the voltage between the pins on the left and the right, stick drift happens either because the graphite in the arc wore out, or if the voltage suddenly changed between the pins. Official controllers have a lot more material on the "arc" which makes it so they're way more precise than third party alternatives THE SOLUTION (thankfully) I've tested it myself using a bootleg PS2 controller. Basicaly, I have a bunch of dead PS2 H controllers I couldn't for the life of me fix, so what I did was quite literally desolder the analog sticks off and snap off the potentiometers and snap them in the bootleg controller, which to my amazement sealed the deal and turned a bootleg controller almost as good as an original. If you have some broken official controllers laying around and they had good sticks, I don't see no reason why you shouldn't salvage the analog potentiometers off them.

I've been replacing joystick modules on Xbox360 controllers for quite some time now, but never been able to find good replacements. What I normally do is swap the potentiometers of the original with the aftermarket assembly. This almost always restores full functionality of the joysticks as it's most of the time the mechanical parts that wear out. This would probably also work for any other controller.

6:35 I have a very similar controller and the reason it's not working is because there's usually a USB wireless plug-in for it, looks like you didn't get the one thing that made it functional

Merry Christmas and Happy new year 🎉🎅🎄

You can replace just the carbon resistance parts instead of the full assemblies. You can check out Ben Heck's video "Let's Examine Stick Drift" for an example of this process.

It’s always a good day when mattkc uploads