Electronics > Projects, Designs, and Technical Stuff
Custom silicone conductive button pads needed!
WyverntekGameRepairs:
Hi, as you may know (if you've read any of my other posts) I'm trying to start a business, and part of that business involves designing and producing accessories/parts for video game consoles.
I have decided to hold off on the design of the N64 power supply until I can come to a good solution to a few issues I am currently facing. At the current moment, I am getting ready to move onto the next stage of design for a NES controller I am creating. It is as close to the original as possible to maintain the original feel of the controllers. I am aware that there are plenty of other 3rd party manufacturers of these controllers, but the main difference between my design and the other competetors' designs, is staying true to the original. This includes quality, look, feel, design, and sturdiness. The only thing different between my design and Nintendo's original design is that my PCB is two-layered instead of single-layered.
One of the biggest parts of the controller are the buttons. These are the most important part, as the user controls the game with them. I've felt many controllers from third-parties before, and they don't feel right when compared to OEM controllers. The buttons are the hardest thing to get right. I've seen tactile pushbuttons be used before, and it only works sometimes. Most of the time, they feel far too clicky and rigid - and unpleasant. Some controllers I've felt have mushy, spongy, soft buttons that take a full second to return to their normal position. It feels gross, slow, and is very hard to use when controlling a fast-paced game. Anyone who has owned an NES or still does: Do you remember the feeling of the original controller's buttons? They were clicky, but in a good way. They were satisfying to push, and they felt natural. This is what I'm after. I am hoping to find a supplier for silicone conductive buttons that will work with me to find the right design that feels almost exactly like the original buttons.
The material for the conductive pads will be carbon.
If you can help me find the right supplier for this application, I would be very grateful.
And yes I have done research myself, but I want to ask the community what they feel is best because I know there are probably people here who have designed things that needed silicone buttons of a good quality.
In case you are curious how far I've gotten in the design, I've finished the schematic and PCB layout on EasyEDA and built a working experimental prototype. The next stage is designing and prototyping the buttons, shell, and labels.
Thanks! :)
ataradov:
The fact that you even thinking about getting Nintendo to approve or license anything, shows how far you are from getting anything real. Be glad if they don't sue you. That's the best outcome here.
As for the buttons - go to the button manufactures and send them the sample. They have equipment that can measure the force profile and they can copy overall physical design.
WyverntekGameRepairs:
--- Quote from: ataradov on December 15, 2019, 10:29:59 pm ---The fact that you even thinking about getting Nintendo to approve or license anything, shows how far you are from getting anything real. Be glad if they don't sue you. That's the best outcome here.
--- End quote ---
Nintendo no longer owns the design. The patent has expired as far as I know, so they can't exactly sue me for replicating their design. Besides, if I have it where Nintendo gets a percentage of my profit (maybe around 5%) from the controllers, they won't mind me using it because I won't exactly be using their design only to my advantage.
Also also, if Nintendo would have sued me, why haven't they sued the many other manufacturers that copy their design? Check out Amazon and eBay, you will see many fake NES Classic systems that claim to be from Nintendo but in fact are bootlegs. They have Nintendo logos and everything, and yet Nintendo doesn't sue them or notice them.
Just saying. :-//
--- Quote from: ataradov on December 15, 2019, 10:29:59 pm ---As for the buttons - go to the button manufactures and send them the sample. They have equipment that can measure the force profile and they can copy overall physical design.
--- End quote ---
I mean, I could do that. Problem is, I don't know who to go to. There are a lot of companies claiming to be great, and I have no experience in the business of silicone buttons. Hence why I ask if there is any specific manufacturer or supplier I should go to.
Though, I will definitely have to do that when I manage to find someone.
Berni:
Finding the manufacturer is mostly about looking trough alibaba a bit and contacting a few of them for what they can do. Try getting some samples from two different ones and see what works best for you.
As for Nintendo licensing i wouldn't even try talking to them. They would most likely have no interest in this as they are turning around insane amount of money on the modern consoles, so whatever royalties they could get from you would be a drop in the ocean even if the royalty was a more reasonable 20 to 50%. If anything contacting them would get you on there sharp "Threat to our IP" radar. Remember these are the crazy corporate nutjobs that use legal pressure to keep people from uploading gameplay videos of there games as they see that a a threat to there IP. They even find writing an emulator for there game console being a threat to there IP.
WyverntekGameRepairs:
--- Quote from: Berni on December 16, 2019, 10:43:57 am ---Finding the manufacturer is mostly about looking trough alibaba a bit and contacting a few of them for what they can do. Try getting some samples from two different ones and see what works best for you.
--- End quote ---
Okay, I'll do that then. Sounds the easiest route to go. Thanks!
--- Quote from: Berni on December 16, 2019, 10:43:57 am ---As for Nintendo licensing i wouldn't even try talking to them. They would most likely have no interest in this as they are turning around insane amount of money on the modern consoles, so whatever royalties they could get from you would be a drop in the ocean even if the royalty was a more reasonable 20 to 50%. If anything contacting them would get you on there sharp "Threat to our IP" radar. Remember these are the crazy corporate nutjobs that use legal pressure to keep people from uploading gameplay videos of there games as they see that a a threat to there IP. They even find writing an emulator for there game console being a threat to there IP.
--- End quote ---
Shit, you've got a point. Maybe I'd be better off leaving the licensing and approval to Sega Enterprises and Atari. Maybe I'll try with Sony for PS1 controllers, but Sony is a really big company and they might be using the same tactics as Nintendo. Microsoft, of course, is a definite no-go. As much as I'd like to make my own licensed 3rd-party og Xbox controllers, Microsoft would probably slap me in the face with a lawsuit.
Sega and Atari are my best bets then, because they can't afford a lawsuit and they also are more open to licensing 3rd parties. (the nightmare that was the AtGames Sega Genesis Mini comes to mind)
Though it is really stupid that an 18 year old kid trying to start a small business to repair video game consoles and make some nice accessories for them would be a "threat to their IP." Just goes to show how absolutely greedy and f*cked up economics and businesses have become.
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