Need to find a switch, 4 way 'joystick'

anaxagoras · 10-10-2004, 06:59 PM

I'm looking for a specific switch to wire to my OSD but don't know where to find it, i found it at mouser, but they do not stock it and will only fill orders of 600 or more.

I'm looking for a 4 way tacticle button with center push. Think of a joy stick that moves North, South, East,West, and you can push in.

Anyone know where i can find this? and i need something of a fiarly tiny form factor.

jeepguy · 10-10-2004, 07:01 PM

Rip apart a palystation controller? Do they have a center push....not sure.

Tidder · 10-10-2004, 07:02 PM

Maybe try Jameco Electronics? I don't know man, that's a weird switch.

Tidder · 10-10-2004, 07:03 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by jeepguy

Rip apart a palystation controller? Do they have a center push....not sure.

Those are analog, may not work... But yes, they do have a center push.

modUlarBeing · 10-10-2004, 07:08 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Tidder

Those are analog, may not work... But yes, they do have a center push.

out of curiosity what is the difference between and analog and digital switch? do digital send some kind of code or other data, and analog being on/off?

EBFoxbat · 10-10-2004, 07:10 PM

That type of switch wouldn't be hard to make.... but u could find and OLD SCHOOL game port joystick... think vintage 1992

anaxagoras · 10-10-2004, 07:24 PM

I was thinking ripping apart a dead cell phone that has one.... I'm looking a bit more on mouser, i think maybee i found something. My inital search only came up with a few things which were either like 8 way switches or things they do not carry, but after some browsing i may have found something.

Tidder · 10-10-2004, 07:24 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by modUlarBeing

out of curiosity what is the difference between and analog and digital switch? do digital send some kind of code or other data, and analog being on/off?

Those analog sticks on the ps controllers know when you push the stick just a little, or you're pushin' it like a crazy man, compared to the directional pad, which just knows on/off. I don't know how a digital switch works.

CHUPACABRA · 10-10-2004, 08:02 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by modUlarBeing

out of curiosity what is the difference between and analog and digital switch? do digital send some kind of code or other data, and analog being on/off?

WELL BACK IN THE DAY THERE WAS A DIFFRENCE BUT NOW THAY HAVE DIGITAL THAT ACTS LIKE ANALOG .ANALOG WAS MORE PRECICE MOVEMENT LIKE SPEED VARIATION ,WHERE AS DIGITAL WAS ONLY ONE SPEED. BUT NOW LIKE THE NEWER PS2 CONTROLERS ALL THE BUTTONS ACT LIKE ANALOG.

Change · 10-10-2004, 08:16 PM

Hmm...found an 8-way switch at http://www.mouser.com/catalog/619/1366.pdf, maybe looking up that manufacturer will yield some more part numbers that you can throw at Mouser and DigiKey. Hope you can find someone that will sell single-unit quantities!

more mods · 10-10-2004, 08:31 PM

please tell us how you plan to use this.

kiltjim · 10-10-2004, 08:38 PM

I don't know ho big you need it but.

DigiKey #P12330SCTND $4.48
DigiKey #401-1130-1-ND $1.43

You would still need to fabricate the actual button to use with it, but there you go.

anaxagoras · 10-11-2004, 01:17 AM

yeah, i found that 8 way, i only need 4 though, i could not wire the other 4, but then i'd end up missing half the time.

401-1130-1-ND from digikey is what i was looking for

I also found http://www.mouser.com/index.cfm?hand..._pcodeid=68801 from mouser.

As for the button to put over that i'm not sure, i was hoping to find something with a long stem that had it's own 'natural' button... but maybee i can snag a dead cell phone and steal the button from that.

As to how i plan on using it: My OSD has the following 5 functions: menu, Select, Up,Down, and Power. Instead of drilling holes for 5 buttons, i decided to just drill 2 buttons. 1 Power, and 1 for the 4way: on the 4 way, i'd have up as up, and down as down, then left and right both as menu, and the center push as select.

Superduck · 10-11-2004, 03:39 AM

Hmm.. the first thing I think of is the little mini-joystick on the fighter-style joysticks. It looks like a mittle mushroom cap (about half-inch round) it's just got four directions, and I think you can push them too. I know trhe Logitech joysticks (at least mine) has it, I'm not sure who else makes them with it.

I'm not sure how easy it would be to dissect it, but it might be worth trying if you can't find anything else that will work for you.

Good luck,

Kris

Change · 10-11-2004, 01:50 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Superduck

Hmm.. the first thing I think of is the little mini-joystick on the fighter-style joysticks. It looks like a mittle mushroom cap (about half-inch round) it's just got four directions, and I think you can push them too. I know trhe Logitech joysticks (at least mine) has it, I'm not sure who else makes them with it.

It's called a hat switch, some are 4-way and some are 8-way, but I've not yet seen one that has center push functionality.