Rewind not responsive

[Feanorith]

Hello fellow DJ Heroes, (and a big thanks to Steve for activating my account)

I bought DJ Hero (normal edition) for the PS3 for my birthday a month and a half ago and I've loved it from the moment I opened the box, same as with the Guitar Hero series. I'd like to think I take good care of my controller, unfortunately, it's a game that gets people to come over wanting to play it, and they're never as careful with it as you'd like them to be, but you can hardly whine whenever one of them slams their hands down on your turntable, right? Whatever the cause, my controller used to work fine, but after a while I started to notice that every now and then, I'd spin my disc back for a rewind and to my surprise nothing happened! (apart from me losing my note streak)

The problem's been getting worse to the point that I only used rewinds when I had a large enough opening to catch the disc and play on before I lost my streak, just in case the rewind didn't register. That worked for a few weeks, but the problem got worse. Out of every 10 rewinds (and mind you, I don't wuss-spin, we're talking 360 turns at least ) 8 don't register if I'm lucky.

So here I am, looking at spiffy pictures of the inside of a DJ Hero controller. The thing is I've just started my exams, and I left DJ Hero at my dorm, (I had to, or I wouldn't get anything done) so the actual repairs are still a month and half away or so. I just figured I might as well started educating myself early, so I can get down to business ASAP! I've had some experience with repairing controllers, I've had to rewire all the drum pads and cymbals on the PS3 GHWT drums and had to fix the whammy bar on several Guitars as well. All I can say for whichever company made the GHWT drums is, way to cheap out and sell VERY inferior products. Duct taping wires as connections? COME ON! (While I'm on that topic, I'll probably be ordering one of those fancy strummers you guys offer. )

So that's my story. Any suggestions on where to start? Pictures will have to wait until I'm back in at my place. (and until I've played a few song with rewind ) And before you ask, yes, I have replaced the batteries.

[SteveAdmin]

Hi Feanorith, glad you finally made it here!

The problem with how the rewind works is this, and it is connected to the other rewind problem we have a large thread about here, the optical IR sensor is connected to the chip on the back of the IR board, this processes the input from the sensor and sends that signal back to the rest of the controller. This means that it is very difficult to identify and correct problems that are related to the rewind.

Does your scratch still work and it is just the rewind that you have problems with?

Have you spotted any other physical problems inside your controller?

Can you check that the teeth on the underside of the board are running through the IR sensor (i.e. have you put it back together tightly enough)

Are you sure you have changed the batteries Only joking!

We have been to see a top electonics company by us and in the New Year they have agreed to try and read the programming in these chips for us and look for any malfunctions or possible improvments (that is unless these chips are locked down so they cannot be read!) but this will not answer why yours has got worse over time.

Send us whatever more info you can and we will see what developements our geeky electonics friends can bring us in the new year but as with everyone else i can only suggest if you are still in your 90 day warranty - get it changed!

[Feanorith]

Ooh, that's a bummer, I was hoping for the inside of the DJ Hero controller to be as painfully obvious as the inside of the guitar or drum. If it's with an optical lens, I can see it's going to be a lot more difficult. I should without a doubt still be in the 90 day waranty, however, much to my dismay, I've never been one for hanging onto warranties.... Joke's on me.

Scratching is no problem on my controller (only on expert, but that has more to do with my skill than any faults in the design. )

Anyways, the pictures of your DJ controller taken apart have at the very least convinced me that I can take mine apart carefully without damaging it further, so once my exams are over, I'll pop the screws and send you guys some nice snapshots of it's intestines. Knowing my friends, I might just find a rolling paper jammed between the lens and and the teeth of the disk.

EDIT: Just remember something, I remember the manual saying you shouldn't lean on the spinning disk. Well, it could be my imagination (and I have no other DJ Hero Controlllers to compare to) but it seems to my like the disc is just a tiny bit wobbly. Maybe when you spin it, the tiny wobble makes sure not all teeth pass the IR scanner noticeably?

[SteveAdmin]

That is a possibility but I dont think you will need your reciept for a warranty replacement - just head over to activisions warranty site and they ask you for your serial number (which I believe is found on the inside of the battery compartment) they should ask you when you brought it but I think as long as your answers match with what they have got then you should be good to go.

The leaning on the decks thing is a possibility but I think you would have to lean on it quite hard to move it that much, but it could be adding to any problems?

Bet your gutted you left it at your dorm now!