Some help please... PlayStation 4 controller which has been converted to a clock - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: paul_b_78
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: September 02, 2021, 06:32:43 pm
content: Hi friends of EEVblogI have a question...Has anyone purchased one of those PS4 controllers that has been modified to the clock. They are bespoke.... look really cool but has a flaw.Anyway, I have one for my son but it does not keep the time correctly.I would like to modify it but understand it has a microchip installed that is write protected.I am happy to install a nano board and ds3231 I2C real-time clock or anything cheap enough.....also not even bothered if the bespoke board can not be used...However, I either want to replace the LCD for same size (since a tft will not fit in it’s place due to the positioning of the cutout for the LCD to sit)..Or either utilise the existing LCD screen (but it is one of those LCD’s that is not physically connected (soldered), and instead the screen has a conductive foam pad that sits onto the boards contact points), with 2 separate flat bespoke LEDs either side to work like a backlit LCD.I also want to finally utilise the buttons that are already used to set the time and alarm etc.I do have a friend who is an electronic engineer, but has been unable to help me on this occasion...A big big ask I know... oh and I forgot to mention... I am pretty new to this electronics and still reading up and playing with projects...I would just like to get this working for my son who is getting confused with the time not being in line with our times, and getting confused.

author: magic
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 02, 2021, 06:50:34 pm
content: No warranty on that thing?How bad the error is?What's inside?In the past I had some luck tuning a crappy LED display quartz clock simply by varying its supply voltage

author: paul_b_78
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: September 02, 2021, 06:58:56 pm
content: No sadly the warranty has passed..besides I voided the warranty the second I cracked open one of the screws.I keep having to reset the time..it seems to vary but worst it’s been is about half an hour behind.It runs on a micro B USB port

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 02, 2021, 07:40:48 pm
content: Does the design use a Crystal oscillator as the timing reference ? If so, consider changing it or fine tuning it’s frequency.The problem is unlikely to be firmware as all units would suffer from this issue and there would be many returns. If the design does not use a crystal or crystal oscillator module, it may use a ceramic resonator and these are not accurate enough for a clock. The worst case scenario is that he design uses an RC time constant clock as that would be useless as an accurate clock.

author: paul_b_78
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: September 02, 2021, 07:49:05 pm
content: Im trying to upload some images... but they need re-sizing first...I will send them very shortly so keep watching this space

author: paul_b_78
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: September 02, 2021, 09:38:40 pm
content: Finally worked out how to convert Apple's latest edition to saving images on iPhones. HEIC image is the latest thing. Then not only that but once converted they have to be resized.Here they are as promised..

author: magic
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 02, 2021, 10:06:19 pm
content: Yeah, similar rat's nest to mineThat silver bugger on the back side is the quartz and I'm sure there is some black blob-encapsulated IC on the circuit side plus a few passives and that's all she wrote.Now, what exactly is the problem? Is it consistently running slow or suddenly deciding to jump back half an hour?Was it always like that or did it go bad exactly next day after warranty expired, as usual?If it was a sudden failure I suppose you could try to replace electrolytic capacitors or perhaps the quartz (32768Hz most likely) and see what happens. These are probably the only elements that can be replaced in there, anyway. If there are any voltage regulators, check them. Also check the USB power you use.Build a new board for it? Dunno, I surely wouldn't, but I suppose there may be people who are into such stuff.

author: paul_b_78
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: September 02, 2021, 10:31:05 pm
content: Yep... black blob of encapsulate with IC hidden.. read up that these are irreplaceable without using nasty chemicals... don't want to go down that path.Also I think there is 1 electrolytic Cap, and apart from some smd components that's about all.The LCD is pretty impressive though.. the way it makes connection without actually be soldered.I set the time... then after a little while several days but sometimes weeks....it starts to drift and time doesn't stay current.

author: magic
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 03, 2021, 12:41:21 pm
content: They are virtually irreplaceable with nasty chemicals too, and they wouldn't sell you a replacement anyway, even if you managed to find the manufacturer in the first placeThe way I characterized the drift of my clock was to synchronize it exactly with my computer's clock and then check twice a day how much it lags. After a week I had a pretty good idea (1s per weak accuracy → 1min per year) how much adjustment it needs. Rinse, repeat.But in that case I knew how to tweak it because problems only started after I replaced the PSU. No idea what yours is unhappy about.

author: paul_b_78
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: September 03, 2021, 03:42:39 pm
content: @MagicLooks like I have got some testing to do and get on with then.Just didn't want to throw away nearly 30 quids worth of equipment and have my son upset.Also.. still like to know if there is anyone out there who maybe up for guiding me with a complete rebuild - not even sure if I can use the LCD that is there.Just as another possibility and bit of fun.

author: BrokenYugo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 03, 2021, 04:53:08 pm
content: You need to quantify the drift, how much? Always one way or random? Some drift is to be expected, the crystal frequency and any factory set compensation is only so accurate and is temperature sensitive. Agoodquartz clock can be expected to gain/lose 3 minutes a year, at room temperature, and this looks like a cheap generic clock board.

author: NiHaoMike
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 04, 2021, 01:46:14 am
content: You could replace the crystal with a TCXO module, coupled to one of the pins with a 10k or so resistor. (If it doesn't work, try the other pin.)

author: amyk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 04, 2021, 03:34:34 am
content: If you have a scope, I would recommend checking that the 32k crystal is oscillating correctly. No need to actually make a connection (and that might actually stall the oscillator), just putting the probe nearby is sufficient.

author: BrokenYugo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 04, 2021, 04:51:07 am
content: Quote from: NiHaoMike on September 04, 2021, 01:46:14 amI think you could just tack in a trim capacitor to pull the frequency a bit, but the specifics of that is a bit out of my skill bracket.

author: NiHaoMike
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 04, 2021, 05:17:13 am
content: A 32.768kHz TCXO is about $2 or so and will achieve extremely good accuracy without tweaking.