Problems where Retrode takes over my mouse

[harmony7]

Just got my Retrode today.  Beautiful.

However, I'm having the following problem:

Have any of you had the problem where when you plug the Retrode in, it behaves like you plugged in an additional mouse to the computer, with the mouse cursor constantly being forced to the top-left corner of the screen, and with the button permanently clicked?

The Retrode is not loaded with any cartridge and there are no controllers attached to any port.

I guessed that maybe this has to do with the mouse support added in v0.15b, but I don't see a way to turn this off.

I just tried updating to the newest firmware, but the issue persists.

I'm on Mac OS X Lion.  Can someone offer any help?

[Matthias_H]

There are several possible explanations for this, one of them being a hardware failure (in which case we would, of course, offer to replace your unit). Does the problem exist on other machines, under other operating systems as well? Does it go away when you plug a standard SNES controller into the left port? You may also want to try the latest development firmware which features alternative (mouseless) controller modes.

[harmony7]

Hi, sorry for the late reply.  Busy week.

So the issue goes away if there is a SNES controller attached to port on the left side facing the Retrode.  Is this how it's supposed to be?

[Matthias_H]

No, it's not supposed to be this way, but it suggests a possible hardware failure. Fortunately, it is fairly easy to fix if you have a multimeter and a soldering iron. Would you like to give it a try? I will then give you the necessary instructions. Otherwise, we may have to replace your unit.

Cheers,
Matthias

[harmony7]

Yes I am willing to give it a try, but probably not until the weekend.

Can you tell me what I need to do?  Thanks for offering help =)

[Matthias_H]

One possible source of failure is a missing or disconnected pull-up resistor. To know more, I would ask you to measure the resistance between pins A and B on the 7-pin connector. It should be 47kOhm. If not, you may want to check the little resistor next to the IC that is marked with a circle. Could be that it is not fully connected. In that case, you could try to push down the resistor with a pointy item, and touch both ends with a soldering iron.

[harmony7]

I took a multimeter to those pins but it looks like I am only getting about 10kOhms.  I've taken a look at the circuit board but the resistor you marked doesn't look like it's raised or anything.  I tried pressing on it anyways but it doesn't raise the resistance even temporarily.

Is there anything else I can take a look at or do you suspect I'm not performing your steps correctly?

Thanks

[Matthias_H]

Odd. If there is one value it should definitely not be, it is 10kOhms Does IC2 (the pins on the left side) seem to have any suspicious spots, connections between adjacent pins, etc? If not, I will have to replace your unit. Please contact me by e-mail for the details.

Thank you!
Matthias

[Matthias_H]

By the way, you still haven't told me if the problem persists after a firmware update, and if controllers work okay in different HID modes. Please try that first.

[harmony7]

Sorry I've been having an extremely busy time with work over the last few days.
I have read your response but have not had time to experiment with the new firmware yet.  I will let you know when I get the chance.  Thanks.

By the way, the screws that I removed from the retrode are not in good shape. The niches in the screw are pretty bad and I had a difficult time unscrewing them.  It looks like if I screw them back in they will never turn again.  I'd like to replace them with new screws; Do you have any idea what kind of screws I can look for to replace them?

[Matthias_H]

Those are special thermoplastic screws (2.5x8mm) that are probably hard to obtain in small quantities. The key to a long life is to use a screwdriver with exactly the right shape and size (a too small screwdriver will destroy the cross-slit).

Please keep me posted about your testing progress. If nothing helps, we will replace your unit.

Kind regards,
Matthias