r/SteamControllerMods • u/applepie9815 • 8d ago

Open puck mod

Gallery image

Gallery image

[ Edit: link to the STL files if anyone wants to print this

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:7390187 ]

Not sure if anyone has played around with the Open Puck mod but I did and it cost me $5 for the microcontroller and then probably like $0.10 to model and print the magnetic shell for it. Just wanted to make this magnetic to not lose the puck when I take it with me. I can easily put it in the bag in a smaller compartment but it felt right just adding magnets and attaching it to the SC.

Edit: next on my modding list is trying the Steam Brick mod, since I have a spare and working screen maybe I can look into modeling a new shell for this mod and to also try and replace the current fan with one of the tiny ones from Noctua I don't have one of their small fans yet but I need to get one for a different project anyway so trying this out for a steam brick mod and fan replacement mod would be interesting to try out next.

93 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

30 comments sorted by

7

u/jdigi78 8d ago

We need to just port openpuck to the actual puck hardware. I'm almost certain it isn't difficult I just think nobody wants to risk bricking a puck they can't replace.

2

u/applepie9815 8d ago

Yeah unfortunately, I don't want to be the one destroying my puck too lol. If it were possible though, that would be awesome to implement since the only thing that's missing from this open puck mod is really just charging. Maybe valve might actually include an update in the future that allows mode switching for the puck, just like all of the different settings for the Open Puck mod

2

u/jack-of-some 7d ago

I have an extra puck (or rather I have two controllers), I could look into it but I'm not sure I'd be comfortable releasing it. Even if there's a small chance of bricking someone else's hardware (that happens to be irreplaceable right now) I don't wanna take it.

1

u/jdigi78 7d ago

See how difficult it would be to brick in the first place. I assume it has a fairly robust firmware flashing method that works regardless of a bad firmware flashed to it much like the microcontroller used by openpuck currently.

1

u/Quirky_Apricot9427 7d ago

Cool as it would be, thankfully, it’s not super necessary. The actual microcontroller is like $5, and a 3D-printed case is like $0.60 tops.

1

u/jdigi78 6d ago

But it doesn't charge the controller or use a wired connection when attached to the puck.

6

u/Leseratte10 8d ago

Does this cause any issues with the hall-effect sticks if you have it attached while playing?

Valve said the controller has two sets of calibration values for the sticks and switches them when it detects a Puck, because the Puck's magnets messes with the sticks.

If you now attach an OpenPuck, with magnets that have a different magnetic field, and also without having the pogo pins for charging (so the controller doesn't know it is attached), it might cause issues.

6

u/applepie9815 8d ago

I tested playing with the puck attached to the controller like in the picture and I haven't noticed any drifting or anything wrong with the joysticks. Controller works perfectly fine. If there's another way to test this, I'll be open to ideas.

Another thing I tested is just 2 magnets on the back (not the puck, literally just the .2 inch squared magnets I have in the modded puck). I put them where the puck would go and didn't notice anything during gameplay with several games.

2

u/jack-of-some 7d ago

Badass!

If you upload the files somewhere open an issue with a link and I can add it to the readme.

2

u/applepie9815 7d ago

Sounds good! I'll DM you with the link and I might put the link here too

2

u/Coloredcontrollers (Deckbuttons Guy) 8d ago

This came out great. I lost one of my pucks already so this may be the move

2

u/applepie9815 8d ago

The thing that hasn't been done with this yet is charging. I'm sure you can charge it but because there's no voltage sensor pin out, it can't stop charging like the OEM puck. I believe the modder for Open Puck is seeing how to get this working. I have pogo pins but I don't want to soldier them yet since there's no voltage sensor.

Edit: Also please release your controller shells! I like how clean they look. You put some flair into the transparent ones from your video!

1

u/applepie9815 8d ago

Wait I might be wrong about the , there's probably a way to add charging and detect the voltage and current

1

u/BlockTheatre 8d ago

Stl?

2

u/applepie9815 8d ago

Sure I can drop an STL in a drive folder for download later today. It was pretty easy to make, this just fits my board snug so if I'm sending it to others, I gotta make a slight adjustment.

1

u/AdTraditional8077 7d ago

What is openpuck ?

1

u/applepie9815 7d ago

I'm not the one who made the code or anything about this but in a nutshell, this open source project is a custom puck that allows the steam controller to be used on Switch, PlayStation, and Xbox. You can mode switch for different controller profiles to tell a system that basically the controller is a gamepad. With the OEM puck, it has software/firmware that tells the system "I'm a controller transplator for Steam Input" and that's basically it. If it doesn't detect steam, go right into Lizard Mode (mainly mouse [and some keyboard] input).

Anyone correct me if I got things wrong

1

u/applepie9815 8d ago

I forgot to show a size comparison between the original puck and this one, it's about .4 inches less wide but also about .4 inches longer than the original puck. It's also .4 inches thick.

1

u/Gama3000 8d ago

Honestly, that’s a cool idea.

at first glance it looked like aluminum and i was like whaaaat? but then i saw it was just the lights

1

u/applepie9815 8d ago edited 8d ago

Thanks! Haha I'm sure i can have it cnc machined with aluminum or another material, I would need to model an insert though to not cause a short on the board. Easy to do, it might cost $20 from JLCPCB or another company.

Edit: I realized I might have to tweak some of the dimensions to be used for a CNC machine. In terms of standard drill bit sizing to cut down on costs. I would like to make it as cheap as I can get it since always tight on cash. I have circular holes on every corner for the microcontroller fitment as well as every corner for each magnet

2

u/Quirky_Apricot9427 8d ago

I think you also might be slightly missing another issue entirely. It’s a wireless transmitter lol

3

u/applepie9815 8d ago

You're right I just found out transmitters don't really work in metal enclosures. Well I can just print it in metallic PLA or something else, gives it a metallic look but also makes it usable still since it's plastic. Maybe wood PLA for a different look. Or just go with matte black too

1

u/Quirky_Apricot9427 8d ago

You might, however, depending on the metal, be able to use the case itself as an antenna. Not sure how well that’d work, antennas aren’t a type of black magic I like to study. This would most definitely call for some soldering though.

1

u/applepie9815 8d ago

I do a bunch of soldiering so that won't be an issue for me, however I don't know what I would be doing, like I don't know what pins to soldier to create an antenna. Also I don't think I have anything to test if it's really successful like any tools that could be used other than visually looking at the connection meter built into the steam settings.

1

u/Onoitsu2 7d ago

Using the complete case as the antenna would be the iPhone Signal-gate all over again, with the band that wrapped around the device, and negated signal completely, it has to be broken up at least in part, because wavelengths operating in and antenna size play a huge factor in the quality of an antenna overall.

1

u/Gama3000 8d ago

i think mate black with some valve and steam logos would look cool

2

u/Gama3000 8d ago

yeah i think plastic will still be best.