Hey everyone, so I just received a little time to work with my recent addition to my collection. As promised I will be doing a teardown in due time but at the moment my lighting absolutely awful and would only cause issues. But because I want to at least start this rolling, I wish to take some lesser quality pics to get a better idea of what we're working with. So what is this? This is what I'll be calling a Beta 2 PS3 controller as there were a number of different iterations of the controller before the design was finalized. I am no means an expert on the peripheral history, but this is the most logical placement of the controller I can think of in terms of it's known revision. In order it went something like this. The Boomerang -> Beta 1 -> Beta 2 -> Beta 3 -> Final So what's different about it? Is it's just visually different? Because I have not taken it apart yet, the answer is yes on visual differences, but it has some unique traits over the other versions that are out there. Well what's different then? The versions are fairly different in certain aspects. There were certain things carried over in each iteration. Boomerang Spoiler Basically just a placeholder design, nothing really was carried over EXCEPT the PS Home Button. Beta 1 Spoiler Most similar to the PS2 Dualshock 2 controller, it carried over the L2 and R2 buttons as well as shape, Analog Button (and light), as well as a more similar shell to the Dualshock 2, has 2 USB ports on top as well (one assumed for FW updates). Footage can be seen here by @Borman and I assume pictures will follow too . Beta 2 (Yellow sticker reads: Gセンサー搭載 Stick動作せず - Powered by the G Sensor, without moving the stick) Spoiler Somewhat off from the former, it carried over the L2 and R2 buttons but now are unlabeled and are slightly smaller in length, had a slight change in shell shape to be more like the final (no bump present), now has a PS Home Button but no logo, the PS Home Button also has a light underneath like the former and Dualshock 2, Start and Select Gel Insers are also translucent coloured, has 1 USB port on top, LED lights to designate player assignment is in a rectangle shape around the USB port and has a clear plastic plate over them (likely to protect the circuit inside, as well as test how easy it is to make the LED light show on the controller). This version also has motors for rumble features. Beta 3 Spoiler Very close to the final controller you know and love (or hate, I wont judge). Only known differences I'm aware of is the light under the PS Home Button is still present Retail Spoiler I'm going to hope you already know what this looks like... The controller so far does NOT work with a DECHA00A unit, but does have wireless capabilities as well. My guess is this is restricted to usage on a PS3 TOOL exclusively. Windows does not recognize it either. Anyway, here's some pictures of the outside of it for the mean time. Top Player IDs Lit by PixelButts posted Feb 16, 2016 at 9:13 PM PS Home Button Lit by PixelButts posted Feb 16, 2016 at 9:13 PM Beta 2 DS3 back comparisons by PixelButts posted Feb 16, 2016 at 9:13 PM DS2 Beta 2 Triggers by PixelButts posted Feb 16, 2016 at 9:13 PM DS2 Beta 2 tops by PixelButts posted Feb 16, 2016 at 9:13 PM DS2 Beta 2 DS3 by PixelButts posted Feb 16, 2016 at 9:13 PM 0217160816 by PixelButts posted Feb 17, 2016 at 9:02 AM 0217160818 by PixelButts posted Feb 17, 2016 at 9:02 AM 0217160819 by PixelButts posted Feb 17, 2016 at 9:02 AM 0217160819a by PixelButts posted Feb 17, 2016 at 9:02 AM 0217162017a by PixelButts posted Feb 17, 2016 at 8:55 PM Updated to include pictures from inside the controller (as far as I'm able to get without further issues as now one of the 4 top LEDs is not working)
There were two iterations of the "Beta 1". One has a bit of PCB sticking out the back, the other doesn't. They otherwise appear similar. I'll try to grab some pictures this weekend.
Updated the post to show some pictures. I have no idea what part of the controller is wired to those LED's but I'm mad that one is no longer working. Either way, new pictures @Borman @TriMesh how do they look?
