Topic: Dualshock 4 - wear & tear

What is the SPC controller?

@Kvally Switch Pro Controller.

Anyway, Sony is doomed confirmed I guess.

Oh, ok. Thanks man.

Only ever had an issue with an N64 controller that was, ahem, wallied against the wall by yours truly after losing a match against a flatmate on International Super Star Soccer.

I do find that the charge goes down quicker on my DS4, particularly if an intensive game. I've noticed it with Bloodborne for example. I have no evidence to back it up but I find the charge seems to go a lot quicker if using PSVR.

@Octane I prefer the DS4 in terms of comfort. Nice sarcasm though.

But truth be told this is an issue that needs to be sorted out. Price expects quality. If the SPC is too expensive then the DS4 by comparison is a markup of ungodly proportions.

And again, the DS4 is probably the wirst offebder of a dodgy device that you need to use your machine. Is Sony doomed? No. Did I ever say that? No.

Is the controller crap? Yes. Is that an issue when you need it for the device? Yes. And by the admission of the wider market if the SPC is too expensive then the DS4 is very expensive for what you get.

Which is a torch that is also a controller.

And for reference if I owned an Xbox controller (I cant stretch my thumb to use the right stick without pain) Id have tested that too. And a Steam Controller.

@BLP_Software I mean, yours seems to be broken anyway. You know the average DS4 lasts longer than 4 hours. Mine does easily 10+ hours, if not more. Plus, batteries degrade over time, and battery tech improves over time. So yeah, a new Switch Pro will always be better than a 4-year old DS4. Regardless, I don't think either one is bad. Could be DS4 have had a better battery life? Of course, and I'm all for that. Give us the option to turn off the light bar (and replace the micro USB port with a USB-C port) and I'm satisfied. Without the light bar the DS4 lasts for more than 20 hours easily. I think that's within range of expectations for a controller like that.

@Octane My DS4 isnt 4 years old. Its not even 2 years old. Thats even worse.

Im starting to think it wont hold a full charge. But i have no way to tell. My joycon were doing that too. Said full only for the warning to pop up after.

What does the lightbar actually do? I know in Until Dawn it used the camera (another cost,woo) to see if you were shaking but you can also just put the thing down.

I think the light bar shouldnt be there. For the VR and those who actually use the camera? Sure. But you shouldnt have a part of a controller be there that most people arent going to use that is a detriment to their experience with the battery. I dont own a single thing that uses it!

I think there should be a light bar absent model, and sell the lightbar one seperate for the relative few compared to the overall userbase, that does have a camera or VR.

Further to that point about battery technology. Yes the SPC is expected to last longer. However, as you said its 10+ hours vs 40+ hours, and looking at the capacity of those batteries,what the hell is the PS4 doing light bar or not that eats power so much that a slightly smaller battery lasts a fourth of the time?

Worse off, the SPC uses a very slightly larger OG 3DS battery. A 2011 battery type!

@BLP_Software It's there to indicate who's player 1 and who's player 2 in MP games I think. And the light changes depending on the game. Like those weird lamps that change depending on your mood or whatever.

I don't think they need to remove it, just give us an option to turn it off in the menu screen.

@Octane Really? To denote who is who? What was wrong with a little LED like every other system?

I think they should remove it. Firstly because its only going to be used by a small subset of the userbase, and as such a lightbarless option can be offered for cheaper (Saving @Tasuki some cash ) but I also feel turning it off on light bar models when its not in one of the rare instances its actually used, would mean people wont need to buy a new controller for a marginally better battery.

Until it dies anyway.

I did notice in the Megaman Collection the light changes based on the weapon you use. I mean its neat...but I only noticed when it was pointed out to me by a friend across the room.

Because the light faces away from you. So whats the point.

@BLP_Software At night or in the evening it lights up the room, that's when I play mostly.

Anyway, I don't think it's going to be that much cheaper. It's just a small LED, and an opague plastic cap. May save them a few cents per controller, but the consumer won't see a difference in price.

@Octane Ah ok. Im normally not far from my TV so the light clearly gets smothered by the TV.

I think it would make a difference. Remove the translucent cover and use the opaque plastic (get your terms right ) and cut out the circuitry and LEDs and itll save some cash.

Look at it this way. Its reduce more of the price than adding more lightbar like they did for the V2.

@KratosMD Yay? Couldve just used a little LED like everyone else instead of adding more of the glowing abomination. XD

I can't English.

My original DS4 (day one PS4) lasted 5-7 hours. I now have a PS Pro, which of course has the new DS4, and I still get 5-7 hours. Not only that, but when the controller is off, it still drains at a rapid pace when not in use. They really need to address this in future revisions. I would gladly drop another $50 for one with double the battery life.

The built in Battery has to be one of the worst aspects of a DS controller in my opinion. At least with a 'battery' compartment, you can use standard or rechargeable AA batteries or even a rechargeable battery pack. If the Rechargeable batteries eventually stop holding their charge, you can simply replace them rather than having to replace the whole controller. My XB1 battery pack lasts me days where as the DS4 hardly lasts a session - I normally end up getting a low battery message and end up plugging it into my laptop to keep playing!

I would gladly welcome a DS4 with NO built in Battery. As long as I can use standard or rechargeable batteries (AAA or AA) and/or rechargeable pack - like the Xbox offers, I would be much happier - Next they also need to have the build quality of Xbox controllers, or at least as good as the DS3 would be a start...

So I am wondering if the latest bit of problems I am having with my DS4 is due to the latest OS update rather then the controlle itself. Since the last update I noticed that the further I go from the system itself the input lag gets alot worst and I don't really go that far.

Last night me and the guys from work decided to play some Diablo 3 all controllers were fully charged, but when two of my friends who sat on my couch which is about 7ft away from the PS4 the had really bad input lag. While I who was sitting closer to the tv had none. Now what I mean is having to press a button several times before it did what it was suppose to do and the all.of a sudden it would do the command. Then several times the controllers would turn off and disconnect, even if they put the controller down to use the restroom or grab a drink. Odd thing is the disconnect only happened in Diablo 3. The lag however happens anytime I play on my couch. It happens when I play CoD, The Crew just about any game on the PS4 and with any controller I am using, so that's why I think it's something to do with the latest update for PS4 and not my controller.

Anyone else experiencing this or am I going crazy. Is there a way I can fix this if it was the update?

Sounds like some interference. Plenty of circumstantial evidence on google. Best try some trouble shooting, resyncing, moving other wireless devices and anything else you can think of that might upset the connection in your environment to see if you can improve it.

Could be a hardware fault too, don't think you'll wanna do this investigation and repair yourself but it's food for thought. The line of sight things interesting, could be a good test to see if there is a narrow angle your controllers seem to work fine within.

https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Repairing+PS4++Bluetooth+Antenna...

@kyleforrester87 Not sure what could be causing the interference device wise as I don't have any new devices near my PS4 that I didn't have before hand. And yeah I really don't want to open my PS4 up and deal with that.

@Tasuki Well, maybe it'll just fix itself then

I have input lag on the main OS. It varies based on current firmware. One update alleviates it somewhat others make it like it is now. Im about 3 feet from the console with no interference.

And I havent got the money to replace that controller that died the other week. XD