Ben Heck swaps 360 D-pad with buttons, world implodes

by Richard Mitchell { Sep 2nd 2009 at 9:15PM }

We're just going to come out and say it: Ben Heckendorn -- AKA Ben Heck -- has absolutely no respect for manufacturer warranties. The man cracks open every single piece of hardware he comes across, voiding warranties like blades of grass through a lawnmower. Case in point: observe his latest affront on warrantability, an Xbox 360 controller with buttons where the D-pad should be. Worse still, the D-pad now occupies the former location of the face buttons.

As if that weren't enough, the warrantless warranty wrecker swapped the left and right triggers and added more buttons on the back of the controller that mirror the functions of the face buttons. Heckendorn claims the controller was made for a paying customer and that he makes such controllers to "allow more options for persons that may have a hard time with normal controller configurations."

Hogwash, we say. We recognize a (warranty) killer when we see one.

[Via Engadget]

Tags: ben-heck, controller, hacks, mods

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Zee @ Sep 2nd 2009 9:34PM

Those nodes on the back remind me of a hack for the original xbox controller that would electrocute you instead of activating the rumble.

ToadStoolPorridge @ Sep 2nd 2009 9:36PM

This guy never ceases to amaze people. Although the configuration seems a little odd, I guess a paid job is a paid job...
I don't know if anyone watched Pitchmen (the series on Discovery Channel), but there was an inventor that created a keypad for the back of the Xbox360 controller. It had 4 buttons where your right hand fingers go and 4 buttons where your left hand fingers go. It went A,B,C,D then E,F,G,H and then you pressed down one of the trigger buttons and it switched so the right side would be I,J,K,L and then the left would switch to M,N,O,P, and so on, throughout the alphabet. It's kind of complicated to explain, and I can only imagine how complicated it was to actually use. Sorry if I didn't do a very good job of describing it, I'll see if I can find a video of some sort.

Shadowbender (Sweatshop Supporter In Hiding) @ Sep 2nd 2009 10:05PM

Hey, I don't see any...WAHH!

Rhamsey @ Sep 2nd 2009 10:36PM

I love Ben Heck, and I just wish that I lived close to him so I could learn how to do some of this stuff.

Max Headroom @ Sep 2nd 2009 10:44PM

This mod is pretty cool.

On a related note, I am in the market for a 360 controller with a good d-pad. I don't know if I am going to have to go the mod route or if there is already a third party controller available. Mostly I want it to play fighting games and retro games in Arcade. Something like the Wii's Classic controller would be perfect. Please post suggestions.

Minecart @ Sep 2nd 2009 11:39PM

Apparently some of the green (and red? I can't remember) wireless controllers featured re-worked d-pads that were supposed to be marginally less shitty?

johnnynumber5 @ Sep 3rd 2009 12:58AM

Just get yourself a good arcade stick for fighting games. I've heard those Street Fighter IV 360 controllers (not arcade sticks) had better d-pads but that they still weren't great. Just get yourself a nice arcade stick.

boogi @ Sep 3rd 2009 12:37AM

That's a playstation d pad yo.

johnnynumber5 @ Sep 3rd 2009 12:51AM

Good eye!

Maybe he was trying to make the d-pad functional?

johnnynumber5 @ Sep 3rd 2009 12:56AM

Ben Heck does some of the coolest stuff I've ever seen. But, I wanted him to make something for me and he never got back to me or anything. Still, I'm sure he gets at least hundreds of requests.

BPMOmega [GT,Steam] @ Sep 3rd 2009 3:08AM

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v348/BPMdotEXE/Macros/WhyWouldYouDoThat.jpg

Nick @ Sep 3rd 2009 4:45AM

I believe, by holding that controller, you could possibly call forth the power of Cthulhu, solve world hunger and find the perfect porn clip.

If your head didn't first explode due to the button placement.

Or maybe it's like the Rez controllers from the PS2 days and the buttons actually stimulate specific pressure points that would equate to Angelina Jolie doing naughty, naughty things to every part of your being.

And by being, I mean penis.