Change your ChatPad's LEDs

Should've done this a long time ago (about 2 weeks after the pad was released). What I did with this mod is simply change the White LEDS to red, I kept the orange and green buttons alone and the shift is still white as well.

What you'll need:
-Soldering Iron (personal preference really, but the cheap $8 kit from Radio Shack would do it)
-Solder (Pretty sure I used this stuff when I did the mod)
-Tweezers (they help ALOT)
-Flux (I prefer the pen for SMD work but the paste will work in small amounts. Flux is an amazing help for SMD)
-Six 0603 SMD LEDs of your color (I used RED. Use more if you wanna change more of the buttons)
-Xacto Blade
-Torx size 6 (dosn't have to be security but I used one from my ZooZen kit)
-Small phillips screw driver
-small flat head screw driver (for prying)

Ok so first you wanna open the damn thing up...
There are 4 torx 6 screws on the back. Easy to get to so no damage will occur. I forgot to put arrows in the picture so you'll have to find them. If you can't find them then you should put the chatpad down and return your iron to the store. Then proceed to quit (not retire) modding.


The case is clicked together, so what I did was use a flat head screw driver to pry it open from the inside. This is the part that touches the controller so if you mess the plastic up a bit don't worry about it, you won't see it anyway.


When pulling it apart be careful because the wires that connect the chatpad to the controller are clipped into place on the case of the chatpad.


Undo that and your free.


Ok, now there are 5 phillips screws in here. Again if you can't find them you shouldn't even be on this website.. But if you STILL can't find them I did put arrows on this one.. lucky you..


Now use your fingers to press on the back of the PCB which will free it from the main white casing.


Remove the grey plastic thingy, easy enough.


Lift the three black sections, these are just lightly glues there. This will free the keypad, and diffuser from the PCB.



Here are the 6 LEDs I will be replacing.


With diffuser.


Yeah I know, they look blue... It was a new camera at the time.

I labeled them and marked thier polarity for super ease of use!


Of course all the pictures of the PCB are uspide down... again. Also I forgot to mark the middle top LED in the above picture, it's one of the white ones I replaced. The shift LED I did NOT cange, however the same steps apply to that if you wanna change it as well.

Ok, so now you can start soldering right? WRONG. You will need to remove some of that white film. I'm fairly certain that it reflects the light, but I dunno. Be carefully doing this you don't wanna cut traces. Under that is a thicker clear film, dunno what it's for but it has to be removed. This is all in care for your pretty little iron tip. Melting all that plastic crap on it will just mess up future solder joints and such.

Very carefully use your xacto or whatever you choose and cut with little pressure. Start with the white, and give yourself plenty of room to work, remember you'll be doing SMD work here. Then again with little pressure work at the clear film. Once this is all removed then you can start soldering.


I don't have any pics of the finished roduct or of soldering SMD LEDs. I suggest you use the flood method to remove the old LEDs. Dont' hold your iron there for olong periods of time (more then 3-4 seconds). This will burn the joint and probably lift the pads. If you need help on this refer to Llamma's tutorial on changing the controller ROL.

You should take the time now to paint it if you wish, mine is black now.

ENJOY!


**I, Mike Collins, am not responsible for any mistakes, mess-ups, or whatever that may damage your Xbox 360/ChatPad/Controller in anyway. Nor does any site that posts this. I give permission to distribute this as long as credit is given.**

-CollinstheClown

Here it is all completed. I painted it black, but never did a clear coat so it looks like shit.













Trust me, it looks WAY better in person. Also I srunk the pictures down to 800x600 from 3648x2736 which caused the lights to look muffled. :?
The full size can be found here:
https://s34.photobucket.com/albums/d133/CollinstheClown/Console%20Mods/Xbox%20360/Chatpad/Red%20ChatPad/Large%20Size/




-CollinstheClown

awesome, thanks for the contribution!

Anytime.




-CollinstheClown

nice tut collin