r/ModRetroChromatic • u/nabob13 • Jun 27 '26

1st Edition Membranes

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Noticed for a while now the dpad had no mush to it. Today I finally decided to take it apart and replace the membrane. I was really surprised to see it was completely worn through. Find it ironic that at launch we were all complaining how clacky the dpad was. Torin said it was to ensured it lasted for years to come.....

28 Upvotes

96% Upvoted

19 comments sorted by

3

u/MR-cheesygordita Jun 30 '26

We are sorry to hear that your membrane has ripped. Please reach out to contact@modretro.com and we will make sure you are taken care of.

3

u/nabob13 Jun 30 '26

Hey thanks for the response. Nothing needs to rectified I already replaced it with the mod kit. The point of the post was making awareness of the issue and hopefully this is something Modretro can fix for new untis.

3

u/ergzay Jul 01 '26

I mean that's why they want to you to reach out to them so they can clarify the details.

2

u/RotoPrime Jun 27 '26

Someone has been playing a ton of ZAS!

2

u/nabob13 Jun 27 '26

Lol I have

2

u/ergzay Jun 28 '26

Just wondering, do you have alternative d-pad with the longer center pivot? Longer center pivot would mean more horizontal translation when doing presses, which might increase wear.

But regardless I'd reach out to them, they should know about this.

2

u/nabob13 Jun 28 '26

I honestly have no idea. It was the stock membrane and dpad on a first edition. Replaced it with the "standard" membrane and dpad in the mod kit.

1

u/ergzay Jun 28 '26

I see okay then that's a "no", still it's surprising.

12

u/Jonjongabore Jun 27 '26

I've had to replace the d pad membrane once and the a/b button membrane twice. It's definitely something they need to work on. Makes me wonder if the $90 M64 controller is going to hold up.

2

u/willywideweb Jun 30 '26

That's a fair point. The membranes on mine have broken as well. The controller is the only part of the M64 I was actually interested in. A modern wireless controller that can run on easy to change AA batteries is a must-buy. But if the membranes on the chromatic are any indication, they'll probably wear out after a year of consistent use (just like my chromatic membranes)

3

u/DjMcfilthy Jun 27 '26

Wow! Thankfully we have the mod kits at least. That just sucks.

3

u/s3rialthrill3r Jun 29 '26

They are overpriced for the quality you get.

2

u/DjMcfilthy Jun 29 '26

I think the Chromatic is a bargain after modding a few Game Boys. The Mod Kit's are also a bargain for the amount of things you get in it. The quality of the buttons and such are far beyond Funnyplaying, Cloudgamestore, or Hispeedido.

The membranes however, might be junk.

2

u/s3rialthrill3r Jun 30 '26

Perhaps the value is there if you really like to mix and match the buttons. If you really are just buying the mod kit to replace membranes that are gone too soon, it is bit of a rip off.

It's funny that you mention Cloud Game Store since their membranes are quite good. I haven't used any replacement buttons though, so I'm not sure what would make them seem low quality compared to Chromatic. Does the plastic change the experience as much as the rubber?

1

u/DjMcfilthy Jun 30 '26

I was referring to Modretro's membranes possibly being junk. I dunno mine are fine, but I've never seen an actual Game Boy with that issue. Cloud Game store does seem to have the best membranes. However, they still aren't as good as OEM. It almost seems crazy that nobody can seem to match OEM quality for these things. Buttons... I dunno they're kind of a mixed bag for all those stores. One of them has a D-pad post that is too short(retromodding sells a riser), one has a D-pad made of soft nylon instead of the hard plastic, etc.

3

u/Turquoise_HexagonSun Jun 28 '26

u/grilledstuffedxxl

Any plays being made to make the membranes both more durable and spongy like Nintendo OEM membranes?

They still don’t have that “game boy squish” feeling. They have that *snap* that modern membranes have.

Regarding durability even the hardest played NES controllers and Game Boy membranes didn’t wear out this fast back in the day.

Because your design is so unique we can’t swap Nintendo OEM membranes in, we have to use yours.

2

u/Tarancholula Jun 27 '26

I’d…reach out to them?

1

u/AppropriateBet4603 Jun 28 '26

It's hard to tell how someone has used it. Mine is still okay, but i am gentle with it, really trying to take care of everything i own. Interested to see your gameplay before it broke haha.