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After Hours

PlayStation Move motion controller teardown

By Bill Detwiler September 24, 2010, 2:55 AM PDT on Twitter billdetwiler

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PlayStation Move motion controller teardown

Cracking Open the PlayStation Move motion controller

Cracking Open the PlayStation Move motion controller

In September 2010, Sony released the PlayStation Move motion and navigation controllers–hoping to duplicate Nintendo’s success with the Wii’s motion control Remote. But unlike the “Wiimote,” the PlayStation Move controller works in conjunction with the PlayStation Eye camera, which tracks the movement of the controller’s large, LED-lit ball. Another difference is the PlayStation Move motion controller’s rechargeable Li-ion battery, compared to the Wii remote’s two AAs.

The PlayStation Move motion controller is very easy to disassemble. All you need it a Phillips #0 screwdriver. Unfortunately, most of the internal components are soldered to the controller’s main PCB. With the exception of the battery, the PlayStation Move motion controller doesn’t have many user-serviceable parts.

Check out our Cracking Open gallery of the PlayStation Move navigation controller.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

PlayStation Move motion controller teardown

PlayStation Eye camera

PlayStation Eye camera

The PlayStation Eye camera tracks the PlayStation Move’s motion by watching the controller’s large, LED-lit ball. The ball will change colors if clothing or other colors in background cause the camera to have difficulty detecting the controller.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

PlayStation Move motion controller teardown

Removing the four external Phillips #0 screws

Removing the four external Phillips #0 screws

The PlayStation Move motion controller’s case is held in place by four Phillips #0 screws.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

PlayStation Move motion controller teardown

Phillips #0 screws

Phillips #0 screws

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

PlayStation Move motion controller teardown

Two halves of the case

Two halves of the case

With the bottom half of the case removed, we get our first good look inside the PlayStation Move motion controller. The large Li-ion battery covers much of the main PCB.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

PlayStation Move motion controller teardown

Bottom half of case

Bottom half of case

The T button (trigger), Select button, and Start button assembly is attached to the bottom half of the PlayStation Move motion controller’s case.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

PlayStation Move motion controller teardown

Removing the trigger, Select, and Start buttons

Removing the trigger, Select, and Start buttons

Five Phillips #0 screws hold the button assembly to the bottom half of the case.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

PlayStation Move motion controller teardown

Trigger, Select, and Start buttons

Trigger, Select, and Start buttons

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

PlayStation Move motion controller teardown

T button (trigger) assembly - Side

T button (trigger) assembly - Side

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

PlayStation Move motion controller teardown

T button (trigger) assembly - Top

T button (trigger) assembly - Top

The screws and ribbon cable make the PlayStation Move controller’s T button (trigger) an easily-replaceable part.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

PlayStation Move motion controller teardown

Cast top half

Cast top half

To remove the main PCB from the top half of the PlayStation Move motion controller’s case, we’ll need to remove four Phillips #0 screws.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

PlayStation Move motion controller teardown

Li-ion battery hides first screw

Li-ion battery hides first screw

The first screw hold the main PCB in place is under the PlayStation Move controller’s Li-ion battery.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

PlayStation Move motion controller teardown

Battery and vibration motor

Battery and vibration motor

You should be able to gently pull the Li-ion battery and vibration motor away from the plastic housings without damaging the wires that connected them to the main PCB.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

PlayStation Move motion controller teardown

Removing the first PCB screw

Removing the first PCB screw

This Phillips #0 screw holds the main PCB and this plastic housing in place.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

PlayStation Move motion controller teardown

Top half of the case and buttons

Top half of the case and buttons

With the internal components removed, the buttons on the top half of the PlayStation Move motion controller should fall out of the case.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

PlayStation Move motion controller teardown

Sphere

Sphere

The PlayStation Move motion controller’s rubberized, translucent sphere is connected to the case with black plastic ring.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

PlayStation Move motion controller teardown

Sphere's LED hole

Sphere's LED hole

The sphere is lit with an LED that can generate a variety of colors.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

PlayStation Move motion controller teardown

Main PCB, battery, vibration motor, and other internal components

Main PCB, battery, vibration motor, and other internal components

The battery, vibration motor, USB and extension connectors, plastic housing, and LED are still attached to the main PCB.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

PlayStation Move motion controller teardown

Main PCB with rubber button cushion

Main PCB with rubber button cushion

A white rubber cushion sits near the top of the front of the main PCB–beneath the PlayStation Move motion controller’s main buttons.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

PlayStation Move motion controller teardown

Top button cushion

Top button cushion

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

PlayStation Move motion controller teardown

Removing the battery and vibration motor housing

Removing the battery and vibration motor housing

The PlayStation Move motion controller’s battery and vibration motor sit in a plastic housing. It is held to the main PCB with several tabs. You should be able to gently pry them away from the PCB and remove the housing.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

PlayStation Move motion controller teardown

Internal plastic housing

Internal plastic housing

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

PlayStation Move motion controller teardown

Removing the Li-ion battery

Removing the Li-ion battery

The PlayStation Move motion controller’s Li-ion battery is attached to the main PCB with a connector.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

PlayStation Move motion controller teardown

Removing the Extension connector PCB

Removing the Extension connector PCB

The PlayStation Move motion controller’s Extension connector is located on a small PCB that attached to the main PCB via a ribbon cable and black plastic tabs.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

PlayStation Move motion controller teardown

Extension connector PCB

Extension connector PCB

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

PlayStation Move motion controller teardown

Case end cap

Case end cap

Two screws hold a small PCB to the case end cap. This PCB contains the PlayStation Move motion controller’s charging contacts. The small PCB’s wires are soldered to the main PCB.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

PlayStation Move motion controller teardown

Removing the case end cap

Removing the case end cap

With the two screws removed, the charging contact PCB should come loose from the case end cap.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

PlayStation Move motion controller teardown

LED, lens, and housing

LED, lens, and housing

The light assembly is composed of the LED (attached to the main PCB via a soldered ribbon cable), lens, and housing. The housing has metal insert that could help dissipate heat generated by the LED.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

PlayStation Move motion controller teardown

Charging contact housing

Charging contact housing

A small plastic housing is attached to the charging contacts PCB.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

PlayStation Move motion controller teardown

Kionix accelerometer and other chips

Kionix accelerometer and other chips

In this photo, you can see the Kionix KXSC4-XLU accelerometer and other chips.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

PlayStation Move motion controller teardown

Microcontroller

Microcontroller

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

PlayStation Move motion controller teardown

ST Microelectronics ARM-based MCU

ST Microelectronics ARM-based MCU

The PlayStation Move motion controller has a ST Microelectronics ARM-based 32-bit MCU (STM32F103VBT6). According to product documentation, the chip has 128 KB Flash, USB, CAN, seven timers, two ADCs, and nine communication interfaces.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

PlayStation Move motion controller teardown

Bluetooth transmitter

Bluetooth transmitter

Under this metal shield is the Bluetooth transmitter. To the left of the shield is the AKM 8974 electronic compass.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

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By Bill Detwiler
Bill Detwiler is the Editor for Technical Content and Ecosystem at Celonis. He is the former Editor in Chief of TechRepublic and previous host of TechRepublic's Dynamic Developer podcast and Cracking Open, CNET and TechRepublic's popular online show.
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