Traditional thumbsticks in game controllers rely on potentiometers to detect movement. These work by measuring the change in electrical resistance as the thumbstick moves. However, potentiometers can wear out over time, leading to a phenomenon called "stick drift" where the controller registers movement even when the thumbstick is stationary.

Hall Effect thumbsticks offer a more advanced and durable alternative. They utilize magnets and Hall Effect sensors to detect movement. These sensors measure the change in voltage caused by a magnetic field, which eliminates physical contact and reduces wear and tear. This translates to:

• Increased longevity: Hall Effect thumbsticks are much less prone to stick drift compared to traditional potentiometers.

• Improved precision: The contactless nature of Hall Effect technology provides smoother and more precise control over thumbstick movement.

• Greater durability: They are generally more resistant to dust, dirt, and other environmental factors as they will not interfere as with the magnetic sensors. 

We offer three different methods of Hall Effect technology application to our controllers.

1. Manual Centering:

• This is the most basic and affordable option.

• It involves manually calibrating the sensor to achieve a centered position.

• Circularity refers to how accurate of a circle does a thumbstick provide when completing a full rotation along the edges of the thumbsticks. This is not adjusted here.

• Outer deadzones (areas around the center where no movement is registered) may be larger, requiring sensitivity adjustments for some games. Some games account for these outer deadzones however, it varies from game to game.
  

2. Pro-Driver Board

The Pro-Driver Board is a calibration tool for HYPR Controllers that unlocks even greater precision from your thumbstick controls. While your out-of-the-box controller will come pre-calibrated for optimal performance, there's no need to further tune your controller unless you experience issues with your thumbsticks. The Pro-Driver Board is particularly beneficial if your thumbsticks aren't performing as expected.

What does it do?

The Pro-Driver Board allows you to fine-tune three key aspects of your thumbstick performance:

• Center Point: Ensures your in-game movement perfectly reflects the neutral position of your thumbstick.
• Circularity: Minimizes deadzones around the edge of the thumbstick movement, allowing you to reach 100% input value precisely.
• Maximum Range: Calibrates the full range of motion for your thumbsticks, so slight movements register accurately.

3. Auto-Calibrating Hall Effect Thumbsticks 

The Auto-Calibration Board, similar to our Pro-Driver Board, elevates your controller's precision by ensuring meticulous calibration during manufacturing. It achieves this by:

• Precise Center Point and Circularity: Using specialized software, we calibrate the thumbsticks to achieve the lowest possible center point value and minimize circularity errors (deviation from a perfect circle). While some variation in circularity may exist due to manufacturing tolerances, we maintain a strict range of 5-9%.

• Automatic Center Calibration: This innovative feature automatically calibrates the center point of the thumbsticks each time you turn on the controller.

Why is Auto-Calibration important?

Over time, wear and tear on the thumbstick's spring mechanism can cause its resting position to drift slightly. Auto-Calibration addresses this by:

• Remembering Rest Position: When you power on the controller, the Auto-Calibration Board memorizes the current resting position of the thumbstick.
• Setting New Zero Point: This memorized position becomes the new zero point for in-game controls, ensuring continued accuracy.

How to Use Auto-Calibration:

To ensure the most accurate calibration, avoid touching the thumbsticks entirely when powering on the controller. If you accidentally move them, simply turn the controller off and back on for a proper calibration.

The Auto-Calibration Board is a built-in feature in your HYPR Controller that automatically calibrates your thumbsticks, similar to the Pro-Driver Board (but without the manual controls).

How does it work?

During the manufacturing process, we meticulously calibrate your controller's thumbsticks using specialized software. This ensures the center point and circularity (how perfectly circular your thumbstick movements are) start within optimal ranges (typically 5-9% circularity error).

To combat potential drift, the Auto-Calibration Board boasts a clever auto-centering feature. Whenever you power on your controller, it takes a snapshot of the thumbsticks' resting position and sets that as the new zero point. This effectively compensates for any gradual changes caused by wear and tear on the spring mechanism within the thumbstick module.

Why is this important?

As you use your controller, the default rest position of the thumbsticks might slightly change. Auto-calibration ensures your in-game movements precisely reflect your thumbstick movements, even after extended use.

What should I do when turning on my controller?

For optimal calibration, avoid touching the thumbsticks when powering on your controller. If you accidentally move them, simply turn the controller off and on again to reset the zero point.

What is a deadzone?

A deadzone is a small area around the center position of your controller's thumbstick where no movement is registered as input. In simpler terms, it's a blind spot for the controller.

Why are there deadzones?

Deadzones exist for a few reasons:

• Prevent accidental inputs: Imagine your finger is resting lightly on the thumbstick. Without a deadzone, even the slightest nudge could register as an input, causing unintended movements in-game.
• Manufacturing tolerances: Controllers aren't perfect machines. Tiny variations during manufacturing can create slight inconsistencies in how the thumbstick registers movement. Deadzones help account for these minor imperfections.

Under Standing In-Game Deadzones

• Some games also have a built-in deadzone that you can adjust in the options menu. A lower setting in-game means a lower tolerance for thumbstick movement before it registers as an input. 
• Even with in-game deadzones set to 0, some games still have a very minute inherent deadzone. For example, even with a 0 deadzone on Call of Duty, the crosshairs will only move when the thumbstick outputs more than 1.9% or 0.01961 (GPT or Gamepad Tester) on a Dualsense controller. For the Xbox, outputs starts at 1.6%
• Raw Input Games: Titles such as Apex Legends offer a "raw input". The game is developed with very low filtering and no deadzone. This is beneficial for players who prefer a very high responsive controller feel. However, raw input can make your aim more susceptible to jittery movements and the crosshairs will start moving, even if your controller is as center as possible.

Understanding Outerdeadzones

An outerdeadonze is the area around the edge of the thumbstick movement where slight tilts may not register. This is a primary concern for most gamers. 

How do outerdeadzones affect gameplay?

Outer deadzones can be particularly frustrating for gamers who rely on precise control: 

• Reduced responsiveness: If the outer deadzone is too large, there might be a noticeable delay or misregsiter between when you tilt the thumbstickk all the way to the edge and when your character reacts in fast-paced games. This can mean the difference between landing cricial shots or missing your target entirely. 
• Limted Control: Outer deadzones can make subtle movements near the edge of the thumbsticks difficult to register. Some games account for these extra inputs that are not logged by GPT or other pad testers.
• Lowering the range of inputs: By having a larger outer deadzone on thumbsticks, it effectively compresses the 0-100% input range. Imagine your thumbstick having a shorter travel to reach 100%, will reduce the granularity of your movements and may affect your ability to perform precise in-game actions. This will cause you to bump down your senstivity to be able to use your thumbsticks effectively. 
  

How HYPR addresses deadzones in Hall Effect Thumbsticks

• Precise Calibration: During the production period, controller's go through a  meticulous calibration process to ensure minimal inner and outer deadzones, especially focusing on outer deadzones. Both Pro-Driver Boards, and Auto-Calibration boards are calibrated out of the box to ensure a seamless gaming exerpience. 

You might wonder, even with hall effect thumbsticks, you sill experience some level of drift out of the box and over time. 

Understanding Stick Drift

Controller drift refers to the phenomenon where your character moves in-game even when you haven't touched the thumbstick. However, it's important to understand that a slight degree of drift (around 1-3%) is often considered normal due to the following factors:

• Spring Mechanism Design: The thumbstick module relies on a spring mechanism to center the stick when not touched. Springs are physical components, and like any physical component, they are not perfect. Even high-quality springs can exhibit slight variations in tension or have microscopic imperfections. These imperfections can cause the thumbstick to not always return to the exact same resting position when you let go of it. Additionally, the spring mechanism itself can experience wear and tear over time, which can further cause the resting position to drift slightly. HYPR's auto-calibration helps mitigate this by setting a new zero point each time you power on the controller, but slight variations during use may still occur.
• Manufacturing Tolerances: Controllers are complex machines. During manufacturing, even tiny variations in component assembly or material properties can create slight inconsistencies in how the thumbstick returns to center. Even with meticulous calibration during the manufacturing process, a small degree of error is possible.

Is All Drift Bad?

Not necessarily. A minor drift (around 1-3%) is usually imperceptible in most games and shouldn't noticeably impact your gameplay. However, drift becomes a problem when it interferes with your ability to control your character effectively. Here are some signs of problematic drift:

• Uncontrollable movement in a specific direction: Your character moves in a specific direction (forward, backward, sideways) even when you're not touching the thumbstick. This uncontrollable movement can make it difficult to navigate menus, aim precisely, or control your character's movement in-game.
• Imprecise aiming: It becomes difficult to aim precisely in games that require controlled movements, like shooter games. You might find your aim drifting off target or have difficulty keeping your cursor centered.
• Limited control: You need to apply extra pressure or significantly move the thumbstick beyond its resting position to achieve the desired in-game movement. This can cause fatigue and make it difficult to perform precise actions.
• Input inconsistency: The controller seems to register thumbstick movements inconsistently. For example, the character might stop running even though you're holding the thumbstick forward, or there might be a delay between your thumbstick movements and the character's actions on screen.

My Controller Drifts In Game?

Even with minimal controller drift and a deadzone set to 0 in-game settings, you might still experience slight in-game drift. Here's why:

• Encoded Values: Many console controllers, like DualSense and Xbox controllers, have a pre-programmed offset from a true 0% value. This is done intentionally by manufacturers to account for slight manufacturing variations and potential noise in the analog signal in the lowest ranges. While HYPR's Hall Effect calibration works within the controller's range, it can't completely override this pre-programmed values and offset. This miniscule offset can sometimes manifest as slight drift, especially in games with a raw input or true 0 deadzone setting. It's important to remember that this offset is usually very small and shouldn't cause any noticeable issues in most games.

How HYPR Minimizes Drift:

HYPR Controllers are built to combat drift through several features:

• Hall Effect Sensors: Unlike traditional potentiometers, HYPR uses Hall effect sensors. These innovative sensors rely on magnets and a magnetic field, eliminating physical contact with the thumbstick and minimizing wear-and-tear related drift.
• Auto-Calibration: This feature automatically adjusts the center point based on the resting position of the thumbstick when you turn on the controller, accounting for slight variations caused by the spring mechanism.
• Pro-Driver Board (optional): This advanced tool allows for manual calibration of the center point, offering even finer control to compensate for potential drift.

• Durability: Compared to traditional potentiometers, Hall effect sensors have no physical contact between components. This eliminates friction wear and tear, a major cause of drift in potentiometer-based controllers. You can mention how this translates to a longer lifespan for HYPR controllers.
• Maintenance-Free: Because Hall effect sensors are contactless, they typically require less maintenance compared to potentiometers. Users won't need to worry about cleaning or replacing components due to wear and tear as often.
• Environmental Resistance: Hall effect sensors are less susceptible to dust, dirt, and moisture compared to potentiometers. This can be beneficial for gamers who use their controllers in various environments.

What is Circularity?

Circularity refers to how perfectly circular your thumbstick movements translate into in-game movements. Ideally, when you move the thumbstick in a perfect circle around the center point, the game should register a 100% input value in all directions.

Why Does Circularity Error Matter?

Slight variations in manufacturing or thumbstick design can cause deviations from a perfect circle. This deviation is called circularity error. It can also be a symptom of a high outer deadzone on the controller. A deadzone is a small area around the edge of the thumbstick where slight movements don't register as input. A high circularity error can indicate that the controller is registering a 100% input value (like your character moving at full speed) even though the thumbstick hasn't physically reached the outer edge of the thumbstick ring or movement range. 

• Inconsistency: A higher circularity error can lead to uneven input registration. For example, moving the thumbstick in one direction might register a higher value than moving it in another direction, throwing off your aim or movement accuracy.
• Deadzone Issues: Circularity error can contribute to outer deadzones. These are small areas around the edge of the thumbstick where slight movements don't register as input. In games where precise control is crucial, deadzones caused by circularity error can hinder your performance.

Does Circularity Affect My Aim?

Yes and No. In a perfect secnario, a low outer deadzone is always accompoanied by a low circularity error rate.

Scenario 1: High Circularity Error, Low Outer Deadzone

The circle might be slightly oval-shaped, but both left and right movements still register close to 100% with minimal to no space between the edge of the circle and the 100% value on the graph. This means that even though circularity error is high, the controller is still registering inputs fairly consistently throughout the entire usable range of thumbstick movement (excluding the small outer deadzone).

Scenario 2: Low Circularity Error, Large Outer Deadzone

• The circle itself might appear nearly perfect, with minimal deviations from a true circle. However, there's a significant cut-off around the edge where thumbstick movements don't register as input. This cut-off represents a large artificial deadzone. An artificial deadzone is different from a true deadzone caused by circularity error. It's essentially a software-imposed limitation that restricts the controller's usable input range before reaching the physical edge of the thumbstick.

Here's why a low circularity error with a large artificial deadzone can be problematic:

• False 100% Registration: Even though the circle appears close to perfect, the controller might be registering a 100% input value (like your character moving at full speed) before the thumbstick reaches the edge of its physical movement range. This can be misleading and make precise adjustments near the edge of the thumbstick difficult.
• Limited Control: The artificial deadzone essentially cuts off a usable portion of the thumbstick's movement range. This can feel like you have less control over your character's movements, especially when aiming or making small adjustments that require full range of motion.

How Do HYPR Controllers Address Circularity?

HYPR prioritizes minimizing circularity error for superior control through transparency and quality:

• Precise Calibration with the use of Calibration Boards: During manufacturing, HYPR Controllers undergo meticulous calibration to ensure minimal deviations from a perfect circle. We prioritize hardware-based solutions to maintain the integrity of the controller's raw output.

HYPR: Minimizing Circularity Error While Respecting Base Controllers

HYPR Controllers are built on top of existing high-quality platforms like the DualSense and Xbox controllers. This offers several advantages, including familiarity and a wide range of compatible games. However, it also introduces some factors that can influence circularity error:

• Base Controller Variations: Even though HYPR refines calibration during manufacturing, slight variations can exist between original base controllers due to:
  • Manufacturing Tolerances: During the production of the base DualSense or Xbox controllers, minor inconsistencies in component assembly or material properties can create slight variations in how the thumbstick returns to center. HYPR's calibration helps minimize this impact, but some variation might remain.
  • Physical Differences: Within a controller model (e.g., DualSense), there might be slight variations in aspects like the exact thickness of the thumbstick shaft or the fit between the thumbstick and the controller shell. These minor differences can have a small influence on circularity.

HYPR's Calibration Advantage:

Despite these potential variations, HYPR employs several strategies to minimize circularity error:

• Meticulous Calibration: During HYPR's manufacturing process, each controller undergoes rigorous calibration to ensure the thumbstick movement translates to a near-perfect circle within the controller's usable range.
• High-Quality Components: HYPR prioritizes components known for their consistency and reliability, further reducing the potential for circularity error.

Circularity Error Range and Transparency:

Due to the factors mentioned above, circularity error in HYPR Controllers can range between 5-9%, and sometimes even 10%. It's important to understand that this range reflects the inherent limitations of using base controllers and doesn't necessarily indicate a significant issue. Here's why:

• Focus on Usable Range: HYPR prioritizes calibrating the usable range of thumbstick movement, ensuring a smooth and consistent response within the area you'll typically use for gameplay.
• Transparency in Testing: HYPR's circularity testing relies solely on the raw output of the game controller. We don't manipulate or alter this data to achieve a lower circularity error percentage. This ensures you get a realistic picture of the controller's performance.

Are Hall Effect thumbsticks more accurate than potentiometers? 

In essence, both hall effect and potentiometer thumbsticks can deliver highly accurate readings of your thumbstick movements. They translate these movements into electrical signals that your controller sends to the end device where it is interpreted for in-game actions.

However, Hall effect sensors offer some potential advantages for long-term accuracy:

• Reduced Drift: Traditional potentiometers wear down over time, leading to inconsistencies in their readings (drift). Hall effect sensors, due to their lack of physical contact, are less prone to wear and tear, minimizing drift and potentially improving long-term accuracy.

Based on our testing, hall effect thumbstick accuracy as an add-on to base dualsense, dualshock, and Xbox controllers, are highly dependent on three factors

• Latency (Signal Delay): Latency refers to the time it takes for the HE sensor to send the signal to the controller board. Advancements in HE technology as an add-on have minimized latency issues. 
• Resolution (Input Increments): Controllers like the DualSense output thumbstick signals with a specific resolution. For example, the DualSense reports thumbstick movement on a scale of values from 0.0000 (center) to 1.0000 (full deflection) and registers movement along the axis in increments from the lowest 0.00392, 0.01176, 0.01961, 0.02745, 0.03529, 0.04314 and so on. These values cannot be changed at all, and are locked into the board by the manufacturer of the base controller. HYPR controllers are designed to ensure the Hall Effect sensors can detect these subtle changes throughout the entire range of motion. This allows HYPR controllers to achieve the same level of accuracy as the original controller in terms of capturing precise movements.
• Recentering Accuracy: This refers to how precisely the thumbstick returns to the center position after you release it. Potentiometers can develop inconsistencies in recentering over time due to wear and tear. Hall effect sensors, with their lack of physical contact, are less prone to recentering issues, potentially offering a more consistent and precise neutral position. Thumbsticks typically have a recentering error rate between 0-3%. Everytime the thumbstick input is registered or moved, the thumbstick should return between that error rate 95% of the time. 

HYPR prioritizes these factors during development to deliver the most accurate representation of your thumbstick movements:

• HYPR controllers undergo rigorous testing to ensure the Hall Effect sensors capture a full range of these pre-programmed increments, maintaining the stock controller's resolution.
• Modern controllers generally have very low latency. While technically a factor, it's typically not a significant cause of inaccuracy in HYPR controllers especially when equipped with newer Hall Effect Modules.
• We prioritize improving upon the raw inputs of the controller, focusing on meticulous calibration and high-quality components. This ensures a true representation of your thumbstick movements, without introducing artificial software enhancements to manipulate circularity, inner deadzones, or other parameters. We believe this approach provides a more natural and responsive gaming experience.

1. Power Down Your HYPR Controller: Completely turn off your HYPR controller by turning it off completely or unplugging the controller.
2. Short Pause: Allow a brief pause of a few seconds for all processes to shut down completely.
3. Power On with Thumbsticks w/o touching the thumbsticks: Hold the controller comfortably, ensuring your thumbs don't touch the thumbsticks. Then, power on the controller.
4. Maintain Stillness for Calibration: Keep your thumbs off the thumbsticks for about half a second to one second after powering on. This allows the auto-calibration process to occur without any external influence, potentially resetting the center point for a more accurate feel.

Q: How do I calibrate my controller equipped with a Pro-Driver Board?

A: We advise against self-calibration for controllers with Pro-Driver Boards. Calibration is a sensitive process, and these controllers come pre-calibrated from the factory. We would like to be in contact with you first to ensure everything is done correctly!

Q: My controller seems off, can I recalibrate it myself?

A: We understand. If you're experiencing issues with your controller's thumbsticks, contact us directly for assistance. We can help diagnose the problem and potentially recalibrate your controller remotely.

Q: Why can't I calibrate it myself?

A: For optimal performance, we recommend having our technicians handle recalibration for Pro-Driver Boards. This ensures proper settings and avoids any potential complications.

We're here to help! Contact us directly if you have any questions or require assistance with your controller.