Marius Calibration Instructions

Marius Board Calibration Guide

The Marius JDM-5X board is a highly customizable, advanced piece of equipment that gives you the power to fine-tune almost every aspect of its behavior. The basics of initial setup and calibration are simple, though, and this page will walk you through both processes step-by-step.

Before proceeding:
Battle Beaver calibrates every JDM-5X board in-house prior to shipping to fit for a broad audience. If you want an OEM experience — plug in a controller, play a game — this standard calibration will probably work for you. We recommend trying the controller first to see if you like how it feels out of the box.

If you do end up wanting to make changes that really dial the controller in to your preferences, our settings aren’t sacred. There’s no “one-size-fits-all” calibration, and every set of sticks will feel different to every set of thumbs. To fit your thumbs, you have the power to freely change every option available.

Your success in this, though, will largely come down to your willingness to experiment. If you’re willing to really dig in, the reward is a controller that acts and feels exactly how you want it to.

And even if you mess something up, you can always start over fresh by repeating the initial setup. You won’t break your controller just because you decided to experiment with your thumbstick configuration.

So don’t worry! Give it a try.

Marius Board Setup

If your controller is overclocked, please go to our overclocking page for instructions on resetting your controller.

You will go through STEPS 13 - 18 and set the rate to DEFAULT.

Reset Your Overclocked Controller

Battle Beaver's In-House Settings

We calibrate each Marius Board in-house prior to shipping. Our settings aren’t universal or sacred, but if you want to get back to roughly how we shipped it, here’s our list of basic settings.

Tap a section to view Battle Beaver's calibration settings.

Thumbstick Configuration

Inner Deadzone

2%

Outer Deadzone – varies based on CER

0–5%

CER Target – via calibration, not configured in software

6–9%

Trigger Configuration

Mode – applies to trigger types

Analog

Rest – numbers will vary

100–150 below Raw

Press

High enough to max out easily,
but not too early

Hair Trigger – feature doesn't work as expected

100% (disabled)

LED Control

Color

#0099FF

Final Settings

External Input Mapping

Button assignments vary.
Most common:
Left – X (cross), Right – O (circle)

Polling Rate

8KHz

Initial Setup - Step 1

USB-A → PC

Plug your USB cable into the back of your PC, NOT a front panel port or USB hub.

For best results, use a high-quality, data-capable USB-A to C cable (USB 2.0 or higher).

To purchase a cable from Battle Beaver, click here.

Initial Setup - Step 2

USB-C → Controller

Press and hold the PS Button. While holding, plug the USB-C end of the cable into your controller.

This activates Setup Mode. When in Setup Mode, the LED should gradually change between red, white, and blue. If not, try again, and make sure to hold the PS Button while plugging the controller in.

If the LED flashes green instead, visit https://update.mariusheier.com and follow the instructions to update the firmware.

If you still can't get into Setup Mode, contact Customer Support.

Initial Setup - Step 3

Connect the Controller and Start the Setup

Click the CONNECT CONTROLLER (A) button. This will pop up a browser window. Select your controller from the list, then click Connect (B).

Next, read the on-screen instructions. When you’re ready to proceed, click I’M READY - START CALIBRATION (C).

Initial Setup - Step 4

Thumbstick Calibration

Follow the on-screen instructions and fully rotate both thumbsticks around the thumbstick holes in both directions. The progress bars will gradually fill.

Failing to capture the full range will negatively affect the calibration.

Once complete, the next step will start automatically.

⚠️ CAUTION: Too much OR too little pressure here against the walls of the thumbstick holes can cause calibration issues.

Initial Setup - Step 5A

Trigger Calibration - (1/3)

Follow the on-screen instructions. Quickly and fully press the Left trigger, then release it naturally. Repeat until the instructions change.

Do not click the SKIP THIS STEP button on any Battle Beaver controller. Doing so will cause the triggers to malfunction. (You can fix it by repeating Setup, or by selecting ANALOG and clicking RECALIBRATE TRIGGERS on the main Settings page after setup.)

Initial Setup - Step 5B

Trigger Calibration - (2/3)

On the next screen, slowly and gradually press the Left trigger, then release it naturally. Repeat until the instructions change once again.

Tip:
The counters won’t decrease until your timing is correct. This can be tricky with Smart Triggers, since there’s no difference between a fast or a slow press.

On the slow press screen with Smart Triggers, treat it as a long press instead. Experiment with press timings until the software accepts the input.

Initial Setup - Step 5C

Trigger Calibration - (3/3)

The screen will change once again. It’ll have you repeat the previous steps, but on the Right trigger this time.

After completing the trigger calibration, the main Calibration and Settings page will appear.

Calibration and Settings

Stick Configuration - (1/3)

For information about Circularity, Circularity Error Rate, and advanced thumbstick calibration, see “Circularity, Error Rates, and You”

In this section, you have the following options available:

ADVANCED FINE-TUNING
This will allow you to manually change the range of your thumbstick input field.

QUICK RECENTER
The spring inside the thumbstick mechanism will start to weaken over time, leading to the “return to center” resting point changing. If this lands outside your deadzone, you’ll have thumbstick drift without touching the stick. Quick Recenter will pull that resting point back to the center.

Calibration and Settings

Stick Configuration - (2/3)

ANALOG CURVE ADJUSTMENTS (ADVANCED)
This section will allow you to modify your analog response curve, similar to the capabilities of a DualSense Edge controller or the settings available via Steam Input.

⚠️ CAUTION: Changing the analog curves here does not change any analog curve settings found in-game. The different response curves can stack and behave oddly.

Calibration and Settings

Stick Configuration - (3/3)

INNER/OUTER DEADZONE
Deadzones modify the area where a thumbstick won’t register any input. Inner Deadzones can be important for reducing bad behaviors like stick drift, and Outer Deadzones can reduce issues like sprint-canceling in games like Call of Duty.

Note:
Changing deadzones here will not replace in-game deadzone settings. We’re not 100% sure how Marius coded his deadzones, but there’s a chance they could stack with the in-game deadzones (or even behave a bit differently). Experiment with various settings to dial in your personal
preference.

On the left, the Raw value is lower than the REST value, and as a result, L2 is activating even without user input. On the right, the Raw value is higher than REST and the trigger rests correctly

Calibration and Settings

Trigger Configuration - (1/4)

Sometimes, the trigger calibration during initial setup can leave you with values that don’t act how you want in-game. Fine-tune the trigger behavior here.

REST VALUE
Below the trigger meter, find the Raw value. This number represents the raw input value reported by the board. When triggers are at rest (untouched), the Raw value MUST be higher than the REST value in the nearby input box.

Calibration and Settings

Trigger Configuration - (2/4)

REST VALUE (Continued)
If the Raw value is lower than the REST value, the triggers will partially activate even at rest. If this is happening, lower the REST value by 20-50 at a time until the issue resolves.

Tip:
Too large of a gap between the Raw and REST values can make the input feel delayed. Too narrow of a gap can cause inputs to happen at the slightest hint of pressure. Experiment with various values until the triggers feel right to you. A gap of 100-150 usually feels pretty good.

The Press value is too low, so the trigger can’t reach a maximum value.

Calibration and Settings

Trigger Configuration - (3/4)

PRESS VALUE
Test press the triggers. If they don’t max out the meter, or if maxing it out requires more than normal pressure, the PRESS value is too low. Raise it by 50 and re-test, repeating until both triggers easily max out the meter.

Tip:
Too high of a PRESS value can cause the triggers to max out too early. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing in most games, but it’ll have a minor impact on any games requiring partial, gradual, or precise trigger presses. Experiment until it feels right to you.

Calibration and Settings

Trigger Configuration - (4/4)

HAIR TRIGGER THRESHOLD
Set this to 100% to avoid any odd interactions. Currently, the setting doesn’t seem to work as expected.

Calibration and Settings

Final Sections - (1/4)

The remaining sections are smaller and need less explanation. Instead of requiring a lot of fine-tuning or having various behavioral quirks, they’re straightforward options that generally only require you to make choices.

LED CONTROL
This section allows you to modify the light bar’s LED color, brightness, and behavior. When we ship a controller with a Marius JDM-5X board, we leave most of the settings alone, except for the LED’s primary color: #0099FF, for Battle Beaver Blue.

We won’t be hurt if you choose your favorite color instead. (Much.)

Calibration and Settings

Final Sections - (2/4)

EXTERNAL INPUT MAPPING (Rear Buttons)
The JDM-5X board supports up to six remappable rear buttons. Assign them here. Pressing a rear button on your controller will light it up in the software, allowing you to identify which button is which. This is just for identification. You don’t need to hold the button while making an assignment.

Most controller inputs are available for rear button assignment. Our most common configuration is Left - X, Right - O, but it’s also common to see rear buttons mapped to the L3/R3 stick clicks.

If you have two buttons and we built your controller, they’re likely tied to BUTTON 0 and BUTTON 1.

Calibration and Settings

Final Sections - (3/4)

POLLING RATE
Drag the slider all the way to the right (8000Hz) to enable maximum controller performance without relying on external overclocking software.

⚠️⚠️ IMPORTANT ⚠️⚠️
Older CPUs, some motherboards, certain USB ports, or even specific games may malfunction at 8KHz. If you notice stuttering or reduced performance ingame, there’s a chance that the 8K polling rate is too much for your system to handle. In this case, we recommend dropping to 4K (or 2K if needed) and seeing if that resolves the issue.

Polling rate is only one factor. Even at 4K or 2K, you’re still gaining most of the speed benefits of the board.

Calibration and Settings

Final Sections - (4/4)

COMPLETE THE SETUP OR CALIBRATION
Click the SAVE TO CONTROLLER button. The screen will change as the software completes its final checks and saves the settings. When it’s done, the final line will say Configuration applied successfully. Unplug and replug the controller, then test it out to make sure everything functions as expected.

If so, congratulations! Enjoy gaming at the fastest speeds available.

Six random OEM controllers pulled off the rack and tested for Circularity without adjustment.

Circularity, Error Rates, and You

Now that the initial setup and calibration are complete, let’s dig into a hot topic in the community: Circularity.

When you test Circularity, the tool takes measurements of the total range of motion of the thumbstick, then maps that range onto a perfect circle. The Circularity Error Rate (CER) is a measurement of how often the thumbstick range misses the boundary of that circle.

The short version: Circularity is a measurement of how circular your circle is.

A common instinct is to want the CER to be near 0%. It’s called an Error Rate, after all. Why wouldn’t we want that to be as low as possible? Errors are bad!

Without going too deep into game design explanations, developers build their games with OEM controllers in mind. OEM controllers typically have a CER around 5-10%, slightly overshooting on the diagonals, but even coming directly from Sony, these numbers can vary wildly.

So when a thumbstick range is undershooting or too close to a perfect circle (ultra-low CER), certain directions may not be able to reach as far as the game expects a controller to reach. Depending on the game and how it’s coded, this can lead to sluggish analog movement or even an increase in issues like sprint-canceling.

If the thumbstick range is too square, on the other hand (extremely high CER), it can potentially have a minor impact on the consistency between cardinal directions and diagonal directions. Note, though, that many older games actually expect a square input field, and some players actively seek it out. (It’s common for certain styles of Rocket League play, for example.)

When Battle Beaver ships JDM-5X controllers, we target a Circularity Error Rate around 6% to 9%, with each diagonal slightly extending past a perfect circle. If your controller fits that profile, it should feel normal. If it’s much lower or much higher than that, or especially if one or more corners undershoots the boundary, continue to the next guide for help adjusting it.

Note:
In real-world testing, we’ve noticed little practical difference from 4% up to 13%, though sensitivity to this will obviously vary person-to-person. Like we said back on Page 1, every set of sticks will feel different to every set of thumbs.

Adjusting Circularity Error Rate

After completing setup or calibration, use Gamepad Tester to check your Circularity by plugging in your controller and clicking the Test Circularity checkbox.

To run the test, rotate both sticks slowly, once or twice in each direction. Make sure each individual triangle fills with color, then release both sticks. Ideally, the Error Rate will show somewhere around 6% to 9%, with a purplish-blue color in the cardinal directions (up, down, left, right), and a pinkish color in the diagonal directions. If your test shows this, you’re probably good to leave the calibration alone.

Fixing Low Circularity Error Rate (Sluggish Movement)

Areas in green are undershooting. If you see this, you should modify the calibration to ensure full controller functionality.

Low CER on its own is not necessarily a bad thing, just like high CER on its own is not necessarily a bad thing. However, an extremely low CER can indicate a few things that could negatively affect your gameplay:

Directions that struggle to reach a maximum value (slow or sluggish movement).
Software processing of your thumbstick inputs that artificially “fix” your CER to 0% (common on some 3rd-party controllers, but not the JDM-5X board). This can introduce delays or inconsistent controls.
Increased likelihood of issues similar to sprint-canceling.

ADJUSTING LOW CIRCULARITY ERROR RATE: PART 1

Identifying Issues - (1/3)

When you notice an issue, always start by recalibrating first, making sure to follow the instructions precisely. As annoying as it is, this is often enough to help. If there’s still an issue after recalibration, make a note of any directions that are undershooting.

ADJUSTING LOW CIRCULARITY ERROR RATE: PART 1

Identifying Issues - (2/3)

Next, return to main Settings page of the Setup software and reconnect your controller. In STICK CONFIGURATION, click ADVANCED to activate the fine tuning options. Move your thumbstick around the areas you noted as undershooting.

In this particular case, the undershooting diagonal was caused by the Up and Right directions both falling short. They technically reached the edge of the circle, but only barely. Moving both of those directions further out solved the issue.

ADJUSTING LOW CIRCULARITY ERROR RATE: PART 1

Identifying Issues - (3/3)

Check for these common issues:

One or more cardinal directions (up, down, left, right) can’t naturally hit the edge of the circle without extra force.
One or more cardinal directions hits the edge of the circle earlier or much more easily than it should (especially if the thumbstick isn’t against the wall of the thumbstick hole).
The two cardinal directions surrounding an undershooting diagonal barely hit the edge of the circle, or require pressure to do so.
One or more diagonal directions may reach the circle, but don’t extend past it. (Often, the source of this is cardinal directions falling short.)

Note any issues and continue to the next guide.

These numbers will be different for every controller. On controllers with MIDAS mechs, you may need to add more than 20 for best results.

ADJUSTING LOW CIRCULARITY ERROR RATE: PART 2

Fixing Cardinal Directions - (1/3)

To fix issues with the cardinal directions, follow these steps:

A:
Hold (and continue holding) the thumbstick in the problematic cardinal direction.

B:
Hover your mouse cursor over that direction’s input box.

C:
While hovering with the mouse and continuing to hold the thumbstick, use the scroll wheel to adjust the value. Moving it in the correct direction may require increasing or decreasing the value.

These numbers will be different for every controller. On controllers with MIDAS mechs, you may need to add more than 20 for best results.

ADJUSTING LOW CIRCULARITY ERROR RATE: PART 2

Fixing Cardinal Directions - (2/3)

D:
Our advice - Adjust the value gradually until the moment the indicator hits the edge of the circle. After that, increase it a couple more ticks to finish (+20). The GUI won’t allow the indicator to move past the circle for a cardinal direction, so it’s easy to accidentally move it too far out. Following this process will avoid that issue.

E:
Rotate the thumbstick rapidly a few times to reset the mechanism, then push it in the direction you adjusted once again. It should now reach the correct point at the correct time. If not, continue adjusting it.

These numbers will be different for every controller. On controllers with MIDAS mechs, you may need to add more than 20 for best results.

ADJUSTING LOW CIRCULARITY ERROR RATE: PART 2

Fixing Cardinal Directions - (3/3)

After manually adjusting the cardinal directions, save the calibration and return to Gamepad Tester. Repeat the Circularity Test. Hopefully, this was enough to move the CER into the recommended range, solve any undershooting, and fix any movement problems you’re feeling.

If the Circularity Error Rate stays too low, or if you still feel issues in-game, there are two main options for your next steps. Each option has benefits and drawbacks.

ADJUSTING LOW CIRCULARITY ERROR RATE: PART 2

OPTION 1: RAISE THE OUTER DEADZONE

SIMPLE DIFFICULTY

Raise the Outer Deadzone by 0.5-1% at a time, up to a recommended maximum of 5%. Save calibration and re-test after each change.

This option is easier to do and has fewer ways to mess up. However, the larger the Outer Deadzone gets, the less physical space you have to move the thumbstick before the values are maxed out.

Note:
This setting may stack with in-game settings or any outer deadzones
programmed by the developers.

Try it out. If it solves the problem and you don’t notice anything off, this is a good option for most customers.

ADJUSTING LOW CIRCULARITY ERROR RATE: PART 2

OPTION 2: MANUAL CALIBRATION ADJUSTMENT

ADVANCED DIFFICULTY

Manually adjust the cardinal directions to change how the diagonals behave. For example, moving Up further out will also move the top-left and top-right diagonal directions.

This option requires trial-and-error experimentation. Each cardinal direction adjustment will impact both nearby diagonals (and each diagonal is impacted by both surrounding cardinal directions), so fixing one area can hurt another. Finding a good balance is challenging, and often leads to chasing adjustments around the circle.

Only try this option if you’re willing to dig in and experiment. If anything goes wrong, you can always start over by recalibrating.

Each of these Circularity Test results came from the same controller with the same calibration on the same thumbstick. All that changed was the way the test was performed.

My CER Seems High

While the ideal range hovers around 6-9%, in practical usage, we've found that CER up to 13% (and honestly, beyond that, too) still feels fine to many gamers. However, we recognize that some are more sensitive to this than others, and extremely high CER is something we avoid in-house and fix prior to shipping. For JDM-5X builds, our QA ceiling is 9%.

If you recalibrate your controller and your CER is higher than that, we recommend repeating the calibration, focusing on maintaining even pressure against the thumbstick holes as you rotate them.

Be aware that the physical way you test Circularity can also impact the reported CER. Differences in pressure around the circle can have a major impact, and the longer you test, the more the CER will increase due to these inconsistencies.

Even something as simple as turning the controller around can lead to different results.

If recalibration doesn't help, contact Customer Support for assistance.

Final Note

In the end, the numbers don’t always reflect the feeling. Chasing perfection on something like Circularity Error Rate before even trying the controller in-game is a common pitfall that prevents people from simply enjoying their new controller. Sometimes, all you need is a few minutes for your brain to adjust to the new equipment.

So before spending a ton of time making minor calibration adjustments, we strongly recommend loading up a game you’ve played a lot. Give yourself a chance to adjust and see how it feels in the context of a full match.

If you still aren’t satisfied, and you’re still struggling with dialing in your thumbstick configuration even after trying everything in the document, go ahead and contact Battle Beaver Customer Support. We’ll try to help you out.

And if you’d rather talk to other gamers and enthusiasts who are deep into calibration experimentation, Marius has his own Discord community filled with them. They’ll be happy to give you advice.

Join them here: https://discord.com/invite/QcCkfbkp3S

Troubleshooting

My LED is flashing green and I can't set up the controller

Update the controller's firmware by visiting https://update.mariusheier.com and
following the on-screen instructions.

Support

For support and additional info:

Marius Heier's Available Platforms

Website
YouTube
Instagram
X / Twitter
Patreon
Discord

Frequently Asked Questions

Why order the JDM-5X from Battle Beaver instead of Marius?

The benefit of purchasing a JDM-5X board from Battle Beaver means receiving a ready-to-play controller.

We remove all of the required equipment and technical soldering experience to make use of the parts you'd get from Marius, and offer our own patented and signature modifications that professional and casual players enjoy to build a uniquely competitive PC-Only controller.

Setup Configuration & Update Links

To setup, recalibrate, remap, and more:

https://setup.mariusheier.com/
For update notifications please use Marius' Official Channels:
Firmware Updates: https://update.mariusheier.com/

How does it connect?

The board requires a wired connection to a Rear I/O port with a USB-C to A cable. Connections to a case USB port or a USB hub are incompatible. All new Battle Beaver x Marius controllers are bundled with a generic 10ft USB-A to USB-C for use.

What can this board NOT do?

As this is a custom board, it is important to note that controllers built with this WILL NOT HAVE the following:

Console connectivity
Bluetooth connection
Macros / Keybinding
Rumble / Vibration
Touchpad Tracking
Battery

What are MIDAS Mechs (HE)?

MIDAS Mechs (HE) are the custom 5 pin Hall Effect thumbstick for the PS4 JDM-5X by Marius Heier.

MIDAS stands for Magnetic Integrated Digital Array Sensors, and are only compatible with the PS4 JDM-5X board. Unfortunately the 5 pin connectors are not compatible with 1st Party boards from Sony or Microsoft.

These unique Hall Effect thumbsticks overcome the issue you see in traditional 3 pin HE sticks other 3rd party controllers have by utilizing a fully circular magnet sensor for wider signal coverage, and an additional 2 pins of signal transference for improved accuracy and stability.

Why isn't Battle Beaver using the same Ginful Thumbstick mechanisms as Marius?

All of our modifications were built and developed on the ALPS platform, but after testing the Ginful stick boxes we believe that they have a significant enough difference in the return-to-center feeling that we decided to stick with what we know.

What is a JDM-5X board? What are the best use cases for a controller with a JDM-5X board?

The JDM-5X board is a custom PC only controller board developed by Marius Heier, matching the form factor of a PlayStation 4 board. It's one of the fastest boards available on the market: GPDL testing shows a button latency of 1.43ms at 8KHz, which is faster than an overclocked 8KHz DualSense controller (2.11ms) and is roughly twice as fast as a max-overclocked PlayStation 4 controller (2.89ms).

Click here for Average Latency Comparison by Controller.

The JDM-5X also reaches that 8KHz polling rate without having to install separate overclock drivers like hidusbf. With this board in your hands, you'll never have to doubt whether or not your controller is keeping up with you.

What are the differences between the MIDAS HE 5-pin thumbstick mechs and the two 3-pin options (Magneto TMR and Alps OEM)? Which one is better?

Alps OEM thumbstick mechs are the standard mechs used on PlayStation controllers. They'll act and feel just like a stock controller, because they're stock parts. However, due to how carbon-track potentiometers work, they will almost always develop stick drift over time.

This is an unavoidable limitation of the physical hardware. If you're okay with that risk, nothing will perform or feel more like the controllers you're used to than OEM thumbstick mechs.

If you want to avoid thumbstick drift for as long as possible, though, MIDAS HE 5-pin and Magneto TMR 3-pin both fulfill that role.

They both have upgraded sensors that use magnets to generate thumbstick input values instead of a carbon track that wears down over time. Both offer superior performance compared to OEM, and both are highly drift-resistant.

Where they differ is in the technology:

MIDAS HE 5-pin
MIDAS Mechs use an array of Hall Effect magnetic sensors combined with two extra pins for signal validation, so they're capturing more reliable data from more areas of the magnetic field as the thumbsticks move. Hall Effect technology is older than TMR, but the sensor array setup is fundamentally different than most Hall Effect mechs, which usually only use a single sensor.

Magneto TMR 3-pin
Magneto Mechs use TMR (Tunnel Magnetoresistance) sensors, the highest-precision magnetic single-sensor technology available in a controller. They lack the extra validation pins and sensor array of the MIDAS mechs, but precision is still high and drift is still rare. Common feedback is that they feel closer to OEM handling.

So are MIDAS mechs or Magneto mechs the better magnetic sensor option?
This will fundamentally come down to personal taste. Both magnetic sensors are extremely accurate and highly drift-resistant. TMR is generally better technology than Hall Effect, but the MIDAS Mechs have the extra sensors and pins for a cleaner and more complete signal. Magneto Mechs, on the other hand, can feel closer to an OEM controller, and they perform at a similar level for a lower cost.

Either choice is excellent.

Will the controller come ready to plug and play?

Yes, your controller is ready to go out of the box, set up and calibrated in-house by our technicians before shipping.

Note: We calibrate every controller to match our optimal settings, but those settings may not match your preferences. Customize at https://setup.mariusheier.com.

How does Battle Beaver configure the controllers?

Stick Configuration
Inner Deadzone: 2%
Outer Deadzone: 5%

Raising the Outer Deadzone helps push the Circularity Error Rate to a range closer to OEM, reducing the likelihood of sluggish diagonals. We also fine-tune the thumbstick values in Advanced mode to make sure each cardinal direction (up, down, left, right) easily reaches a maximum value. Exact fine-tune numbers vary.

Trigger Configuration
Mode: Analog for all trigger types. (See "Should I choose Analog or Digital for
triggers?" for more explanation.)

Rest: When triggers are at rest, we make sure the Raw value under the trigger meter is slightly higher than the Rest value. Exact numbers vary.

Press: This value controls how early or late the triggers reach their maximum value. Exact numbers vary.

Hair Trigger: 100% - This slider doesn't behave as expected, so we set it to 100% to effectively disable it.

LED Control
Color: #0099FF for Battle Beaver blue.

External Input Mapping
Button assignments vary depending on customer selection. Our most common layout is Left - X (cross), Right - O (circle).

Polling Rate
Slider: 8KHz.

My board should be running at 8KHz, but it isn't. What can I do?

First, check these common factors:

The setup configuration: make sure the polling rate slider didn't reset itself to a
lower value, then re-save the calibration and check again.
Your cable specs: USB-A to USB-C, USB 3.0+ for best performance.
The USB port you're using: connect to the motherboard directly, not through a USB hub or to a front panel USB header.

If those aren't the issue, join Marius's Discord server at https://discord.com/invite/QcCkfbkp3S and ask for help there. Include as much detail as you can.

Note: to check the polling rate of your JDM-5X board more reliably, use the DEEPPOLL tool found at https://tools.mariusheier.com.

I’m suddenly having performance issues, stuttering, jittery aim, etc. on my PC. What’s wrong?

8KHz polling rate may be too much for your system (or the game you’re playing) to handle. Older CPUs, some motherboards, or certain USB ports can get overloaded by the higher polling rate.

If you don’t want to drop to a lower polling rate, try the easy options first: different cable, different USB port, different game. After that, use Marius’s CPU Direct tool to make sure you’re connected to a CPU-direct USB port.

If the issue continues, drop the polling rate to 4KHz and check again. If that isn’t it, drop to 2KHz and check again. And if that isn’t it, the most effective next step is contacting Marius via his Discord for deeper hardware troubleshooting: https://discord.com/invite/QcCkfbkp3S.

Note: Battle Beaver is unable to assist with individual motherboard-level connection issues or JDM-5X hardware issues beyond the basics.

What’s the point if I can’t have it at 8KHz?

We’re currently building an XLAT latency measuring tool from Finalmouse to provide our own robust testing numbers. However, early community testing has shown that even all the way down at 1KHz, the JDM-5X can perform faster than 8KHz OC’d DualSense/DSE controllers.

As Marius himself puts it, asking the pizza guy, “Is it done yet?” more often is less important than making sure the pizza is cooked faster.

Can I have the hidusbf software running? Can I use that software on a JDM-5X controller?

Yes, the software can be running without causing an issue. However, using it to try to
overclock one of these boards will cause performance to degrade. Instead, make sure no overclocks are applied to the JDM-5X board or the USB port it's plugged into, then use Marius's Setup page to apply the 8KHz polling rate.

Do I need to use DS4-Windows or a similar program to use this controller on PC?

No. These boards share the PlayStation 4 form factor, but they are not a PS4 board
replacement. The JDM-5X has no console compatibility and is PC-only. Because of
this, it's plug and play on PC — no extra software required.

Should I choose Analog or Digital for triggers?

For all Battle Beaver JDM-5X controllers: calibrate the triggers as Analog, regardless of whether you ordered stock or Smart Triggers. During initial setup, do not click the SKIP THIS STEP button.

Smart Triggers initial setup: follow the on-screen instructions as closely as you’re able to. Since there’s no way to actually slow press a Smart Trigger, however, getting the counter to go down during that step will require some experimentation with the timing.

If you did accidentally select SKIP THIS STEP during initial setup, don't worry:
repeating the Setup or Calibration process will allow you to fix it.

In the Trigger Configuration section in the Settings Menu, make sure the triggers are set to Analog.

The reason: Selecting Digital tells the controller to look for triggers on the Eagle Board. We wire Smart Bumpers and Triggers to a separate chip.

Note: this information may change with a future board revision or software update, and it may not match if you purchased your controller from a different company.
Last updated: February 27, 2026.

Can I swap from a 3-pin to a 5-pin thumbstick mech, or vice versa? How much would it cost?

3-pin and 5-pin thumbstick mechs and boards are not cross-compatible. The boards themselves are different where the mechs connect.

Swapping from 3-pin to 5-pin requires purchasing a new board of the correct variant. To purchase one from Battle Beaver, you have three options:

Build your own: https://battlebeavercustoms.com/pages/ps4-marius-builder
Send your existing controller in for an upgrade: https://
battlebeavercustoms.com/pages/ps4-send-in-upgrade
Purchase a DIY Kit to upgrade at home: https://battlebeavercustoms.com/
collections/marius-board-kits

Costs vary depending on which option you choose. Base cost is $150 for a 5-pin board, and $120 for a 3-pin board, not including installation or other modification costs.
(Pricing info is current as of February 27, 2026, and is subject to change.)

What TMR sensor does Battle Beaver use in Magneto Mechs?

AKNES V5/V6 TMR sensors, retrofit onto an OEM Alps frame for a drift-resistant upgrade that keeps the familiar OEM feeling under your thumbs.

Note: this information will change over time if/when AKNES releases new versions and
we receive new stock.
Last updated: February 27, 2026.

How can I verify my polling rate?

Use the DEEPPOLL tool located at https://tools.mariusheier.com.
Note: this tool does not measure input latency itself, only polling rate.

For DEEPPOLL support, join Marius's Discord server at https://discord.com/invite/QcCkfbkp3S.