(Part 2) Top products from r/SteamController

Like everyone here said, the easy and save way would to be to get some vinyl decals. However, if you are dead set on painting, then it's not too hard to do. you're going to have to disassemble the controller. From there sand the controller, this gives the primer something to bite on to. once everything is nice and sanded take your primer (I recommend this.) and spray in light, even coats and let cure for the time on the can, and maybe a few hours longer. Once you're happy with the primer, take your spraypaint and apply in light, thin coats. Remember to let the paint dry fully between coats.
Once you are happy with the color and it has dried for the recommended time on the can, go ahead and choose your choice of clear coat (gloss, semi-gloss, or matte. also krylon works best for this) and apply in thin layers like you did the primer and paint. after it has sat for the directions on the can. you can now put the controller back together and test everything out. Assuming that you didnt mess up putting the controller back together, you now have a painted controller.

These are as good as eneloops. I love my 15 minute chargers, this was the cheapest on amazon US, but I swear I got mie cheaper at wallmart or some store like that. Any charger that works with NiMH will charge them though. I use a lot of rechargables in my home so the 15 minute is great when I don't have enough extras around.

As a side note, I started using a cord on my laptop for the controller and it works well.

Edit: make sure the amazon basics batteries are made in Japan and not China.

I use Eneloops. I have both the old Sanyo and the new Panasonic onea and both seem to perform identically. As for a charger, I can't recommend the La Crosse BC-700 enough. I used to use the cheap wall bricks (like the Amazon Basics one) but they tended to stop charging after a year or two. Also, they don't intelligently charge so they could be reducing the life of your batteries (see the "edit" below.) The La Crosse has stayed with me for 3 years and it has so many options that help improve the life of each battery. Most cheap chargers ate around $10-15 USD and the La Crosse is typically on sale for $35 USD. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000RSOV50/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_Vq8Xzb7J1J3G8

Edit: One of the big advantages of this charger is that it reads each individual battery and only charges it as long as it needs. Most "dumb" chargers (especially ones that charge in pairs) uses a set time charge and can reduce the life of your batteries.

Edit 2: there is some evidence that the Amazon Basics rechargeable batteries are rebranded Eneloops. So for those who want to save a couple of bucks, you could get those instead of Eneloops and you'll have comparable, if not identical, batteries.

Thanks for the heads up.
For those of us who would prefer a simpler Amazon link.
http://www.amazon.com/Pelican-1120-Case-Camera-Black/dp/B0051QIBUE
(They have several nice colors of these cases. Just search "Pelican 1120". They're definitely nice looking.)

Edit: Not sure how great they'd be for fitting in a backpack with a laptop though.. Would be curious to see pics of one in the wild.

Logitech's Dongle

Logitech's low latency gaming dongle

Most modern bluetooth Dongles

Most modern Wifi dongles

I am incredibly disappointed is the sheer size of the Steam Controller's dongle. It's huge compared to most modern counterparts. The best modern dongles are small enough to leave in laptop while on the go, but not the Steam Controller. The best devices are both Dongle and Bluetooth; the built in bluetooth dongle that is part of my computer is unarguably more a "compact form factor".

The Steam Controller's dongle not in any way a "compact form factor".

Edit: I would like to point out that I understand WHY it's large. But that doesn't mean it isn't "large". That's like trying to claim an industrial grade truck isn't huge because it carries so much. It's still huge, but it's huge for a reason and trying to claim it's "compact" would be just lying.

In my room I have this setup; my PC is connected to an A/V Receiver that goes to TV out, a usb infrared mce sensor (not this one), a logitech harmony 650 universal remote and a kit of philliphs hue lights for software I use eventghost and ScreenBloom to give a touch of ambiance to the room, with all things set up I just press one button on the harmony remote and it turns on the A/V receiver, tv, run the ScreenBloom app to fade the lights and opens steam in big picture, I also have some shortcuts for the SC Chord button to control the lights while gaming.

although I don't know if it would work if you stream your PC to TV with Steamlink or the like, since my setup is for a PC that is directly attached to and in proximity of your TV.

I would like to hotswap the joystick for a real dpad so I could have both. Like this thing http://www.amazon.com/Officially-Licensed-Circuit-Controller-Xbox-360/dp/B0063BCQ1Q

The easiest and quickest way to make your SC act like a standard controller is to spend ~$30 on this.

UPDATE #2

https://imgur.com/a/iw8do

The chatpad is a bit bigger, partially covers the glossy part and the shape fits perfectly with the handles. The layout will be based from this https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00H88HC4Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_GnTjyb144M6WS with few changes.

This is what you're after. By far the best HTPC input.

Something like this?

I tried this, but since I had a newer Wiimote I would have to install the Toshiba bluetooth stack and it was just too sketchy. Dolphin bar will work fine for this, though it is still a little hacky.
Amazon link:
https://www.amazon.com/Mayflash-W010-Wireless-Sensor-DolphinBar/dp/B00HZWEB74/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1483660997&sr=8-1&keywords=dolphin+bar

This is what I use; it helps me to think "turtle = steam"

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004SZC39O/

> My dream control scheme is having an analog stick for movement, and a mouse for aiming.

I have never used it myself, but could this be what your looking for?

A fraction of the duration of good rechargeable batteries. This isn't taking into account probably far worse self-discharge and capacity loss over time. Good batteries don't have to be expensive either. You'll end up spending less if you simply go and buy decent ones with a halfway decent charger.

https://www.amazon.com/KLOUD-City-two-layer-jewelry-organizer/dp/B00AMX599W/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1466958007&sr=8-4&keywords=jewelry+box

?

"LG GPadF8.0"

I just tried it on my iphone and it doesn't work, so you might be right. I think I have an iphone stylus somewhere around here, brb.

ok, i found it, and it works on an iphone, the tablet, but not the steam controller. it's a pogo sketch capacitive stylus.

EDIT: actually, it seems to work on the left pad (scroll) if you press down hard enough, but not the right (mouse)... idk what to make of that. Either way, I wouldn't exactly call it "usable"