Ok, so I got a Red Octane Ignition pad for xmas from my parents.
Short version of my sad story as to why I didn't play on Christmas: At first I thought the pad was totally messed up, sensors broken, and I'd have to return it, but it turns out it was just the way the keys were laid out. They were sending too many signals at once and it was bogging it down. I don't know why the pad did that by itself when I tried to set the keys, but I had to come in with a playstation controller and set the buttons that way. THEN it worked perfectly.
My skill level took an INCREDIBLE jump JUST TODAY. I played for like, um, 2 hours. I went from hardly passing light songs to getting an A on some standard songs. Like Cowgirl, um, that captain jack song with the name in japanese...
It feels like I'm getting so good at this game, and it's so so so much fun. Dancing bemani > finger bemani any day. I don't think I'm going to play FFR in a very long time. It's SO much more fun on a pad.
I haven't had it very long so I can't say much about the durability, but right now the pad itself is awesome, and I'm having tons and tons of fun. Once I'm actually good at this stuff I'll make a video with my camera, which I'm sure many people will love and adore. Nah, nobody will care, but I'll feel special, and that's all that counts.
Okay, I just wanted to brag.
Pointless thread. Gotta love it. I got my pad! Wheeeee... I'm in such a state of utter joy.