Gamepad vs Joystick

[The M00ps]

I was a joysticker until Saturday night, when my AV8R just spontaneously began disconnecting. After about a minute of use, the guide button flashes once, then the light goes out completely. The "reconnect controller" message then appears on the screen.

Pushing the guide button does nothing at this point. If I disconnect and reconnect the stick, it will work again for another minute or so, then it disconnects again.

I've tried different ports on the 360, replaced the end of the cable at the safety disconnect, and even tried it with another Xbox. The result was the same behavior every time.

With the uncertainty of ever getting an Xbox patch, I'm loathe to put another $50 into this game. Has anyone ever seen this problem before or have any idea what might be the cause? I googled this, but I didn't find any info, and don't have a receipt to return it. I'm not afraid to open it up if there's anything inside that can be fixed. But I think it's going to be tough to nail down because of the way it works sproradically. I don't expect to find anything mechanically broken.