EDP Foot Controller Problems

[Marc <Skysaboveskys@cox.net>]

I am seeking some advice and feedback and pose  a few questions and offer a
few thoughts  in my usual  meandering style of thought process, so please 
be
patient.    I have been having problems with my  EFC-7 foot controllers and
am curious if anyone has had the same experience and any suggestions.  I
have an original Oberheim EDP and footcontroller and a Gibson EDP and
footcontroller.  The Gibson footcontroller has had little use.  When I step
on the record button sometimes  nothing happens or it records a bit and 
then
stops or when I take my foot off it records. It just acts real cranky as if
it give me a hard time!  I don't think the problem is in the main unit but
in the footcontroller itself as sometimes it works very good and sometimes
it acts up as I have described.  I have reset the main unit and have used
it for several years so I have a good feel for it and have ruled out the
main unit being problematic.  I have looked a the footcontroller to examine
the connections and soldering and it looks okay  I have also put the newer
footcontroller on the unit and it does the same thing as described.   If I
am real careful in stepping on the record button I can get it to work and
most of the time it works like a charm. Is it a design flaw or  just a
cranky irksome problem that others have encountered? As I said I don't 
think
it is the main unit as the same thing happens on my later Gibson
EDP.  
I have used 2 sustain type pedals (standard Ensoniq ones )   on the
footswitch and overdub inputs and they always work perfectly as the main
unit always responds perfectly to them, but I obviously  can't  use the
other functions.     I have tried new cords thinking it might be the cable
or contact but the problems persist.  I even take off my shoes to make sure
I am making even contact and it still persists at times. Perhaps it is a
simple problem.  Any thoughts or advice?   Is   just better to use a midi
foot  controller?  I have a Peavey RCM=4512 unit but have not tried it on
the EDPs.  I am thinking about working the 2 EDP  units simultaneously.
Any thoughts on that unit?
I also use Live and have a  Repeater and am curious if anyone has used the
Peavey midi unit with LIVE or the Electrix Repeater.

I was wondering also if there would be a way to make a pedal board
incorporating  a series of  1/4" momentary-sustain-switch type pedals like 
I
use when I don't use the footcontroller, to mimic the footcontoller an
utilize all functions   as I really like the feel of those particular
pedals. I have envisioned a board with 7 of them all lined up.  I think I
would like that.  I just   get good tactile gratification from those types
of pedals.    Has anyone done this?   Maybe I am really missing out by not
using a midi controller. Open to ideas.   Any thoughts appreciated.

Here is  a very interesting link  for anyone interested.
 
http://www.oursounduniverse.com/index.html

tia