Putting together my first control panel!

[danr4483]

I am getting ready to place my order, but I figured since I got so much great info here I should check to make sure I have it all straight!  I've never build a CP before and I am working on my first MAME.  So far in my shopping cart I have added:

1 four-way joystick
4 pushbuttons  (two for gameplay, p1, p2)
1 Ipac  (any other recommendations wanted, but I can't solder)

Is this all I need?  From all the videos and posts I've read it appears to be all.  I am assuming I can go to Home Depot for bulk wire, but are the quick connects standard or arcade specific?

[Ginsu Victim]

Welcome to the forum!

Are you planning on just playing 4-way games?

[Malenko]

I'd suggest an 8 way and 3 action buttons (the JAMMA standard)

[danr4483]

Welcome to the forum!

Are you planning on just playing 4-way games?

Yeah, I'm just wanting to put 4-way games for a vertical mount...something as simple as possible (know where I can get a list of vertical mount 4-way games?).  

I was thinking this way I could wire each button, wire the coin mech to the ipac, and be done.

[javeryh]

You could try MAWS (the site) or ROMlister (the program) and sort by 4-way games.  A 4-way vertical cab with one button plays about 30 games.  I'm not sure how many more the second button would give you but probably enough to justify it.   

[danr4483]

You could try MAWS (the site) or ROMlister (the program) and sort by 4-way games.  A 4-way vertical cab with one button plays about 30 games.  I'm not sure how many more the second button would give you but probably enough to justify it.   

I'm not sure how many it will add...but I know it's needed for The Glob! 


Anybody have any insight on the wire/wire connectors though?

[Lilwolf]

I would go with the new mspacman 4 way joystick myself.  best new 4way imho.

look at www.therealbobroberts.com... but a good vertical 4way only classic would be great!

what size cab are you building?  I'm curious if you should consider going with a hotswap control panel... so if you want to add an 8way (or a button only control panel for asteroids ect)... you can... easy cheap way to do it is buy some 3 foot 25pin male-female cables (about 3 bucks each) and you cut them in 1/2... use half on the control panel... 1/2 to the encoder... and you can now unplug everything and later buy some 25 pin m/m... cut in 1/2 and you can make 2 more control panels..

I love ipacs... I also own a few keywiz's... also great... cheaper... only issue is you can't configure them, and have them keep the configuration on a reboot.... I always thought it was very important.... but it ends up that I don't need it after doing the right cabling.

make sure you get quick disconnects for cabling.  very worth it in the long run.

Buy good wire... make sure its NOT solid core... makes cabling a pain... and any small move and the connections break...  (the 25pin serial cables mention above works... but they are thin.


All I can think of at the moment...

good luck

[Ginsu Victim]

I would go with the new mspacman 4 way joystick myself.  best new 4way imho.

look at www.therealbobroberts.com... but a good vertical 4way only classic would be great!

.NET, not .COM
http://www.therealbobroberts.net/

I like the Tornado Terry's version with wood or metal mounting options
http://cgi.ebay.com/HAPP-MS-PAC-MAN-ARCADE-BALL-TOP-JOYSTICK-JAMMA-MAME-TM_W0QQitemZ260470226771QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item3ca53c3f53

[danr4483]

I would go with the new mspacman 4 way joystick myself.  best new 4way imho.

look at www.therealbobroberts.com... but a good vertical 4way only classic would be great!

.NET, not .COM
http://www.therealbobroberts.net/

I like the Tornado Terry's version with wood or metal mounting options
http://cgi.ebay.com/HAPP-MS-PAC-MAN-ARCADE-BALL-TOP-JOYSTICK-JAMMA-MAME-TM_W0QQitemZ260470226771QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item3ca53c3f53

Thank you for the link, I think I'll order the joystick this weekend!  I've been thinking about the wiring and getting the coin mech to register the coins as a keystroke.  One thing I wasn't sure of, do I absolutely HAVE to power the coin mech for it to work, or can I skip the lights on the coin mech and just have it register the stroke as a quarter passes through (just like a button)?

[javeryh]

You don't have to power the coin door.  There is a microswitch that gets activated by the quarter as it falls into the box.  You wire it up just like any other button.

[Malenko]

you dont need the light, it has no impact on if the coin mechs register an input. you actually dont even need coin mechs, you can wire the coin input to a button instead (or in parallel)

[RobbyMac]

check terminal sizes on buttons and joysticks they can vary. some are 1/4" others 3/16". unless you plan to solder.
terminals and shrink tubing can be had cheaply on ebay (but might want to make sure the seller is in your country for faster shipping)

I spent 5$  and free shipping on 30' of heat shrink tubing and got it in like 3 days. Can't beat that.