Author Topic: Ultracade - blow up and rebuild (Read 27998 times)

davidrfoley · « **Reply #40 on:** February 28, 2011, 06:00:34 pm »

Do you have it connected via USB, PS/2, or both?

lilshawn · « **Reply #41 on:** February 28, 2011, 09:24:22 pm »

No, just USB, and powered by the 4 pin molex not the JAMMA.

b3dr0ck · « **Reply #42 on:** March 01, 2011, 02:57:03 pm »

USB?

Why do you have the usb connected and not the ps2? (I'm sure there's a good reason - that's why I'm asking)

lilshawn · « **Reply #43 on:** March 01, 2011, 04:32:14 pm »

from the USBLinx maunal:

Quote

The digital inputs and outputs can be transferred to and from the PC via the PS/2 or USB ports.
The trackball and spinner data may only be sent via the USB port. All of the digital inputs and
outputs, 2 trackballs and 2 spinners may be simultaneously connected to the USB port with no
degradation in performance; no PS/2 connection is required.

When the PS/2 cable is connected between the USBlinx and the PC’s PS/2 keyboard port, the
digital inputs and outputs are sent over the PS/2 interface irrespective of the connection of a USB
cable (trackball and spinner data is always sent via USB). However, it is recommended that the
PS/2 cable is NOT connected when a USB connection is available.

NOTE1: If used, ensure that the PS/2 cable is connected to the PC’s keyboard port, which in
modern PCs is colored mauve.
NOTE2: The PS/2 cable is only required when connecting to a device that does not support
USB. If USB is available, connect the USBlinx through the USB cable only.

b3dr0ck · « **Reply #44 on:** March 02, 2011, 09:01:37 am »

So you have a trackball or spinner?

That is the only reason that forces you to use the USB port.

My thoughts are the USB only complicates the troubleshooting, since it does introduce voltage on the USBlinx.

lilshawn · « **Reply #45 on:** March 02, 2011, 10:13:24 am »

Yes, a trackball, If used simultaneously Only trackball/spinner data gets sent over USB, since operating the PS2 connection and the USB at the same time becomes redundant.

There are some technical drawbacks to using either interface. The PS2 has a limited number of button presses that can be registers simultaneously. Where, (supposedly) the USB doesn't have that limitation. The USB button press info is transmitted to the computer in batches, where the PS2 is constantly polled. There is (supposedly) a delay associated with USB due to the packet sending nature but being in the microsecond range I feel its not an issue.

The only thing the USB +5 volts is powering is the USB interface chip providing connectivity to the USB interface itself. It doesn't power anything else. The rest of the circuit behaves regardless of the output.

davidrfoley · « **Reply #46 on:** March 02, 2011, 10:17:30 am »

The problem isn't voltage, the problem is with older versions of the USBlinx firmware, there was a problem in how the keyboard packets were masked and too many simultaneous button presses caused a problem. This flaw existed in the original cypress keyboard code. This was fixed in subsequent updates of the hardware and firmware. I'm trying to find an older board to do some testing on with the 3.8x series of software and report back on a work around. It's been over a decade since that version of the board was in use so I have to do some digging.

b3dr0ck · « **Reply #47 on:** March 02, 2011, 08:38:46 pm »

Trackball Ultracade, nice.

Luckily I have the Rev. 3 USBlinx, 'cept mine has a blown audio amp.

Since we are off on the USBlinx card, do you have to connect the reset cable from the USBlinx to the motherboard (supposedly this is the watchdog circuit). The times I've got mine to load, I've not had it connected. It seems to run fine without it. (fine - by that I mean, doesn't lock up or reboot).

lilshawn · « **Reply #48 on:** March 03, 2011, 01:23:17 pm »

well after some testing of my own, I found that connecting both the PS2 and the USB seems to solve this particular problem. seems that the USBLinx is happy enough to send the button data over the PS2 and the trackball data over the USB.

from what i gather the PS2 connection only becomes an issue when there is over 6 buttons pressed (such as in a case of 2 or more players playing at the same time) but that doesn't seem to be the case, as i can press directions, and all 6 buttons on both the player 1 side and the player 2 side (totaling about 16 if I try hard enough)

i'll continue to test it in this configuration in the mean time to be sure no other issues pop up because of it.

Quote

Since we are off on the USBlinx card, do you have to connect the reset cable from the USBlinx to the motherboard (supposedly this is the watchdog circuit). The times I've got mine to load, I've not had it connected. It seems to run fine without it. (fine - by that I mean, doesn't lock up or reboot).

i don't even have that cable anymore either

the way it works, is it connects the two leads of the reset plug together to reset if the watchdog (numlock light) doesnt flash every so often. if it stops, it resets the computer.

in this case (since we don't have the cables), if it ever does freeze up, the computer will have to be manually restarted. (the USBLinx will be trying to reset the computer but since it's not connected, it can't)

no big deal though.

Quote

Trackball Ultracade, nice.

yeah, except the USB stick in the kit doesn't work - it generated an error message to remove it and try again - i re-installed the software thinking it was a bad file - now it says it's been used and won't take it. i called Global, who says to contact the distributer, the distributer says we don't know what the hell your talking about, call Global.

b3dr0ck · « **Reply #49 on:** March 03, 2011, 06:28:14 pm »

What version Ultracade are your rebuilding? Mine is one of the earlier Hyperware Ultracades. What motherboard do you have in it? What have you replaced?

SirPeale · « **Reply #50 on:** January 21, 2020, 03:02:54 pm »

Well, this is certainly an old thread, but it seems fitting for my question.

I recently came into possession of an Ultracade unit.

It seems that the CPU is fried. Each time it's fired up it shuts down nearly immediately.

Unless you pull the CPU, then it stays on.

My question is this: if I get another CPU, will it require a reinstall? That would be an enormous pain.

lilshawn · « **Reply #51 on:** January 22, 2020, 12:12:57 am »

apparently (from what i've heard)...as long as you don't have to reinstall.... you can change the hardware and it will still work. the machine ID is only generated and used during install.

so just in case, take a clone of your drive....so if your drive goes south you can still run even if the machine ID changes due to a new CPU.

SirPeale · « **Reply #52 on:** January 22, 2020, 01:55:24 pm »

Quote from: lilshawn on January 22, 2020, 12:12:57 am

apparently (from what i've heard)...as long as you don't have to reinstall.... you can change the hardware and it will still work. the machine ID is only generated and used during install.

so just in case, take a clone of your drive....so if your drive goes south you can still run even if the machine ID changes due to a new CPU.

Ai; what a pain.

Okay, it's been a while since I've had to clone a drive. What's the best way to do it?

lilshawn · « **Reply #53 on:** January 22, 2020, 02:21:39 pm »

"HDD Raw Copy Tool" is pretty fast and it's free. it's pretty point and click...just make sure you label your drives as to which is which and take note of the serial numbers, as it handles drives by bus ID and serial number... it can be easy to accidentally nuke your boot drive as it's not totally obvious what's what.

SirPeale · « **Reply #54 on:** January 23, 2020, 03:28:06 pm »

Quote from: lilshawn on January 22, 2020, 02:21:39 pm

"HDD Raw Copy Tool" is pretty fast and it's free. it's pretty point and click...just make sure you label your drives as to which is which and take note of the serial numbers, as it handles drives by bus ID and serial number... it can be easy to accidentally nuke your boot drive as it's not totally obvious what's what.

I'll bet a shiny nickel it's a Windows program, isn't it. I'm not currently running Windows at home.

I know there's a Linux way to do it...dd if memory serves.

lilshawn · « **Reply #55 on:** January 23, 2020, 08:50:37 pm »

lol if you don't want to learn commands for linux you can use gnome-disk-utility

https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gnome-disk-utility

SirPeale · « **Reply #56 on:** January 26, 2020, 09:57:26 am »

Quote from: lilshawn on January 23, 2020, 08:50:37 pm

lol if you don't want to learn commands for linux you can use gnome-disk-utility

https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gnome-disk-utility

I'm good with Linux commands. Now I just have to find a drive on which to make the image, and a computer which still has a PATA interface.

The drive is a 40G, does it take up the full space?

lilshawn · « **Reply #57 on:** January 26, 2020, 03:03:03 pm »

no, not even close. maybe 4gb...if that.

davidrfoley · « **Reply #58 on:** January 30, 2020, 02:17:14 pm »

The entire OS plus all games is under 4GB

badwhip · « **Reply #59 on:** February 16, 2020, 05:13:36 pm »

Don’t u need a factory USB card with the games? I didn’t think u could clone a hard drive and have it work.

Hoopz · « **Reply #60 on:** February 18, 2020, 09:23:14 am »

Quote from: davidrfoley on January 30, 2020, 02:17:14 pm

The entire OS plus all games is under 4GB

So what ended up happening with Nanotech and the Opti-gun?

davidrfoley · « **Reply #61 on:** February 19, 2020, 07:24:51 pm »

Quote from: badwhip on February 16, 2020, 05:13:36 pm

Don’t u need a factory USB card with the games? I didn’t think u could clone a hard drive and have it work.

Yes you do need either the factory USB key that has not been previously used, or a game CD with the unlock codes generated for your specific MCID.

davidrfoley · « **Reply #62 on:** February 19, 2020, 07:26:27 pm »

Quote from: Hoopz on February 18, 2020, 09:23:14 am

So what ended up happening with Nanotech and the Opti-gun?

Opti-Gun was licensed to a third party. It was designed for CRT's and doesn't work with LED/LCD displays.


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