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Author Topic: Q*Bert + MAME + Knockers  (Read 32926 times)

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mcseforsale

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Re: Q*Bert + MAME + Knockers
« Reply #80 on: August 03, 2014, 01:54:49 pm »
RIZE ZOMBIE THREAD! 

I'd be interested in some pics and video of getting this to work.

AJ

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Re: Q*Bert + MAME + Knockers
« Reply #81 on: August 07, 2014, 06:02:36 pm »
I recently used the information in this threat to build a Q*bert with a knocker using a Raspberry Pi using GPIO pins by making a few minor mods to the advmame code.  I'm very happy with the results.  Thanks for the information in this tread.

bleargh

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Re: Q*Bert + MAME + Knockers
« Reply #82 on: August 07, 2014, 07:42:51 pm »
Aw man.... and here I was, thinking that with a subject like that, that there'd at least be something NSFW in here...  :dunno

cnsf

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Re: Q*Bert + MAME + Knockers
« Reply #83 on: June 29, 2015, 08:19:53 pm »
Bumping this thread. 

I documented my experience with designing and putting in a Q*bert knocker in my MAME cabinet. 

I hope it is helpful. 

http://www.notrica.com

vwalbridge

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Re: Q*Bert + MAME + Knockers
« Reply #84 on: June 30, 2015, 05:07:32 pm »
Quote
I hope it is helpful. 

It sure was! Thanks cnsf!  I have read through this thread several times and was still a bit confused. Then I was alerted of your post and it totally cleared things up for me. Finally someone showed the entire setup in one full picture. I plan on building a Qbert cab and this will certainly do the trick! Thanks again.
If you can read this, it means Photobucket's money grab ruined my signature photos.

telengard

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Re: Q*Bert + MAME + Knockers
« Reply #85 on: September 27, 2016, 05:37:37 pm »
Bringing this back from the dead a bit.....

I can run both the control voltage and the input voltage off of the same 12v source from the PC power supply, right?

Thanks!

You're using an SSR I take it?

You certainly can do so if your SSR is rated for 12V control (most are).

I'm going to be doing pretty much the same thing (if I understand correctly).  Just hoping someone can confirm I'm not missing anything.

For hardware, I will be using a standard power supply providing 12V to this knocker assembly

http://v2.globalwebcart.com/arcadeshop/i/1125/q-bert-knocker-assembly-with-12v-coil.htm

Also, I'll be controlling with a Pac-Drive output with the default 5V output (no external PS).

I'll also be purchasing the SSR mentioned earlier (although I'd like to find a cheaper one).

What is confusing me a bit is the quoted post about the control voltage of 12V from the power supply.
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telengard

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Re: Q*Bert + MAME + Knockers
« Reply #86 on: March 07, 2019, 03:21:37 pm »
Thread necro as I actually have the parts and time to do this now.    :applaud:

Based on re-reading this thread multiple times, I can't tell if I'll be able to drive the relay with the PacDrive.  It can dish out 500ma and milhouse had mentioned putting a 500ma fuse inline w/ his control voltage (12v and LEDWiz, I'm trying to use the built in 5V of the PacDrive).  In a later post he mentioned a 1A slow blo.  Just wondering if I'm confusing 2 different fuses, or if the 500ma wasn't sufficient and the 1A slo blo was needed.

And another thing I am confused about.  For some reason I thought in Q-bert the knocker actually banged against the cab.  The solenoid I picked up has a metal harness with rubber on one end where the metal bolt thing hits.  milhouse's build seemed to keep that in tact and it seems to work/sound fine.  What is actually going to hit what?  Metal on metal, or metal on rubber?

I am also unsure which terminal on the solenoid is +/-.  There is a diode across it and I saw this mentioned earlier in the thread

"Do not forget the diode across the coil (anode to the grounded side, cathode to the supply side) to prevent damage to the transistor."

Just want to verify that before wiring it up as I thought that the Anode was V+ and Cathode was V-.  Although if this is to prevent some kind of back voltage, it would make sense that it would be the opposite.
« Last Edit: March 07, 2019, 03:29:34 pm by telengard »
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Robbbert

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Re: Q*Bert + MAME + Knockers
« Reply #87 on: March 08, 2019, 12:02:07 am »
You *must* have a diode across the solenoid or relay, whichever one is connected to a solid-state device (transistor, etc).

The relay or solenoid itself has no polarity, but the diode is connected in reverse. Its purpose is to short the reverse voltage spike that comes out of a coil (solenoid/relay) when it is switched off. Otherwise the controlling transistor/device can be destroyed.

telengard

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Re: Q*Bert + MAME + Knockers
« Reply #88 on: March 16, 2019, 11:04:53 am »
You *must* have a diode across the solenoid or relay, whichever one is connected to a solid-state device (transistor, etc).

The relay or solenoid itself has no polarity, but the diode is connected in reverse. Its purpose is to short the reverse voltage spike that comes out of a coil (solenoid/relay) when it is switched off. Otherwise the controlling transistor/device can be destroyed.

Thanks for the info.  There already is a diode across the solenoid so I think I'm good there.  Any thoughts on the knocker itself.  It seems like it will be metal hitting metal.  For some reason I thought the QBert knocker hit the side of the cabinet.
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Robbbert

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Re: Q*Bert + MAME + Knockers
« Reply #89 on: March 16, 2019, 05:56:17 pm »
I've never actually seen exactly how a knocker works, but...

Thinking of the sound in a EM pinball machine, it would indeed be hitting the cabinet. It would be a loud "bonk!", not some tinny metallic sound.

Gottlieb loved their old EM technology, so it makes sense that the Qbert knocker would be the same part, working in the same way. Not that I've ever actually seen the insides of a Qbert though.
« Last Edit: March 17, 2019, 05:03:36 am by Robbbert »

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Re: Q*Bert + MAME + Knockers
« Reply #90 on: March 17, 2019, 01:06:08 am »
Any thoughts on the knocker itself.  It seems like it will be metal hitting metal.  For some reason I thought the QBert knocker hit the side of the cabinet.
The solenoid hits the metal frame that is mounted to the back of the wooden coin box.

Manual:
Code: [Select]
http://pdf.textfiles.com/manuals/ARCADE/K-R/Q-Bert%20(Scan%202)%20[Instructions]%20[English].pdf
The manual (pg 40, index 14) doesn't show the metal frame and mount location very clearly, but these videos do.   ;D






Scott

Robbbert

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Re: Q*Bert + MAME + Knockers
« Reply #91 on: March 17, 2019, 05:03:03 am »
Yes, those videos make it very clear what happens. I can only surmise that the metal bracket being at the mounting point will transmit the shock to the cabinet.

The sound of the knocker in those videos is not very loud though. On EM pinball machines the knocker was loud enough to be heard for some distance around, it was loud enough to cause fright if you weren't expecting it.

telengard

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Re: Q*Bert + MAME + Knockers
« Reply #92 on: April 17, 2019, 02:49:57 pm »
Yes, those videos make it very clear what happens. I can only surmise that the metal bracket being at the mounting point will transmit the shock to the cabinet.

The sound of the knocker in those videos is not very loud though. On EM pinball machines the knocker was loud enough to be heard for some distance around, it was loud enough to cause fright if you weren't expecting it.

Agree, on some tables, like my BK2000... it's really startling when it hits.

Thanks for the info everyone, I've made some great progress, working on getting Mamehooker and the PacDrive talking.
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telengard

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Re: Q*Bert + MAME + Knockers
« Reply #93 on: April 26, 2019, 09:50:00 pm »
So close to having this done.  I have mamehooker (thanks Howard!), pacdrive, and SS relay working fine, also have the solenoid firing when q-bert jumps off.

However, it is very faint, and after one click I blow the fuse.

I have a 12V solenoid and a 12V supply that can give up to 2A, and I believe have it connected as I've seen done in a few examples (including the one here):

12V+ goes to positive terminal of the solenoid.  I have a 1A slow blow inline with this connection
12V- goes to the negative terminal of the relay output
The negative terminal of the solenoid goes to the positive terminal of the relay output

What am I doing wrong.  :)   :banghead:
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Howard_Casto

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Re: Q*Bert + MAME + Knockers
« Reply #94 on: April 27, 2019, 01:49:19 am »
So you have a 1 amp fuse for a 2 amp power supply?  If your solenoid draws anything more than 1 amp it's going to blow.

Titchgamer

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Re: Q*Bert + MAME + Knockers
« Reply #95 on: April 27, 2019, 02:57:38 am »
If its blowing the fuse its pulling to much current.

What is the current draw of the solenoid?

telengard

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Re: Q*Bert + MAME + Knockers
« Reply #96 on: April 27, 2019, 02:42:05 pm »
I was using the 1A slow blo based on the builds of others previously in this thread.  I think earlier it was mentioned a 1.8A 30V supply was being used for a coil w/ 12ohms of resistance.

Poking around online it seems the coil I have is is 4.5 ohms (I measured 4.3).

http://www.arcadeshop.com/i/1125/q-bert-knocker-assembly-with-12v-coil.htm

So that would be a current of ~2.7A.  Reading through this thread though, it doesn't seem that ohm's law totally applies if I understand correctly.

What would make sense to do here?  I can up the amperage of the fuse to 2A, but it seems depending on the duration the voltage is applied could also blow.
I will probably have to modify my mamehooker settings to lower the amount of time the signal goes high before going off.
« Last Edit: April 27, 2019, 02:45:25 pm by telengard »
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Re: Q*Bert + MAME + Knockers
« Reply #97 on: April 27, 2019, 02:46:57 pm »
Up it to 3 amps.  Worst case scenario your wires might get a little hot, but since qbert only fires the solenoid once and for a split second, I find that unlikely.  Your fuse is mostly in case something screws up and the solenoid gets stuck in the on position. 

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Q*Bert + MAME + Knockers
« Reply #98 on: April 27, 2019, 02:51:09 pm »
Like howard says use a 3A supply and maybe try fitting a 2A or 2.5A slow blow fuse.

Depending on your cable size you may want to up that to.

It should not blow the fuse at .7A over

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Re: Q*Bert + MAME + Knockers
« Reply #99 on: April 28, 2019, 04:55:22 pm »
I have it all working now!  3 things I had to do were to lower the amount of time Mamehooker was energizing the coil, and secondly I had the polarity backwards with respect to the coil diode.  I was following positive/anode, but in this case, you are trying to prevent back current so you want it wired backwards.  Lastly, I was testing with the solenoid laying flat on the wood I mounted it on, it needs to be vertical for the metal thing inside to drop.  It was very faintly clicking at times until I put it upright to test.

Thanks everyone!!   :notworthy: :cheers:
« Last Edit: April 28, 2019, 04:57:04 pm by telengard »
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Robbbert

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Re: Q*Bert + MAME + Knockers
« Reply #100 on: April 30, 2019, 05:55:00 am »
Excellent :)