JVS related questions

[NaokiS]

Hi guys.

I got the JST connectors I've been waiting for today and it got me thinking of controls gain. I'm a little confused how the Sga I/O Board type 1 works. After connecting it to a USB socket I noticed it did nothing, not even light up the LEDs. Fair enough, it has +12 and +5v in ports so I gathered it picks it's juice from them, not the USB connector. Looking at it and how I'll be using a PC power supply with it, I know that aslong as the volatge is right it should work fine yet I'm a little scared when I plug 5v and 12v into it the chip will blow up. Don't know why, but is this even possible?

Also, with Digital Inputs, I read somewhere that they work like a Mega Drive pad, so you send 5V into it when not active and GND when it is. I'm a littl skeptical over this, as it would make more sense for 5V when active. Anyway, I'm not really sure, and even with the Pinout I'm not entirely sur ehow to proceed. Just wire say P1 Start to a switch and the other end at the GND terminal?

And with the 26-pin analogue port (Despite not owning the 26-pin JST RA part), how would one connect a Pot up to it? I looked at the pinout but it confused me.

The only other thing is the JVS Power, which while not related to the I/O still troubles me. Looking at the Pinout from seganaomi.com, I thought I had the power roughyly sorted out. SegaNaomi and the Naomi manual both say:

CN1 8Pin JST VL connector
----------------------------
01 NC
02 +3.3V
03 +5V
04 +12V
05 GND
06 GND
07 GND
08 GND

CN2 6Pin JST VL connector
----------------------------
01 NC
02 +3.3V
03 +5V
04 GND
05 GND
06 GND

Yet AndyGeezer's video of his Chihiro confused me.

His power loom seems to say that Pin 3 on the 8-Pin is 12v and 5v is on the 4th pin. This confused me, but is the Manual right and his wiring colours different?

Thanks for any help

EDIT: Oh, last thing, anyone know where to get a cheap crimping tool for the JST NH,RA an VL pins? Or a good relable method? I saw how Orc had paid £160 and that my friend found others for £200. - Sorted

[MonMotha]

I hope you are not attempting to connect JVS to a PC USB port.  It will not work as JVS isn't actually USB!  They just used the USB connector so that there would be "easily available cables and connectors" or some similar garbage reason.  In fact, some JVS IO boards are permanently damaged by being connected to USB.  You will need a special interface board of some sort.  There is a "JVS-PAC" (not made by Ultimarc despite having a similar sounding product name) that works with some of the more common JVS IO boards.

Yes, you can crimp a JST VL with needlenose.  It won't hold as well as a real crimp, so I'd drop a little solder on it, too.  The standard ~$50 "Molex Universal" crimper can probably do an OK job on them, as well.  I've also heard good things about the Engineer Inc. PA-20.  I have a PA-09 (for micro connectors), and it does seem to do a good job.  You can get them in the USA from Aventool (PA-20).

[NaokiS]

This is for my future Naomi 1 board I hope to get, I do realize JVS isn't USB.

Ok, good to know. I don't live in the USA so...

[MonMotha]

Ok, good to know. I don't live in the USA so...

If you're in Japan, you can probably buy it directly from Engineer, Inc.  I don't know about Europe or elsewhere.  I emailed Engineer, Inc. inquiring where I could buy it in the USA, and they were very friendly and pointed me to Aventool.  They do have at least one person who is pretty good with English, but of course probably best to keep your grammar and word choice simple as usual when communicating.

[NaokiS]

Well I live in Europe, UK more specifcally :\

Do you have any other advice?

[MonMotha]

If you want to buy that crimper, email kataoka@engineer.jp and ask if they can sell direct to you or if there is a distributor in your area.

You can also try other crimpers.  Like I said, the Molex "universal" crimper will probably do OK.  That's Molex P/N 63811-1000.  Should be available from any electronic distributor.  Check out Farnell in the UK (aka Newark in the states).

[NaokiS]

Ok, thanks for the info.