multi jamma switcher options for light gun setup

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runawayabc123:
Found a fix for #2. I tried the light guns through the relays, same wire and they work. So, the diode option doesn't work. Maybe they don't switch fast enough or maybe it just isn't really compatiable.

That just added another 30 hours of work. But it is fixed.

Pretty much everything if proofed now, I just have to get it done.

runawayabc123:
As an update, I have a second relay board done for audio.

I have all of the parts (less the relays) for 4 more relay boards which are now all started. (I'm just cranking them out on a step by step process now.) I will still need two more after that, but I am short a few parts.

As for an update, I think I will make a "cheaper/faster/easier" diode board for the light guns main jamma harness. I think I only need player 1/2 start, player 1/2 coin, test and service. 6 buttons total. I'll do them to quick disconnects instead of solding onto the jamma harness as planned. I'll still do that (later) as I have a few normal 2/4 player joystick games. Thinking about doing two different riggs now. :( More expensive.

runawayabc123:
I got bored of the bigger relay boards after getting 2 more half done and two more start (4 more total) and changed over to create/finish the player 1 start/coin, player 2 start/coin and test/service buttons board for the light gun switch. In between I got another light gun PCB and I had space on the board, so I soldered in 18 leads instead of the planned 12 (it has room for 24). It will also help out if a diode burns out or a wire shorts or has a break in it, I will have extras to quick swap too. I still need to "quality" control this board. I am going to hook it up to a controller for player 2 to make sure it works real nice before I go to more trouble to make 2 more bigger versions of this board for games like TMNT, Simpons, etc and a full jamma harness. I may slack off and only do 6 jamma harness instead of 12. Or may count out all of my games plus one extra. On to the pictures!

http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/1869/29lightgunbuttonboard.jpg

http://img31.imageshack.us/img31/5174/30lightgunbuttonboardbo.jpg

The male 3/16 connectors I got from jameco REALLY sucked. The crimps all went really nice, but it turned out the plastic neck was all that held the wire and after a little soldering heat the crimp failure rate was HIGH. I soldered all of them in place so they couldn't move. I never had this problem with the radio shack ones. So, I will go with those instead when this batch of 200 run out. The radio shack ones are cheaper considering you get the female quick disconnects, I just don't really need the female ones. Oh well.

P.S. if this works and once I get two more relay boards done, I can do a full blown test!!! :)

runawayabc123:
I tested the diode board on player 2 for the joystick and buttons attack/jump for captain america and the avengers. Worked great. I wanted to test a good long joystick motion and only got a few seconds (maybe 5 max) here and there. I'm happy with it.

Renewed engery to finish those next two relay boards. (Boards 3 and 4)

At that point I will have power, audio, video, light gun 1, light gun 2 and buttons for player 1+2 coin/start + service/test to 12 PCBs. (I have plans for relay extension boards to get those to 18 too. 18 will be driven by having 18 light gun PCBs that work with my setup and I want to play all of the time.)

However, I have a Zombie Raid PCB (XY gun game) competing for attention. :)

More to come as this prototype comes alive.

Vimstar:
Just wanted to say "Great Thread"! I stumbled on your post last summer when I was researching info on building my own JAMA arcade switcher. I am actually planning on doing something similar to what you are doing and I am finally about to have the time to actually do it. :applaud:

Currently I am looking at switching between 12 total boards in one 4 Player cabinet. Many of the boards I have are 4 player and use two to three buttons. I also have a couple two player games I plan on adding to the system and will attempt to have the controls for these games route to the center two joysticks (normally players 2 and 3). I also plan to do some cross wiring for some of the 4 player games (like X-MEN) and have the coin insert switch actually route to the 1-4 player start buttons (since X-men doesn't use a start button and selects players based on which coin slot you put your quarter in).

To top all this off I am also considering using lighted buttons and joysticks to help indicate which sticks and buttons are used with which games. When a games is selected, the buttons and joystick used with that game will light up, with all other being off. This will most likely require a second power supply of some sort along with a ton of additional relays.

Not sure how feasible all this will be to accomplish (lots of diodes, relays, connectors, etc.) but I look forward to thoroughly reading through all your posts in this thread and sharing anything I learn along the way.

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