multi jamma switcher options for light gun setup

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runawayabc123:

--- Quote from: Vimstar on February 28, 2012, 02:01:04 pm ---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.

--- End quote ---

Voltgage drop and diodes that can't carry enough current (or encourage the voltage drop) are your opposition. Almost all of my 5v and ground wires are becoming 2-16awg wire to help (which I found CHEAP). As for button signals and LED lights, those shouldn't be too bad, just a mess of wires to get it all working. Since buying 12 of anything gets expensive, I strongly suggest you test/proof of concept everything you want to do first.

When you get ready to do this, if you want to use the same relays/diodes, let me know and I can post part numbers, but the relays (big power boxes) are $7 each plus $3 for the socket. But I really wanted socketed relays for fear of burning them out or them getting stuck as I have some high AMP drwaing PCBs. The little relays are $1.15 each plus .40 for the socket (I got the beryllium copper ones).

GaryMcT:
I dig this thread. I've been contemplating trying a similar project at some point!

runawayabc123:
http://img577.imageshack.us/img577/7195/324lightgunboardsbottom.jpg
http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/893/334lightgunboardslabled.jpg

So, I finally got 4 boards done!

1 for video
1 for sound
2 for light guns

Now I just need to get a few cables together and a few jamma harness to hook in.

I'm getting close. :)

runawayabc123:
I did an initial test tonight with 4 boards. It was mostly a success. :)

All 4 boards worked. Video, audio and guns all worked.

I just had a minor glitch where 2 boards stayed on at the same time.

I have a video, but it is kind of lame as I could only get like 30seconds before running out of memory. I'll upload pictures in my next post. More details to come :D

runawayabc123:
I have found the flaw and I am working to fix it. I have 3 different plans and have to do some cost figuring.

Long story short, a relay's single pole can't run a game AND turn On another relay with relief diodes on the coil. (And removing the relief diode isn't a good idea.) The problem is that a just On game will pull power from ground back through the relay board's 5v wire to power the game. This only is the easiest path to ground when it already was On. From a cold state, this won't happen.

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