Spinner Design Question

[D_Harris]

If out there I missed it, but why didn't anyone think to develop a spinner/controller combo that:

1) Allowed for enough buttons to play all non-joystick games(Asteroids, Track & Field, etc.), along with some admin functions.

And

2) Allows for connection cables with rocker switches or similar on the ends that one would mount to the outside of one's control panel to allow one to toggle between axis' or between optical and button only games if that's needed and it can't be done automatically without having to go through extra software steps between games? (Though I guess if your spinner uses jumpers for these functions you would be able to hack in cables yourself).

I'm just wondering.

Darren Harris
Staten Island, New York.

[D_Harris]

Ok, it's been a while, but every now and then I do a search.

I need a single controller for a control panel that will have 12 game and admin buttons along with a single spinner. The idea is that the control panel will cover any button-only game, and separately also cover any spinner game.

So did anyone ever come out with a cheap controller that covers those basics?

Thanks.

P.S.: And does anyone have much experience with these controllers? http://www.xin-mo.com/

Darren Harris
Staten Island, New York.

[PL1]

There is a fairly new KADE miniArcade firmware that is very close to plug-and-play for your design.

It has everything but Button 7 and P2 Start, but there are leftover Enter and mouse button inputs that you could use for them.   



Related KADE Loader release notes here.


Scott
EDIT: Updated with a better plan.

[kiwasabi]

The KADE firmware for spinner/trackball actually has a bug where if you spin hard left or right it will switch directions. A programmer who is working on a project with me was able to fix that bug though, so if you want the working .hex file let me know. The Kade board is the cheapest method I know of to have lots of buttons and spinners running off the same encoder board.

[kiwasabi]

P.S.: And does anyone have much experience with these controllers? http://www.xin-mo.com/

Missed this part of your question. I have no experience with their boards but it looks like they discontinued the trackball board, which is probably what you would've wanted. Kade is going to be your best bet. I sure do love their KadeLoader software.

[PL1]

The KADE firmware for spinner/trackball actually has a bug where if you spin hard left or right it will switch directions. A programmer who is working on a project with me was able to fix that bug though, so if you want the working .hex file let me know.

Any chance he'd donate the bug-fix related source code for Open Source use in the KADE project?

I'm pretty sure Jon, Kevin and Bruno would be very happy to give him credit/recognition for a bug fix.   


Scott

[kiwasabi]

Any chance he'd donate the bug-fix related source code for Open Source use in the KADE project?

I'm pretty sure Jon, Kevin and Bruno would be very happy to give him credit/recognition for a bug fix.   

Scott

Oh we will absolutely give any source code we create for Kade. They also worked on a spinner/trackball -> joystick firmware for us that I need to get from them so we can bug fix that as well. It's basically a workaround so we can get spinners working on Android. You can't set the mouse position on Android like you can on Windows, so using a mouse-based input for the spinner is out.

[PL1]

Thanks.  Always good to see people pitching in on an open source project like KADE.   


Scott

[D_Harris]

Thank.

I did some searching and assume that this is the place to get the controller. http://northamerica.emukade.com/product-category/encoders/

And that what I need is one of the following, correct?:

1) "DIY KADE miniArcade kit complete"
2) "DIY KADE miniArcade kit no AVR"
3) "KADE miniArcade- Red, White, and Blue"

I'm just not sure where to get the "new KADE miniArcade firmware" you mentioned.

I can solder, but not much more than that. Anything involving software requires step-by-step instructions, which I've found to be rare.

Thanks.

Darren Harris
Staten Island, New York.

[JDFan]

YEs depending on how much effort you want to put into building it -- the "complete kit" has the minimus included if you do not have one -- the other kit is without the Minimus AVR -- then the red\white\blue one is already assembled so no soldering needed.

the firmware can be downloaded here : ( http://kadevice.com/loader-software/ ) and for the BETA additions (ie. trackball\spinner programming) you will need to follow the link that says "this page" in this area of the linked page :

KADE Loader supports firmwares for KADE MiniArcade boards and there is Beta support for other development boards including Arduino. Find out how to obtain Beta updates on this page.

[PL1]

I did some searching and assume that this is the place to get the controller. http://northamerica.emukade.com/product-category/encoders/

And that what I need is one of the following, correct?:

1) "DIY KADE miniArcade kit complete"
2) "DIY KADE miniArcade kit no AVR"
3) "KADE miniArcade- Red, White, and Blue"

Options 1 and 3 have the required "brain", a Minimus AVR -- either an at90usb162 or an atmega32u2 will work with all the miniArcade series of firmwares.

There are also other places like here to get a Minimus AVR if your budget is tight.

I'm just not sure where to get the "new KADE miniArcade firmware" you mentioned.

I can solder, but not much more than that. Anything involving software requires step-by-step instructions, which I've found to be rare.

The firmwares are in the Loader software.

The instructions are spelled out in the QuickStart guide here and in the KADE Loader software.   


Scott

[D_Harris]

I probably should have bought more MiniPACs when they were $29. (Not including harness). 

The MiniPAC is simpler/easier to install. At the time I considered them overkill for the kind of control panel I mentioned above and decided to save them for a different project.

Thanks.

Darren Harris
Staten Island< New York.