Basic button wiring question

[wackychimp]

Hi all,

This is a pretty basic wiring question but, well here goes...

Say I'm using the iPAC4 and have the wires connected to it through it's handy little connectors.  Now the other ends of those wires connect to a bunch of buttons.  But say I wanted to have 1 or 2 sets of wire activate without attaching them to a button -- maybe even by just touching 2 wires together.  Would that still send the same code to the iPAC that would be sent if they were hooked up normally?

Why the hell would I want to do this?  Actually it's a non-arcade related project.

[tmasman]

yeah... it would work.
All the button switches do is close the circuit between the 2 wires.

[Tiger-Heli]

Hi all,

This is a pretty basic wiring question but, well here goes...

Say I'm using the iPAC4 and have the wires connected to it through it's handy little connectors.  Now the other ends of those wires connect to a bunch of buttons.  But say I wanted to have 1 or 2 sets of wire activate without attaching them to a button -- maybe even by just touching 2 wires together.  Would that still send the same code to the iPAC that would be sent if they were hooked up normally?

Why the hell would I want to do this?  Actually it's a non-arcade related project.

Not sure if you get the picture or not.

codes are not set TO the I-PAC, the I-PAC sends codes TO the PC.

Running a straight wire from an I-PAC terminal to ground will generate an apparent stuck input (a constantly depressed corresponding key).

Of course you could use any kind of switch in place of the button and have it work, if that is what you mean.

Also, key repeat in PS/2 mode is only enabled on the J1 Up and J1 Down inputs, so wiring across the P1 SW 5 inputs will produce a held-down Z key, not Z   Z  Z  Z  Z, etc.

[wackychimp]

Thanks!

Yeah, I know that the iPAC sends the code, but the completion of the circuit is what causes this.  I'm just wanting to know if I can use "anything" to complete the circuit.  

So let me get this straight:  Having the wire that comes out of the iPAQ touch a ground wire will cause the circuit to complete and the iPAC to send the appropriate key press.

Right?

[tmasman]

right.
You can use any conductive material to complete the circuit between the ground wire & a signal wire.

[SirPoonga]

BTW, having an input wired directly to ground is not a good idea, it would be a better idea to wire it to a switch so it can be turned off.  It sounds like that is one of your ideas.

[wackychimp]

BTW, having an input wired directly to ground is not a good idea, it would be a better idea to wire it to a switch so it can be turned off.  It sounds like that is one of your ideas.

I don't think it would be constantly wired to the ground.  It'll just be set up to contact the ground wire on keypress.