NEW PRODUCT: Ultimarc ServoStik. 4-8 way joystick with powered restrictor.

[Gray_Area]

Just remember that those read the XML, or perhaps a controls.ini, to switch, and are not likely accurate for all games.

[jasonbar]

Just ordered a pair of sticks & 1 driver board. I'm looking forward to top-switchable 4-way/8-way (via 2 buttons that I'll implement on top of my panel) sticks that have a longer throw than the 2 Magstik Plus sticks that I've been using for years! :]

Looking foward to your review.

Thanks for the software tips, guys, & thanks for looking forward to my review, Gray_Area, but  you guys are talking to the guy who bought Aimtraks 3 years ago & hasn't gotten around to setting them up yet...the guy whose CP Wizard never did get set up 100% correctly...the guy who has to go back & fix his spinner & steering wheel & trackball mapping...in short, don't hold your collective breath! (Hence my assumption that I'd just throw 4-way/8-way switches onto my control panel instead of setting up software--that's waaaay easier for me!)

Back on topic, I did receive the sticks (and a spinner steering wheel) super duper fast (from England to California!), and my cursory glance in the boxes reveals what looks to be a swell product. That's the extent of my review for now, and for who knows how long...  :\

Thanks,
-Jason

[Endprodukt]

I received mine a week ago and had to sand the restrictors because they were too big. Building quality wasn't that good to be true. Andy did a research and it seems that the base of newer jlw is different by a millimetre. He will get new restrictors that will fit perfectly.

[DNA Dan]

I just admire the attention to detail that Andy puts in his products and when it's not right he's there to make it right. It's great to have his continued presence on these boards.

[AndyWarne]

I received mine a week ago and had to sand the restrictors because they were too big. Building quality wasn't that good to be true. Andy did a research and it seems that the base of newer jlw is different by a millimetre. He will get new restrictors that will fit perfectly.

Thats correct, but in fact the difference is 0.2mm

We are getting the mold modified and may need to scrap 1000 restrictors. Sometimes I wish we sold software

[dec]

Starting my planning for building my first cabinet and saw these joysticks. Is it possible to get them in oval top instead of ball top?

[AndyWarne]

Starting my planning for building my first cabinet and saw these joysticks. Is it possible to get them in oval top instead of ball top?

Yes we have oval top in black or red.

Andy

[Endprodukt]

You may take a look at the washers and the springs as well. Sometimes it just happens that the springs slip through the washers and the restrictors get stuck. I had to bent the spring at the base.

With the right tools and some time I don't think you'll have to throw away all the restrictors. That would be too bad!

[chopperthedog]

Some conical compression springs would solve that issue.


good day.

[chopperthedog]

Starting my planning for building my first cabinet and saw these joysticks. Is it possible to get them in oval top instead of ball top?

To elaborate on andy's reply. You wont get the option to choose what type of top when ordering (servostik only comes with red ball top). You can order the extra tops at the same time. BUT.... that brings up another issue. "Black Oval-Top (NOTE: 8 mm thread) " so since the servostik shaft is 6mm you will need to snag these http://www.fgsupply.com/6000-6999-Thread_insert_M8_M6_2pcs..html to use on the 8mm oval-top.

*****EDIT***** I SUCK!!!!!!.... When I ordered mine there was no option for the tops. Just checked and apparently that changed. **************


carry on....


good day.

[AndyWarne]

Starting my planning for building my first cabinet and saw these joysticks. Is it possible to get them in oval top instead of ball top?

To elaborate on andy's reply. You wont get the option to choose what type of top when ordering (servostik only comes with red ball top). You can order the extra tops at the same time. BUT.... that brings up another issue. "Black Oval-Top (NOTE: 8 mm thread) " so since the servostik shaft is 6mm you will need to snag these http://www.fgsupply.com/6000-6999-Thread_insert_M8_M6_2pcs..html to use on the 8mm oval-top.

*****EDIT***** I SUCK!!!!!!.... When I ordered mine there was no option for the tops. Just checked and apparently that changed. **************


carry on....


good day.

We were likely just out of stock of the oval at that time.

[jasonbar]

Andy-

I'm going to get around to installing my ServoStiks in Hardware Mode shortly & have one question on your instructions that I find a bit confusing:

When I think of buttons, I assume momentary, not latching. When I think of a toggle switch, I assume latching, not momentary.

Having said that, does the shorting of wires need to be momentary or latching, or does it not matter?

Thank you,
-Jason

PS--upon further readings of your site, you mention that one can use an I-PAC shifted button combination to activate the 4-way or 8-way mode. That implies that one can use a momentary NO button. As such, I'll be able to implement a couple of momentary admin buttons on my cabinet to perform the switch in Hardware Mode. Still, out of curiosity, if one were to use a toggle switch, that would certainly be a latching switch, unless you were referring to a 3-position switch that was spring-loaded to "neutral" & could momentarily close in either direction before returning to neutral. It sounds as if momentary or "permanent" shortings to ground will work. Versatile! :]


"
Switching between 4 and 8 way is done using either two buttons or a toggle switch.

To connect the buttons, cut the A plug from the USB cable and strip the wires.
Connect the RED wire to a 5 volt source. (JAMMA power supply for example)
Connect the BLACK wire to Ground on the power supply
Connect the Green wire to the NO contact of a pushbutton for 4 way
Connect the White wire to the NO contact of a pushbutton for 8 way
Connect the COM connections of both buttons to the black daisy-chain wire which runs to all other controls, or to the power supply ground.

Alternatively you can use a toggle switch with the center connection to ground and the end connections to the green and white wires.
"

[jasonbar]

Big long-winded review of ServoStiks just posted in the Reviews forum. :]

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,132157.0.html

Thanks,
-Jason

[AndyWarne]

Andy-

I'm going to get around to installing my ServoStiks in Hardware Mode shortly & have one question on your instructions that I find a bit confusing:

When I think of buttons, I assume momentary, not latching. When I think of a toggle switch, I assume latching, not momentary.

Having said that, does the shorting of wires need to be momentary or latching, or does it not matter?

Thank you,
-Jason

PS--upon further readings of your site, you mention that one can use an I-PAC shifted button combination to activate the 4-way or 8-way mode. That implies that one can use a momentary NO button. As such, I'll be able to implement a couple of momentary admin buttons on my cabinet to perform the switch in Hardware Mode. Still, out of curiosity, if one were to use a toggle switch, that would certainly be a latching switch, unless you were referring to a 3-position switch that was spring-loaded to "neutral" & could momentarily close in either direction before returning to neutral. It sounds as if momentary or "permanent" shortings to ground will work. Versatile! :]


"
Switching between 4 and 8 way is done using either two buttons or a toggle switch.

To connect the buttons, cut the A plug from the USB cable and strip the wires.
Connect the RED wire to a 5 volt source. (JAMMA power supply for example)
Connect the BLACK wire to Ground on the power supply
Connect the Green wire to the NO contact of a pushbutton for 4 way
Connect the White wire to the NO contact of a pushbutton for 8 way
Connect the COM connections of both buttons to the black daisy-chain wire which runs to all other controls, or to the power supply ground.

Alternatively you can use a toggle switch with the center connection to ground and the end connections to the green and white wires.
"

The switch can be a toggle which stays closed either way, or pushbuttons which don't stay closed. Either will work.

Andy

[loadman]

It is a J-Stik (JLW type) essentially, with other parts added. So this means we will be able to supply retro-fit kits. But this will be down the line. Also all accessories for this type of stick can be used.
Andy

I have Ball type J-Sticks. 

When the 'retro-fit kit' is available I can apply and add native support for them for MaLa Frontend.   

[loadman]

It is a J-Stik (JLW type) essentially, with other parts added. So this means we will be able to supply retro-fit kits. But this will be down the line. Also all accessories for this type of stick can be used.
Andy

I have Ball type J-Sticks. 

When the 'retro-fit kit' is available I can apply and add native support for them for MaLa Frontend.   

OK I ordered 1..  I could not resist  :-)

[jasonbar]

Has anybody determined the current requirements for the USB source that's powering the ServoStik servos?

I'm currently using a Belkin F5U027, which used a 4 A power supply:
http://www.belkin.com/pyramid/documents/external/PB_F5U027.pdf

I'd like to free up one of those "smart" slots on my USB hub & use a "dumb" AC-USB adapter (like the stump that plugs into the wall for a cell phone charger). I have AC-USB adapters that go as high as 1 A, but when I hit the button to rotate the restrictor (I'm using hardware mode), I get no motion--if I listen closely, I hear a super faint whine.

1 amp seems to be insufficient. 4 amps seems to be plenty. Anybody have any intermediate data points to find the threshold?

Thanks,
-Jason

[danny_galaga]

How have I not noticed this before? Bloody brilliant! When I get back home in a week imma see if I have the right sort of sticks. Might get an upgrade (",)

[AndyWarne]

Has anybody determined the current requirements for the USB source that's powering the ServoStik servos?

USB ports are rated at 500mA and they are designed to work with this amount of current. In fact the motor is limited to around 400mA. If it rises above this the controller assumes it has reached the end of travel and cuts out. If the restrictor is not completely switching this needs to be looked into. We changed the dimensions of the restrictor since the first batch of these to prevent binding.

[danny_galaga]

Just checked mine. They are listed as Sanwa JS01 from the guys I bought them from. Is this the same as the JLW? Looks a hell of a lot like it.

[Minwah]

Just checked mine. They are listed as Sanwa JS01 from the guys I bought them from. Is this the same as the JLW? Looks a hell of a lot like it.

Looks like it to me too.

[danny_galaga]

Just checked mine. They are listed as Sanwa JS01 from the guys I bought them from. Is this the same as the JLW? Looks a hell of a lot like it.

Looks like it to me too.

Good enough for me! Imma order one soon (",)

Edit: Nuts, looks like I need 27mm free space on one side, and I've only got 22  The side of the control panel is thisk MDF so I might be able to carve out some space, but that's a lot of work. On the plus side, if ever I build another cab, I'll be sure to make room for these