Switching between PC and JAMMA: Would this work?

[Sasquatch!]

I want my next cabinet to be both PC- and JAMMA-compliant.  For the controls, I don't want to have to unplug/replug the controls between the PC keyboard encoder and the JAMMA harness, so a switch to toggle between them seems in order.

I know about Russ Prince's Control Circuit, but that sounds too complicated for what I want.  Then I thought: Is there any reason that I can't just use an "A/B" switch box (like the kind designed to share one printer between to PCs), kind of like this one?

If it matters, I don't need to switch "on the fly"...I'm perfectly fine with powering down whatever I'm currently hooked into, flipping the switch, and then powering up.

So can anyone see why this wouldn't work?

[OSCAR]

Using a J-PAC, I assume?

How about something like this:  http://www.mikesarcade.com/cgi-bin/store.pl?action=link&sku=DBLJAMMA?  You could leave the J-PAC always connected to one, and then swap out different jamma boards as you see fit.

Alternately, there is Clay's multi-jamma that you could have up to 7 other jamma boards installed alongside the J-PAC and use the built-in menu system to switch between them.  http://www.multigame.com/jamma.html.  The only thing to keep in mind with the multi-jamma is that you also need multi-power supplies.  


##EDIT##

I guess I could also answer your original question...  

 I have heard reports of people that have used printer switches successfully to switch between two different jamma boards.  You just need to switch all the inputs, but leave the power to both boards.  You may need two separate power supplies if one doesn't have the proper amperage to supply both boards.  This is where some people use PC power supplies because of their higher ratings.

[Sasquatch!]

Using a J-PAC, I assume?
...
I have heard reports of people that have used printer switches successfully to switch between two different jamma boards.  You just need to switch all the inputs, but leave the power to both boards.  You may need two separate power supplies if one doesn't have the proper amperage to supply both boards.  This is where some people use PC power supplies because of their higher ratings.

No, I'm not using a J-PAC.  It'll be a "normal" MAME cabinet with the controls going to a keyboard encoder (in my case, a KE72), but I would also like to be able to use the controls to play JAMMA boards as well.  I'm not planning on routing the video, audio, and power through the switchbox, just the controls.  I'd probably have to manually switch those over from one to the other, but I honestly haven't thought that far ahead yet.  

[OSCAR]

Ah, well in the case, just wire the inputs to the KE72 to a jamma fingerboard and swap jamma harness between the KE72 and jamma boards.  This will require you to power down the cab and move the harness, but it's definitely feasible.

Then you will have to come up with a creative way to send the video/audio from the PC to the monitor/speaker in the cab.  Since you want to play jamma boards, then you probably will be using a standard res arcade monitor, or maybe a JROK with an svideo tv?  I think it might be easier to use an ArcadeVGA with a cable hack and connect that to the fingerboard for the video.  While you're at it, wire the speaker out from the sound card to the finger board, too, and then you have a fully switchable jamma PC.  You may need an external amp to wire into the jamma loom from the PC, but that should be fairly easy to do; a PC speaker amp hack should work just fine.  Just keep in mind that the jamma standard is mono.

[JoyMonkey]

I've been thinking of wiring up a couple of jamma boards and a Mame PC to one of those data switches too, seems like it'd be less hassle than switching everything manually.
I had a look around for some switches, then came across this:
http://www.multigame.com/jamma.html

It lets you connect up to 8 Jamma PCB's up to the 'controller board' using IDE cables attached to 'switch boards' on each PCB. It doesn't say how you actually switch between boards though.
They go for $125 for a two board setup, you  need to buy switch boards for  each additional PCB, which run at $22 each.

Sounds like a good solution, if you've got cash to spare.

[Sasquatch!]

Ah, well in the case, just wire the inputs to the KE72 to a jamma fingerboard and swap jamma harness between the KE72 and jamma boards.  This will require you to power down the cab and move the harness, but it's definitely feasible.

Huh, I didn't even think of using JAMMA fingerboards.  That ain't half bad!

Then you will have to come up with a creative way to send the video/audio from the PC to the monitor/speaker in the cab.  Since you want to play jamma boards, then you probably will be using a standard res arcade monitor, or maybe a JROK with an svideo tv?  

Already got the TV with the JROK via svideo!

I think it might be easier to use an ArcadeVGA with a cable hack and connect that to the fingerboard for the video.  While you're at it, wire the speaker out from the sound card to the finger board, too, and then you have a fully switchable jamma PC.  You may need an external amp to wire into the jamma loom from the PC, but that should be fairly easy to do; a PC speaker amp hack should work just fine.

Hm, I'll have to look into the feasability of that.

Just keep in mind that the jamma standard is mono.

Well, I didn't want to say this before to avoid confusion, but it's actually a Neo-Geo MVS cabinet, which is damn close to the JAMMA standard, but is stereo, so yay.  

[OSCAR]

Ah, well in the case, just wire the inputs to the KE72 to a jamma fingerboard and swap jamma harness between the KE72 and jamma boards.  This will require you to power down the cab and move the harness, but it's definitely feasible.

Huh, I didn't even think of using JAMMA fingerboards.  That ain't half bad!

Then you will have to come up with a creative way to send the video/audio from the PC to the monitor/speaker in the cab.  Since you want to play jamma boards, then you probably will be using a standard res arcade monitor, or maybe a JROK with an svideo tv?  

Already got the TV with the JROK via svideo!

I think it might be easier to use an ArcadeVGA with a cable hack and connect that to the fingerboard for the video.  While you're at it, wire the speaker out from the sound card to the finger board, too, and then you have a fully switchable jamma PC.  You may need an external amp to wire into the jamma loom from the PC, but that should be fairly easy to do; a PC speaker amp hack should work just fine.

Hm, I'll have to look into the feasability of that.

Just keep in mind that the jamma standard is mono.

Well, I didn't want to say this before to avoid confusion, but it's actually a Neo-Geo MVS cabinet, which is damn close to the JAMMA standard, but is stereo, so yay.  

Ummm, you are like 15 minutes away from making this work after you pick up a fingerboard.  

[Sasquatch!]

Ummm, you are like 15 minutes away from making this work after you pick up a fingerboard.  

...ALTHOUGH, that still throws me back at having to unplug/replug everytime that I want to switch.  I like the fingerboard idea (so thanks for the tip!), but I still might see if I can get the A/B switchbox working or not...  Whenever I do (which will probably literally be months from now), I'll be sure to report back!

[JoyMonkey]

I got hold of an A/B/C/D switchbox and was just about to start wiring a Keywiz and 3 Jamma boards to printer cables and start switching between them. All of a sudden I realized:

Wiring all the controls to a switchbox is pointless, all I really need to do is wire all the boards/Keywiz directly to the controls and use the switchbox to switch power/video/audio between the boards.
Surely having a jamma board powered off but still wired to controls you're using for another jamma board (or PC) would have no adverse effects.

Does this make sense?

[SirPoonga]

Alternately, there is Clay's multi-jamma that you could have up to 7 other jamma boards installed alongside the J-PAC and use the built-in menu system to switch between them.  http://www.multigame.com/jamma.html.  The only thing to keep in mind with the multi-jamma is that you also need multi-power supplies.  

Well, if you just have one game and a PC that won't be a problem