DB37 connectors swappable panels

[Beaker]

Hello all,

Ive got any idea of having 3 swappable panels each of which utilises just a single Ipac 2 which is a permanent fixture inside the cab.

Panels I'm thinking off are:

1 player - 1x U360 joystick (USB)
                1x U-Trak Trackball (USB)
                1x Spin Trak (USB)
                4x Pinball buttons
                7x fighter layout buttons

2 player - 2x U360 joystick (USB)
                4x Pinball buttons
                14x fighter layout buttons

Flight Sim - 1x H.O.T.A.S Warthog throttle         
                        (USB)
                    1x H.O.T.A.S Warthog   
                         joystick (USB)

So, I would like people's opinions and advice as to wether the following would work without any problems:

All joysticks, spinner, trackball and flight sim controls will connect to a powered USB hub which remains permanently fixed in the cab. Each USB device will have its own dedicated port on the hub hopefully alleviating any USB I.D problems.

All buttons will be daisy chained then soldered to a FEMALE DB37 connector. Each panel (apart from flight sim) will have its own female DB37 connector.

Each button will have its own dedicated pin on the DB37 regardless on what panel is being used.

For example, if player 1 button A (player 1 panel) is connected to pin 1, then player 1 button A (player 2 panel) is also connected to pin 1 on its own DB37 connector.

Ground wires will also be connected to same pin on the DB37. This would be the same process for all buttons on all panels. I hope that's made sense, sounds a bit confusing but ill attach a diagram if that would help explain.

The MALE DB37 connector will be permanently fixed inside the cab. all wires from the male DB37 would then be connected to an Ipac 2 which is also permanently fixed inside the cab. The Ipac will be the USB model which would connect directly to the motherboard.

I'm really not sure if this will work without any issues so that's why I'm asking you guys with far more experience than me to help me out.

Look forward to your thoughts, hope u didn't fall asleep whilst reading my idea!

Thanks :-)






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[yotsuya]

You should be good to go.

[Beaker]

Thanks for quick response yotsuya, have you tried this method or something similar?


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[PL1]

Don't you want the pinball buttons on the sides, or are you making boxes to swap out instead of flat panels?

** Bonus on using boxes: protection for the wiring when not installed.

Also consider L/R/up nudge buttons and a plunger/ball launch. (VP/FP default key = enter)

You should still be able to fit all of this in since Visual Pinball + Future Pinball overlap with a number of MAME keys.

VP/FP need considerably more GPU than MAME, especially for newer high-res tables.

Have you tried loading your favorite VP/FP tables and running them on your system yet?


Scott

[nick3092]

I've done something similar, as have others here who made modular panels.  I have individual swappable panels ranging from 2 to 8 inches wide, but went with RJ45 instead for anything going to my interface, since no individual panel has more than 7 inputs (and one ground).  I mounted RJ45 keystone jacks under the CP and wired them up to my interface.  Then cut a bunch of stranded RJ45 patch cables in half and wired them up to my controls on my panel.  I also used a powered hub for any USB controls.

Works fine.  Any connector will work for a swappable panel.  It just depends what you have readily available, and what suits your needs.

[Beaker]

PL1, good point about the actual panel. I should have explained it better. I'm going to make each panel as a box but the pinball buttons will be permanently attached to the side of the cab.

The CP box will either slide in or drop in to position with a slot cut out of the box to allow the pinball buttons to not be impeded. Think of a weecade with removable CP box. I'm not gona make a weecade design but that's to give u an idea. 

I probably will do the pinball buttons as you suggested, u seem to know your stuff regards pinball. I havent tried any software yet.


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[yotsuya]

I did mine similar to Nick3092, using network cables and jacks. Then I realized swappable panels wasn't the direction I wanted to go, so I rewired everything. Still, it worked.

[Beaker]

Nick3092, thanks for your reply. Do you find the RJ45 connections a bit flimsy?

by flimsy i mean the little plastic tab piece that tend to snap when inserted in and out of sockets. Drives me nuts when they snap but that's probably due to me being heavy handed!

I thought of DB connectors as there sturdy and shouldn't be affected to much with lots of connecting and disconnecting. Would you recommend the RJ45 idea?




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[Beaker]

Just had another thought!

How could I connect a pacLED64 using the swappable panel method. Preferably using just 1 pacLED64 board?

Is this a bit trickier?


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[PL1]

Haven't added up the number of conductors you need to make this work, but if you can't find a single connector with enough contacts, you could use one connector for the encoder and another for the pacLED64.

To keep from connecting them wrong, set it up similar to this:

Panel buttons------M  F-----Encoder
Panel LEDs---------F   M----pacLED64


Scott

[nick3092]

Nick3092, thanks for your reply. Do you find the RJ45 connections a bit flimsy?

by flimsy i mean the little plastic tab piece that tend to snap when inserted in and out of sockets. Drives me nuts when they snap but that's probably due to me being heavy handed!

I thought of DB connectors as there sturdy and shouldn't be affected to much with lots of connecting and disconnecting. Would you recommend the RJ45 idea?

I think in my entire life, I've only had like 2 tabs break off the end of an RJ45 connector, and none of them were on my arcade panels.  And usually they were on the verge of breaking before I ever touched them, so I blame other people.

[Beaker]

Good thinking there PL1, I like the idea. It would probably be a wise option to go down that route as the pl1 and pl2 buttons and admin buttons including grounds will take up a majority of the 37 pins or close to it.

There wouldn't be enough pins left to include all the led connections.

By doing that idea then would the pacLED64 keep its 'memory' even though its being connected and disconnected time and time again?

I'm currently making a diagram of the connection ideas and will post when done. thanks to everyone who's helping so far. Cheers.

[Beaker]

Nick9032 - I might look into your method also, try both methods and see what one I prefer. Cheers.