I'm Quite Chuffed...

[yotsuya]

Did my first keyboard encoder hack today (slow day at work). It. Was. AWESOME.

[drventure]

 

I'd like to try that one of these days

[yotsuya]

I used a wire and the Keyhook program on the Utilities page.

[TopJimmyCooks]

better to chuff than chunder I always say. 

[ChadTower]

Shut the chuff up, Jimmy! 

[yotsuya]

How funny- I've popped open 3 identical HP keyboards, and all three of them have different encoders inside, even though externally they're clones.

[dgame]

Man, you guys are retro . . .

[yotsuya]

It was quite exhilirating, really. It's like the first time I messed with an actual arcade monitor. I'm one of those that started in this hobby thinking he was going to use a Tankstick, so every little new thing I've learned has been a blast.

[Louis Tully]

.

[yotsuya]

Makes sense, too. I need my jukebox to recognize the 'Esc' keypress and the '5' keypress. That's it. With my handy map that I made, now I can do that!

[05SRT4]

It was quite exhilirating, really. It's like the first time I messed with an actual arcade monitor. I'm one of those that started in this hobby thinking he was going to use a Tankstick, so every little new thing I've learned has been a blast.

Right there with you on that 100%. 

+1 more with the same thoughts.

[ark_ader]

I'm disappointed that you are doing a task that would better be served by an encoder like KADE, which would bring revenue to those who bring innovation to this hobby.

[05SRT4]

I'm disappointed that you are doing a task that would better be served by an encoder like KADE, which would bring revenue to those who bring innovation to this hobby.

Hey yotsuya, how much for a hacked keyboard encoder?

[degenatrons]

I'm disappointed that you are doing a task that would better be served by an encoder like KADE, which would bring revenue to those who bring innovation to this hobby.

Hacking keyboards is an interesting challenge for those that want to take it on and a good way to learn some basic electronics.  I hacked a few when i got started out in this hobby and they worked well.  Had some trouble with blocking on my first attempts but that was my own fault because I didn't test all the combos before doing the hack.  I learned and got a bit smarter using a scan of the keyboard membrane and color-coding all the traces using photoshop - to limit the number of conflicts.  To do it properly took me a long time and was very frustrating.  These frustrations motivated me to learn about AVR's and to come up with easier solutions.  No reason why folks shouldn't continue to hack keyboards if they have the time and the inclination to do so.

[yotsuya]

Thanks, Degenatrons! I've always read about keyboard hacks, but in this day and age of quality encoders, I obviously never had to do one. This was a special case, though: my touchscreen jukebox project (which is 98% done) needed two keystrokes: ESC to exit the jukebox program, and 5 for credit. I ended up getting a Xin-Mo to handle those keypress functions because the jukebox program can handle joystick commands, but the program I am using to output music videos doesn't play nicely with joysticks, so I would absolutely NEED an ESC command to exit back to the main menu. Yeah, I know, I could either run JoyToKey or make an AHK script to do that, but I wanted to try something that ran natively and quickly, without adding another potential issue. I want users to be able to go to the juke, pick a song, push the big lit blue button to exit back to the menu, rinse and repeat. I don't need any failures along those points.

It just didn't make sense to me to pay full-price for an encoder for 2 keypresses, so I took the plunge with a broken keyboard. Took me 30-40 minutes to completely map out the matrix. When I go home, I had to scrape off the protective coat on the contacts in order to solder wires directly to the PCB. I reinforced the solder points with hot glue, then I connected the wires to two separate Molex connectors after I tested to make sure they still worked (they did!). I then hacked my internal wiring to the menu and credit buttons, taking off the Xin-Mo connector and putting on the appropriate Molex to interface with the keyboard PCB. Closed everything up, ran some tests, and everything is working exactly as it should!    I'm thrilled because I finally did a keyboard hack!!! Having said that, if I were wiring up a control panel, there's no way I would do a keyboard hack for that! For two buttons, yes. For 20+, hell no. 


TL,DR version: Piss off, Ark. It worked.

[Hoopz]

TL,DR version: Piss off, Ark. It worked.

Good job on the hack.  And thanks for the post summary.   

[ark_ader]

Makes more sense to spring $20 than to burn your fingers.

Keyboards hacks are not always a perfect solution.

[yotsuya]

Makes more sense to spring $20 than to burn your fingers.

It cost me zero dollars and no burned fingers.

Keyboards hacks are not always a perfect solution.

In this case, it was the PERFECT solution.

[DillonFoulds]

Burnt fingers? That's cute. Not exactly a concern...

[CoryBee]

Burnt fingers? That's cute. Not exactly a concern...

Ooo fancy pants SMD soldering. Well good sir, you aren't the only one with such skills!

GOOD DAY!

[emphatic]

It was quite exhilirating, really. It's like the first time I messed with an actual arcade monitor. I'm one of those that started in this hobby thinking he was going to use a Tankstick, so every little new thing I've learned has been a blast.

Right there with you on that 100%. 

+1

[yotsuya]

Oh man..... September is turning out to be the chuffediest month in the history of me being a collector.

[Vigo]

What's keeping you Chuffed this fine evening, brother?

I have to say, I have been chuffed myself as well, I have been doing a tube swap from an old tv and whether or not it will work doesn't matter so much. It has been positively exhilarating simply learning something new that was once considered daunting.

[yotsuya]

What's keeping you Chuffed this fine evening, brother?

This month - ---steaming pile of meadow muffin---, these 11 days, I have...

1. Finished a JAMMA cab for a friend of my wife's...
2. Almost completed a build as a birthday present for my best friend (with the awesome HaRuMaN's help)...
3. Completed my jukebox build that was two years in the making...
4. Almost finished a project Nephasth has been helping me with (I promised him I'd make a thread when it's done)...
and tonight, I picked up an empty cabinet that I have wanted for soooooooooooooo long...

Quite, quite chuffed indeed.

[05SRT4]

You sir are on fire!!

[yotsuya]

I'm especially proud of the juke because I built it all by hand, and the Neph project because it's pretty awesome.

[yotsuya]

Oh, here's a sneak peek at what I picked up tonight...

[Vigo]

  Wow, dude you were not exaggerating one bit.  That is indeed a lot of chuff inducing goodness. I await the Neph magical mystery thread with anticipation.

I don't think I will ever guess what cab you picked up.    I look forward to see what you do with it.

[yotsuya]

Funny thing is, I wasn't even looking for the cabinet. I was picking up a coin door for my friend's project at a local collector's house, The guy was just showing me some extra cabinets he had; I saw this one, asked him how much, & next thing I knew, we were loading it in my vehicle.

[Nephasth]

4. Almost finished a project Nephasth has been helping me with (I promised him I'd make a thread when it's done)...

I didn't help you, you built that all on your own!

[ChadTower]

He's a big boy now!

[Vigo]

[yotsuya]

4. Almost finished a project Nephasth has been helping me with (I promised him I'd make a thread when it's done)...

I didn't help you, you built that all on your own!

You hooked me up with the components, feedback and guidance. I'd say that's help!

[rpgposer]

Funny thing is, I wasn't even looking for the cabinet. I was picking up a coin door for my friend's project at a local collector's house, The guy was just showing me some extra cabinets he had; I saw this one, asked him how much, & next thing I knew, we were loading it in my vehicle.

And your wallet was empty...

[yotsuya]

I had enough, that's all that matters. 

[yotsuya]

Another weekend of firsts- I necked my first tube tonight.

[Vigo]

[yotsuya]

Yep. 21 inch CRT monitor I had been saving for two years JUST for a Star Wars project. $5 down the drain. 

[TopJimmyCooks]

stay strong bro.

[Le Chuck]

I came here for two porpoises. 

1) Yay!  The SW begins in earnest now right?!
B) You told ark to piss off.  heh, chuckle snort

[yotsuya]

Chuck-

Yep, thanks for the encouragement, bro.


TJC-

I had heard that the sound of a necked monitor was pretty distinctive. Now I know it's the saddest sound in the arcade world.

[ChadTower]

I had heard that the sound of a necked monitor was pretty distinctive. Now I know it's the saddest sound in the arcade world.

The saddest sound I've ever heard in this hobby was dropping a Twilight Zone on its front corner and hearing the cabinet crack.   

[Rick]

I had heard that the sound of a necked monitor was pretty distinctive. Now I know it's the saddest sound in the arcade world.

I like to imagine it sounds like when Po accidentally releases the warrior souls in Kung-Fu Panda.

[TopJimmyCooks]

I had heard that the sound of a necked monitor was pretty distinctive. Now I know it's the saddest sound in the arcade world.

The saddest sound I've ever heard in this hobby was dropping a Twilight Zone on its front corner and hearing the cabinet crack.   

Repairable and restorable. 

Another weekend of firsts- I necked my first tube tonight.

not repairable. 

 
Both bad.

[yotsuya]

It's OK, I've had quite the Chufftember. I'm delivering a HaRuMaN cocktail kit special to my best friend for his birthday on Friday. It's a surprise, so that will make it so much cooler.

[ChadTower]

Repairable and restorable. 

not repairable. 

Both bad.

While both are true...

...one is an object worth a couple hundred bucks.  The other several thousand.   

[yotsuya]

It's a Chufftember miracle....

[yotsuya]

Did another keyboard hack today. I have a project that just needs one key press. Still mapped out the whole matrix anyways. Why? Because I can.

[TopJimmyCooks]

chufftacular!

[Rick]

Chufftastic!

[05SRT4]

Why? Because I can.

 

[yotsuya]

Chufftember 2013 continues... I finally built a stand for my change machine. Just need to paint it, but the wood is all done. I also finished my keychain holder for all my projects.

I also caught the tip of my finger on the edge of my table saw. The blood sacrifice for this awesome Chufftember has been paid.

Me (at saw): Owwwwwwww!!
Runs inside, bleeding
Daughter (playing Minecraft): Did you cut off your finger?
Me: (running water over finger in sink) NO!
Daughter: Good. (goes back to playing Minecraft)

[TopJimmyCooks]

At least your daughter is not playing online multiplayer minecraft on servers that emulate either A: some b movie prison scenario or B: the hunger games, while repeatedly griefing her younger brother (playing on the same server), like my 10yo son is. 

I think I'd rather cut my finger off. 

[yotsuya]

Yeah, the only time my daughter plays multiplayer Minecraft is when I sit down and play it with her.

I have one more big project to finish by this weekend, and then Chufftember should be complete.

[yotsuya]

Friday night, wife is out of town, a Richard Marx video is playing on my jukebox right now, and I have a date with this lady. Chufftember keeps on giving.

[Rick]

Friday night, wife is out of town, a Richard Marx video is playing on my jukebox right now, and I have a date with this lady. Chufftember keeps on giving.

How do you play Star Wars with only one hand?

[yotsuya]

Very carefully, my friend. Very carefully.

[Slippyblade]

This whole thread is epic.  Made me laugh at work and for that, you all get extra points.

My daughter LOVES the Hunger Games themed minecraft servers.  She's a huge fan of lava traps.

[yotsuya]

And on the last weekend of this blessed Chufftember, I spent my day turning this into this:

[Rick]

And on the last weekend of this blessed Chufftember, I spent my day turning this into this:

Omg. Is that ... MISSILE COMMAND??!

[yotsuya]

And on the last weekend of this blessed Chufftember, I spent my day turning this into this:

Omg. Is that ... MISSILE COMMAND??!

Oh   yeah! The wife is still out of town, so tonight, I'm going to have a 3-way.

[rpgposer]

Send some Chuff my way, plz...
Looking forward to http://www.theyorkshow.com/ in less than two weeks.  Maybe I'll find a pair of LS-30's there.

[Rick]

The wife is still out of town, so tonight, I'm going to have a 3-way.

Saved for posterity.

[yotsuya]

OK, so today being the last day of Chufftember, I'd like to share what made the month so great:

First keyboard hack (have since done another one)
Necked my first monitor (Pssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssstttttttttttttt!!!)
First application of full-size side art (one side went on beautifully, the other size  )
Finished a JAMMA cab restore for a friend (which he loved)
Finished my wall-mount touchscreen jukebox with video capability (two years in the making, but I love it- I've run it for hours almost every day. My first ever scratch-build and favorite by far)
Finished restoring my Missile Command (new glass, side art, trackball coin door parts, paint, the works - thanks ChickenMcNobody)
Finished my JAMMA test rig (thanks, Neph - thread coming soon)
Built a pedistal for my change machine (complete with LED Lighting)
Built a bigger keyholder (went from holding 8 to 14 keys)
Gave a MAME cabinet to one of my daughters (had to haul it up a flight of stairs - much fun!)
Put together a HaRuMaN cocktail kit for my best friend's birthday (he was also quite chuffed by it as well)
Obtained a Star Wars cab and used the parts I had collected over the past year and a half to get her running (thanks, LeChuck)

And today, the cherry on top, I'm picking up my own cocktail kit from HaRuMaN. It'll be my 11th machine. I'm going to take my time with this one.

Chufftember 2013 has been awesome. Anyone else have a good month? Looking forward to planning stuff to do for Chufftember 2014!

[Vigo]

Nice Chufftember haul! Quite a speed run you made there. Here is to a happy Chufftober! 

And on the last weekend of this blessed Chufftember, I spent my day turning this into this:

Omg. Is that ... MISSILE COMMAND??!

[yotsuya]

Nice Chufftember haul! Quite a speed run you made there. Here is to a happy Chufftober! 

Thanks, my brother. I had originally planned to do this during the summer, but my gall bladder removal surgery made it impossible. Once I finished the JAMMA cab, everything else fell into place quickly.

[yotsuya]

Spent some time today tearing down a pair of Midway coin doors that I'm going to give the refurb treatment to. Looks like Chufftember has bled into Chufftober after all! I'm on Fall Break for a week, so let's see what I can get done!

[CoryBee]

 

I just restored an old coin door for a project yesterday. Was a fun learning experience, suppose I could have looked up tutorial and how everything works but I prefer to teach myself by looking at each individual part and "figuring" it out.

[yotsuya]

CB-

 

I got two Midway coin doors in a deal when I only needed one, but I'm refurbing both. Anyone need one? All new coin inserts, paint job, polished silver and Midway plate. PM me if interested.

I also found some items to use as Game Room décor to go by my jukebox. Any guesses?

[CoryBee]

CB-

 

I got two Midway coin doors in a deal when I only needed one, but I'm refurbing both. Anyone need one? All new coin inserts, paint job, polished silver and Midway plate. PM me if interested.

I also found some items to use as Game Room décor to go by my jukebox. Any guesses?

A coin door would be a nice addition as room decor wouldn't it? Clean it up and put it somewhere or install it in the wall. Bonus points if you made it so when you put a quarter in it it played some sounds or dimmed the lights or something silly.

Post Script: Only got 3 hours of sleep....

[yotsuya]

Here's what I found. Some of your grandparents might have mentioned these things to you...

[Rick]

Here's what I found. Some of your grandparents might have mentioned these things to you...

Do you come from a land down under?

[yotsuya]

Here's what I found. Some of your grandparents might have mentioned these things to you...

Do you come from a land down under?

Well, my great-grandparents came from Mexico, and that's down under America on the map...

[Rick]

Well, my great-grandparents came from Mexico, and that's down under America on the map...

I wouldn't be too upset. I think Haruman told me Canada was "America's Hat" in the recent past.

[yotsuya]

This one's for you, Rick:

[Rick]

This one's for you, Rick

Now, I know I know that guy on the right from somewhere... ...maybe a bathroom stall or some such...

[rpgposer]

I saw the guy on the left.

[HaRuMaN]

Well, my great-grandparents came from Mexico, and that's down under America on the map...

I wouldn't be too upset. I think Haruman told me Canada was "America's Hat" in the recent past.

I think I ripped off Robin Williams and said Canada was like a loft apartment over a great party...  "Keep it down, eh?"

[yotsuya]

I ---smurfing--- love you, Chufftober!



Midway coin door I refurbed for my HaRuMaNCustoms.com cocktail...







I have a second door I gave the same treatment to, if anyone's interested in one.

[Rick]

Sweet work, sir. That all looks near-authentic!

[yotsuya]

Thanks, Rick.

This is what I started with:

[CoryBee]

I like the theme of this thread

 

[yotsuya]

Guess which ---Bad words, bad words, whatcha gonna do? Whatcha gonna do when saint censors you?--- is quite chuffed tonight? This one! 

[Rick]

Guess which ---Bad words, bad words, whatcha gonna do? Whatcha gonna do when saint censors you?--- is quite chuffed tonight? This one! 

And why?

[yotsuya]

Ha! Thanks for the reminder, Rick!

This ---Bad words, bad words, whatcha gonna do? Whatcha gonna do when saint censors you?--- be quite chuffed because his Centipede is now a real boy!

Lemme explain...

Last year a local collector gave me a Centipede cabinet that needed a TON of repair. The top was shredding, the bottoms were just as bad, and the front part where the control panel goes was busted off. Through care and tiny bit of love, I rebuilt and restored the cabinet. I got a Centipede panel with trackball to replace the Swiss cheese one it came with (which a year later went towards Macross - these cabs are intertwined, as you will see), obtained an WG monitor, wired it up for JAMMA, got a Centipede board and a JAMMA adapter, and lo and behold, I had a Centipede!

That frizzed out in December... 

Part of me wasn't happy doing the JAMMA thing. Sure, it worked, but it just never worked EXACTLY like a Centipede should. The LEDs, for one, never worked the way they were supposed to. I like the little touches to work on the games I love. Plus, my board started to freak the freak out.

So, come this February, I bought a similar condition Centipede for $50 to turn into Macross. The guy threw in the internals, which included the Atari Power Brick, an AR-II, and the wiring harness. I put those aside as I worked on Macross, and now that it's just about done, I got to tinkering with Centipede. I picked up a working Centipede board on KLOV from a great user there, this this weekend I took out all the JAMMA stuff from Centipede and wired in all the stuff I got from Macross. Once I was done, I had an untested setup.

I had to wait for some fuses to come in for the power brick, and they showed up yesterday. I installed my graphical glitchy board because it works and that way I knew I could at least test the components. Fired it up, and all looked well! I put in my good board.... and now I'm one chuffed mofo. I have a real Centipede now. 

Tonight I'm building the control panel harness, but that ---steaming pile of meadow muffin---'s fun for me. So, all in all, it's been good so far.

[Rick]

Tonight I'm building the control panel harness, but that ---steaming pile of meadow muffin---'s fun for me. So, all in all, it's been good so far.

Noice.

[yotsuya]

Tonight I'm building the control panel harness, but that ---steaming pile of meadow muffin---'s fun for me. So, all in all, it's been good so far.

Noice.

Just finished the control panel wiring. All finished! Just waiting for a coin door part from Bob Roberts so I can build the coin harness, but the game is on free play and totally playable. 

[ark_ader]

Tonight I'm building the control panel harness, but that ---steaming pile of meadow muffin---'s fun for me. So, all in all, it's been good so far.

Noice.

Just finished the control panel wiring. All finished! Just waiting for a coin door part from Bob Roberts so I can build the coin harness, but the game is on free play and totally playable. 

Which keyboard are you going to hack next when your centipede board takes a dive? 

[yotsuya]

Which keyboard are you going to hack next when your centipede board takes a dive? 

Your momma's.

[Rick]

[ark_ader]

Which keyboard are you going to hack next when your centipede board takes a dive? 

Your momma's.

O I ?   

[yotsuya]

OK, the Bob Roberts order came in, the door harness has been constructed... and she lives! Very proud of this restoration, considering where the cab was when I got it. 

Now just waiting on some control panel parts to finalize Macross... ZapCon is next week!