Steering Wheel Encoder and U-HID

[lamprey]

Hi,

I recently picked up a Championship Sprint CP with steering wheels. It needs some TLC to be sure, but I was trying to verify if the optical PCBs are any good. So, I tried hooking them to my U-HID and setting it up as a Quadrature Mouse device.

My assumption is that is the Pin out connector for the Optical PCB  is (X1) (Ground) (5V) (X2), like in this picture:
http://www.ultimarc.com/images/happboard.jpg

If I configure the Quadrature device to be a Button Pair I can see buttons occasionally being "pressed" on the game control config in Windows. Obviously, I don't want that, so when the Quadrature device is set to a axis (say X), does it function like a mouse? Meaning should I see the mouse move around the screen when I turn the wheel?

Based on the intermittent nature of the "button" presses I was seeing, I'm guessing the optical PCB is bad. I'll probably try direct wiring just to verify that the wiring harness doesn't have an issue. However, I wanted to make sure I'm looking for the right thing (a moving mouse cursor) in order to determine if the PCB is working.

Thanks!

[Paul Olson]

If you have it set up right, and set as quadrature, it will move your cursor in Windows on one axis, so you know it is working. +5v and ground are normally on the outside of the connector. xi and x2 on the inside.

[Paul Olson]

If you post a pic of the encoder board that lets me see the traces, I can tell you for sure.

[lamprey]

Thanks Paul,

These aren't mine, but if you look at the pics attached to this post, the right-most PCB looks like the Atari ones I have.

EDIT: I'll double verify when I get home that the traces are the same.

[lamprey]

Yeah, the PCBs that I have look just like these (right side):
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=114203.0;attach=172253

[Paul Olson]

That looks like the same board that was used in the 2.25" trackballs. I think the labelled connector you were working off of is backwards from this one. Looking at the front of the board, one of the inputs on the left, then 5v, then ground, then the other input. If the cursor on the screen moves in the wrong direction, just swap the input wires.

[lamprey]

I can't seem to get this working.. 

I couldn't prove that the PCBs were any good so I bought a replacement pair from TwistyWristArcade and I can't get those going either. I can prove that the U-HID works as I got my Star Wars yoke working and can prove that quadrature works with a trackball. But, when I try hooking to the Atari PCBs I get nothing. I doubled check my connections with a volt meter and I can see that all the way rom the U-HID to the PCB is connected without interruption.

I also made a half-hearted attempt to hook these to an opti-pak and no dice either. I'm feeling rather silly here, so if anyone has any other advice or has hooked this type of Atari PCB to a U-HID and can assist in anyway, I'd appreciate it.

Thanks!

[PL1]

Have you used a cell phone/digital camera to check if the IR LED part of the optical circuit is working?


Scott

[lamprey]

Have you used a cell phone/digital camera to check if the IR LED part of the optical circuit is working?

Dang, I wish I knew you could do that earlier. I just checked all 4 of the PCBs with a digital camera and they are all show a couple of glowing dots when powered up.

[PL1]

Good news -- Looks like you're 1/2 way there.   

Check the voltage on one of the data lines.

When you slowly turn the encoder wheel, does the voltage vary between high and low?

If it does (and you have a second multimeter), when you slowly turn the encoder wheel, do the two data lines alternate changing states between high and low?  (phase 1 to phase 2 B changes, 2 to 3 A changes, 3 to 4 B changes, 4 to 1 A changes )



Coding for clockwise rotation
Phase   A     B
1         0      0
2         0      1
3         1      1
4         1      0
   
Coding for counter-clockwise rotation
Phase   A     B
1         1      0
2         1      1
3         0      1
4         0      0

The only other thing that comes to mind is whether the boards you are using are "active low" (most common configuration) or "active high".   


Scott

[Paul Olson]

You can configure the optipac for active hi or active lo. Try it at both settings. I can never remember which one the U-HID supports, but the optipac can use both. I have an optipac because I have 4 devices not supported on the U-HID.

[AndyWarne]

You can configure the optipac for active hi or active lo. Try it at both settings. I can never remember which one the U-HID supports, but the optipac can use both. I have an optipac because I have 4 devices not supported on the U-HID.

The inputs on the U-HID are pulled up so the input device needs to actively pull low or float, as almost all do.

[lamprey]

I've been sick the last few days so I haven't had a check to check things out. I had some time tonight, so I played around some more. It appears that all the PCB's are working now. I was able to get the mouse moving using the Opti-pac set to Active High. Unfortunately, I can't seem to get the U-HID working with these PCBs.

At any rate, the assistance is much appreciated! I'm glad to have things actually functioning.