Microswitch buttons - yuck!

[Oldskool]

I've just made a mock-up of my final board, and installed the joysticks and buttons.

Microswitch buttons do indeed bite large when it comes to some games. Firing rapidly in Asteroids is a disaster.

Ugh.

I'm off to buy leaf switch buttons now.....

[spidermonkey]

Yep they just ain't right for old games. Man with a name like "Oldskool"  I would have thought that you would have used leaf switch controls right off the bat. The leaf switch buttons do demand more space under your control panel but its worth it to make the room for them.  

[Oldskool]

Initially, I thought they'd be fine, but in Asteroids, when using the thrust button AND trying to rapid fire, it's a disaster.

I'm not even going to try Track and Field!

[JamesS]

Where do you get leaf buttons, how much are they, and how much bigger are they?

[Oldskool]

Where do you get leaf buttons, how much are they, and how much bigger are they?

I'm going to order from Bob Roberts.

As far as their size goes (diameter, length), I have no idea. He does sell long and short buttons I believe.

[Stingray]

They take up exactly the same space on the top of the control panel (same diameter), they just take up more underneath, since the leafs sitick out about an inch and half or so. I prefer microswitch buttons myself.

-S

[JamesS]

Ah ok.

Well I already have a good bit of Micro switch buttons.  I will try those out and see how things work.

Hoping to get my control Panel finished this weekend.  And maybe the monitor shelf as well.

[spidermonkey]

http://www.centsibleamusements.com/subcatmfgprod.asp?0=217&1=225&2=-1&6=1 This is where I got my buttons. I got the transparent colored leaf switch style but they now have translucent microswitch buttons too. Notice that the microswitch ones are TRANSLUCENT and the leaf switch ones are TRANSPARENT. I'm not sure but I would guess that the transparent leaf buttons allow more light to shine through when backlit. From the looks of the translucent microswitch buttons I'm sure they would probably light up ok though. I backlit mine with two 18" flourecent light fixtures instead of trying to mount a led or bulb next to each and every button. These buttons look sweet when lit up.  Oh, and one more thing, the microswitch versions only come with a convex style button instead of the classic concave style buttons. However some of the newer fighters came with the convex style buttons but I was long gone out of the arcades when those came out so they just don't feel right to me. Some of the younger BYOACer's around here do prefer the newer style buttons. I guess it just depends on what type you grew up with.

[SNAAAKE]

Did you try happs comp/convex buttons ?
They are great,very light.

Way better then leaf switchs imo.Give it a try  

[hulkster]

Initially, I thought they'd be fine, but in Asteroids, when using the thrust button AND trying to rapid fire, it's a disaster.

I'm not even going to try Track and Field!

maybe you got some bad buttons or something, cuz i have microswitch buttons from happs and have had no problem playing track and field.  i played several times with a friend in one sitting and had no problems....except for tired arms and hands

[Oldskool]

maybe you got some bad buttons or something, cuz i have microswitch buttons from happs and have had no problem playing track and field.  

Perhaps Track and Field was a bad example.

In Asteroids, when you're trying to work four buttons at once, I find it difficult to get that good old rapid fire finger going while "thrusting" at the same time.

Another example is Defender.  Peeling off a flurry of shots isn't nearly as easy with microswitch buttons as it used to be with leaf switch buttons.

[CthulhuLuke]

Are your buttons vertical or horizontal?  They have a COMPLETELY different feel, verticals are hellllla stiff and hard on your fingers, and horizontals are suuuper easy and light on your fingers, and feel great for any old school or new school game.  I can prove that because I've played through Guwange with them, and the only thing that hurt was my eyes from watching the bullets flying at me.

maybe you got some bad buttons or something, cuz i have microswitch buttons from happs and have had no problem playing track and field.  

Perhaps Track and Field was a bad example.

In Asteroids, when you're trying to work four buttons at once, I find it difficult to get that good old rapid fire finger going while "thrusting" at the same time.

Another example is Defender.  Peeling off a flurry of shots isn't nearly as easy with microswitch buttons as it used to be with leaf switch buttons.

[Oldskool]

I do have the horizontal mount micros.

Oh well, different strokes.......

[GroovyTuesdaY]

How exactly do the LEAF buttons "feel" different then the micros?
The end result is the same as far as shooting in asteroids would go i would think.  SHOOT SHOOT SHOOT lol. j/k HEHE
Seriously though, what is it specifically that feels different?

G~

[Minwah]

Personally I prefer (horiz) microswitch buttons.  I like to be able to hear when I've pressed the button for some reason!  I think probably more games had microswitches than leafs when I was a kid...

[Ravant]

I've got a quick question. Are the 'momentary contact pushbuttons' from Happ Controls similar to leaf switch buttons? I'm debating weather or not I should get their horozontal microswitch pushbuttons or these. http://www.happcontrols.com/pushbuttons/601200xx.htm there is a direct link to the momentary contact pushbuttons.

[paigeoliver]

Momentary contact buttons are a no go for control panels. You press the button and it fires once. It does not stay "held down" even if you are holding it down.

[Pipercub]

On my first newbie not knowing better attempt I ordered the verticle micros and they felt terrible and only worked part of the time. You can press the button all the way down without activating the switch. I trashed those and got the horizontal micros and they  feel and work great. My experiences with leaf switch joysticks were not all good, whereas the micros always worked. I have a few leaf buttons in my dedicated games and they work fine, but for mame, horizontal micros is my choice.

[JustMichael]

Momentary contact buttons are a no go for control panels. You press the button and it fires once. It does not stay "held down" even if you are holding it down.

Momentary pushbuttons only make contact when they are being pressed.  You determine how long the "moment" lasts by how long you press the button.  When you let go of the button, it quits making contact until pressed again.

Toggle pushbuttons turn on with a press and stay on until you press it again to turn it off.

[paigeoliver]

Oh, then what is the name of the ones that do what I described above?

[Oldskool]

Yeeesh, now I'm confused.

If I want to add remote start buttons for my PC and monitor, which of the following two buttons should I use?

- Closed as long as you're pressing the button

- Closed only briefly when the button is pressed

I intenionally did not use the word "moment"

[Brad Lee]

Yeeesh, now I'm confused.

If I want to add remote start buttons for my PC and monitor, which of the following two buttons should I use?

- Closed as long as you're pressing the button

- Closed only briefly when the button is pressed

I intenionally did not use the word "moment"

For the PC, this depends on what type of motherboard/power supply you have.

MOST anything current is ATX standard. THese use a pushbutton like what you would have on your CP(the 1st type above). Push the button, it sends a signal to the mobo, power comes on. Push it again, it sends another signal and power goes out

AT standard uses a button that pushes in and 'latches', maintaining contact. When you push it again and unlatch it, the circuit is opened and power is lost.