Not a gamer, Just want to push buttons!

[WannabeJoy]

Hello! This is my first post. I've never built any game centers before and I am hoping that someone can help me sort through the verbiage to understand what it is that I need (parts wise) to accomplish my one and only goal. I've been sifting through the FAQ and whatnot but a lot of the links aren't working and I'm feeling a bit in over my head. My end goal is a "control panel" like the emotions have in the Disney/Pixar movie "Inside Out". My kids love pushing buttons/levers/joy sticks so I'm aiming to build them something with buttons and whatnot where some light up and some make sounds. I see that I can buy button and wiring kits on amazon and I'm fairly certain that I can figure out how to hook those up to light up (youtube, yay!) but what I'm uncertain about is what all I need to get sound connected. Can anyone help me with what might be the easiest, least techy, method of making some of the buttons make sounds instead of just lighting up or doing nothing? No screen/video will be a part of this project. Just a panel with buttons and joy sticks. Thank you!

[yotsuya]

That's certainly different. What an interesting project! Good luck with your project. Keep us updated, I'm truly interested to see what you come up with.

[Nephasth]

I am hoping that someone can help me sort through the verbiage to understand what it is that I need (parts wise) to accomplish my one and only goal.

You're in luck! A Kanedian is planning on making an hour long video discussing arcade terminology! Should be out any day now!

...or you know, you could read up on project threads and do your homework.

Obvious troll account. IP check is in order.

[PL1]

Welcome aboard, WannabeJoy.   

Sounds like you were looking through the old FAQ.

You may want to look through the updated version in the wiki.

Unfortunately the wiki is still down from the server migration, but the Internet Wayback Machine has a recent copy of the updated FAQ.

https://web.archive.org/web/20160809113045/http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=FAQ

Based on how you describe the project, it seems like you could:

 1. Find a bunch of sound clips like the ones here.

 2. Load them into a Linux "soundboard" app like this one.

 3. Run the app on a Raspberry Pi board -- autolaunch the app on bootup and set the SD card to read only so you can safely pull the plug (or battery power?) without doing a shutdown command.

 4. The app plays the related clip when you send a keystroke using arcade buttons or joystick microswitches wired to either a keyboard-style encoder like the IPac or KADE (the easy way) or use the GPIO pins on the Pi. (more tricky, but there's probably code out there for this  )

Disclaimer: I'm not familiar with how to do all of this with the Pi, but we do have a dedicated sub-forum here.


Scott

[WannabeJoy]

Welcome aboard, WannabeJoy.   

Sounds like you were looking through the old FAQ.

You may want to look through the updated version in the wiki.

Unfortunately the wiki is still down from the server migration, but the Internet Wayback Machine has a recent copy of the updated FAQ.

https://web.archive.org/web/20160809113045/http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=FAQ

Based on how you describe the project, it seems like you could:

 1. Find a bunch of sound clips like the ones here.

 2. Load them into a Linux "soundboard" app like this one.

 3. Run the app on a Raspberry Pi board -- autolaunch the app on bootup and set the SD card to read only so you can safely pull the plug (or battery power?) without doing a shutdown command.

 4. The app plays the related clip when you send a keystroke using arcade buttons or joystick microswitches wired to either a keyboard-style encoder like the IPac or KADE (the easy way) or use the GPIO pins on the Pi. (more tricky, but there's probably code out there for this  )

Disclaimer: I'm not familiar with how to do all of this with the Pi, but we do have a dedicated sub-forum here.


Scott

----------------------------
Thanks for the help, Scott! I'd been going down the rabbit hole of Raspberry PI and now you've just encouraged me to do that even more. I hadn't even thought to pull sound bites like the ones you found. Thanks for the link to the old Wiki too! This really helps. I appreciate you taking me seriously. For someone without a lot of computing time learning new technology like this is certainly a big project. My 3 kids appreciate and time saving hints you can spare!

[WannabeJoy]

That's certainly different. What an interesting project! Good luck with your project. Keep us updated, I'm truly interested to see what you come up with.

Will do!

[keilmillerjr]

I havent seen the movie, but heres my take. Use a kaimana mini for led control, ano ipac key encoder, and a raspberry pi to play audio. You can use led joysticks and buttons, and try to find some industrial fuse box power cut levers and solder your connections to it.

[Laythe]

Depending on how elaborate you do (or do not) want to get... the easiest way might be to de-case and hack up something like
https://www.amazon.com/oob-60-1139-Effects-Machine/dp/B0053PH316 under your control panel.  Those buttons are probably membrane switches, and you could probably solder arcade button wires to the traces on either side of them.

It really depends on your desired scale of project, I think.  If you are looking to make something elaborate and of higher quality, I intend no offense suggesting this cheap hack of an approach - some people are looking for a fancy drill press, some people just wanted a hole by the most expedient means, and the appropriate solution for one will make the other unhappy.

Interesting project!

[ed12]

if u are going to jump down the pie hole as u say ?
welcome aboard and look in here >Raspberry Pi & Dev Board<
90% of what u want to do is there and or the links u need

ed

[PL1]

I found EXACTLY what you described, WannabeJoy.   

Adafuit makes several no programming sound FX boards.
https://www.adafruit.com/search?q=audio+FX

These two look rather promising.

Adafruit Audio FX Sound Board - WAV/OGG Trigger with 16MB Flash - here


Adafruit Audio FX Sound Board - WAV/OGG Trigger with 2MB Flash - here


The boards have momentary/looping/latching/random/sequential playback options set by filename.  Brilliant!   

How complicated is it to wire it up with 10 buttons, an on/off switch, a battery pack and speaker?



- - - - - -
You can also print custom pushbutton inserts like these on Avery 18665 inkjet labels for LED pushbutons.




Scott

[GSXRMovistar]

Take a look at this:- http://makezine.com/projects/mission-control-desk/

There's a number of control desk builds like this around on the web.

[Malenko]

maybe Im under thinking it, but why not just buy a child's toy that makes noises with buttons and just solder arcade buttons to the contacts? Most toys of that nature are battery operated so they could take it into the car and things like that.

[BigCurtis]

You do have a very interesting project going there for sure. I will say that if you go any of the routes involving the Raspberry Pi, or other more robust computing solutions, when you/your kids do decide they want to play a few games, the bulk of the work will already be done... and an HDMI cable from the Pi will connect to any* TV you allocate for its use.

There are a goodly number of "arcade pedestal" projects which are close cousins to what it sounds like you're after.

*provided it is new enough to have HDMI inputs.

EDIT: Just got back from the science museum with the kiddo, amazing how many of the displays there had pedestals with buttons that either lit something up or play a sound/video. Buttons were of the convex asiatic styling, many lit up.

[Titchgamer]

maybe Im under thinking it, but why not just buy a child's toy that makes noises with buttons and just solder arcade buttons to the contacts? Most toys of that nature are battery operated so they could take it into the car and things like that.

I was thinking this also.
Seems the cheapest and easiest route.

[WannabeJoy]

Take a look at this:- http://makezine.com/projects/mission-control-desk/

There's a number of control desk builds like this around on the web.

That is the coolest desk ever! Thanks for the link. it's inspiring!

[WannabeJoy]

I found EXACTLY what you described, WannabeJoy.   

Adafuit makes several no programming sound FX boards.
https://www.adafruit.com/search?q=audio+FX

These two look rather promising.

Adafruit Audio FX Sound Board - WAV/OGG Trigger with 16MB Flash - here


Adafruit Audio FX Sound Board - WAV/OGG Trigger with 2MB Flash - here


The boards have momentary/looping/latching/random/sequential playback options set by filename.  Brilliant!   

How complicated is it to wire it up with 10 buttons, an on/off switch, a battery pack and speaker?

----

THIS IS AMAZING! Thank you!

[PL1]

One other part that might come in handy is a Neutrik "NAUSB-W-B" feedthru -- lots of vendors including Allied Electronics and Mouser carry them.



It is easy to reverse the center barrel for an easy battery recharging connection.




Scott

[WannabeJoy]

You do have a very interesting project going there for sure. I will say that if you go any of the routes involving the Raspberry Pi, or other more robust computing solutions, when you/your kids do decide they want to play a few games, the bulk of the work will already be done... and an HDMI cable from the Pi will connect to any* TV you allocate for its use.

There are a goodly number of "arcade pedestal" projects which are close cousins to what it sounds like you're after.

*provided it is new enough to have HDMI inputs.

EDIT: Just got back from the science museum with the kiddo, amazing how many of the displays there had pedestals with buttons that either lit something up or play a sound/video. Buttons were of the convex asiatic styling, many lit up.

Arcade pedestal - thank you! That's the sort of thing I need. If I don't know what to call it I have a hard time googling it. And yes, our Children's Museum memberships go to great use where button pushing displays are concerned. I can't wait to have one in my house! I feel like I'm getting closer.

[Slippyblade]

Take a look at this:- http://makezine.com/projects/mission-control-desk/

There's a number of control desk builds like this around on the web.

I was just looking that one up to post to the OP.  Did you see the mission capsule the guy built that interfaces with the desk?

http://makezine.com/2014/06/26/making-fun-kids-room-spacecraft/

[thomas_surles]

Take a look at this:- http://makezine.com/projects/mission-control-desk/

There's a number of control desk builds like this around on the web.

I was just looking that one up to post to the OP.  Did you see the mission capsule the guy built that interfaces with the desk?

http://makezine.com/2014/06/26/making-fun-kids-room-spacecraft/

I was trying to find the capsule one but forgot what it was so I didn't know what to search for.

[Locke141]

For a simple to make, modify, and update build I would just get an old PC, keyboard encoder, and a program called sound plant.

Soundplant is great. I found it when the school play at my old job fell behind schedule and the art department sent an all staff email asking for any technical assistance. It's a very simple to use sound board where you drag and drop sound files (lots of formats are supported) onto individual keys on screen. Your keyboard then becomes  the sound board. You can get the full version for a free trial and I think it will only lose fetchers I don't think you'll need after that.

All you would need is an old windows PC that you can probably get for free. A set of old computer speakers(also probably free), and a keyboard encoder.     

You can do some reading on how to make sound plant lunch on boot and how to make the system fast boot in the wiki.

[WannabeJoy]

I've ordered the sound FX card (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00Q3U42DM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) and this set of arcade buttons (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DB8JFE4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1), I have heat shrink tubing, a helping hand, a solder pen (not the cold variety), solder. Breadboards are on order because Harbor Freight Tools didn't have them, and 22 gauge solid core wire is also on order.


Is there anything else that you can think of that I might need? I also have wire strippers and clippers.

Given these things, what would be my best power source here? I'm open to battery or plug in but I'm clearly a noob and don't know what would be my best option to get the right voltage to power the LED buttons but not fry the sound board.

I know this sounds like an ambitious project for someone with no experience but we all have to start with something that motivates us and here it is with me. I'm terribly excited to get my hands on my arcade buttons that should be arriving today sometime.

Thanks for all of the great ideas and links! You've all been incredibly helpful.

[PL1]

Given these things, what would be my best power source here? I'm open to battery or plug in but I'm clearly a noob and don't know what would be my best option to get the right voltage to power the LED buttons but not fry the sound board.

This Adafruit page mentions several ways to power the sound board.

The 5v 2200 mAh USB battery pack here is probably the best way to power both the board and the LEDs.

mAh = milliamp hours -- If you are powering a board that draws 50 mA and 10 LEDs that draw 60 mA (110 mA total), the charge will last 20 hours. (110mA * 20 hours = 2200mAh)

The LED buttons you linked do not indicate whether the LEDs are 12v or 5v.

The good news is that 12v LEDs will still run on 5v (slightly dimmer) and draw less current (5.83mA vs. ~20mA) so the battery will last longer.   

How do you want the LEDs to behave? (Always-on is the easy way to go.)

You may also want to include a USB on/off switch like this (hard to mount on the outside of the case ) or make your own by splicing a panel-mountable switch into the middle of the USB 5v line.

Before you go too much further or order any more parts, we should diagram how everything is going to fit and work together electrically.

Give me a little while to draw up a diagram based on the features and info in this thread.


Scott

[PL1]

Here's a starting diagram that doesn't show the LED connections but fully covers power distribution and several trigger inputs.

For always-on LEDs, just wire them in parallel like this using a 0.250" Quick-Disconnect daisy-chain.



Let me know if you want to use a different approach or different components.

If you do need an amplifier, get a 5v model and power it with the same 5v/Gnd that you use for the LEDs.


Scott

[WannabeJoy]

^^^^^

This is amazing!

Thanks! I'm going to be mocking up my panel next and diagraming where everything is going to lay out. I'm hoping to make the buttons light up when pushed and play whatever corresponding sound they're attached to. I hadn't yet considered anything more in depth than that. It'll likely be a few days before I can accomplish much of anything in terms of construction but I'll be back when I have some progress or hit a wall. Thank you for the power source link.. I feel truly silly for not looking there for the info.

Sari

[PL1]

I'm hoping to make the buttons light up when pushed and play whatever corresponding sound they're attached to.

OK . . . .  The breadboard that you ordered might come in handy because LED "animation" is going to require different wiring -- much more complicated.

It will also require some experimentation with the board and LEDs to see if it can be done since the sound board doesn't have an LED controller built-in.

Possible "animations" include:
  1. Button pressed ==> LED on
  2. Button pressed ==> LED off
  3. Using a microswitch to provide/interrupt LED voltages (i.e. press the joystick toward a picture of "Sadness" to light some blue LED buttons and/or have some yellow "Joy" LEDs go out)

Which of these do you you want to attempt?

If we can't get these various "animation" techniques to work, you still have the "LEDs always-on" option that definitely will work.


Scott

[WannabeJoy]

An unexpectedly long nap for the littlest one resulted in most of my faceplate construction today. Using a piece of plywood that we had laying around, a skill saw, a router, my handy dandy sander, and a hole saw along with lots of "help" (as you can see) we got that done and buttons installed. I'm be working long hours over the weekend but planning to install the joysticks and start wiring early next week when I can schedule that around preschool ballet classes.

Gratuitous progress pics attached.

[Slippyblade]

Just remember, moments like that are the things those kids will remember.  They'll remember the toy, sure; but more fondly they'll remember building it with Daddy!

[WannabeJoy]

Just remember, moments like that are the things those kids will remember.  They'll remember the toy, sure; but more fondly they'll remember building it with Daddy!

Or in this case - Mama

[Titchgamer]

That is awesome

[Slippyblade]

Just remember, moments like that are the things those kids will remember.  They'll remember the toy, sure; but more fondly they'll remember building it with Daddy!

Or in this case - Mama

Oops, no offence meant.  Folks in this hobby tend to be male, so an assumption was made.  Won't happen again! 

[WannabeJoy]

Just remember, moments like that are the things those kids will remember.  They'll remember the toy, sure; but more fondly they'll remember building it with Daddy!

Or in this case - Mama

Oops, no offence meant.  Folks in this hobby tend to be male, so an assumption was made.  Won't happen again! 

No worries, none taken! I get that here. I'll admit it's an ambitious project for me and I might be enlisting the hubby's help when it comes to some of my programming but for now he's too busy with his work and homework to be helping us push buttons. I can't wait to start wiring and working on sound but for the weekend I'll have to be content researching more on exactly how to do that.

[PL1]

I can't wait to start wiring and working on sound but for the weekend I'll have to be content researching more on exactly how to do that.

My earlier offer of diagramming how to wire any of those three LED "animations" still stands.   


Scott

[WannabeJoy]

I can't wait to start wiring and working on sound but for the weekend I'll have to be content researching more on exactly how to do that.

My earlier offer of diagramming how to wire any of those three LED "animations" still stands.   


Scott

Thank you for that, Scott! It's been VERY helpful!

Sari

[PL1]

Thank you for that, Scott! It's been VERY helpful!

You're welcome, but I was referring to diagrams that I haven't drawn yet.   

I'm not sure if you want:
-- The LEDs lit all the time and the buttons/joysticks only control the sound clips (this is the easy way and 100% guaranteed to work)
or
-- The LEDs to light/extinguish when a button/joystick is pressed. (a bit more complicated wiring, but it adds some visual changes to triggering the sound clips)

There are three simple "animations" that should be relatively easy to wire.
(The alternative is custom-programming some kind of Arduino LED controller.   )

  1. Starting condition (LED off) ==> Button pressed (LED on + sound input trigger) ==> Button released (LED off)

  2. Starting condition (LED on) ==> Button pressed (LED off + sound input trigger) ==> Button released (LED on)

  3. Using a microswitch to provide/interrupt LED voltages (i.e. press the joystick toward a picture of "Sadness" to light some blue LED buttons and/or have some yellow "Joy" LEDs go out)

You can even piggyback method #3 on methods #1 and/or #2.

For example, you could wire a red LED button with method #1, and a green LED button with method #2, and use a joystick microswitch to switch the voltage from lighting the green (method #2) button to lighting the red (method #1) button for as long as you press the switch.

I'll draw diagrams for any/all of these animations that you want to attempt.   


Scott

[WannabeJoy]

  3. Using a microswitch to provide/interrupt LED voltages (i.e. press the joystick toward a picture of "Sadness" to light some blue LED buttons and/or have some yellow "Joy" LEDs go out)

^^^^^^

That is an idea I hadn't considered yet. I honestly didn't have a plan for my joysticks yet but I'd made my console with enough space to add additional things with time. That would be a perfect opportunity to add more lighting and control it with my joysticks. I'd LOVE to do something like this after I get my initial button work figured out. I've got more buttons than I have sound pins on my SoundFX card too so I'm considering getting a second after I get the first one attached properly.

You're full of fabulous ideas, Scott!

[PL1]

LMK if you have any questions on these diagrams.


Scott

[WannabeJoy]

Here's a starting diagram that doesn't show the LED connections but fully covers power distribution and several trigger inputs.

For always-on LEDs, just wire them in parallel like this using a 0.250" Quick-Disconnect daisy-chain.



Let me know if you want to use a different approach or different components.

If you do need an amplifier, get a 5v model and power it with the same 5v/Gnd that you use for the LEDs.


Scott

Scott - How do I get power to the LEDs? I'm setting up to wire but unsure how to wire in the power to the LED lights. Thanks!

[PL1]

How do I get power to the LEDs? I'm setting up to wire but unsure how to wire in the power to the LED lights. Thanks!

Before you start wiring things up, load some sound clips (with correct filenames) onto the sound board so you can test it.

Here's the general hookup diagram . . .



. . . You'll need to make a "USB A cable (modified)" like this one from GGG to connect the battery pack to the power switch, LED power leads and the sound board.

5v wire is pin 1, ground is pin 4, trim the data lines so they won't short to the other wires -- picture of pinout here.



A euro-style terminal strip will make hooking up multiple wires much easier.



Power switch wiring:
                               Power switch
    USB 5v wire____(NO)_\_(COM)_____Euro-strip 5v

    USB gnd wire____________________Euro-strip gnd

1. Wire the USB 5v wire to the power switch NO (Normally Open) tab and another wire to the power switch COM (Common) tab.
2. Connect the wire from the power switch COM tab to a terminal on the euro-strip like the red wires above.
3. Connect the USB gnd wire to a terminal on the euro-strip like the black wires above.
4. Connect gnd from the euro-strip to the sound board.
5. Connect 5v from the euro-strip to the sound board.
6. Connect the amp/speaker.
7. Test the sound board by touching a wire from ground to one of the 11 inputs  -- it should play the associated sound file.

Once you have the sound board working correctly, you can work on wiring the LEDs.

PROTIP: It's easier to test (and reorient if necessary) the LEDs before you install and wire the buttons.
-- I usually orient the negative LED lead to the side with the big black tab that holds the microswitch since it's easy to remember black tab = black wire = ground for consistent wiring.
-- Set your multimeter to diode check.  If the LED doesn't dimly light up when you touch the black lead to the black side tab (LED-) and the red lead to the other side tab (LED+), unplug the LED and turn it 180 degrees.

For "always on" LEDs, daisy-chain them with 5v connected to the red wire (LED+) and ground connected to the black wire. (LED-)  Both LEDs are connected to 5v and ground, the same as #1 below . . .


For "animated" lights, wire 5v, ground (the "upside-down christmas tree" symbol), and the input-trigger microswitch (rectangle with NO Normally Open, NC Normally Closed, and COM Common tabs) like #2 - #6 below.  The input trigger microswitches connect to the sound board inputs like the three at the bottom of the first diagram in this post.  That diagram shows the COM (angled line) and the NO that COM touches when the button is pressed. "Encoder input" below is the same as a sound board input trigger. (I figured someone else might want to use some of these wiring configurations with an arcade project.)



Hope this helps.  LMK if I failed to explain anything clearly.   


Scott

[WannabeJoy]

Yesterday I spent quite some time learning new skills and tested out my sound card. My speaker is too quiet so I'm shopping for another and debating if I need an amp or not. The sound card works with some random kid friendly noises, I'm hoping to add movie sound bites once I can figure out how to convert an MP3 to a .WAV -> hubby is my go to for that and I'm sure he'll figure it out when he has time (my googlefu failed me, might have had something to do with the whiny toddler wanting to nurse). Since programming the sound card is so easy I can swap the sounds out whenever I want, no biggie.

After hubby got home I had spliced and soldered my power supply and got my first round of buttons wired and lit. He then sat down, declared the wiring therapeutic and finished off the rest after getting the little kids to bed. We taught our 11 year old a bit about the wiring while we were doing it too and she seemed to really enjoy it.

Long story short: WE HAVE POWER!

Gratuitous progress pics attached. SCOTT - the diagram has been incredibly helpful!

Next up: attach the buttons to trigger the sounds then figure out the joysticks. That reminds me I need to look for some LED strip lights to order.