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Author Topic: Pleiades / Phoenix Multicab  (Read 3919 times)

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Mike A

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Pleiades / Phoenix Multicab
« on: December 12, 2017, 02:32:22 pm »
So I decided to wire up my Pleiades cab to play a Pleiades PCB and a Phoenix PCB. I watched a video where a guy basically took all of the pins on the edge connectors and wired them to relays. Energizing the relays connected one PCB to the cab, and de-energizing them connected the other PCB to the cab. That seems unnecessarily complicated. PBJ intimated that there was probably an easier way to do this. What if I made a harness that combined the PCB grounds in one line. The 5V in another line. The 12V in another line. I could put a switch between the 5V and 12V lines of the two PCBs. Flip the switch one way to power Phoenix, and flip it the other way to power Pleiades. All of the rest of the wires could be combined at the cabinet edge connector. I am not an electrician. Please tell me what would be wrong with this setup.

PL1

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Re: Pleiades / Phoenix Multicab
« Reply #1 on: December 12, 2017, 04:15:54 pm »
Power, video, inputs, and outputs -- you need to switch them all, except for ground.

You could use a parallel port A-B switch to switch the input and output lines, and maybe the video. (depends on the switch specs -- may require a relay instead)

For the 5v and 12v power, you can use a 5v DPDT solid state relay with the power supply connected to COM, PCB1 connected to NC, and PCB2 connected to NO.

One pole handles 5v, the other handles 12v.

When the parallel port switch is set to A, the I/O lines are connected to PCB1 and no operating power is applied to the relay so PCB power flows from the power supply to the relay COM terminal to the relay NC terminal to PCB1.

When the parallel port switch is set to B, the I/O lines are connected to PCB2 and operating power is applied to the relay via one of the parallel port wires so PCB power flows from the power supply to the relay COM terminal to the relay NO terminal to PCB2.


Scott
« Last Edit: December 12, 2017, 04:19:19 pm by PL1 »

Mike A

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Re: Pleiades / Phoenix Multicab
« Reply #2 on: December 12, 2017, 04:28:03 pm »
I am going to draw something up after work. I don't think you have to switch everything. Just the power. Otherwise I can run everything through relays like the guy in the video did.

PL1

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Re: Pleiades / Phoenix Multicab
« Reply #3 on: December 12, 2017, 05:38:14 pm »
I am not an electrician. Please tell me what would be wrong with this setup.
To work out all the details and possible pitfalls on the power-only-switching idea, you need the skills of an electrical engineer -- way above your and my abilities.   :dizzy:

I haven't looked at the schematics for these particular boards, but this idea sounds really bad.   :scared

If you only switch power, you'll have the inputs/outputs/video for the powered PCB tied to the corresponding inputs/outputs/video for the un-powered PCB.

These cross-connections can cause a wide variety of electrical problems and may even provide an escape path for the magic smoke genie that makes these boards work.   >:D


Scott

jennifer

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Re: Pleiades / Phoenix Multicab
« Reply #4 on: December 12, 2017, 11:41:13 pm »
   THIS CONTENT SUBJECT TO REVIEW
« Last Edit: December 13, 2017, 11:51:29 pm by jennifer »

Mike A

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Re: Pleiades / Phoenix Multicab
« Reply #5 on: December 18, 2017, 05:41:59 am »
I bought the appropriate edge connectors, but this is going to have to wait until after the holidays.

nitrogen_widget

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Re: Pleiades / Phoenix Multicab
« Reply #6 on: December 19, 2017, 12:33:44 pm »
I bought the appropriate edge connectors, but this is going to have to wait until after the holidays.

If you have the edge connectors then I think all you need is a VGA cable.
cut it in half and solder the wires to the edge connectors then use a simple VGA a/b switch.
if you tie all the grounds together and leave them out of the loop you should have enough wires from looking at the boards.

keep in mind i'm not an arcade board repair guy or anything like that however i have built some projects with relays and switches using mains and 220v and you REALLY want to isolate everything to avoid noise from switching between boards and highly suggest you cut the power first when you switch games.

Mike A

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Re: Pleiades / Phoenix Multicab
« Reply #7 on: February 23, 2018, 10:20:42 am »
I bought a Phoenix board that needs work. I have been plugging away on it, but it is slow going. I have no background in electronics.

I tried to contact the guy that uploaded a video of his working machine with both boards running. No luck.
I might try the multi-jamma switch. Those seem to work really well. It will just cost more money to do it that way.

This project is not dead....yet.

cw

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    • The Cab
« Last Edit: February 25, 2018, 08:10:57 pm by cw »

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Re: Pleiades / Phoenix Multicab
« Reply #9 on: March 12, 2018, 12:44:06 pm »
How is this coming along?
Every normal man must be tempted at times to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin to slit throats.

Mike A

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Re: Pleiades / Phoenix Multicab
« Reply #10 on: March 12, 2018, 01:16:16 pm »
This one is stalled until I get a working Phoenix board. I have one non working board that I have been dinking around with. I am just learning how to service PCB's.