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Author Topic: Is it possible to use the same controls for Pi and a desktop JAMMA setup?  (Read 3966 times)

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ElectricBill

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Hi folks.
I'm building a desktop arcade machine using a JAMMA Pandora's Box 5s.
Is there an easy way to add a Pi using the same controller setup? (6 buttons, 1 joystick, start, select, reset, volume up/down buttons)

I'm thinking something like this maybe:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GBS-8118-Arcade-Game-Multi-JAMMA-2-in-1-Switch-Remote-Control-JAMMA-PC-Board-Jam-/323121910454?_trksid=p2349526.m4383.l4275.c10
Hopefully this would let me switch between the Pi and the Pandora board, right?

Just make my own JAMMA connector to plug into that thing and wire the JAMMA connector straight into a zero delay board for USB Pi controls. GPIO would be taken up with a cheap VGA connector like this one:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Universal-VGA-666-Adapter-Board-Module-For-Raspberry-Pi-3-Model-B-Pi-2-B-A-BS/172692355468?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649

So, that's my idea.
I'm building the arcade machine first and hoping to make it Pi compatible later on.

Does this idea hold water or have I got everything completely back to front?

I've built an arcade stick with a Pi, but this will be my first arcade machine, so I apologise for the noob questions :)

DorkVonWaterfall

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i think you have to go the Pi2jamma or Arpicade way....

ElectricBill

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i think you have to go the Pi2jamma or Arpicade way....

I can understand using one of those to connect to a real arcade machine, but that's not what I'm doing. I don't really want to spend £100 or more to connect it to a Pandora's box that cost £35.

I figured the controls are the only thing I need to access and they're just simple switches. Would a zero delay board connected to the JAMMA edge connector not work with the Pi?
The monitor is just a PC monitor, so I can use a VGA that connects to the GPIO. It doesn't need to be 15khz compatible, it just needs to show a picture.
Amp just needs a headphone socket straight from the Pi, so that doesn't need to go through the JAMMA either.

I understand this is a bit of a botch job, but could it work? :)
Are these things not compatible?

PL1

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Would a zero delay board connected to the JAMMA edge connector not work with the Pi?
A ZD encoder would be a poor choice because it is an "active high" device.
- The common on a ZD is 5v, not ground.
- The encoder inputs are normally low until you press the button to apply 5v.

Almost any other encoder would work.

I-Pac, U-HID, GP-Wiz, Xin-Mo, KADE miniArcade 2.0, Arduino with generic input sketch, etc. are all "active low" devices.
- The common is ground.
- The encoder inputs are normally high until you press the button to apply ground.


Scott

ElectricBill

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Thanks for that Scott, I had no idea the zero delay was 'active-high'.

So, audio amp and screen connected to Pi and Pandora - Pi'n'dora?  :D

GBS-8118 Arcade Game Multi JAMMA 2 in 1 (might not support enough buttons, but hopefully there's one that does)
First jamma edge connector to Pandora's Box 5s.
Second jamma edge connector to xin-mo, to usb, to Pi?

Piece of cake :dizzy:

ElectricBill

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Okay just had another idea :)

Instead of using the "GBS-8118 Arcade JAMMA 2 in 1" which can only cope with 4 fire buttons per board.

Just use one of these
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/56-Pin-Universal-JAMMA-Adapter/152075296410?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649

Attach the harness on one side and the Pandora on the other. Then I'll have most of the wires passing straight through and only access the control wires I need for the Pi.
Just attach the joystick and buttons through the xin-mo and I'm good to go, right?

Anyone got a better (cheaper) idea? Anyone?

chopperthedog

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Is there something that a pandoras box does better than a pi? Seems like you're spending way too much thought on this. I was curious and tried a pandoras box for 3 min once, the cga out died, menus are clunky, tons of awful games, emulation sucked and I threw it away.


good day.

DorkVonWaterfall

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i think you have to go the Pi2jamma or Arpicade way....

I can understand using one of those to connect to a real arcade machine, but that's not what I'm doing. I don't really want to spend £100 or more to connect it to a Pandora's box that cost £35.



i gotta learn to read AND understand at some point....    :banghead:

ElectricBill

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Is there something that a pandoras box does better than a pi? Seems like you're spending way too much thought on this. I was curious and tried a pandoras box for 3 min once, the cga out died, menus are clunky, tons of awful games, emulation sucked and I threw it away.

good day.

The pandora is mainly for my sister's kids when they visit. They wouldn't want to follow a special shutdown procedure every time they play. One of them is special needs and I'm not sure he'd get it.

The main advantage is that if they turn off the pandora it won't wipe the SD card and take hours to fix. Plus I've got all the 12v stuff ready to go. I've nearly finished the case, just started putting on the undercoat today.

I'll be adding a new pi once it's setup though. Can't wait to give Tomb Raider a try with arcade controls  :)

ElectricBill

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Okay, so I've done my first test of the harness setup to the Pandora and it works, apart from one thing.

For some reason, the P1-coin button doesn't work. I've checked the wire, the ground, replaced the micro-switch and they seem to be fine. It just doesn't register me pressing the button at all. Even in the options where it shows which buttons are being pressed, nothing lights up or changes when I press the button.

I can work around it by putting the Pandora on 'free play' and holding P1-start to get out of games, but shouldn't the coin-button just work?
I've tried everything I can think of. Is there something special about the coin button I should know?

Any help appreciated :)

ElectricBill

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Okay, so the arcade machine itself is up and running now. Eventually fixed the button problem after replacing the ground wire.

Ordered a new Pi 3B+ from Pi Hut and they've sent me the wrong one. Then they tried to blame me for the mistake. Nice.
Anyway, that means I need to wait for the refund and then get another one.

I'm not sure why chopperthedog was so negative about the Pandora, it seems to be working fine so far. Lots of duplicate fighting games and the controls aren't set up right in some games, but overall I'm impressed. Over 1000 games for £35, that's not bad.

Just need to go through the list of games one by one and get rid of any adult titles. I know "Bubbles 2000" has topless pictures, my mum popped over, had one try and that was the first game she picked!

So, now you know what I'm up to I'll stop commenting on this thread. Nobody seems to be reading it anyway :D

glitchyGhost

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Okay, so the arcade machine itself is up and running now. Eventually fixed the button problem after replacing the ground wire.

Ordered a new Pi 3B+ from Pi Hut and they've sent me the wrong one. Then they tried to blame me for the mistake. Nice.
Anyway, that means I need to wait for the refund and then get another one.

I'm not sure why chopperthedog was so negative about the Pandora, it seems to be working fine so far. Lots of duplicate fighting games and the controls aren't set up right in some games, but overall I'm impressed. Over 1000 games for £35, that's not bad.

Just need to go through the list of games one by one and get rid of any adult titles. I know "Bubbles 2000" has topless pictures, my mum popped over, had one try and that was the first game she picked!

So, now you know what I'm up to I'll stop commenting on this thread. Nobody seems to be reading it anyway :D

Thanks for this.  I have an Aero Fighters arcade PCB that I have been wanting to fit into my Pi-Cab for ages. Glad to be led to the multi JAMMA - just what I needed, so thanks!  I can see every reason to add real arcade/JAMMA PCB to any Pi setup - some games still struggle a few levels in, you just can't beat the real hardware, so it's nice to play now and then.  I'm adding a Sega to mine next!