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Author Topic: Help with 2-player Mini-Pac control setup  (Read 2405 times)

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zauxier

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Help with 2-player Mini-Pac control setup
« on: December 16, 2018, 04:41:06 pm »
I purchased a mini-pac about 5 years ago to finalize a 2-player machine I've been (trying) to build for quite some time now.  I finally go around to wiring up the controller panel, which is a two player setup with 2-joysticks and 6 buttons each. 

I wired it according to this diagram: https://www.ultimarc.com/images/Minipac_wiring.pdf

Group J4 is all working correctly, which to means the joystick (up, down, left, right) and four buttons for player 1 works just fine and recognizes pressed on my board.  When I try buttons 5 and 6 for player one or ANY other buttons becides the one in group J4 on the diagram they do not work. 

Does anyone know what might be causing this?  I tried checking the connections, and testing the board with different software, but I still can't get it to work.  Would appreciate any help I can get!!!

Thank you!!


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Re: Help with 2-player Mini-Pac control setup
« Reply #1 on: December 16, 2018, 05:11:02 pm »
When I try buttons 5 and 6 for player one or ANY other buttons becides the one in group J4 on the diagram they do not work. 

Does anyone know what might be causing this?  I tried checking the connections, and testing the board with different software, but I still can't get it to work.  Would appreciate any help I can get!!!
If you touch the Quick Disconnect from one of the inputs that isn't working to the metal outer shell of the USB connector (ground), does it register the keypress?

If so, you might have a damaged daisy-chain ground (break in continuity) or perhaps that QD was on the NC (Normally Closed) tab of the microswitch.


Scott

zauxier

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Re: Help with 2-player Mini-Pac control setup
« Reply #2 on: December 17, 2018, 12:40:37 pm »
Hey, thanks for the response.

Its definitely not the ground daisy chain wire, because the section connected to GROUP J4 is actually the end of the string.  Meaning, it's connected through everything else earlier including the piece from the harness.  Maybe I'm off here.

To your second suggestion, all the wire are connected to the same post of my switches, which is the top one closest to the ground. I also tried swapping out the switches for buttons 5 and 6 and am still not getting it able to register. Any other suggestions?

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Re: Help with 2-player Mini-Pac control setup
« Reply #3 on: December 17, 2018, 02:20:48 pm »
Its definitely not the ground daisy chain wire, because the section connected to GROUP J4 is actually the end of the string.  Meaning, it's connected through everything else earlier including the piece from the harness.  Maybe I'm off here.
That does rule out the daisy-chain ground as a possible problem.

To your second suggestion, all the wire are connected to the same post of my switches, which is the top one closest to the ground. I also tried swapping out the switches for buttons 5 and 6 and am still not getting it able to register. Any other suggestions?
1. Have you reprogrammed the keys using WinIPac?
- The older version for your pre-2015 board is available here.

2. Check the markings on the microswitch to be sure the wires are on the correct tabs: COM (common) and NO (Normally Open)
- Some switches have NO next to COM, some have NC next to COM.
- If the markings aren't clear, check continuity with power off. (unless you want to fry your multimeter  >:D)

3. Reseat the 2x20 Dupont harness connector.
- Might not be making good contact.

4. Touch the QD of an input to ground.
- Use Notepad or a keyboard test app to verify if the associated keystroke is sent.

5. With power off, check continuity from the QD to the back of the Mini-Pac PCB Dupont pin header.
- Could be a bad crimp, bad pin connection or broken wire.


Scott

zauxier

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Re: Help with 2-player Mini-Pac control setup
« Reply #4 on: March 11, 2019, 03:24:21 pm »
So I finally tried these methods and figures out that when I put the QD of the fifth button from Player 1 to the ground metal on the USB it DOES register a key press. Same with the 6th button for Player 1 as well.

What do I need to do to fix this, any options?

Thank you!

Zach

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Re: Help with 2-player Mini-Pac control setup
« Reply #5 on: March 12, 2019, 12:40:34 am »
So I finally tried these methods and figures out that when I put the QD of the fifth button from Player 1 to the ground metal on the USB it DOES register a key press. Same with the 6th button for Player 1 as well.
That confirms that the mini-Pac input pin/wire/QD is good for both button 5 and button 6.   ;D

That leaves either:
1. The daisy-chain ground:
Disconnect the input wire QD from the microswitch NO tab and short it to the daisy-chain ground QD connected to that microswitch.
- This takes the microswitch out of the circuit.
- If it registers a keypress, the ground is OK.

2. The microswitch:
It could be a bad switch or the input and ground QDs are not on the NO and COM tabs.

Check continuity with power off. (unless you want to fry your multimeter  >:D)
- When the switch is not pressed, the meter should read continuity (<2 ohms) between NC and COM.
- When the switch is pressed, the meter should read continuity (<2 ohms) between NO and COM.


Scott

zauxier

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Re: Help with 2-player Mini-Pac control setup
« Reply #6 on: June 11, 2019, 09:38:01 pm »
I think that I am losing my mind. :badmood:

I tried to disconnect the QD from the microswitch to short it to the daisy chain ground QD, and nothing.

Then I tried to change the switches in the event that it was bad switch, and nothing.

Then I tried to reconnect the ground and QD switches and confirmed that it is on the correct tab of the microswitch, and nothing.

Then I took the clips off the wire that connects this to the switch and tried to touch the bare wire to the switch, and nothing.

I did this for both button 5 and button 6 and nothing is working for me.  All while doing this, the first joystick (up, down, left, right) and player button 1, 2, 3, and 4 continue to work just fine - while ALL the other buttons continue to NOT work.  Any other ideas?  Please help me!

zauxier

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Re: Help with 2-player Mini-Pac control setup
« Reply #7 on: August 19, 2019, 11:04:38 pm »
Bump, anyone able to add their 2-cents to this for some help?

SSSTAINLESSS

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Re: Help with 2-player Mini-Pac control setup
« Reply #8 on: August 19, 2019, 11:31:52 pm »
not sure if you're talking about Mame

Problem: Player 2 buttons 5 and 6 not working.
This is not an I-PAC problem! By default, MAME does not have these buttons assigned to any keycodes. Just go into the MAME controls menu (press tab in a game) and assign them. Button 5 is "I" and Button 6 is "K".

zauxier

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Re: Help with 2-player Mini-Pac control setup
« Reply #9 on: August 26, 2019, 08:43:57 pm »
Sorry if I wasn't clear, but my issue is that my 5th and 6th buttons aren't even registering on the tester I'm using to confirm buttons. No only do these not work for player one, but ALL other buttons after that in the string aren't working either. I only see the keystrokes register for player one buttons 1-4 and the four directions of joystick.

Maybe I should try testing the buttons with some different software like PASSMARK?

zauxier

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Re: Help with 2-player Mini-Pac control setup
« Reply #10 on: September 02, 2019, 11:15:54 am »
Oh my god, I figured it OUT!!!  The ground daisy chain was indeed the issue, just needed to cut out a section, splice it back together and BINGO.