Main > Project Announcements
javeryh's Woodgrain Cabaret Copy
Arroyo:
That video looks sweet Javery, you must be pumped to see that thing scrolling through those marquees.
Regarding the scanlines, the two I mentioned HLSL & GLSL are highly useful for LCD’s to mimic the geometry, scan lines, phosphor bloom, and curvature of an original CRT. Since you actually have a CRT, you probably just need the scan lines as your CRT has a higher resolution than a standard 240p arcade monitor. Both of the solutions above would work and BGFX is the engine for HLSL. You can also checkout GLSL as well and just focus on the scanlines for any of the above solutions. I have tutorials to post if interested.
PL1:
--- Quote from: javeryh on January 28, 2021, 06:03:15 pm ---All the of wiring seems correct. Makes no sense!
--- End quote ---
Agreed. This is where the meter will help you figure out what is actually happening.
If you aren't sure which meter to get, we'll help you find one with the features you want/need.
- Digital meter instead of analog. There are some tests where you need an analog meter, but they are few and far between.
- Auto-ranging.
- Diode check.
--- Quote from: javeryh on January 28, 2021, 06:03:15 pm ---Yeah... it's about time I sprung for a multimeter - would it be able to detect a signal that faint?
--- End quote ---
Yes.
You're not testing for a signal, you're testing for a path from ground to the input port.
- When the switch is not pressed, there is no path for the electrons to flow so the voltage (think water pressure) on the input port is at a logic high.
- When the switch is pressed, there is a path for the electrons to flow so the voltage on the input port is pulled to a logic low. (think someone flushes the toilet while you're taking a shower and the lower cold water pressure causes the shower to get really hot)
How to test the switches and wiring:
- Remove power so you don't fry the meter.
- Set meter to continuity/ohms.
- Touch the red lead to the black lead. The meter should indicate continuity (beep)/short. (<2 ohms)
- Connect the black lead to your ground daisy-chain and the red lead to the IPac input you want to test.
- When no button connected to the red lead IPac input is pressed, the meter should indicate no continuity (no beep)/open.
-- If it shows continuity, you might be on the NC terminal instead of the NO or there might be a short to ground somewhere on the IPac input line.
- When a button connected to the red lead IPac input is pressed, the meter should indicate continuity (beep)/short. (<2 ohms)
-- You should get continuity when you press the coin mech switch (currently working) and you should get continuity when you press the switch behind the coin return. (currently not working)
-- You can also test the switch by putting the meter leads on COM and NC. There should be continuity when the switch is not pressed and no continuity when the switch is pressed. This should confirm that the microswitch nub is being pushed far enough to move the pole from the NC contact to the NO contact.
Scott
Zebidee:
--- Quote from: PL1 on January 28, 2021, 07:43:51 pm ---- When a button connected to the red lead IPac input is pressed, the meter should indicate continuity (beep)/short. (<2 ohms)
--- End quote ---
Make sure you get a multimeter that goes "BEEP" when you test continuity. It saves you a lot of time if checking a lot of connections.
My $10 hardware special DMM doesn't do that, that alone is worth paying $50 for.
Also if you can get one that does milliamps (mA), and capacitance function would be nice too.
UnclearHermit:
Looking really nice!
My last multimeter was about £9 and replaced an old analogue one. It beeps for a continuity test, which I'd agree is absolutely vital. The thought of trying to troubleshoot wiring without it...! :(
javeryh:
--- Quote from: Arroyo on January 28, 2021, 07:28:53 pm ---That video looks sweet Javery, you must be pumped to see that thing scrolling through those marquees.
Regarding the scanlines, the two I mentioned HLSL & GLSL are highly useful for LCD’s to mimic the geometry, scan lines, phosphor bloom, and curvature of an original CRT. Since you actually have a CRT, you probably just need the scan lines as your CRT has a higher resolution than a standard 240p arcade monitor. Both of the solutions above would work and BGFX is the engine for HLSL. You can also checkout GLSL as well and just focus on the scanlines for any of the above solutions. I have tutorials to post if interested.
--- End quote ---
I don't think I'll ever get tired of scrolling through the marquees. I've even let it dictate the games on the cabinet - if I can't find good marquee art it's out LOL. The one game that is currently breaking that rule is Teeter Totter. It's a stupid spinner game that I had never even played before setting this up but it is stupidly addictive for some reason. Game looks like it must have been made 5 minutes after video games were invented! I wish someone would make a sweet marquee for it.
I would LOVE for you to post your tutorials on getting the scanlines just right. I tried enabling them yesterday and the games looked much better than without them but it wasn't perfect. I'm sure there is some combo of settings that gets it very close though and I'd love a walkthrough. :cheers:
--- Quote from: PL1 on January 28, 2021, 07:43:51 pm ---
--- Quote from: javeryh on January 28, 2021, 06:03:15 pm ---All the of wiring seems correct. Makes no sense!
--- End quote ---
Agreed. This is where the meter will help you figure out what is actually happening.
If you aren't sure which meter to get, we'll help you find one with the features you want/need.
- Digital meter instead of analog. There are some tests where you need an analog meter, but they are few and far between.
- Auto-ranging.
- Diode check.
--- Quote from: javeryh on January 28, 2021, 06:03:15 pm ---Yeah... it's about time I sprung for a multimeter - would it be able to detect a signal that faint?
--- End quote ---
Yes.
You're not testing for a signal, you're testing for a path from ground to the input port.
- When the switch is not pressed, there is no path for the electrons to flow so the voltage (think water pressure) on the input port is at a logic high.
- When the switch is pressed, there is a path for the electrons to flow so the voltage on the input port is pulled to a logic low. (think someone flushes the toilet while you're taking a shower and the lower cold water pressure causes the shower to get really hot)
How to test the switches and wiring:
- Remove power so you don't fry the meter.
- Set meter to continuity/ohms.
- Touch the red lead to the black lead. The meter should indicate continuity (beep)/short. (<2 ohms)
- Connect the black lead to your ground daisy-chain and the red lead to the IPac input you want to test.
- When no button connected to the red lead IPac input is pressed, the meter should indicate no continuity (no beep)/open.
-- If it shows continuity, you might be on the NC terminal instead of the NO or there might be a short to ground somewhere on the IPac input line.
- When a button connected to the red lead IPac input is pressed, the meter should indicate continuity (beep)/short. (<2 ohms)
-- You should get continuity when you press the coin mech switch (currently working) and you should get continuity when you press the switch behind the coin return. (currently not working)
-- You can also test the switch by putting the meter leads on COM and NC. There should be continuity when the switch is not pressed and no continuity when the switch is pressed. This should confirm that the microswitch nub is being pushed far enough to move the pole from the NC contact to the NO contact.
--- End quote ---
OK I'm sold. I just need to figure out which one to buy. I don't want to break the bank - just want something that will do the job. The only thing I can think of that could be "bad" is the molex connector I soldered wires to in order to be able to take out the CP. Maybe something is going on there that is shorting out the signal. If you look at this pic you can see that I have connected 1/2 of the molex connector:
This was in my computer parts bin so I cut it in half because one side was male and the other side was female so I thought I could use it. There was another 2 wires coming out of it that had another connection (to connect to pins on a motherboard for power, I think) but I just snipped them. Maybe that's where the signal is getting lost? Anyway, I ordered a set of male/female quick disconnects that should arrive tonight. I'll cut out the molex connector and just connect all 5 wires with the quick disconnects. If that doesn't work... I don't even know.
--- Quote from: Zebidee on January 28, 2021, 11:48:30 pm ---Make sure you get a multimeter that goes "BEEP" when you test continuity. It saves you a lot of time if checking a lot of connections.
--- End quote ---
I will make sure! I need this to be simple for my simple brain to comprehend. One of my goals with this project was to push myself and learn new stuff and so far I think I'm getting there.
--- Quote from: UnclearHermit on January 29, 2021, 06:50:14 am ---Looking really nice!
My last multimeter was about £9 and replaced an old analogue one. It beeps for a continuity test, which I'd agree is absolutely vital. The thought of trying to troubleshoot wiring without it...! :(
--- End quote ---
Thanks! This is all new to me but hopefully I'll be able to use a lot of what I'm learning on the next cabinet... assuming I survive after my wife finds out. ;D