FINALLY got 'ehukai reassembled after relocation upstairs and got to work on making it actually functional.
Not much progress though really- still fighting with Windows to get what I want out of this thing.
The first box I put in it, the audio was so chattery and scattered that it was stupid. Couldn't figure out what was wrong except probably that the processor isn't up to the task.
CoreDuo in an old Dell, I think 2.6ghz if I remember properly, but I still only have a 0.197 set which I didn't think was really that demanding for audio- but I'm not that savvy.
I can't update any of that currently as it's been 2.5 years of a third world internet connection for me at the new place- and I'm over it.
The .106 set I am pulling for the vector project has been almost 17 days and is not quite 90% right now!
Maybe in a month or so we will get a reasonable speed connection radioed up from where there is a fiber line a few LOS miles from here and I can get back in the Q-bit community again.
Anyway, the second PC I stuffed in there seems to be behaving better but we'll see how I can manage with controller IDs.
I know it has been asked many times and explained but the code to sort that out makes my hair hurt just looking at it.
Maybe Dr. Venture's fix is the way?!
Once I get stability for that crap sorted then I can pray to get a clean CRTemu and groovymame load and life will be grand!
And I thought a picture of it sitting in the intended spot might explain part of the ridiculous form factor decisions.
I DID however sort out which of the switch setups I preferred for the Mag-Stik Plus units. Took about 25 seconds of Ms. Pac-Man to decide, an opinion further cemented with a few minutes of Xevious.
Given the 4 choices of:
-The original Sanwa switches
-The Micro Leaf with Zippy micro switches
-Some other unbranded micro size ones that look like the old volcano button switches
-The old white Cherry switches that Happ used to put in their buttons
Survey says...
The old Cherry ones.
They are the only set of the four which for me (in this application at least) combine the elements of:
-Nice smooth engagement sensation (not a ton of 'snap' on and off)
-Good middle of the road engagement pressure (maybe 50g or so?)
-Not absolutely silent, but NOT really loud
-Didn't seem to false (or fail to!) trigger
-Allow the stick to return to center at a nice rate and don't false trigger by going past center
Not sure what other criteria one might consider, but these traits where what seemed to me to be what was most desirable and how to describe them.
Those Cherry ones are some 40 series one it appears. I read that Happ opted for a different vendor years back and I have had trouble finding exactly what currently available switch to substitute.
At least I have enough of these switches scavenged off some buttons that I think I can populate the whole panel with them now while I wait to find a new replacement for future purposes.
And although they are far too light an actuation for me here as a joystick switch (wanted to try them anyway just in case...) I can say however that those Zippy Micro Leaf switches from Randy T are very nice as button switches. The mounting plate to make them work is quite cool and as a button switch they really do feel like an old leaf- to me anyway.
It appears I may have to frankenbuild a PC from pieces here to get a functional box for the
MAME portion of 'ehukai - or wait for a craigslist score.
I wanted to get that portion finished before I started in with the parallel MiSTer system but integrating the Kortek 2938 and the U-HID for both may get kinda sticky (or be impossible.) I will post progress if I make any.
Of course if it continues to frustrate me I may need to walk away from it for a week to wait for inspiration.
And then I DO always have that Jrok Williams and the GreenAntz board from Zebidee that would be a good distraction and those would be an easy build and are months overdue for getting put to use...
Aloha!