Daytona USA 2 empty cabinet HELP

[thiagomax]

Hey folks,

I'm a Brazilian novice in terms of restoring racing cabinets, but I've already restored a lot of pinball machines, I have a project in hand, an empty cabinet from a Daytona 2 Single,

I will tell you what exactly I have here

* cabinet with complete structure in good shape
*complete wire harness
* steering wheel with force feedback motor
*shifter
*pedals
*empty board cage
*wells gardner 27 monitor

In short, I have basically everything except any card.

At first I was looking for the original boards to put this beauty to work, but I got discouraged when I saw the prices to complete the entire kit and also because these boards weren't so reliable, I even thought about buying a donor one but the donor had the motherboards with issues and would spend money for nothing.

So I started researching a lot in the last few days on how to convert all of this to work with an emulator on a PC. This is where things get complicated. I've seen a lot of old and new things about converting cabinets using a PC and some boards, and I believe there may be a lot of things that are already obsolete, and I've read about several boards being used for this conversion, I'd like to know if any good soul could do it. help me on this adventure.

My Goal >>>

have a cabin that looks original, with the same original steering wheel, same pedals, same CRT monitor, working dashboard lamps and of course original force feedback.

If any of you could put together the best set up in 2024, what would it be?

What do I need to achieve my goal, which emulator? What PC setup? Which boards are manufactured by third parties? Excuse my ignorance, but for someone who fell into this without any experience, there are several videos and posts, but few indicate anything about a complete construction of the system, or showing what is really needed to get everything working with practically zero boards.

I really appreciate anyone who can help me

[Fursphere]

If you haven't read this, start here:  http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,105961.0.html

And I really can't tell you what the "best" setup would be, but I can show you what I did in 2023:  http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,167512.0.html

You should be able to get started with a basic PC (Windows 7 capable at an absolute minimum I'd say, but preferably something newer), Monitor, and a lower end Logitech racing wheel setup.  But there are many platforms, so you kind of need to figure out what games are important to you first.  (Model 2?  Model 3?  newer TeknoParrot based stuff?   Windows / Steam games?  Old school MAME supported games?  Console platforms? The first link will help a little here)

[thiagomax]

I saw your post yesterday, but I wouldn't want to use a Logitech, I would like to keep the steering wheel with the original forcefeedback, as far as I saw this would be possible using a card that I wasn't careful to remember the name of now, I would like to have the games from model2 and 3 would this be possible, correct? By the way, congratulations on your project, it was beautiful.

[Fursphere]

Thanks!

The original Model 2 system used a rather large stepper motor (servo?), and used potentiometer for steering and throttle / brake.   You can use an Ultimarc A-Pac to get those working.   For the force feedback, I really have no idea.  I could find zero technical information on those stepper motors (I had two).  This is why I just used Fanatec CSL DD motors...   You'd need a driver circuit a large power supply to get the motor working, then some kind of circuit to translate game signals (force feedback signals) to stepper/servo commands.  I know the theory on how you'd go about it, but I don't have the technical skills to build it.  And you'd have to figure out the wiring on the motor and rotary encoder... 

The VR buttons can be wired to the A-Pac as well.  Getting the lights to work with the games takes a bit more effort and a separate light controller and probably replacing the bulbs with LEDs.  MAMEHooker is the program that can help there, or TroubleShooter2 (I think) for Model 2 emulator.

The shifter......    this is where it gets complicated again.  I think I saw someone use an arduino to wire up the shifter and a simple sketch program to translate the shifting into keyboard presses.  You'll have to search for that one, been a long time since I saw that.   (another reason I used a fanatec shifter...).   The daytona shifter doesn't have a single switch-per-gear.  It uses a combination of open/closed to tell the original game what gear it was in.  Three switches I believe., in various states of open/closed depending on where the stick is.  Its actually pretty creative how it works.

[PL1]

The shifter......    this is where it gets complicated again.  I think I saw someone use an arduino to wire up the shifter and a simple sketch program to translate the shifting into keyboard presses.  You'll have to search for that one, been a long time since I saw that.   (another reason I used a fanatec shifter...).   The daytona shifter doesn't have a single switch-per-gear.  It uses a combination of open/closed to tell the original game what gear it was in.  Three switches I believe., in various states of open/closed depending on where the stick is.  Its actually pretty creative how it works.

I don't remember seeing an Arduino solution, but here are several approaches to consider.
- You may want to use an encoder that outputs gamepad buttons instead of keystrokes so the system doesn't have problems booting up since the shifter output will look like like a stuck key.
- You'll probably want a hidden switch for neutral (no ground to any encoder inputs) in case you need to map controls and an LED indicator so you can see when the shifter is in this state.

Fancy way:
Baritonomarchetto designed a PCB  for the 74__138 IC and posted the Gerber files in reply #13 of his shifter thread.
- Lots of good info and discussion in that thread.   

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,164398.0.html



Simple way:
Another option is to use a modified version of the wiring-only diagram from earlier in this thread.

If you want to add a "Neutral" switch and LED indicator to the wiring-only diagram, insert an SPDT switch between ground and switch 3 "IN". (COM)
- SPDT COM to ground.
- SPDT NC to switch 3 "IN".
- SPDT NO to LED, current limiting resistor, and 5v.

Scott

[Fursphere]

In that thread PL1 linked there is talk of using an Arduino.  That must be where I saw it before.   Not sure if anyone implemented it, but the concept is there.

[thiagomax]

Thanks!

The original Model 2 system used a rather large stepper motor (servo?), and used potentiometer for steering and throttle / brake.   You can use an Ultimarc A-Pac to get those working.   For the force feedback, I really have no idea.  I could find zero technical information on those stepper motors (I had two).  This is why I just used Fanatec CSL DD motors...   You'd need a driver circuit a large power supply to get the motor working, then some kind of circuit to translate game signals (force feedback signals) to stepper/servo commands.  I know the theory on how you'd go about it, but I don't have the technical skills to build it.  And you'd have to figure out the wiring on the motor and rotary encoder... 

The VR buttons can be wired to the A-Pac as well.  Getting the lights to work with the games takes a bit more effort and a separate light controller and probably replacing the bulbs with LEDs.  MAMEHooker is the program that can help there, or TroubleShooter2 (I think) for Model 2 emulator.

The shifter......    this is where it gets complicated again.  I think I saw someone use an arduino to wire up the shifter and a simple sketch program to translate the shifting into keyboard presses.  You'll have to search for that one, been a long time since I saw that.   (another reason I used a fanatec shifter...).   The daytona shifter doesn't have a single switch-per-gear.  It uses a combination of open/closed to tell the original game what gear it was in.  Three switches I believe., in various states of open/closed depending on where the stick is.  Its actually pretty creative how it works.

Firstly, happy new year everyone!

Well, so far what we have...

*I need a PC with at least Windows 7

*an A-pac board to light the VR buttons, (will the A-pac board be used for the switches too? or just lamps?)

I saw that you mentioned model 2. However, the entire system in my Daytona 2 cabinet is model 3.
From what I saw, the shifter on my machine has a switch for each gear, it's not a simple switch, it appears to be a proximity switch and there are 4 in total.

[thiagomax]

I read a lot in Sailor Sat's post http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,145000.0.html , he managed to do something incredible in his Daytona USA cabinets (the first one), but I don't know if I can use anything in my project, as he used the original driver boards, remembering that I basically don't have no boards. In fact, when I bought this case, I received some boards


that I believe to be from the first Daytona, but they came
"as is"

[Fursphere]

*I need a PC with at least Windows 7

I'm working on the assumption that a Windows 7 capable PC will run the emulator platforms you want.   Please verify yourself before spending.

*an A-pac board to light the VR buttons, (will the A-pac board be used for the switches too? or just lamps?)

To clarify.   An Ultimarc A-Pac board will run the analog inputs and digital inputs (steering wheel, gas brake, and VR buttons).  It will NOT run lights.   That's another board like a PacLED or LEDWiz + software (LEDBlinky, mamehooker, troubleshooter2).

But this still isn't just "plug and play".    You'll need to know how to wire up potentiometers, and possible do a bit of soldering / crimping / wire splicing, etc.  And a working multi-meter will be invaluable.

I saw that you mentioned model 2. However, the entire system in my Daytona 2 cabinet is model 3.
From what I saw, the shifter on my machine has a switch for each gear, it's not a simple switch, it appears to be a proximity switch and there are 4 in total.

Model 2 is a Sega arcade platform, but it is ALSO the name of the emulator that runs Model 2 games.   "Supermodel" is the emulator that runs Model 3 games.   Just software.

Emulators of note (in arcade land):
MAME
Model 2
Supermodel
TeknoParrot

[holmes]

Hi
There may be an easy to set up way out there
https://www.gamoover.net/Forums/index.php?topic=44402.0
   
I do not know the details though. I am neither involved nor have attempted any of this.

Good luck!

[thiagomax]

Hello Holmes thank you for your response

From what I understand, this card would replace the entire cage with the game's eprom, but the sound amplifier boards and driver and feedback boards would have to be there

In my case I have zero boards.

Would this be a solution to having a drive board?

https://www.gamoover.net/Forums/index.php?topic=43369.0

[holmes]

It seems to be but I am not sure. As I said I am not involved in these projects.  These guys seem to be very competent and to have developed replacement cards for Model1/2 and 3 Sega racecabs. On the downside, this a French speaking forum and it may be difficult for you to communicate with them. Maybe there are other sites where people have achieved similar solutions ...

[bandicoot]

i'm on this forum too and french  , no problem you can come talk with us we can help you i think

[thiagomax]

i'm on this forum too and french  , no problem you can come talk with us we can help you i think

Thank you Bandicoot, do you think it would be better to create a post there?

Anyway, I feel very confused, from what I've seen there are several ways to achieve my goal, however there are many boards being created, and I often can't understand their real function,

[baritonomarchetto]

A plug and play solution for Model 2/3 conversion is still on the making, as you can see.
The most critical aspect is the use of the original wheel hardware and force feedback.
In my understanding, njz3's BackForceFeeder project is the most advanced (and documented), but calls for some efforts (study and dedication) on your side.
Here is a link:
https://github.com/njz3/vJoyIOFeederWithFFB
Njz3's software license will cost you a beer, but you can setup the machine with the demo version (it stops working for some second every tot minutes, but it's fully functional).
That M3 board rely on njz3 work, and it's not necessary.
Your main problem here is the missing wheel driver board, but you can anyway start with the conversion while diggin for one used or a modern replacement.

You come from the pinball world so it os likely I have not to write this, but anyway: keep the cabinet and wiring as original as possible. Calls for some more work, but it's rewarding in the end.