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Can someone Identify what mods were done to this TankStick?
arcadesteve123:
lol...the overlay is in new condition and I don't really care about that but I will at least try out these cheapy buttons and see if they function how I expect them to but good to know that parts for the tankstick are still available!
PL1:
--- Quote from: arcadesteve123 on February 05, 2025, 09:23:22 am ---I did buy this GRS USB Button Hole Spinner and am I to assume that it does not require a usb board? Seems simple connection to it and hopefully windows will recognize it?
--- End quote ---
Yes, Windows will recognize it as a HID mouse -- no special drivers needed.
That spinner uses a Hall Effect sensor (magnetic, slightly less accurate) instead of optical sensors.
If it works good enough for you in Arkanoid (the highest resolution spinner game) after you adjust the sensitivity in MAME, then it will work well enough for all the other games.
- The GRS spinner is 1024 counts per turn vs. 1200 counts per turn for the TT2 and SpinTrak, so you'll need to calculate each game's sensitivity accordingly.
http://wiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/Spinner_Turn_Count
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,164017.0.html
The USB encoder is the blue PCB on the bottom of the spinner.
- The large connector is the USB connection.
- The small connection is for mouse buttons. L = left click. R = right click. G = ground.
Scott
arcadesteve123:
Soooooo....after all the assistance (Scott :burgerking:) I hooked it all up and it works great. Yea...I did have one of the buttons sticking but took it out and back in and now working fine. Seems like you can't crank the plastic nut that tight or things get wonky. The button spinner was so simple to setup where I really didn't want to break the hole drill out etc.
I got an smack-down education on how the inner workings of these things work with this post...Still haven't found a good wiring diagram on the microswitch as to what connects to what but read somewhere if you reverse the polarity the lighted buttons they only light when pushed? Anyhu, now back to the diy stand I will be making to incorporate the tankstick. Thanks again to PL1! I'll post a pic when completely done....May the games begin!
PL1:
Glad to assist. :cheers:
--- Quote from: arcadesteve123 on February 05, 2025, 11:07:24 pm ---Still haven't found a good wiring diagram on the microswitch as to what connects to what but read somewhere if you reverse the polarity the lighted buttons they only light when pushed?
--- End quote ---
Check out WannabeJoy's thread for a number of tips and ideas including the diagrams below.
https://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,151577.0/all.html
She was using a sound board instead of gamepad encoder, but things should work similarly if your encoder is an "active low" device -- input is normally pulled HIGH (5v) until LOW (ground) is applied to it which triggers the output.
- You'll need to adjust the wiring if your encoder is "active high" -- input is normally LOW until HIGH (5v) is applied to it which triggers the output -- and many of the cheap encoders like yours are.
- If you want to find out if your encoder is "active low" (ground common on outer rail) or "active high" (5v common on outer rail), test it with your multimeter like Melvinbates did in this thread.
- If you're not sure how to change the wiring diagram for "active high", just mention which option you want.
Looks like your LED buttons have a microswitch with 3 tabs (NO, NC, and COM) and have the LED on the "stirrup" tabs.
- If you have wires connected to all three tabs of the microswitch and only one "stirrup", it's probably connected like diagram #2.
Scott
CamdenTate:
That layout looks unique! It could be a custom mod or a lesser-known variant. Have you checked for any branding, labels, or unusual wiring? Posting on arcade modding forums or Reddit might help identify the modifications. Looks like a cool find! My job requires me to send large software installation files to clients, and most email services just don’t work for that. Filemail has been a lifesaver! It allows me to send large files without any hassle, and my clients can download them instantly. No more worrying about storage limits or slow uploads—just fast, efficient file transfers.
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