best 4-way, 8-way joysticks

[NoOne=NBA=]

Yes, Assault is 1-P; but does use two sticks, so I included it.
I didn't proof my post before I posted it.

[Grauwulf]

Thanks NoOne=NBA= That answeres my question. That way I only have to buy one T-stick Plus and one regular one. I can put the 4-8 way switchable one in the 1P position to play 4-way games.

[Nefesis]

The T-stick plus is excellent for 4/8 way switching, but I don't like the feel with the switches that come with it.  I replaced them with Cherrys, and it is fantastic!!!

when you said you replaced the microswitches, did you replace them with the .187" 0.1 amp ones from happs? avaliable here: http://www.happcontrols.com/index.html?http://www.happcontrols.com/amusement/acesor/switches.htm!

[Todd H]

I'm interested in this whole T-Stick/cherry microswitch deal.  I'm still planning my control panel and I'm trying to avoid turning it into a frankenpanel.  

To me, the ultimate joystick would combine the feel of the Competition with the T-Stick's easy 4/8 way switching.  A man can dream can't he?  

[NoOne=NBA=]

You can actually HAVE that, if you really want it.

Just hook an automotive fan control assembly to the 4-way/8-way actuator on a J-stik, so that it pulls/pushes the actuator from outside the cabinet.

It's got the soft feel/long throw of the Competitions, but the easy switching of the T-stik.

[Todd H]

Oops, should have said T-Stick Plus.  Is there a way to modify the J-Stick so that you can switch between 4 and 8 way by pulling up on the stick and turning it like the T-Stick Plus?  And could you go into a little more detail NoOne=NBA= about the automotive fan control assembly thing?

[independentthread]

For me, it's not about the click/not-click issue, but rather about what works well.

The sticks that you are probably most familiar with, given that you feel the arcades were "built on clicks" are the Happs crap that eventually became standard on most machines.
Those sticks suck from a players standpoint, and only BECAME standard as arcades shifted from a manned operation to a route operation.

When the arcades actually had a tech on staff, adjusting controls, etc... was viewed as a necessary evil, and controls were fixed quickly and efficiently to keep the game operational.
Wicos were the standard at this time because they were durable, and worked better, from a player standpoint, than their microswitch counterparts.
This made the operator more money because people wanted to play them.

Once the shift was made to a route system, the sticks began to be replaced with microswitches because they didn't require as much maintenance.
There's nothing worse than coming back a week after a control failure to find out your machine hasn't been making ANY money since you were last there.

Thank you for the history lesson.  You're missing the point.  Take two pieces of metal and tap them together.  What kind of sound does it make?  Take a piece of metal and tap it against a piece of wood.  What kind of sound does it make?  Nowhere did I say that microswitches were better than leaf switches, so trying to argue that is ludicrous.  And as far as what I grew up on, I've been playing arcade games pretty much all my life and I happen to be 25 years old.  Is 1982 the mid 80's?
I'm done arguing this because it's all about preference anyway.  I just think that the search for silent controls is pointless because inevitably there is going to be a sound made, whether it happens to be from a microswitch, a leaf switch, or someone screaming at the game for going up when they thought they hit left.

Besides, this thread wasn't even about any of this crap.  I stated an opinion, and didn't intend to start a war of misstated facts.

independentthread hearby promises not to disturb the integrity of this thread any longer.

[Minwah]

when you said you replaced the microswitches, did you replace them with the .187" 0.1 amp ones from happs? avaliable here: http://www.happcontrols.com/index.html?http://www.happcontrols.com/amusement/acesor/switches.htm!

I can't answer for pcolson (I am interested also), but I used these:

http://www.happcontrols.com/electrical_supplies/95073500.htm

The ones with the 1" actuator, although I had to cut ~1cm off of the actuator.

NoOneNBA: I'd like to hear some more about the fan control switching idea...

[Nefesis]

when you said you replaced the microswitches, did you replace them with the .187" 0.1 amp ones from happs? avaliable here: http://www.happcontrols.com/index.html?http://www.happcontrols.com/amusement/acesor/switches.htm!

I can't answer for pcolson (I am interested also), but I used these:

http://www.happcontrols.com/electrical_supplies/95073500.htm

The ones with the 1" actuator, although I had to cut ~1cm off of the actuator.

NoOneNBA: I'd like to hear some more about the fan control switching idea...

cool. the actutator is the long part that sticks off the top?

[NoOne=NBA=]

No, the actuator is the little piece that sticks out the bottom, and pushes the leaf switches together.

As far as the fan control idea, someone else here actually made a similar push-rod type switch system about a year ago, or so.
The theory is pretty simple.
You take an auto fan control, lawnmower throttle cable, auto choke cable, etc... and hook it to the cab so that the cable inside pushes/pulls on the restrictor plate.



The areas that need special attention are:

1) Making sure that the cable body is secured near the restrictor plate with a mounting block of some sort.
If you don't do this, the entire cable, shield and everything will move, and it won't turn the restrictor properly.

2) Making sure the cable doesn't turn too tight of a radius on the way across.
The straighter the cable runs, the easier it will work.

3) Making sure that the piece attached to the restrictor is secure enough to last.
I haven't actually done this hack, so I'm not sure what problems you may run into getting a lever on the restrictor to stay securely.
One idea I had was to remove one of the screws, and use the slot for that screw to secure the end of the cable in place somehow.

[Minwah]

cool. the actutator is the long part that sticks off the top?

Yes, the metal lever part.  I think NoOneNBA is talking about something else...

[Minwah]

As far as the fan control idea, someone else here actually made a similar push-rod type switch system about a year ago, or so.
The theory is pretty simple.
You take an auto fan control, lawnmower throttle cable, auto choke cable, etc... and hook it to the cab so that the cable inside pushes/pulls on the restrictor plate.



The areas that need special attention are:

1) Making sure that the cable body is secured near the restrictor plate with a mounting block of some sort.
If you don't do this, the entire cable, shield and everything will move, and it won't turn the restrictor properly.

2) Making sure the cable doesn't turn too tight of a radius on the way across.
The straighter the cable runs, the easier it will work.

3) Making sure that the piece attached to the restrictor is secure enough to last.
I haven't actually done this hack, so I'm not sure what problems you may run into getting a lever on the restrictor to stay securely.
One idea I had was to remove one of the screws, and use the slot for that screw to secure the end of the cable in place somehow.

Good idea  Not sure how well it would work when pushing the cable tho...

I wonder if it would be possible to go a step further and rotate the restrictor plate using a gear driven by a slow motor of some kind - I know it has been mentioned before...

[NoOne=NBA=]

Good idea  Not sure how well it would work when pushing the cable tho...

It opens the half-stuck vent thing on my Jeep--if you ram it quickly and hard.
I can't see that little restrictor plate giving it anywhere NEAR that kind of resistance.


Note to self: Fix half-stuck vent thing on Jeep.


And yes, I was talking about a different actuator.
Somebody had asked earlier about 8-way leaf sticks in this thread, or another one.
I had told them about a guy that was replacing everything but the base and actuator on some 8-ways with parts from 4-way NOS sticks.