question to all about 1 button turn on setups: How did you do it

[GMZombie]

just as the topic says...describe how you got your mame machine to turn on with just one or mabye 2 buttons. Im still trying to figure this out. I have a different situation im gonna at least need 2 buttons if not 3 cause i have a jamma board wired into the mame machine....gotta have the golden tee golf 99 in there. anyways i know im gonna need a sep. switch for the jamma board but how did you do it with your cabinet.

[etumor]

One way is to use the Bits Limited "Smartstrip."  I haven't used one of these myself, but I just bought one and plan to use it in my next cabinet.  Go here for a review:

http://www.retroblast.com/reviews/smartstrip1.html

In my current cabinet, I wanted to be able to turn the computer off and on independant of the rest of the machine (since I use that box as a server).  I did it by getting an extension cord that supports three connections.  I plug the computer into one connection, and a power strip into another connection.  I mounted the power strip on a board just inside my coin door.

As for the computer, I hacked the power switch wires into a standard microswitch, then mounted a pushbutton on the board right above the powerstrip.  To turn the machine on from a total powerdown, I hit the white button and flip the red switch.  But most of the time, I just use the red switch to turn the machine on and off, while the computer stays powered on 24/7.

-Jeff

[SpamMe]

I'm using a smart strip. Case power button wires to standard pushbutton's microswitch (but I have the wires running through a toggle inside so I can disable the button when we have visitors that can't seem to stop hitting it accidentally).
Windows is set to stand by instead of powering off. I don't mind the minor power consumption, and I like the fast boot ups. If I need to do a real shutdown, I do it via mamewah's shutdown option instead.

[Industen]

I used a Bits Limited power strip and spliced into the power wire of my computer so everything turns on at once. I used a square pushbutton with a START decal because I thought I wanted it to be a visable part on my cabinet. Turns out I ended up mounting it on top of the cabinet so prying hands do not touch it. Pretty simple to do. You can follow these directions I wrote up if you need them.



http://joelsgadgets.com/computeronpushbutton.html

[SirPeale]

Plus check this thread as well.

http://www.arcadecontrols.org/yabbse/index.php?board=1;action=display;threadid=19304

[spystyle]

Howdy !
I have a simple one button solution that uses only solder and 1 microswich pushbutton

I am using it on a television and an ATX motherboard, but it should work for anything that has a 2 point switch

(OK electronics guys, help me out here, I don't know the lingo)

I put the left wire from both devices to the COM of the miscroswitch, and the right wire from both devices to the NO of the miscroswitch

One button press and the TV and PC both power on, another press and they both power off.

Simple eh ?

I would imagine this method could be used for many other devices as well

(I call the left wire hot and the right wire ground, because I don't know the proper terminology, but you get it right ? )

Dig it?
Craig

[spystyle]

Here is a pic of the front

[MiKman]

I haven't done it yet but basically what I was going to do was mount a light switch on the top of my cabinet that switches power off and on to 4 outlets mounted inside the cabinet where my computer, flourescent light, and TV are plugged into.  Failing that working then I will get a smartstrip and switch it on the TV with the TV remote control...

[delta88]

well.. this was my doing..
I take 2 3 doller power strips and a relay from radio shack.. I have one hot all the time witht he pc plugged into it.. I then take the relay and wire it across the 2 stripps and then make it actuate with the power from the pc.. so now anythin plugged into the 2nd power strip will turn on and off the the pc.

recently I have used mobo's with the on with any key feature.. this is the next best way from using the smart strip.
 id say:

 #1. smart strip: best

#2. Myway: 2nd best

#3. anyother way totalyy weird.. dont wanna sound mean but htat monitor and pc thing.. ehh scary. havin the direct wired to the front panel.. there are such things as grounding issues and static charges. thats why you see so many ground strpas inside a real arcade game. for instance. the real mspac thats in the arcade .. well the one near me and a few others in ther area.. if you rub your feet on the ground and touch the coin door it freaks and goes into free play with one pac per play.. weird.. so its better to isolate that kinda stuff from frequent exposure

[REBIRTH]

Here is what I did for this, works with two different Mame PC's - incredibly simple and cheap and is a 1 button on/off for everything.

- 1 standard everyday power strip with everything in my cab plugged into it

- I bought a standard on/off pushbutton switch at Home Depot.  That switch has two wiring posts, all I did was cut 1 wire in the the power strip cord in the middle, connect two wires from the on/off pushbutton to either side of the power strip wire (just like inserting a light switch in your house).

That's it

- On the PC, turn on your power management settings in the CMOS.  What this does is boot up your PC any time power is turned on.  This is different than hitting the power button on the PC, which I do not have to do.  As an example, what this esentially does is if you power down your PC and then  unplugged it from the wall, when you plug it back into the wall later the PC will automatically boot back up without having to hit the power button.  When I hit my on/off power button I installed on the cab  it is as if I just plugged it back into the wall in my example and it will boot right up.  99% of all CMOS' can do this.

- similar on the monitor, most monitors have a setting that will turn it on when power is supplied instead of having to hit the actual monitor on/off

- marquee light, etc. all powers on/off with that button as well.

So all I do is walk up to the maching, hit that one on/off pushbutton (I put on top of my cab) and everything comes on.  When I finish playing, my front end will power down my PC when I tell it I am done (which I do by hitting my player 2 start and player 1 coin at the same time).  I then just hit the on/off pushbutton to turn everything off.  Later hitting that button will power everything back on again and I am good to go.

I understand the question of how to do this, I had it myself, but never quite understood the lengths people go to for a solution, the smartstrips people buy (which can be a bit pricey), the relays people build, etc...  My solution cost about $10 (actually I had the power strip already so it really only cost about $5 for the on/off switch).  My solution should work for almost everyone (would not work if your CMOS doesn't allow the power management setting - but that is rare in any PC less than 5-7 years old).

[Hoopstar]

Mine is pretty simple..

Use a 12 volt realy with is connected to a molex connector inside my computer.  When the momentary switch (which is external from the cab) is pushed, the computer powers up switching on the 12 volts and closing the relay.  They relay contacts are wired to switch in the Active wire on a powerboard and therefore turn on the marque, monitor, amp etc etc...

Cost - about 10 bucks

[rampy]

I used a sears  automatic power switch for 20 beans at a .. duh.. sears.

plugged my PC into the "master" controlling plug.  Plugged my surge strip with all the accessories (marquee light, speaker amp, etc) and monitor into the "automagic" plug(s).  And Voila whenever I turn on my PC everything else starts up (and versa vice)

I extended the power button on the PC to the original spot where my cabinets On/Off toggle switch used to be, and replaced it with a momentary pushbutton switch (a doorbell button, but doesn't look like a doorbell button)

Good luck,

rampy

[SoundDoc]

I haven't finished my cab wiring yet, but it will be as follows:

Momentrary switch replacing toggle switch in the "classic" top right cabinet location wired to the power header on the motherboard. As well, my rig will be set to wake from kb, but as I'm going to be using a USB encoder, this doesn't work on many motherboards I've found unless they also have a jumper to power the usb port when off.

Just as a note, ASUS motherboards are the only ones I've come accross that have a jumper to power the usb ports in S3&4 sleep modes, most will only wake via usb if the computer is in standby, or powersaving.

I'm then going to use a 12Vdc solid state relay, powered from the pc power supply to switch power to the monitor, marquee light, neon, amp, etc...

I was initially looking at a smart current sensing power bar when i was jsut going to plug everything in, but after deciding to hard wire the cabinet instead to make it a cleaner build, I went with the relay.

SD

[Hoagie_one]

im using this plan
http://home.bendcable.com/werstlein/

[PedroSilva]

Just a suggestion:

You might wanna use 3 switchs: On for the PC and speakers, another for the TV/Monitor and another for the marquee ... Why ?

Here's why, in my humble opinion:

- The marquee light is very nice for showing to your friends and so on ... but after a while ... believe me ... you will not need it and you will most certaintly turn it off;

- If you plan to use you cab also as a music station, jukebox ... etc ... you will want to turn off the TV ...

Just my thoughts ...  

[Onji]

Rebirth I'm using a similar setup as you, i have everything in my standard power strip (right now i just flip the switch on the strip) and everythign comes on BUT the dang TV!!! I have to manually get the stupid remote out, turn the tv on and change it to the svid input 'channel' its so aggravating, and NOWHERE in the tv menus were any options for power on when power is detected etc.
If anyone knows a way around this for a tv, please let me know

[big_garryb]

mine is in mid-build - but ive got the electrics working and heres how:

standard extension cable inside cab, cable pokes out and plugs in so only single cable visible from outside. when power switched on the TV auto switches on and luckily selects the s-vid channel.

switch on back of cab which is wired into the power switch. quick press and bingo............but heres the good bits.

i have locking, illuninated (blue) switches - on CP there is 3. first one works all the leds inc trackball, illuminated switches and.....thats it. second one works the marquee, third one works the under cab cold cathod (blue) lights. the cab sides are 1 inch off the ground, so get a nice glow underneath!!!!

just my 2p worth.
garry