1 Arcade many control panels??

[Marky_1979]

I am about to start the construction of my Arcade cab (At Last) i do however have a question.

I am using the hagstrom encoder ke72-t it has trackball support (the main reason i chose it)

I want to make two different control panels

1- with 1 x 4 way joystick 2 buttons
            2 x 8 way joysticks 6 buttons each
            1 x Trackball and 2/3 buttons
            6 service buttons
            1 & 2 player start buttons

the Second being alot less clutered and more dedicated to fighters games like street fighter and marvel titles.

Which is the best way to do this with the easiest way to swop without having to rewire everything and take all night configuring etc?

Is this even possible?

Many thanks  Marky

[Lilwolf]

1) You are spending WAY too much for the encoder.

You only need enough inputs to handle the most complicated control panel.  Since you don't have any 4 player control panels I would STRONGLY recommend either a keywiz or a ipac and a hacked mouse from oscar.  You will save 40-50 bucks I believe and it will not effect you in the least.  (You might want to ask Oscar if he can sell a hacked mouse with the 3rd button not cut for ground.  Otherwise you will need to hook your trackball controlpanel to the keyboard encoder.  Not a huge deal but...  I don't know if he can do it.)

Next.

You have to decide how your going to connect them. 

Cheapest is hacking 25 pin serial cables.  You have to make sure they are pass through cables (all 25 pins go end to end) and not a cheap one that only has the 9 that serial ports use).   Then you also buy a bunch of 25pin m/m (or f/f) cables that you cut in 1/2...

You can also do network cables but you have 8 pins per plugin.   

But try and stay away from solid core cables.  These don't crimp well, especially on control panels that move (when you unplug them).


btw, In the next few weeks I will be posting a solution I plan on selling that will allow you to plug in each control panel without plugging anything in.  It works with any keyboard encoder (and tested with an AKI analog -> USB connector).  I am going to try this weekend to make one for USB cables so I can plug in any usb device without any cords.  But these are still a few months off from taking orders...

[Marky_1979]

I realised after i bought the encoder that there were other options but to late now had it a year or so and might as well use what i have. i have the wiring blocks for them aswell.

Is there a website or a guide to how i can do what you are suggesting?

I'll be honest with you im not very clued up when it comes to wiring and am really looking for an idiots guide as i dont trust myself with anything to complex.

[Lilwolf]

look through the examples and you will probably see some.

basically your looking for a standard plug to break all the connections to the control panel and reconnect them.  And the big serial cables have 25 wires and you can buy them for a buck plus shipping on ebay. 

So you cut them in 1/2.  Wire the female end to the encoder... And wire the male end to your control panel... Then when you plug the M  -> F its connected...

The only trouble is making sure you know which pin goes to which end.  And that takes a continuity tester or ohms meter...   But they are a few bucks and good to have anyway.

[Marky_1979]

Many Thanks You certainly know your stuff lilwolf i will have a search and see if i can find something like that and hopefully if i see it i'll get a better understanding of how it all works.

[Marky_1979]

Cant find any projects that have done this can anyone help?

[cholin]

Search around for "swappable control panel" and youll get a few results from google.

http://www.retrospieler.de/ -- look under "interface" and see how he connects a flat ribbon to a serial to his CP.  I would also say check out the minipac if you dont mind doing some wiring.  That will save you a ton of cash and it has trackball support.

[Wyluli]

HERE is a picture of the cable.

If you bought a male to female cable, why would you need a continuity tester?  The cable only plugs in one way, can't you just match up the wires?

[Lilwolf]

I don't remember if they are exactly backwards or if they are the same...    Thats why I mentioned it...

And everyone should have a good ohm meter to help fix problems.

[Stingray]

Cant find any projects that have done this can anyone help?

Here's mine maybe that will help a bit.

-S

[Doc-]

Not exactly what you want - but you might want to consider a modular or "semi-modular" setup.

Link in my signature block...

Doc

[cdbrown]

I used DB25 and DB9 cables in my project as I'll be having multiple control panels in the future. 

<-- Link over there.