More info on hacking Namco 5-in-1 to arcade controls?

[gust0208]

Hello everyone,

I have become very interested in putting together a very low budget bartop cab based off one of the Namco 5-in-1 controllers that you can hook directly into a TV.  I have seen a few posts about this, but I am looking for more information on the actual hacking of the 5-in-1 controller.  I plan to use the joystick built into the unit, but would like to hack on some nice Happ horizontal buttons and a plug-in power supply.

Link to Namco 5-in-1: WalMart.Com Link

Thanks for any help in advance,
Tom

[paigeoliver]

Hello everyone,

I have become very interested in putting together a very low budget bartop cab based off one of the Namco 5-in-1 controllers that you can hook directly into a TV.  I have seen a few posts about this, but I am looking for more information on the actual hacking of the 5-in-1 controller.  I plan to use the joystick built into the unit, but would like to hack on some nice Happ horizontal buttons and a plug-in power supply.

You won't need ANY help, open that sucker up and all your questions will vanish. As for the plug in power supply, the unit has a hole for one, and the type needed is listed, radio shack should have it, you might already have one if you tend to accrue stuff like that.

[gust0208]

Hello,

Thanks for the quick reply!  I was waiting to find out a bit more info before ordering one, but now I think I will just get one right now.

So, it sounds pretty easy to do the buttons.  Very cool.  Bartop Galaga on the cheap! Woot!

Cheers,
Tom

[DrewKaree]

You'll WANT to swap out the joystick after getting it, so order one from Happs when you order the buttons.  The cost will be negligible compared to a week or so later when you realize that cheezy joystick that comes with it won't hold up to much more serious use.

Also, if there's an LED in there, KEEP IT IN THERE!  Don't cut it out and try to splice the wires back together, just bury it inside the innards of whatever you're building to house your controls.

[gust0208]

Thanks for the heads up on the LED.  For replacing the joystick, does the unit use a 4-way or 8-way stick?  I assume 4-way based on the game selection, but can't hurt to double check.  I will be getting mine in mail fairly soon.

Cheers,
Tom

You'll WANT to swap out the joystick after getting it, so order one from Happs when you order the buttons.  The cost will be negligible compared to a week or so later when you realize that cheezy joystick that comes with it won't hold up to much more serious use.

Also, if there's an LED in there, KEEP IT IN THERE!  Don't cut it out and try to splice the wires back together, just bury it inside the innards of whatever you're building to house your controls.

[Shape D.]

it depends what one youre using the pac man comes with a 4-way but theres a game on it that uses an 8 way stick. I don't know if it will accept 8 way controls though. the mrs pac is an 8 way but it also has a rotating joy for that racing game who's name I cant think of right now. pole position

[markrvp]

For Pole Position, the ball top rotates left/right to turn a POTENTIOMETER inside the case.  There is a return to center spring that keeps it centered.  Playing Pole Position with this knob is actually easier than with a spinner in MAME (In My Humble Opinion).  Anybody hacked that, yet?  If so, what controls did you replace it with on your CP?

[tetsujin]

For Pole Position, the ball top rotates left/right to turn a POTENTIOMETER inside the case.

Argh!  I was wondering why I couldn't steer the damn thing with the joystick when I tried the unit in the store!  I thought it was defective...

[markrvp]

For Pole Position, the ball top rotates left/right to turn a POTENTIOMETER inside the case.

Argh!

[DreamArcades]

I

[Mario]

I

[DrewKaree]

I

[DreamArcades]

Let's not get in a fight here, but I must say that you are mis-informed. The problem wasn't the transformer's voltage; it probably wasn

[SirPeale]

DA brings up a couple good points.  Some others:

1) measure the output of the adaptor in question!  Even though it may state on the back '6V' it may be 9V or higher!  Finding something as low as 5V would be optimal.

2) *don't* use one of those variable voltage adaptors.  They're notorious for being *way* off voltage.

and a question: doesn't the amperage refer to the draw of the unit?

[cholin]

Yeah I thought so too about Amerage.  Each plug gives off what...15A I believe.  You dont see that blowing up anything when you plug it in, it just means that 15A is available.  When you use a transformer, it usually changes the available amperage, so instead of HAVING 15A, you now HAVE 1A to use.  I just look in my basement, yesterday I found one perfect, "5V regulated power supply".

[shawnzilla]

For Pole Position, the ball top rotates left/right to turn a POTENTIOMETER inside the case.  There is a return to center spring that keeps it centered.  Playing Pole Position with this knob is actually easier than with a spinner in MAME (In My Humble Opinion).  Anybody hacked that, yet?  If so, what controls did you replace it with on your CP?

I'd be very intersted to know if anyone has done or thought of a hack for the Pole Position pot.

[paigeoliver]

For Pole Position, the ball top rotates left/right to turn a POTENTIOMETER inside the case.  There is a return to center spring that keeps it centered.  Playing Pole Position with this knob is actually easier than with a spinner in MAME (In My Humble Opinion).  Anybody hacked that, yet?  If so, what controls did you replace it with on your CP?

I'd be very intersted to know if anyone has done or thought of a hack for the Pole Position pot.

You should be able to hook it up to a Pong type spinner or Stereo knob with no problems.

[shawnzilla]

Does anyone know the email address for this guy:
http://www.bishopzone.com/bishopzone/projects/tabletops/tabletops.html

His plans for bartops seem to be the nicest I've seen.

[Shape D.]

For Pole Position, the ball top rotates left/right to turn a POTENTIOMETER inside the case.  There is a return to center spring that keeps it centered.  Playing Pole Position with this knob is actually easier than with a spinner in MAME (In My Humble Opinion).  Anybody hacked that, yet?  If so, what controls did you replace it with on your CP?

I'd be very intersted to know if anyone has done or thought of a hack for the Pole Position pot.

I'm sticking a spinner knob on mine if I ever get around to building it.

[SteveJ34]

Does anyone know the email address for this guy:
http://www.bishopzone.com/bishopzone/projects/tabletops/tabletops.html

His plans for bartops seem to be the nicest I've seen.

Historically at the time he posted those projects, he was not interested in releasing plans based on his desire to perhaps make a project kit from them himself to sell to others.

I created my own by scaling the Ms Pac/Galaga plans from jakobud....I would pass those along but they are not in electronic form atm.

I just drew them up on a piece of foamboard that I then used as a template for the side panels and top/bottom/back/CP placement.

[RandyT]

Let's not get in a fight here, but I must say that you are mis-informed. The problem wasn't the transformer's voltage; it probably wasn

[quarterback]

Does anyone know the email address for this guy:
http://www.bishopzone.com/bishopzone/projects/tabletops/tabletops.html

His plans for bartops seem to be the nicest I've seen.

The Tron is my favorite:


You do realize bishmasterb's a BYOACer, yes?

[DreamArcades]

The circuitry is called a regulator and in cases like these, where you have limited space or cooling ability,  it's built into the power supply, not on the board.  Ever wonder why you always see the warnings to use "only the AC adapter supplied/designed for use with the product"?  This is why.

I wouldn't expect too much heat from one of these; a one-amp regulator would be overkill. Add a capacitor between the high and low lines and you should be good to go. You could even add this to your Namco unit yourself for a buck or so. I just figured this was beyond most readers. Maybe I should give BYOAC users more credit.

Bahh.  Use a regulated power supply and don't go over the 6 volts these things are looking for and all will be right with your world.  Transients or not.

I had one running for over a week straight without even a hiccup. 

Heck, it's your $15, I'm just sounding a note of caution.
-Mike

[MinerAl]

For Pole Position, the ball top rotates left/right to turn a POTENTIOMETER inside the case.  There is a return to center spring that keeps it centered.  Playing Pole Position with this knob is actually easier than with a spinner in MAME (In My Humble Opinion).  Anybody hacked that, yet?  If so, what controls did you replace it with on your CP?

I'd be very intersted to know if anyone has done or thought of a hack for the Pole Position pot.

I used the stock stick as a shaft (with a little steering wheel on top) for only the steering pot, and a T-Stick plus for the actual joystick controls. 

Made a thread about it.  Here it is.

I used a variable voltage wall wart set to 6V (verified by a voltmeter).  There is/was not a plug hole for it on the Ms. Pac/Galaga 5-in-1.  I had to splice it into the wires from the batery box.  Not challenging, but not as easy as plugging it in.

[RandyT]

The circuitry is called a regulator and in cases like these, where you have limited space or cooling ability,  it's built into the power supply, not on the board.  Ever wonder why you always see the warnings to use "only the AC adapter supplied/designed for use with the product"?  This is why.

I wouldn't expect too much heat from one of these; a one-amp regulator would be overkill. Add a capacitor between the high and low lines and you should be good to go. You could even add this to your Namco unit yourself for a buck or so. I just figured this was beyond most readers. Maybe I should give BYOAC users more credit.

A capacitor only smooths out oscillations and noise to give cleaner DC power.  The capacitors you see in "surge protectors" are sacrificial.  They don't stop the surge, they self-destruct before it can be passed to stuff you care about. I.e. they only work once....

If your AC voltage fluctuates they way you described, a capacitor will do nothing to protect the unit.  A regulator is what you need here.

Also, regulators create a fair amount of heat as they require at least 1 volt more going in than the desired regulated votage output.  That extra volt is converted to heat and when it's in a small case with no ventilation it will get quite warm.  And the more current you pull through it, the more heat that extra volt creates.

Again....regulated power supply.

RandyT

 

[BobA]

Has anyone traced the circuit that includes the LED to see why it is required?  Sounds like Namco might have used it to drop the voltage of the 4 AA batteries in a el cheapo power supply design.

BobA

[Mario]

I used the stock stick as a shaft (with a little steering wheel on top) for only the steering pot, and a T-Stick plus for the actual joystick controls.