Buddabing's LED controller

[Buddabing]

Hello,

The first phase of implementing my LED controller is complete. I took a couple of pictures......

[Buddabing]

I wrote some software to reproduce some of the bling bling effects of the Arcalux
 control panel. Unfortunately, I've lost the charger for my son's camcorder, so actual video of this controller will have to wait for a few days while I acquire a new one.

I'm planning on putting in support for this controller in my MAME build. I envision two uses at first: one, to light individual buttons on a control panel according to what controls are active at the time, and two, to light up LEDs around each of the eight cardinal directions around a joystick, depending on which directions are active on the joystick.

So far my demo application only runs on Windows 98 or DOS because of the problems that NT based Windows has with directly controlling parallel ports. I'm sure a Linux hacker could get it to work easily with the parport libraries. I do plan to incorporate support for NT windows, however.

[Lilwolf]

Cool.  So whats your long term plans?  Considering making / selling them?  Setup kits?  Or showing people how to do it?

[Toonces]

That is very cool. Along with a GP-Wiz49 you could have a really cool setup! As far as Windows XP goes, you can use a DOS program to set (or clear) the bits without any kind of modification to the program. You just have to run the dos program twice. Check out my control program for the GP-Wiz49 for examples of how I control mine. I use a relay board but it really isn't necessary. You just reverse the logic and clear the bits you want for the mode set. You can download the batch files I use to control a DOS app here: http://www.pachislofun.com/setmode/setmode.zip


How are you taking commands to turn the LEDs on? does it correspond to the modes of the GP-Wiz49 by any chance? I am thinking that if the LED board were connected in parallel with the GP-Wiz49 you could have mode changes and LEDs for each.

Thanks!

Toonces

[MrSaLTy]

I was thinking about trying to do the same thing the other day.  Now that I got my gpwiz49's I was gunna try to figure out how to light leds based on what mode was switched and have the panel light up the cp arrows around the stick etc.  Also the lights based on controls.dat for buttons etc.  I will be very interested to see what you come up with for this.  good luck Budda!

[Trimoor]

We should include something on how to take focused pictures in the FAQ...But otherwise it looks good.

How are you controlling the LEDs?  Is it just a multiplexor and latch, or a microcontroller too?  If it's a microcontroller, you might want to use the serial port for ease of programming.

Am I right in guessing the 555 circuit in the lower right corner is left over from another project?

[cholin]

and two, to light up LEDs around each of the eight cardinal directions around a joystick, depending on which directions are active on the joystick.[/quote/

That was one of my ideas, although I was only going to use 4 directions.  If anything happens with this board (for a CHEAP price), I may save myself a ton of wiring!  Im sure Trimoor remembers this idea beause he practically made the circuit   Hope it's cheaper than the ArcaLux

[Buddabing]

We should include something on how to take focused pictures in the FAQ...But otherwise it looks good.

How are you controlling the LEDs?  Is it just a multiplexor and latch, or a microcontroller too?  If it's a microcontroller, you might want to use the serial port for ease of programming.

Am I right in guessing the 555 circuit in the lower right corner is left over from another project?

The larger IC is a "constant-current LED display driver" chip, the medium sized one is a standard 74LS05, and the small one, you are correct, is a standard 555 oscillator that is not part of the circuit.

The driver chip runs on an I2C interface. The inverters are part of a circuit which makes the parallel port inputs I2C-compatible. I used the parallel port for simplicity; there may be an I2C serial port solution somewhere as well.

My daughter took the pictures, I really don't know anything about taking "focused pictures". All I did was resize them and resample to 72 dpi. That information would be nice to have.

What I would really want is for someone like GameCab to make a PCB out of this circuit and give me the first one free. It would be easy to put in a way to control 20 more LEDs if necessary.

I haven't looked at the GP-Wiz49 since it is USB. 

[Trimoor]

Is the LED driver a MAXIM chip?  I tried one once, but I couldn't get the parallel interface to work properly.  The only problem is they cost over 5 bucks apiece, which is a ripoff for what little they do.  I guess you could sell it with just a chip socket and have everyone order their own free 'samples'.

[Buddabing]

Is the LED driver a MAXIM chip?  I tried one once, but I couldn't get the parallel interface to work properly.  The only problem is they cost over 5 bucks apiece, which is a ripoff for what little they do.  I guess you could sell it with just a chip socket and have everyone order their own free 'samples'.

Yep, MAX6956ANI. They cost something like $5.31 each plus shipping in quantity of 1, but they give discounts for 25 or more ordered.  ($4.28)  I tried ordering some samples, but they never arrived.

Most of the circuit is in the parallel interface, the LED controller part is just one IC, a .1 uf cap, and a resistor. It was well worth the $5.31 to me to save the trouble. I can get the fade effects, too, and most of the low-level programming was done for me already in the application notes.

[Gamecab]

Am I right in guessing the 555 circuit in the lower right corner is left over from another project?

What I would really want is for someone like GameCab to make a PCB out of this circuit and give me the first one free. It would be easy to put in a way to control 20 more LEDs if necessary.

I'll do it.  send me an email at cruvola@gamecab.com and we can go over all of the details.  If the schematics and design are good than I think I can have a batch of boards rolled out within 3 weeks.

Thanks
Charlie

[Buddabing]

Am I right in guessing the 555 circuit in the lower right corner is left over from another project?

What I would really want is for someone like GameCab to make a PCB out of this circuit and give me the first one free. It would be easy to put in a way to control 20 more LEDs if necessary.

I'll do it.  send me an email at cruvola@gamecab.com and we can go over all of the details.  If the schematics and design are good than I think I can have a batch of boards rolled out within 3 weeks.

Thanks
Charlie

YGEM

[Buddabing]

I've got a video of my first prototype, get it

I have teamed up with GameCab and we want to produce these boards for the BYOAC community. However, we need to know how many are you are interested.

As I see things there are several different interest levels:

1. I'm buying it, no matter what!
2. I'll buy it if it's not too expensive.
3. Looks interesting, but I could build one cheaper.
4. Meh.

We plan on offering several different choices for what kind of controller you want.

1a. Controller capable of controlling 20 LEDs
1b. Controller capable of controlling 40 LEDs

2a. Wire harness, LEDs, circuit board
2b. Just the populated circuit board
2c. Just the bare circuit board

This board is designed to be inexpensive, thus the interface is through the parallel port. I looked into USB but the only solutions I found would add at least $25 to the cost of the project.

I'm planning on integrating this into my MAME build, and I also plan to offer a configurable standalone application than can run independently, as a screen saver for example, or as part of a front end.

We need to know what level of interest there is in this product. If there isn't any, then I'll just build myself one and change my name to Budda-bling.

[Knievel]

Hey Budda first time seeing this, VERY COOL 
Put me down as a #2...with a little re-wiring my Neon CP would be a prime candidate for this thing.

[MrSaLTy]

I think there will be a lot of interest.

[markrvp]

I'm in no matter what.  I love the idea of when Mortal Kombat loads, buttons 1 thru 5 light up.

[Troz]

Count me in too.  This looks fantastic!

[markrvp]

Okay, I'm retarted.  How do I see the video (where is the link)?

[Felsir]

@markrvl:

See this message:

I've got a video of my first prototype, get it

[2600]

I'm in for one.  Probably the 20 LED one, but it be nice if it was the same PCB and just some parts missing if someone wanted to upgrade.

Definitely in for 2a as well.  I'd rather shell the dough then the wireup all those LED's.

[natorious]

This project looks great!  I fall into camp #2 as well.

[Witchboard]

My interested level would be #2 for product 2a.  Will there be an option to setup the joystick directional lights to indicate 4-way/8-way instead of lighting when the joystick is moved a direction as you described earlier in the topic?  That would be handy.

[Lilwolf]

crap... lost my post...

[Buddabing]

My interested level would be #2 for product 2a.

[screaming]

2. I'll buy it if it's not too expensive.

  I'm in this boat...

1b. Controller capable of controlling 40 LEDs

  ...For this controller...

2b. Just the populated circuit board

   ...For this product...  If I do a project like this I will need to have different colored lights for the different player's (green, blue, red, yellow) joysticks, but white for all the buttons.  If you provide that as an option (I think that's the most commong 4p setup) then I'll definitely be down for "2a" (as long as it's not too expensive).  Do we have a ballpark price yet?

-sab

[Santoro]

2, 1a, 2a. 

C o o l

[Buddabing]

Can you hot swap the LEDs?

[ddockery]

Being that I haven't even built anything, count me in.  I'd love to have a little bling in the cab.  Any chance this could also work with the Atari Volcano buttons?  I'm not sure how those are wired, but there could be some interesting possibilities there as well.

I'm down with #2 for 2a.

[jer2665]

I'm definitely intrigued, I'd put me at 2 depending on how easy itd be to set up, but having red arrows light up around my joystick to say 8 way or 4 way would rock.

[Buddabing]

Being that I haven't even built anything, count me in.

[Chris]

The board will flash start buttons. The start button flashing will only work in BuddaMAME, however, not with a standard MAME build, since it doesn't use the num lock/scroll lock/caps lock code.

Excellent... this means that KeyWiz users now have a chance at start button lights!

Of course, with this being completely dependent on BuddaMAME, you can never, ever stop updating it now...

[Edit out request for external app; didn't read the thread carefully enough to see one is planned.]

Sounds like I need to find a way to support this in WinCab Jukebox... if I could make individual LED's respond to messages, you could have control panel indicators for anything a WinCab icon can respond to, like making a button flash as it's pressed or having LED's to indicate the Popular list display, Radio mode, Pause, etc.  Or actually have light-up instruction panels like the default skin currently simulates... anyone interested in this?

(Sorry for the semi-hijack...)

--Chris

[Buddabing]

The board will flash start buttons. The start button flashing will only work in BuddaMAME, however, not with a standard MAME build, since it doesn't use the num lock/scroll lock/caps lock code.

Excellent... this means that KeyWiz users now have a chance at start button lights!

Of course, with this being completely dependent on BuddaMAME, you can never, ever stop updating it now...

[Edit out request for external app; didn't read the thread carefully enough to see one is planned.]

Sounds like I need to find a way to support this in WinCab Jukebox... if I could make individual LED's respond to messages, you could have control panel indicators for anything a WinCab icon can respond to, like making a button flash as it's pressed or having LED's to indicate the Popular list display, Radio mode, Pause, etc.

[Hoopz]

I am definitely in.

1b and 2a.

[markrvp]

Thanks for the link Felsir.

Buddabing:

LilWolf probably wants swappable LED harnesses so he can mount the controller in the cabinet and still be able to swap multiple panels that all have their own LED harness.  There would be a connector (like a DB25) that the LED harness is wired to that would then mate to another DB25 connector wired to the controller.

Lilwolf, am I correct?  I would want this capability as well.

[Witchboard]

I would like to commit to having a fully decked out 40-LED controller with LEDs and wire harness for less than a hundred bucks.

Yikes.  This is the primary thing that would depend on if I buy one or not.  I'll have to look at the prices of your different options when you have them finalized.  Hopefully there will be one in my range.  I too misunderstood your $25 comment in the USB post.

[Popcorrin]

I'm definitely in for 1b and 2a.  Looks great!

[mahuti]

I'm in.

[Chris]

I don't speak for Gamecab, but I would like to commit to having a fully decked out 40-LED controller with LEDs and wire harness for less than a hundred bucks.

Personally, I would forget about the harness and LED's.

[ErikRuud]

I imagine that you would just need an extra resistor for the non super bright LEDs.

[Chris]

I imagine that you would just need an extra resistor for the non super bright LEDs.

I think the ones I have are 120 MCD, running off a hacked keyboard controller now....