Don't shoot...Jakks MS. Pacman

[MameMe]

I've read the forums but no one has really answered it yet as far as I can see.  How exactly would I hack the Jakks mspacman joystick to a good 8-way happs?  More specifically the part that does the steering for pole-position.

Apparantly pole-position requires a pot or spinning type joystick. 

[Tiger-Heli]

I haven't seen one, but I would assume the Jakks joystick uses two contacts per switch, so you just wire these to the switches on the arcade joystick.

I assume Jakks modified their version of Pole Position to accept digital steering inputs, so no further modification necessary.

There was a thread about someone making these - Bishmasterb - he said:

But, it boots up instantly, very easy to interface with (the solder points for controls are even labeled) and cost only $20.

Here's the whole thread:  http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,23215.0.html

[SirPeale]

I haven't seen one, but I would assume the Jakks joystick uses two contacts per switch, so you just wire these to the switches on the arcade joystick.

Correct.

I assume Jakks modified their version of Pole Position to accept digital steering inputs, so no further modification necessary.

Wrong!  The stick on a Jakks unit twists.  If you open the unit, you'll find a potentiometer that controls the steering.

Go directly to jail!  Do not pass go, do *not* collect $200.  And leave your Geek card with the bouncer, you will need it no more.  Hang your head with shame, you have disgraced your brothers.

Poseur.

















(all in good fun, of course.  I kid!  I kid!)

[MameMe]

Clear as mud.   So the potentiometer on the jakks joystick can be connected to a normal switch?  Which would mean to steer all I would have to do it press left or right?

[SirPeale]

Clear as mud.   So the potentiometer on the jakks joystick can be connected to a normal switch?  Which would mean to steer all I would have to do it press left or right?

No.  You'd need to connect it in some other way.  You can either use the existing joy (others have done this) or put a 'spinner' on your CP.

[pointdablame]

didn't someone here use the contacts on the Jakks to install a regular 4 way joystick, and then chop the ball off of the Jakk joystick and mount a spinner top on it?  That would seem to be the easiest way.  4 way for everythign but pole position, and the "spinner" for Pole Position.

[MameMe]

I have yet to take apart my mspacman jakks joy so I don't know what the 'ball' you are referring to looks like.  I do not want to break my kids toy apart until I can figure out a way to connect it to a single happs joystick.

By the sounds of what Peale said it cannot be done unless I also use a spinner.  I'm hoping someone can prove him wrong.

No offense Peale.

[tmasman]

didn't someone here use the contacts on the Jakks to install a regular 4 way joystick, and then chop the ball off of the Jakk joystick and mount a spinner top on it?  That would seem to be the easiest way.  4 way for everythign but pole position, and the "spinner" for Pole Position.

The PCB inside is very well labled. If you're not afraid of soldering (or even just crimping wires...) you can hack this toy.

Wire up a regular joystick (Happs or whatever), cut the ball-top off of the joystick that's on the toy, find a toy steeling wheel that you can mod to fit on the toy's joystick shaft.

Your joystick functions are now separate from the steering wheel. (You'd mount the original joystick shaft w/ wheel rigid so it would only twist & no longer be a joystick).

Do it!  I'm hacking my Pacman one into a larger enclosure with a sturdier 4-Way (& attaching a 4" LCD screen to it for mobile fun).

[NoOne=NBA=]

I do not want to break my kids toy apart until I can figure out a way to connect it to a single happs joystick.

No Guts, No Glory.

I'll bet at least 80 percent of the people here learned alot of what they know by trying to figure out how to put stuff back together.

I don't know what the 'ball' you are referring to looks like....By the sounds of what Peale said it cannot be done unless I also use a spinner.  I'm hoping someone can prove him wrong.

The ball he's referring to is the top of the original joystick.
If you want Pole Position to work, you will have to either mount the original stick as well, or replace the pot with a new one.

[MinerAl]

More a "paddle" than a "spinner."  The bottom of the joystick is connected to a potentiometer (like a paddle, or an analog joystick, or a 270 degree steering wheel).  You could probably rig up a way to connect the bottom of your Happs 8 way to a pot, or you could separate out the function of the steering to a dedicated turning thinggy.

I did it by taking the leads for the joystick over to a T-Stick plus, and using the stock Ms. Pac-TV stick as a dedicated mini steering wheel on my Mini-Namco2 cab.

[MameMe]

That mini wheel is neet.  I'll have to find one of those.  Where did you buy it?

[MinerAl]

That mini wheel is neet.  I'll have to find one of those.  Where did you buy it?

I bought a $7.99 wal-mart brand ages 2+ driving toy and canabalized the steering wheel.  Getting the yellow knob off of the Ms. Pac-TV stick was a matter of hammers, knives, nippers, and pliers.  It was really on there and I had to destroy it to get it off.  I used 2-part epoxy to permanently afix the steering wheel to the shaft.

[MameMe]

Do you have any pics of the jakks inside, especially the potentiometer?  I'm a visual pain in the --I'm attempting to get by the auto-censor and should be beaten after I re-read the rules-- eh?

[MinerAl]

The inside of the Jakks toy is REALLY well labeled.  the joystick directions are labeled "right," "left," "up," and "down."  The potentiometer is all burried at the bottom of the joystick mechanism, but once you have the board out, it's fairly easy to take apart.

I don't have any pictures of it at the moment, but I can go see what I can dig up tonight after work.

[MameMe]

Cool thanks.  I can't wait. 

I've never seen a pot (arcade pot) before so I may have questions on how to hook it up to a wheel down the road.

I know the pacman jakks is labelled pretty good as well.  I'll have to crack that mspacman open and stop being so .