DIY Rotary Interface version 2

[rdagger]

I designed a new version of my DIY Rotary Interface.  It has less parts and is about 30% cheaper to construct.   I also revised the code to improve game play.

[Kremmit]

That's awesome.  With Druin (temporarily?) out of business, a DIY solution is sorely needed.  Will you be posting an image of the etching mask, and a new parts list?

[muzland]

Forgive my ignorance guys buit what does this do???

[Fozzy The Bear]

Forgive my ignorance guys buit what does this do???

It's a DIY Rotary Joystick Interface...... Not quite 100% sure myself how it's an advantage to us. The description the web site is a bit vague on what the advantages are apart from cost. Could also do with some description on how it connects to the PC.

Given that rdagger has it connected to an Ipac anyway, I'm stil a little bit confused by it. Maybe he can illuminate us a bit more.

Never the less... It's a cool project and as it's DIY that's what this forum is all about.

Best Regards,
Julian (Fozzy The Bear)

[menace]

My uinderstanding is that it takes the 13 inputs from each joystick and reduces them to a smaller number so that any keyboard encoder can support rotary joysticks--Without it, you would need 26 dedicated inputs just for the rotary action of a two player panel.  Rdagger thanks for the awesome contribution!

[markrvp]

This is similar to a DRUIN's interface.

This interface connects to a 12 position rotary switch found on the bottom of a joystick like the SNK LS-30 or Happ mechanical rotary.  It converts the raw data from 12 distinct positions into two contact closures.  In MAME, for games like Ikari Warriors, it either expects a mouse for movments left and right or a "move left" or "move right" contact closure.  This device makes clockwise motions close one contact and counter-clockwise motions close another contact.

Basically, it allows you to use two mechanical rotary joysticks with MAME.  It connects to 4 inputs on a keyboard or gamepad encoder (2 inputs per player).

[Fozzy The Bear]

This is similar to a DRUIN's interface.

This interface connects to a 12 position rotary switch found on the bottom of a joystick like the SNK LS-30 or Happ mechanical rotary.  It converts the raw data from 12 distinct positions into two contact closures.

Sorry... Now I really don't get the point of this.... If it converts multiple contacts down to 2 then what's the point of having a rotary stick that costs $100 at all. You might as well be connecting an oridinary joystick that costs $10  

Best Regards,
Julian (Fozzy The Bear)

[menace]

the point is that some games require the character to move, rotate and fire and the only way to do this is the way the game originally functioned--Also playing the game as it was originally meant to be played adds oodles to the experience IMHO.  Otherwise all games could be mapped to a joystick even the driving ones--no thanks!

[markrvp]

Sorry... Now I really don't get the point of this.... If it converts multiple contacts down to 2 then what's the point of having a rotary stick that costs $100 at all. You might as well be connecting an oridinary joystick that costs $10  

Those two contacts are in addition to up, down, left, right.  

Have you played Ikari Warriors?  Remember that the sprite moves up, down, left, & right which is controlled by the joystick's regular directional switches.  In addition to the sprite's movement on screen it also has a gun that rotates 360 degrees (in 12 distinct positions).  To change the direction the gun is pointing, you rotate the joystick handle which activates the different positions of the rotary switch.  A regular $10 joystick does not do this.  A great example of a similar game is TRON - the spider or tank stage.  The joystick moves TRON around and the spinner moves the gun direction.  A rotary joystick does this without the need for a separate spinner (in fact optical rotary joysticks have a "spinner" on the bottom of the shaft).

Regular MAME also does not recognize the raw input from the rotary joystick (mame analog+ does).  The rotary interface is needed to convert the data to "turn gun one click left" or "turn gun one click right" which MAME recognizes.

[Dav]

I designed a new version of my DIY Rotary Interface.  It has less parts and is about 30% cheaper to construct.   I also revised the code to improve game play.

If you want I could possibly run off some pcb's for it with my next run.   Drilling and etching boards yourself is waaaay too much work.

[Witchboard]

Yay!  Perfect timing!

[rdagger]

That's awesome.  With Druin (temporarily?) out of business, a DIY solution is sorely needed.  Will you be posting an image of the etching mask, and a new parts list?

The etching still needs a few modification to work with the new AVR's that I ordered.  When it is finalized I will post them.  There is an image of the current mask on my website.

Forgive my ignorance guys buit what does this do???

The circuit allows you to connect two 12 position mechanical rotary joysticks to a keyboard encoder.  It translates the rotary movements into clockwise and counter-clockwise keystrokes. 

The description the web site is a bit vague on what the advantages are apart from cost. Could also do with some description on how it connects to the PC.

The advantages to my previous version are cost, less parts, easier construction, an etch mask and improved code.
The circuit connects between the encoder and the rotary joysticks.  It is powered by the encoder and uses 4 inputs.  I normally share the inputs with my IPAC's P1 & P2 buttons 5 & 6.

If you want I could possibly run off some pcb's for it with my next run.   Drilling and etching boards yourself is waaaay too much work.

I am going to make all the necessary plans and code available for free on my website.  However, if there is any interest in the purchase of assembled boards, I'd definitely want someone to make the boards.   It took me about 1 hour to etch and drill the single-sided board.  It would have been quicker, but it was my first attempt at etching and I had to repair some flaking and make 2 solder patches.  I actually enjoyed doing the etching.  I found a great site that shows you how to etch boards with cheap household chemicals and a laser printer.  It is a great resource.