Author Topic: Rotary Board (Read 5518 times)

Crazy_Mack · « **on:** March 14, 2006, 03:04:15 pm »

Anyone know how long it will be until this site starts selling its joystick rotary board again?

http://ca.geocities.com/druins22@rogers.com/ls30/

When I attempt to order, the page says the boards are currently unavailable due to material and relocation issues. Can anyone offer an update on their situation? Are there any alternatives to this board?

Thanks.

markrvp · « **Reply #1 on:** March 14, 2006, 03:10:35 pm »

rdagger has built a new one. Try and encourage him to put some together for sale.

rdagger · « **Reply #2 on:** March 14, 2006, 05:00:04 pm »

Depending on the interest, I'd be happy to offer rotary interfaces for the same price as Druin. I'd need to get at least 20 orders to cover costs. Please let me know if you are interested. If there is no interest and someone really needs an interface, I could probably be persuaded to etch another board myself. Interesting trades considered.

mccoy178 · « **Reply #3 on:** March 14, 2006, 05:05:32 pm »

I would interested in two. Wasn't the price around $35?

Tiger-Heli · « **Reply #4 on:** March 14, 2006, 05:20:06 pm »

Quote from: mccoy178 on March 14, 2006, 05:05:32 pm

I would interested in two. Wasn't the price around $35?

Price had dropped to $25.00 plus shipping: http://ca.geocities.com/druins22@rogers.com/ls30/

mccoy178 · « **Reply #5 on:** March 14, 2006, 06:17:05 pm »

Then I'm definitely interested in two. I can pay in advance.

Witchboard · « **Reply #6 on:** March 14, 2006, 08:08:49 pm »

I'm game. Count me in for one.

Crazy_Mack · « **Reply #7 on:** March 14, 2006, 09:15:54 pm »

Put me down for 3.

Witchboard · « **Reply #8 on:** April 15, 2006, 11:29:09 pm »

Any updates on this?

beernut · « **Reply #9 on:** April 16, 2006, 12:27:18 am »

I would purchase 4 today if available.

Mark Alston

rdagger · « **Reply #10 on:** April 16, 2006, 02:09:58 am »

I'm just waiting for the boards to come back from the PCB manufacturer.
Hopefully, they will be ready next week.
Meanwhile, I've been playing a lot of Ikari, Heavy Barrel and Guerrilla War with the prototypes.

mark shaker · « **Reply #11 on:** April 16, 2006, 08:24:59 am »

Quote from: rdagger on March 14, 2006, 05:00:04 pm

Depending on the interest, I'd be happy to offer rotary interfaces for the same price as Druin. I'd need to get at least 20 orders to cover costs. Please let me know if you are interested. If there is no interest and someone really needs an interface, I could probably be persuaded to etch another board myself. Interesting trades considered.

I'm currently using one of Druin's boards.

Does your new design have any advantages over Druin's design?

- Mark

rdagger · « **Reply #12 on:** April 16, 2006, 11:56:25 am »

Quote from: mark shaker on April 16, 2006, 08:24:59 am

I'm currently using one of Druin's boards.

Does your new design have any advantages over Druin's design?

- Mark

My board has jumpers that allow you to adjust the keyboard sensitivity. This allows you tweak the rotational responsiveness. If the setting is too sensitive than you might get missed clicks, if it is too low than there might be control lag. There are 7 settings to get the right balance.

I've never used Druin's interface so I'm not sure exactly what the other differences might be.
My interface has a small 2"X2" footprint. It uses easy screw-less side and top mounting wire connectors. The ribbon contacts are gold. It has an 8 MHz processor. I've also put a lot of work into the software.

Still if Druin's interface is working for you than I don't think it would be worth switching.

I'm only making this 1 batch of boards because a few members asked for them. Unfortunately, because of the low demand the price is going to be $33 each. I was shooting for $25, but the quantity wasn't there and I wanted to use the best parts. I thought that I could just etch and drill all the board myself, but I quickly realized I didn't have the time and I had to send them out.

mark shaker · « **Reply #13 on:** April 16, 2006, 12:27:45 pm »

I do have an issue with Druin's board: You have to rotate the control slowly in order to have every keystroke sent to the PC.

If your board:
Handles 2 controllers.
Is compatible with an I-Pac.

I would like to try one out. Please provide a total with shipping to the U.S. (ZIP 48034) and payment instructions.

Thanks!

- Mark

XtraSmiley · « **Reply #14 on:** April 16, 2006, 06:05:48 pm »

I will take one as well. Please PM or email me. If it will help reduce price, I'll take two.

lettuce · « **Reply #15 on:** April 20, 2006, 04:38:15 pm »

I would be intrested in one also please

Helmgar · « **Reply #16 on:** April 21, 2006, 11:56:07 am »

I would be interested in one as well

PM sent

mccoy178 · « **Reply #17 on:** April 30, 2006, 05:39:34 pm »

Status check.

Teknique · « **Reply #18 on:** April 30, 2006, 08:16:52 pm »

PM sent

rdagger · « **Reply #19 on:** May 01, 2006, 12:04:03 am »

Quote from: mccoy178 on April 30, 2006, 05:39:34 pm

Status check.

The PCB boards were shipped from the manufacturer last week. I should have them some time this week.

lettuce · « **Reply #20 on:** May 01, 2006, 05:27:03 am »

Cool, so can you plug 2 sticks into one rotary board, or do you need 2 boards for 2 sticks?

rdagger · « **Reply #21 on:** May 01, 2006, 12:39:11 pm »

Quote from: lettuce on May 01, 2006, 05:27:03 am

Cool, so can you plug 2 sticks into one rotary board, or do you need 2 boards for 2 sticks?

1 board supports 2 rotary joysticks.

mccoy178 · « **Reply #22 on:** May 01, 2006, 01:49:16 pm »

Crud. Is it worth having for sticks with rotary? I wouldn't think so.

Kremmit · « **Reply #23 on:** May 01, 2006, 05:27:25 pm »

There are no games that use more than two rotary sticks, as far as I know.

Ninten-doh · « **Reply #24 on:** May 01, 2006, 05:31:26 pm »

4 player Ikari Warriors...now that would be fun!

XtraSmiley · « **Reply #25 on:** May 01, 2006, 05:32:17 pm »

Well, if you used smooth optical rotary sticks, you could use them as spinners, save space and play warlords!!!!!

Kremmit · « **Reply #26 on:** May 01, 2006, 05:38:18 pm »

Yeah, but these encoder boards aren't for optical rotary joys. Mechanical only.

rdagger · « **Reply #27 on:** May 01, 2006, 07:17:46 pm »

The boards arrived today.

I haven't tested them, but they look good.

rdagger · « **Reply #28 on:** May 02, 2006, 04:09:39 pm »

Here is a picture of my first rotary interface off the assembly line.

cw · « **Reply #29 on:** May 02, 2006, 04:20:20 pm »

very nice... and the price seems right....

Ill be needing one

Ninten-doh · « **Reply #30 on:** May 02, 2006, 04:46:50 pm »

Sweet!! My wife better get used to playing some Ikari , Heavy Barrel, and Guerrilla War. Gotta play 2-player.

lettuce · « **Reply #31 on:** May 02, 2006, 05:14:29 pm »

So when do we pay ya

rdagger · « **Reply #32 on:** May 02, 2006, 08:33:52 pm »

Quote from: lettuce on May 02, 2006, 05:14:29 pm

So when do we pay ya

I only have 1 assembled. I will try and build the rest over the next week.
I will contact people on the pre-order list for payment when their interface is tested and ready.

rdagger · « **Reply #33 on:** May 05, 2006, 09:58:15 pm »

2,150 solder connections later... the assembly of the rotary interface boards is complete. Now I just need to ~~program~~ and test them.

Ninten-doh · « **Reply #34 on:** May 05, 2006, 10:59:13 pm »

Do I get to pick which ones I want?

rdagger · « **Reply #35 on:** May 05, 2006, 11:57:37 pm »

Quote from: Ninten-doh on May 05, 2006, 10:59:13 pm

Do I get to pick which ones I want?

Only if you buy 25.

lettuce · « **Reply #36 on:** May 06, 2006, 06:02:56 am »

Quote from: rdagger on May 05, 2006, 09:58:15 pm

2,150 solder connections later... the assembly of the rotary interface boards is complete. Now I just need to ~~program~~ and test them.

Nice

rdagger · « **Reply #37 on:** May 07, 2006, 09:13:46 pm »

There is going to be another delay because I'm having problems with my testing computer.

I want to test every unit I ship out.
I'll probably just end up using my cab for testing, but it is going to slow down the process.

rdagger · « **Reply #38 on:** May 09, 2006, 02:24:50 pm »

Update on Rotary Interface:
Everything is back on track after a few hurdles. It turns out the problems with my testing computer was due to a defective IPAC4 that I bought last week. When I finally tracked down the problem, I was able to repair the IPAC. For testing, I also picked up some very used and abused LS-30's. I was also able to repair them, but I discovered that rotary switches that are well past their prime do not switch as clean as new sticks. When I designed my interface I used the LS-30's on my cab which are new. To address this issue with older sticks, I added some switch debounce code to the interface. I am very pleased with the results. Even this one LS-30 that I thought might be trash is playable now. Still you have to be careful when buying used LS-30's because if the rotary switches are too worn the sticks will never play properly.

Now I have to reprogram all the boards and I still need to test them. Hopefully they will be ready for shipping by the end of the week.

Here are a few pics of my test CP which I built in an hour from the top of a broken CD player. It's kind of pathetic but it didn't cost anything because I had all the parts.

ahofle · « **Reply #39 on:** May 09, 2006, 05:30:33 pm »

Man that is a brilliant idea for a quick portable CP enclosure. Makes me want to gut out an old VCR and make a test CP hehe.

rdagger · « **Reply #40 on:** May 09, 2006, 06:52:59 pm »

Quote from: ahofle on May 09, 2006, 05:30:33 pm

Man that is a brilliant idea for a quick portable CP enclosure. Makes me want to gut out an old VCR and make a test CP hehe.

Off topic, but I was reading an article in the latest issue of Silicon Chip about a DIY anemometer. The guy uses the VCR head for a bearing. Apparently, they are very good quality. I was thinking that a VCR head could also be used for an excellent spinner hack (either ball or optical). One more excuse to gut the VCR.

horseboy · « **Reply #41 on:** May 09, 2006, 08:05:16 pm »

Someone on here mentioned a few days ago that they used vcr heads for a spinner. Maybe they will post up some pics.

XtraSmiley · « **Reply #42 on:** May 10, 2006, 01:32:36 pm »

Quote from: ahofle on May 09, 2006, 05:30:33 pm

Man that is a brilliant idea for a quick portable CP enclosure. Makes me want to gut out an old VCR and make a test CP hehe.

That is awesome. I've got 2 new sticks and two old ones. Will I be able to set the chips to work with both? Also, how do I know if the rotary part is worn down? Thanks.

rdagger · « **Reply #43 on:** May 10, 2006, 07:24:19 pm »

Quote from: XtraSmiley on May 10, 2006, 01:32:36 pm

That is awesome. I've got 2 new sticks and two old ones. Will I be able to set the chips to work with both? Also, how do I know if the rotary part is worn down? Thanks.

The best way to test the rotary switch is with the interface. You just load Notepad and see if it is firing the key press events properly with respect to the joystick rotation. There are different possible problems. I had a brand new LS-30 that I had to send back to Video Connection because it was shorting between 2 of the pins. This was determined by a clear pattern to the error in Notepad. I confirmed it by using an ohm meter. On one of the very beat up LS-30's I have, it will occasionally misfire a rotation key press. You would really need an oscilloscope to determine what is going on because there is no pattern. I'd guess that the brushes inside the switch are probably worn, dirty or slightly out of alignment. A bent shaft can be another source of problems with the rotary switch and this can easily be determined by visual inspection.

pcates · « **Reply #44 on:** May 11, 2006, 06:27:24 am »

This is very exciting

Is it too late to jump on the band wagon

I have a rotary, and have been waiting patiently for an interface, now it looks like this one may actually work. Let me know if you have any extras, if not I will continue to wait patiently for the next batch.
Thanks, Patrick

Ninten-doh · « **Reply #45 on:** May 20, 2006, 12:55:49 am »

I got my interface from rdagger and hooked it up with his easy to follow instructions and...

it absolutely rocks!!

Thanks again for making this limited run of interfaces. My LS30's are happy at last.


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