Question about interchangable cp

[horseboy]

Well I am finally making my first post here. I have been looking into doing this since '99, but I never had the time. I have been keeping up with this site on and off ever since then. Now, though, I am finally going to start building my cab. It's now or never.

Anyway, I wanted to avoid a frankenpanel, so I am going to go with multiple cp's. I have a couple of questions that I couldn't find definitive answers to.

First off, I am going to have a four player cp, so I am going to have a crap load of buttons and stuff. I was thinking of using scsi cable because it is readily available with 50 and 68 contacts. I read that most people say you should use 18-22 awg wire. I have also read about others using scsi, but I am pretty sure that most (all?) scsi is 28awg. Is this going to be a problem?

Also I was going to use an optipac a couple of dual strike hacks, and possibly a led wiz or something similar. Can these be hot swapped this way? I dont see why not.

And if so would using the scsi cable be a problem in that case?

Thanks in advance

[Rocky]

Using SCSI cable is not a problem.  I used 25 wire serial cables and they have been performing fine for 3 1/2 years.

As far as hot swapping the dual strikes, I'm not sure. Will you be unplugging the USB input or unplugging the controls from the "guts" of the dual strike?  Either way, it won't damage anything, it might give eratic results. But, if you reconnect or don't enable the joystick in MAME then it should be fine.


And... welcome!

[horseboy]

I will be unplugging the controls from the guts of the dual strike so that I can use the same one for a couple of hacks.

Thanks for the welcome

[Lilwolf]

Opps, wrote this, then forgot to post...and someone else already mention it.... but might as well post it anyway...

Another thing thats usually cheaper is to get multiple 25 pin serial cables (the kind with all 25 pins active... there is a name for it, don't remember).

Get a 6' cable and cut them in 1/2 and they are prewired.  

Then for the control panels side, you can get M/M  (or F/F) so you can use both ends (assuming you will have more control panels then cabinets )

Anyway, it requires a second plug in for larger control panels.  But for smaller simple ones one need 24 pins or less.

bw, I had this for years... but upgraded it to a tac switch solution that doesn't require any plugs... just put a control panel on and its connected... very cool but a LOT more work.
 

[Doc-]

I went with CAT 5 network connectors for my modular design.  See the signature for an example.

Doc-

[pmc]

I used internal SCSI ribbon cables for the same reason that you mention (higher pin counts). If I had to do it all over again, I think I'd use multiple 25-pin serial cables like Lilwolf suggests. Alternately, consider 50-pin Centronics cables so you get the 50-pins but you also get the "plug" on each end and you get long cable length. Cost will probably go up a bunch though.

The reason I would not readily repeat my usage of the ribbon cable, is that a) it's a short and wide ribbon that is difficult to manage, and b) it's easy to bend the pins after repeated use. Those cables are not meant to be handled regularly and get plugged/unplugged all day long. They are also short so you need to get your hands deeper into the cabinet to deal with them. They are also difficult to handle blindly.

Had I used a serial cable, I could add a switchbox. Because I used a SCSI ribbon cable, I now have to splice in multiple serials or create a custom switchbox interface. Also, long serial cables would be easy to get to from the coin door and also easy to operate blindly.

Get some feedback from those that used internal IDE ribbon cables. I'm sure they have similar things to say.

It's worth spending some time thinking this through because you'll have to deal with it between games far into the future. I did what I did so I could use $2-$7 cables but the cheap cost doesn't make up for a more inconvenient setup. That said, you can always change it if you don't like it. I figure I will at some point.

-pmc

[horseboy]

Actually, pmc, I was originally intending to use centronics cable and plugs, but i decided 50 pins enough. I wanted to be able to hook up my 4 player panel from my ipac, and have pins left over for my optipac and my dual strike hacks. I wanted to have 1 plug for everything. I was thinking about using 68 pin external scsi because this would have enough pins. You are still right though, that the plugging/unplugging would be easier and definitely more durable on the centronics. One thing that you had wrong though was the price thing. For any normal human the price would go up, but not for me.    Just kidding, but seriously I work for a communications cable and components wholesaler, so I get cost + 5% baby.

Still wondering what you people with interchangable cp's and leds do to switch leds?

Thanks again for all the help

[rbarr110]

I am in the process of building a second 4p panel that I can swap with my current panel.   My current plan is to purchase (3) ATX power supply extenders (has both a male and female plugs on them).  I will cut them in half and use the 3 female ends to connect to the ipac and mount inside the cabinet.  The male side will likely get extended with additional wire and connect to the CP.  Also, if I decide to make more panels, I can just go to a computer junk shop and pick up old dead ATX psu's for $2 and cannabalize the male ATX power cord.

I figure 3 female ends will give me 60 contacts, more than enough for a basic 4p panel, but could always add another if needed.  My spinner and trackball are USB so no real need to worry about adding their wires to the ATX wires.