Suzo Inductive - how to connect?

[LarsDK]

Hi,

I have a Suzo Universal Inductive stick here.

I want to wire it with a J-PAC from Ultimarc.
But I have no idea how to go about it.

The box says, that a "AMP MADE-N-LOCK" connector is included.
Unfortunately, it is not.

How can I connect it to a J-PAC?

Thanks for any advice.

[JoyMonkey]

Are you sure the connector's not included? It's a red peice of plastic with a few connector holes in it, usually comes attached to the joystick.
Here's a photo of a disassembled stick with the connector still attached.

[Level42]

Hi,

I have a Suzo Universal Inductive stick here.

I want to wire it with a J-PAC from Ultimarc.
But I have no idea how to go about it.

The box says, that a "AMP MADE-N-LOCK" connector is included.
Unfortunately, it is not.

How can I connect it to a J-PAC?

Thanks for any advice.

Yeah what joymonkey says, all 5 inductives I've ordered so far all came with the connector in place on the connector......what else is unclear about connecting it to the J-pac ?
You got ABCD for the directions, one ground and one +5V pin. It's as simple as that.

[LarsDK]

OK, I guess I was expecting some sort of cable with a plug on it.
Yes, the lil' red connector is there, indeed.

So I have to solder wires from each of these lil' pins to plug into the J-PAC?
How is this done without the wires falling off? I can't imagine the solder being able to hold any wires under much stress there.

(and yes, I am completely new to this)

Thanks again, 

[Level42]

Ow OK....

Well the idea is not to solder the wires to the connector. You simple press them in the metal pins using a small screwdriver. The metal pins will cut throught the insulation (so DON'T strip it) and make a little bit into the cupper core of the wire, so making contact. Officialy you would need a special tool to do this properly, but these are very expensive.

Be VERY carefull with the screwdriver method. Yes I hurt my hand once or twice using this method.

The thing is this only works well with the right diameter wire. The wire that is regularly used for cabs will work fine.

[Level42]

Oh and don't get the +5V from the J-pac. Wire it directly to the PC power supply molex.

[LarsDK]

All right, thanks. I'll try that.

Can the stick work without the 5volts?

Is it the yellow wire that carries the 5v from the PSU molex?

[Level42]

No the joystick will not work without the +5 volt. because it is an electronic stick. The electronics inside the stick need power supply, which the 5 volt is.

NO the yellow wire is the +12 V !!!!!! DO NOT USE THAT, use the red one instead !!! The red is +5V. If you use the yellow wire you will almost certainly destroy the electronics inside the stick.

Here's some more info about the PC molex connector:
http://www.hardwarebook.net/connector/pc/bigpower.html

So, connect the +5 V to the RED wire, and the GND (I think it's indicated by a ground symbol on the stick like this: ) to one of the BLACK wires. Don't connect the yellow to anything.

Since you are using a J-pac (like I do) you probably already have wires that went to each microswitch on the joystick. Usualy there is a black one that runs from one microswitch to the other (daisy chaining). That one is not needed anymore. The others, each should have a different color, should be connected to A,B,C,D. You must figure out yourself which direction is what, but that's easily tested with the old joystick, or by shorting the connectors to one of the black wires. On the Inductive, there are indications saying what A,B,C and D are. This makes it flexible to mount, you can mount it in any direction you like.

Hope all is clear now, if not let me know.

Also, do a search on "suzo inductive" here and you will find a number of threads that have interesting reading stuff for you.

[LarsDK]

Hello, I'm back after having some computer problems.

I tried to get the wires into the red connector.
I tried with thin, medium and thicker wires.
The thin ones just wouldn't stick, even when I stripped them and folded the to make them thicker.
Pretty much the same with medium ones.
And with the thick ones (I used the wires that came with the wiring kit from Ultimarc), I managed to destroy the red connector.

So now I'm pretty much screwed.

What I need now is a new connector + plus that special tool that is required. Or even better: a connector that is pre-wired for newbies like myself. :x

I bought the Suzo stick from someone here a while ago.
I can't recall who it was or what his email was/is, as I've lost my old email account.

Can anyone/any company pre-wire this stick (I'll even buy a totally new stick, as I might damage one of them anyway. Doesn't hurt to have an extra.) - and sell it to me per mail?

[Level42]

Hey I've got spare connectors (because I don't use them myself). Personaly, instead of using the red connectors that come with the stick, I use the white connectors with seperate terminals. These are much more relialbe, but also require a special tool.

I've got the connectors and the tool is in the workplace of my employer. I don't regularly come there but I happen to be there on friday. I'll make you a pre-wired connector if you like.

What connectors will you use on the other side ? Since you are using a J-Pac, I take it that you have a JAMMA wire loom there ?

Do you only have 1 stick ?

[LarsDK]

Hey I've got spare connectors (because I don't use them myself). Personaly, instead of using the red connectors that come with the stick, I use the white connectors with seperate terminals. These are much more relialbe, but also require a special tool.

I've got the connectors and the tool is in the workplace of my employer. I don't regularly come there but I happen to be there on friday. I'll make you a pre-wired connector if you like.

What connectors will you use on the other side ? Since you are using a J-Pac, I take it that you have a JAMMA wire loom there ?

Do you only have 1 stick ?

Hi,

That would be very cool, if you could fix me up with some pre-wired stuff.

@ J-PAC connectivity.
You have to understand that I have close to zero experience with any of this.
My goal with arcade controls actually isn't playing arcade games. But I need it to play a first-person shooter on the PC. My left ringfinger is busted up. Therefore, I cannot use the keyboard properly anymore without getting severe pains.
This is why I'm searching something to replace arrow keys.

So far, I have only built one stick, which also was a Suzo (but one with standard buttons/microswitches). I pulled the spring out of it to make it as soft as possible. But the microswitches themselfes still put too much strain on my hand (I play 3-6 hours daily. Played the same game for 7 years now. Yes, I'm sick).

I also took a HAT-switch from a Logitech wingcommander joystick - glued a little stick on it,  wired that to the J-PAC. This was very close to being perfect, but it just couldn't withstand all the beating I gave it.

So now I want to try the inductive one from Suzo (already removed the spring).
Hopefully this one will be soft enough for me, whilst still have a short enough throw.

Kinda got off topic there.
Anyway, I have absolutely no clue what JAMMAs and wire looms are, sorry.
I thought one just had to take one of the wires from the inductive stick, put it in Ground of the J-PAC and then stick the remaining wires into UP/DOWN/LEFT/RIGHT on the J-PAC?

[Level42]

Hey, I think it was me who sold you your first Suzo, because I remember your story. (You're from Denmark right ?)

Anyway, it sounds like you don't have a J-pac but an I-pac. Does it have screw terminals along both sides ? The J-pac is basicaly an I-pac but then meant to connect to a JAMMA connector directly.

Anyway, since you don't have a J-pac that makes it easier. I'll make a pre-wired connector for you next friday.

Please PM me your mail adress so I can send it to you.

[Level42]

Oops.....did you think of powering the joystick ? It will need +5V to be connected. Will your I-Pac be in the same box as the joystick ?
Do you connect the I-pac through USB or PS/2 ?

[LarsDK]

Hey, I think it was me who sold you your first Suzo, because I remember your story. (You're from Denmark right ?)

Anyway, it sounds like you don't have a J-pac but an I-pac. Does it have screw terminals along both sides ? The J-pac is basicaly an I-pac but then meant to connect to a JAMMA connector directly.

Anyway, since you don't have a J-pac that makes it easier. I'll make a pre-wired connector for you next friday.

Please PM me your mail adress so I can send it to you.

Yes, that is me. Hello.

And, yes, I think it's an IPAC. It has two rows with screws on each side.

[LarsDK]

Oops.....did you think of powering the joystick ? It will need +5V to be connected. Will your I-Pac be in the same box as the joystick ?
Do you connect the I-pac through USB or PS/2 ?

I thought I'd take the outlose from a PSU molex like you've already explained.
Is there an easier/better way?

As for the placement; the stick will be mounted in a hole I have cut in my table (this is to get the lowest profile as possible. Putting it in a box would make the whole thing too high)
The I-PAC is mounted on the underside of the table, about 40cm from the joystick.

[Level42]

OK, I checked with Andy from Ultimarc and the current you can draw from the I-pac is simply what your mainboard can deliver. Should be around 500mA. That is more than enough since the Inductive draws 50mA max.

So you contrary what I said before you won't need a seperate power supply from the PC, you can simply connect it to the +5V and GND of the I-pac.

So what I will send you is the little white connector with the 6 wires on it, half a meter of length.

[LarsDK]

OK, I checked with Andy from Ultimarc and the current you can draw from the I-pac is simply what your mainboard can deliver. Should be around 500mA. That is more than enough since the Inductive draws 50mA max.

So you contrary what I said before you won't need a seperate power supply from the PC, you can simply connect it to the +5V and GND of the I-pac.

So what I will send you is the little white connector with the 6 wires on it, half a meter of length.

Super. Thanks.

[Level42]

Hey Lars,

It's ready as promised. I didn't use a 6 pin connector because we don't have them, instead I used one 2 pin and 1 4 pin connector. Doesn't make a difference really.

I included some pics. I take it you will know where to put each wire on the I-pac ?

I indcated the connectors a bit, but it was hard with the big marker I had laying around.

2 pin connector:

-=gnd
+= 5v

4 pin connector:

A=A
D=D
The rest will be OK automaticaly

Will send it tomorrow.

[Level42]

Hi Lars,

Did you receive the connectors ?

[LarsDK]

Hi Lars,

Did you receive the connectors ?

Yes, it arrived yesterday.
Check your pm.

Anyone reading this with knowledge of I-PACs:
Can you tell me how I can draw 5v from the board?
Seems Andy told Level42 that you can do that. But I am unable to locate any 5v (or something similar) on the I-PAC.

Thanks,

[TOK]

Hi Lars,

Did you receive the connectors ?

Yes, it arrived yesterday.
Check your pm.

Anyone reading this with knowledge of I-PACs:
Can you tell me how I can draw 5v from the board?
Seems Andy told Level42 that you can do that. But I am unable to locate any 5v (or something similar) on the I-PAC.

Thanks,

I have an IPAC that I purchased about 2 months ago that also doesn't appear to have any provision for a 5v connection. I used the red lead from an unused power connector on the PC to power my Suzo's. They work great.

[Grasshopper]

Anyone reading this with knowledge of I-PACs:
Can you tell me how I can draw 5v from the board?

You can draw +5v from one of the header pins normally used for connecting LEDs.



If you don't have a suitable connector and don't want to solder directly onto the pin then you can hack a CDROM drive audio cable.

[LarsDK]

It works. It actually works! Woohoo   

BIG thanks to everybody helping me out on this one.

Cheers!