Complete n00b, need some starting advice

[The cranky hermit]

I want to build an arcade control panel, but I have no idea where to start. I've looked around the site, but I can't find any practical information or instructions. I already know what I want my panel to look like, what I don't understand is how to physically connect the joysticks, buttons, and spinner to my PC, or where and what to buy. For example, I thought an interface kit would be necessary, but I looked at prices at www.happcontrols.com, and the cheapest control interface is $185.

Please, help a beginner out.

[The cranky hermit]

Here's a way you can help me directly. Let's say I wanted to build a control panel with the following:

2 8-way joysticks
1 4-way joystick
15 colored buttons
1 and 2 player buttons
1 trackball
1 spinner

And I wanted it to connect to a computer through a USB port.

Could someone make a complete list of parts I would need in order to build this? Please include EVERYTHING. I would appreciate this a lot. Thank you.

[Distortion]

click on the thing that says "interfaces" on the left.

[Sasquatch!]

Easy enough.  The joysticks, buttons and trackball can all be procured from www.happcontrols.com.  

Happ Supers are probably the best "overall" 8-way sticks, but people have said that the Happ Competitions are better for "fighter"-type games.  There's a good review comparing the Super to the Competition here.  You could also check out some of the joysticks from Ultimarc.com too.  Quite a few people have used the E-Stick from Ultimarc as their 4-way stick and have liked it.

While you're at ultimarc.com, there's your interface answer.  Get an I-Pac to interface the joystick and buttons and an Opti-Pac for the trackball and spinner.  They both have USB options on them.

For the spinner, go for the most excellent OSCAR Pro from www.oscarcontrols.com.  Or, if a push-pull spinner for Discs of Tron is more up your alley, oscarcontrols.com will have those available shortly.

That help?

[Sasquatch!]

Specific links to the parts I was talking about:

Happ Controls Super Joystick
http://www.happcontrols.com/joysticks/super_joy.htm

Happ Controls Competition Joystick
http://www.happcontrols.com/joysticks/competition_joy.htm

Happ Controls Pushbutton with Horizontal Microswitch
http://www.happcontrols.com/pushbuttons/5891xxl.htm

Happ Controls Trackball
http://www.happcontrols.com/industrial/trackballs/565500xx.htm

Ultimarc joysticks
http://www.ultimarc.com/controls.html

Ultimarc I-Pac keyboard encoder (for joysticks and buttons)
http://www.ultimarc.com/ipac1.html

Ultimarc Opti-Pac optical encoder (for trackball and spinner)
http://www.ultimarc.com/optipac1.html

Oscar Pro spinner
http://www.oscarcontrols.com/index_pro.htm

[paigeoliver]

Also. If you REALLY want some good sticks, then pick up some leaf switch balltop WICO 8-ways off ebay (usually designed for metal control panel though). Best 4-way available is probably the Ms Pac/Galaga one, www.therealbobroberts.com has them cheap (also for metal control panels).  

If you look around then you can find an arcade trackball that plugs directly into your mouse port. I have one, it cost me $40 on ebay, brand new.

I am pretty sure OSCAR also sells a spinner interface, I remember seeing it on his website (going to order one soon I think).

[Sasquatch!]

I am pretty sure OSCAR also sells a spinner interface, I remember seeing it on his website (going to order one soon I think).

He does.  It's a USB interface for his spinners, and it works flawlessly.  You can also get a Happ trackball harness for the USB interface as well.

[rampy]

That was an excellent resonse sasquatch... ( I'll need to bookmark this thread for the next time that question comes up)

BTW just for completeness you'll also need some wire and I'd suggest quick disconnects for the wiring.... I believe ultimarc (while you're already shopping there for *at least* the ipac interface...) he has a quick disconnect, wire, and crimping option.  You can get those locally at a brick and mortar of course, but for simplicities sake they are there for you...

bah... I had a few other thoughts... but i've got to jet... bbl

rampy

[shmokes]

If I want to order that ms. pacman stick from Bob Roberts  what do I need in order to mount it in 3/4" wood?

edit:  Oh, yeah.  I'll order carriage bolts from him while I'm at it (I live across the street from an Ace with a fine selection, but they've got the stamp on the top and are silver).  Question: I understand that I need 3/16" dia., but what length should I buy?  1 1/4"?  2"?  3"?

[Sasquatch!]

If I want to order that ms. pacman stick from Bob Roberts  what do I need in order to mount it in 3/4" wood?

There's a mounting plate for this joystick on the same page.

[slug54]

If I want to order that ms. pacman stick from Bob Roberts  what do I need in order to mount it in 3/4" wood?

A router.
I routed mine in my 3/4" panel with 1/8" plexi overlay
and it looks great.

I mounted mine differently then a lot of people.
I bolted the stick to plywood wings (using a wood spacer)
and then screwed the wings to the 3/4" part of the C-panel.
This allowed me to route out the MDF to about 1/8" and still be able to use large wood screws into the full thickness of the panel.
I liked how solid the pacman stick mounted so I mounted my other 2 sticks this way also to give them a little extra height.
 
here's a link to a pic showing the mounting.

http://home.insightbb.com/~anson66/joywiring.jpg

                                  Slug54






     

[The cranky hermit]

Thanks everyone. I have a few more questions.

Does the iPac/Optipac come with the wires needed to connect the controls it?

Also, is it ok to make a controls base completely out of wood? I have lots of woodworking tools, but I've never worked with plexiglass before.

[rampy]

Thanks everyone. I have a few more questions.

Does the iPac/Optipac come with the wires needed to connect the controls it?

Also, is it ok to make a controls base completely out of wood? I have lots of woodworking tools, but I've never worked with plexiglass before.

No they do not... that's why for a noob I recommended this... wireing kit at very bottom of page  (you can get wire/quick disconnects and crimper locally but it's a good example)

You can make your CP out of just wood... some people use just wood and paint, others wood and contact paper (not my favorite), wood and laminate, wood and lexan/plexi with artwork underneath,  uhm... wood and vinyl covering....  

You can choose to or not to use lexan on your CP depending on how you want your finished panel to look.  

Most of your wood working tools should work with the appropriate bit or tecnique on the lexan... (do you have a router?)

*Shrug*

Hope that helps...

rampy

[rampy]

If I want to order that ms. pacman stick from Bob Roberts  what do I need in order to mount it in 3/4" wood?

There's a mounting plate for this joystick on the same page.

Sasquatch, I might be off the mark.... but i believe that mounting plates intended purpose is for retrofitting the new happs 4 way ball top to fit on to the old ms pac/pac style mounting...

not necessarily for mounting it in a wood panel.   although that's not to say it couldn't be mounted with that plate in wood... and  i'd like to see it if anyone's done it (with that plate, not home made plate) in wood...

*shrug* just a thought - I could and may well be wrong
rampy

[shmokes]

That was my impression as well.  I guess even if the plate is made for a metal panel it would still work well with a little routing on the top of the wood to make it flush.  It never mentions anything in the description about it making the stick mountable in wood.

[OSCAR]

Sasquatch, I might be off the mark.... but i believe that mounting plates intended purpose is for retrofitting the new happs 4 way ball top to fit on to the old ms pac/pac style mounting...

not necessarily for mounting it in a wood panel.   although that's not to say it couldn't be mounted with that plate in wood... and  i'd like to see it if anyone's done it (with that plate, not home made plate) in wood...

*shrug* just a thought - I could and may well be wrong
rampy

Correct, rampy, that is the intended application for the adapter plate.  However it can be used for a wood mount, just like the joystick mounting plate for my restrictors.  FYI - my joystick mounting plate will also allow you to use this particular joystick for a wood mount, too, but it has the 4 extra holes for the restrictors.

[Sasquatch!]

Sasquatch, I might be off the mark.... but i believe that mounting plates intended purpose is for retrofitting the new happs 4 way ball top to fit on to the old ms pac/pac style mounting...

Ah crud, I'm wrong!

However it can be used for a wood mount, just like the joystick mounting plate for my restrictors.

Huzzah, I'm right!  Unintentionally, but, well...er, yeah.

[rampy]

Sasquatch, I might be off the mark.... but i believe that mounting plates intended purpose is for retrofitting the new happs 4 way ball top to fit on to the old ms pac/pac style mounting...

Ah crud, I'm wrong!

However it can be used for a wood mount, just like the joystick mounting plate for my restrictors.

Huzzah, I'm right!  Unintentionally, but, well...er, yeah.

OK... i just think the detent in the middle would be annoying (although the original ms pac has that, so...) a custom/simple mounting plate would work better in my opinion...

*Shrug*  well it made for an interesting discussion anyways... It's good to know though.

rampy

[shmokes]

I'll probably just pick up Oscar's plate when I place my DOT spinner order.  Well...I suppose I should check prices before make that decision, but I suspect that'll be my course of action.  I'm not sure whether I'll leave the holes visible for the restrictor plates or not.  I'm planning on laminating my CP and countersinking everything so no screws or anything show (well, I might let buttons and joysticks show through the top).  God, so much to think about.  I guess I should make the extra holes and pick up some restrictor plates.  I'll just have to figure it all out when it gets here and I can visualize better.  

Does anybody want to fly out here at your expense and help me build this thing   ?

*edit* sorry about hijacking this thread...this stuff has nothing to do with the original topic.