X-Arcade ground issue

[icabjeff]

I have a X-Arcade solo that has been modified for the disabled by adding diods running from mono plugs in the front panel to each switch. This works correctly.  Since the solo uses the same ciuit board as the dual i decided to run three dsud 9 connectors to the solo to use multiple-disabled switches for player two. I can get the solo to recognize all five buttons on the multiple disabled switche, but the ffifth button which operats an action button acts strangely.  On my PS 2 i can do two player games, but I can't get a player two action button. I can get an action button, but when the game ends and I restart it I loose player one. On a PC the fourth and fifth button have the same fuction. All five buttonsre iare connected to the nine pin plug from a terminal block. Multiple-handicap switches use the same schematic as a atari 2600 joystick, so the groundwire for the four directional buttons on the x-arcade is the groundwire for the 5th button. Does the groundwrtire need to be the same groundwire for action button #1 and the other three action buttons going to the same port on the x-arcade circut board?

Jeff Gray

[severdhed]

x-arcade grounds are stupid.  i just went through a ground problem with mine and it was a pain in the ass.  i assumed that ground was ground, when in fact, it is not.  the x-arcade board divides the buttons up in groups of 4.  there are rows of 5 pin connectors on the xarcade.  four of the wires in each harness go to the buttons, the 5th is a ground.  however that ground only works for those four buttons.   for instance..the player 2 joystick uses 4 switches.  there is a harness on the xarcade for the player 2 joystick..4 wires, plus a ground wire.  then the first four buttons have their own harness with their own ground.  if you use the ground from the joystick harness for one of the buttons, you will have problems.

so if a button, switch, whatever is connected to a harness on teh xarcade, you have to use the ground that is in that harness for that button or you are screwed.  this will make your project more difficult, but is the only way to get it to work with the x-arcade.  why they dont just use a common ground like most other encodes, i dont know, but it sure does suck

[hng]

you have to make sure that your grounds stay with the proper group.


this should help:

http://x-arcade.com/service/joy-support.shtml#Schematic

[Kevin Mullins]

why they dont just use a common ground like most other encoders

Nope...... ground is NOT "ground".

Because it's basically a programmable keyboard encoder.
Not much difference between that and a keyboard hack other than it's programmable.
So in other words it's running on a matrix type setup, this is why the switches are grouped to like four switches per group.

And like you've said..... as long as you know which "group" the particular switch is in that you want to use, then it's all ok.

My only advice to the original poster would be to figure out what button on a regular keyboard that particular action button would be, then figure out which group of buttons on the keyboard that button belongs to..... use that associated "ground".

I'm no expert on the encoder stuff, but I understand the basics of where your trouble is coming from. Someone else might have a better insight about it though.

EDIT: see above post..... Nice....didn't know that was available.

[icabjeff]

Thanks for the answer to my question everyone. I thought the ground might work that way.

Jeff