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| Lightgun News- Some News from HAPP |
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| wbassett:
I spoke to Les at Happ. I called in reference to R0R3 USB Optical Light Gun Interface Board (http://www.r0r3.com/productsusbopticalgun.htm). I tried getting ahold of Jack J. McCauley at ROR3 about a half dozen times (not a good sign right there) and he is never at his number and I haven't received a call back from him. I figured okay, since they list Happ and Happ guns specifically and have them listed as their 'customers', I figured I'd call Happ and see what they had to say about the ULGI. I got ahold of Les at Happ very easily and quickly. In a nutshell... Les said yes he has heard of ROR3 and the ULGI but they haven't received any for testing. Les was fantastic to talk to and did tell me that they are supposed to be getting an interface from a different company to check out that will allow their arcade guns to be connected directly to a PC. He sent me some information and it looks pretty good from the overview pdf. We talked about the current state of guns for MAME and really the biggest problem is we are such a small community that third party companies don't see any money making a PC lightgun just for us MAME users. I can confirm this sentiment because yesterday I was on the phone with Namco and they flat out were not interested and even said their company does not take product suggestions from outside the company. I tried explaining I wasn't making a suggestion, rather asking if they had any plans on making a PC compatable light gun and he pretty much said he couldn't discuss anything about whether the company was working on any projects. In other words, no. Les and I also talked about some of the issues with the few actual PC lightguns, mainly driver issues, accuracy problems, and durability (some guns just need to be dropped once and that's it, game over). He agreed that there is a pretty big difference between consumer version guns as compared to commercial arcade guns and reliability and durability is a big factor and one reason why there is such a price difference. Basically, with a Happ gun you'll probably have it for life. (I said that, not Les) Sure they could break, anything can, but at a public arcade they also get ten fold the use and abuse any of us could possibly give them. All in all, this is very good news. The interface will accept multiple guns too (natch... we are after all talking about the real deal here and most real arcade shooters have two guns) as well as Multiple Video Support The design supports input from both standard PC VGA connectors and arcade low/med resolution molex connectors. The design supports all arcade video resolutions: •Low Res 320x200 15.75KHz •Med Res 512x384 24.5 KHz •Std Res 640x480 31 KHz •SVGA 800x600 35.1 KHz •XGA 1024x768 37.5 KHz Built in Audio Amplifier The design has a 2 channel stereo amplifier built in. •Mini Stereo Input Cable (PC Compatible) •Molex 0.100” Speaker Out Connector •Integrated heat sink, no fan required •35W Stereo Amplifier •Proven circuit design used in over 50,000 units in the coin-op market Gun Support The design supports existing off the shelf light guns. •Molex 8 pin 0.100” Connectors •Works with Happ & Betson / Imperial Guns & Rifles •No Modifications to guns or board required Input Support The design supports 24 digital inputs. •3x Molex 10 pin 0.100” Connectors •All inputs debounced •Allows board to be used as only I/O adapter, connecting coin inputs, start buttons, etc Output Support The design supports 8 outputs. •2x Molex 6 pin 0.100” Connectors •Supports 5v and 12v outputs •Works with industry standard coin counters •Supports guns with built in force feedback solenoids System Interface The design uses USB 2.0 HID. •Standard USB Connector •Interfaces to system as HID Standard 2 axis, joysticks •No Drivers Required •Works with Linux, Windows and other OS Power Support The design uses standard power inputs. •Logic powered by USB •PC HDD style input for 12v & 5v power (used for outputs and audio amplifier •2 pin Molex 0.156” 24v connector for force feedback power Firmware Upgradeability The design uses Cypress PSoC field upgradeable processor. •Firmware updatable via 5 pin Molex 0.100” input connector This looks like very good news! Now keep in mind this isn't something Happ made, it's a different company that is working with Happ. As I mentioned earlier, we all are excited and enthusiastic about our hobby, but sometimes we forget how small we really are as a community. The fact that a company is stepping up to work with Happ to try and deliver a product we can use with a PC and Happ's guns, and it's pretty much plug and play... well this is actually incredible news if you ask me. Some may say the price is too much, but these really are the Ferarris and Holy Grail of light guns that everyone wants. Only draw back... sorry LCD cab owners, this is CRT only. Les did say that it should work with a PC monitor, and I see in the product information it will indeed support up to 1024x768 37.5 KHz. No price yet, this is basically hot off the presses and I'd really like to thank Les for being so helpful and informative. Area51 or Time Crisis anyone and with the real arcade guns? :applaud: |
| TheShanMan:
At $73.50 for a basic gun from Happ (and even cheaper thru divemaster assuming he'd carry these once the interface board is available), that certainly allows some room for the cost of the interface board given my desired max of $100 per gun (I want 2 of course). Definitely good news! I've become pretty jaded about light guns for mame though - I subconsciously expect there to be a major drawback of one sort or another. Personally I don't consider the cables to be a drawback - I don't want my kids walking off with the guns! I just wonder what that drawback will be. Now, I have a vertical monitor that I run at 1024x1280. I'm sure all the lightgun games probably are horizontal, which would be a problem for me if the resolution of the game is anything higher than 800x600. A 1024x768 game would run at 1280x1024 on my monitor, which according to the specs you mention wouldn't fly. Anyone know what the max resolution for lightgun games is? |
| wbassett:
I agree Shanman, it's easy to get jaded. I was pretty impressed with Happ though and their communications and support. Les did say these still need to be tested, and he didn't give any prices yet. If this card can do all on the list, it can also act as a controller interface for some buttons and coin ops, and the 35W amplifier... I can trash my crappy Durabrand 30W amp now! ;) Shanman, keep in mind you can also build your own gun, Happ sells optic boards too... in fact they sell all the gun guts as well as replacement gun shells or complete units. Now we have to see how this baby performs and what the ultimate price will be. --- Quote from: TheShanMan on June 11, 2008, 05:39:33 pm ---At $73.50 for a basic gun from Happ (and even cheaper thru divemaster assuming he'd carry these once the interface board is available), that certainly allows some room for the cost of the interface board given my desired max of $100 per gun (I want 2 of course). Definitely good news! --- End quote --- Yeah two basic actual arcade guns, $147... as long as this board pans out and is reasonbly priced, this could be right around the price of a two gun ActLabs setup, plus this board can also be used as a controller for other things as well. |
| u_rebelscum:
I wonder what's the other company? --- Quote from: wbassett on June 11, 2008, 04:27:26 pm ---...Multiple Video Support... --- End quote --- Good. --- Quote ---Built in Audio Amplifier... --- End quote --- I don't see a need for us here, but what the hay. --- Quote ---Gun Support Input Support Output Support --- End quote --- Good good good --- Quote ---System Interface The design uses USB 2.0 HID. •Standard USB Connector •Interfaces to system as HID Standard 2 axis, joysticks •Works with Linux, Windows and other OS --- End quote --- good, good, good (and yes acting as an analog joystick is fine for mame) --- Quote ---•No Drivers Required --- End quote --- Wrong. Wrong, wrong wrong. (I hate that above false statement;; makes support so much harder.) It's market-speak for "Seems like it doesn't require the user to install a driver, since the device uses a standard driver that comes with the OS that installs automatically". It needs a driver, period. Not that this is a reason to not buy it; it's so common that it's almost a required lie market-speak stat to sell to the masses nowadays. :( [sigh] [/rant=off] ;) --- Quote ---Power Support Firmware Upgradeability... This looks like very good news! --- End quote --- Agree. I await the product. --- Quote ---In a nutshell... Les said yes he has heard of ROR3 and the ULGI but they haven't received any for testing. --- End quote --- ??? I swear the R0R3 ulgi used to be listed on-line on happs site a long time ago (around when, or just after, XP first came out, IIRC), as well as reselling r0r3's serial ucgi for a lot longer time (happs semi-recently dropped the serial tgci for the current USB ugci). Happs also used to resell an Optipac-like interface from r0r3, around the same time (wayback); I own one of these. |
| TPB:
--- Quote from: wbassett on June 11, 2008, 04:27:26 pm --- R0R3 USB Optical Light Gun Interface Board (http://www.r0r3.com/productsusbopticalgun.htm) I tried getting ahold of Jack J. McCauley at ROR3 about a half dozen times (not a good sign right there) and he is never at his number and I haven't received a call back from him. --- End quote --- I reckon the best option is still the HK-EMS Topgun, together with their upcoming Topgun II. Don't get your hopes up with ROR3. You're not the first guy who's unsuccessfully tried to enquire about that product. I sent an email to R0R3, and they never bothered to respond. Others have reported the same lack of interest from them. Possibilities : ** This guy's no longer in business, ** He no longer offers this particular product for sale, ** His customer service is UP SH-IT CREEK, ** He's not interested in retail sales ... he only does "B2B" transactions, ie, bulk quantities to wholesale business customers. |
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