whats the difference between Momentary Contact buttons and regular buttons?

[Hoagie_one]

I see Momentary Contact Pushbuttons mentioned all the time and im ignorant about what they are.

Thanks

[HeadRusch]

Its just a button...usually without a microswitch.  Two prongs...you press the button, you complete the circuit.

I ordered a bunch from Radio Shack to use as mame function buttons on my CP...you know, F2 for adjusting volume, another for frameskip, etc....

They dont have microswitches, so you just wire one prong to ground..and the other prong to your live wire.......either way is fine.....

[Hoagie_one]

why use these in place of a normal button w/ microswitch?

[Les]

why use these in place of a normal button w/ microswitch?

Regular arcade pushbuttons are momentary contact buttons, not just the ones you buy a Radio Shack.  They do the exact same thing he described above when wired as NO (normaly open).  You could use those as your F2 and other function buttons just as well without all the hassel of going to some other format of button.

[HeadRusch]

Uh, you'd never use a Momentary Contact switch as a "playing button" for lots of reasons, not the least of which is that they 'feel" terrible...they're usually much stiffer than a regular arcade button....but I didn't wante to "waste" good arcade buttons for functions like F2 in mame, or TAB or ESC......so I bought these instead.....I use a couple on the side of my control panel......they're small, out of the way, and functional.

Why use them instead of regular arcade pushbuttons? They are often cheaper, they are available in sizes as small as a pencil eraser, and and they take up alot less space if you get the small ones.

[SirPoonga]

Hmmm, bad information.  momentary buttons are just that, momentary.  You can push the button down for as long as you but it will only make contact for a moment.

[JustMichael]

There are two types of buttons:

Toggle
Push the button turns it on and it stays on until you push it again to turn it off.  These are often used for things like light switches.

Momentary
When you press the button the switch makes contact for as long as you hold down the button.  You determine how long the "moment" will last by how long you hold down the button.  Arcade button microswitches are a great example of momentary switches.

[Hoagie_one]

so there really is no difference in the momentary switch adn the standard arcade pushbutton save that teh pushbutton has a switch that is external while the momentary switch has a built in switch

[SirPoonga]

so there really is no difference in the momentary switch adn the standard arcade pushbutton save that teh pushbutton has a switch that is external while the momentary switch has a built in switch

um, like I said, an arcade cherry switch is not a momentary switch.  you can hold down an arcade button and it will register the entire time you hold it down.  A momentary switch won't.

At least that's what I know.  Unless the switches that don't continuously make contact are also called momentaries.  when I think momentary switch I think the ones that you push but won't make constant connection.

[IIOIOOIOO]

You are wrong, Sirp.

[rampy]

You are wrong, Sirp.

Let my pile on while the told you so's are still fresh...

that's not quite right, Sirp...

=P

Rampy

[SirPoonga]

hmmm, ok, then what are the buttons that only make contact for a moment called?  I thought the buttons you you push and have continuous contact are are pushbuttons.  

[HeadRusch]

Those are called "For the Moment that can last a Lifetime" buttons.......

Lets not argue Symantics

[IIOIOOIOO]

Never even heard of the type of switch you're talking about, though it sounds sort of similar to a MBB switch, if your result requires shorting of two circuits. For a good quick explanation of a few pieces of switch terminology, go to this url:
http://www.dacelectronics.com.au/pdf/ghpushb.pdf

and scroll down. Google is your almighty friend.

Can you give an example of what you would use the type of switch you described for?

[u_rebelscum]

hmmm, ok, then what are the buttons that only make contact for a moment called?

How about "impulse" buttons?  I'm using mame's internal source MACRO name. *shrug*  Cherry doesn't have "impulse", but its def of momentary is what everyone else is saying.

I thought the buttons you you push and have continuous contact are are pushbuttons.

Pushbutton switches just means you push a button, instead of throw a switch.  You can have "momentary" pushbuttons, and (I think) "impulse" pushbuttons, and pushbuttons without a switch but a place to put one, like the arcade buttons.  

[crashdmj]

Well whatever they are I ordered 8 orange ones from Happs!
Derek

[RandyT]

There are two types of buttons:

Toggle
Push the button turns it on and it stays on until you push it again to turn it off.  These are often used for things like light switches.

Momentary
When you press the button the switch makes contact for as long as you hold down the button.  You determine how long the "moment" will last by how long you hold down the button.  Arcade button microswitches are a great example of momentary switches.

Yes and no.  

Don't confuse the physical/mechanical characteristics with the behavior.

For instance, you can have a momentary toggle.

Examples on the physical side are toggle, slide, pushbutton, foot, rocker, blade, rotary, etc...

On the behavior side, there are momentary, on-off, on-off-on, on-on and so-on .

Of course there is also a description of the number of contacts, whether the switch is normally on or off and how it mounts.

So, if I'm not mistaken, an arcade button assembly would be considered a Panel mounted SPDT Momentary Micro-Switch Pushbutton.

For what it's worth,

RandyT

[SirPoonga]

ok, different levels of momentary.  I have a button that doesn't stay connected.

[RandyT]

ok, different levels of momentary.  I have a button that doesn't stay connected.

I believe this would be called a "one-shot" or something similar.  I'd guess that these are particularly rare and designed for "other than digital" applications, as this type of behavior is usually done in the circuitry.

Of course, I had a leaf-switch one time that decided to go out of alignment and started acting that way on it's own, so maybe it's just busted   (j/k)

RandyT

[Tiger-Heli]

So, if I'm not mistaken, an arcade button assembly would be considered a Panel mounted SPDT Momentary Micro-Switch Pushbutton.

Almost . . .  it should be SPST, not SPDT, Single-Pole, Single Throw.  Techinically, it is two SPST switches, as it can be wired either Normally open or normally closed, but not both ways together.

The switch only activates one circuit (even though it could go to multiple inputs), and only has two positions. (Down or up), thus SPST.

FWIW, SPDT, is a two position switch with a single circuit - ON-ON or ON-OFF-ON (they can be momentary or continuous).  This circuit will turn Light A on from Power A in position 1 and Light B on from Power B in Position 2.

DPST is a switch that turns Light A on from Power A and Light B on from Power B or both off.

And a DPDT would turn A on from A and B on from B OR C on from C and D on from D.

FWIW

[steve_pss]

This might be the most retarded thread I have seen on these boards since I started visiting here.

The original question is fine; god knows i've asked some noob questions since the bug bit me. The thread that followed is almost painful to follow..

[Hoagie_one]

sorry

[Tiger-Heli]

This might be the most retarded thread I have seen on these boards since I started visiting here.

The original question is fine; god knows i've asked some noob questions since the bug bit me. The thread that followed is almost painful to follow..

Agreed, there's an expression about bad information being worse than no information.  For the most part, everyone ALMOST hit the correct answer.

[rampy]

This might be the most retarded thread I have seen on these boards since I started visiting here.

i've seen more retarded threads, FWIW...

What do you expect with a community that is more than likely to consist of "geeks... As long as no one brings up Natalie Portman, or ask which Star Trek series/cast was best we'll be able to maintain status quo around here.

Rampy

[Hoagie_one]

im so confused about it now that i dont even care anymore

[rampy]

im so confused about it now that i dont even care anymore

all you need to know is ... an arcade pushbutton is of the momentary pushbutton variety... a doorbell is of the momentary pushbutton variety... if you are extending/replacing hte button on an ATX PC case -> you'd use a momentary pushbutton.

Just think about most door bell buttons, I guess...

rampy

[steve_pss]

While Googling for a link that answers the question posed here I stumbled on this site:

www.hobbytron.com

very neat stuff in here!

[RandyT]

So, if I'm not mistaken, an arcade button assembly would be considered a Panel mounted SPDT Momentary Micro-Switch Pushbutton.

Almost . . .  it should be SPST, not SPDT, Single-Pole, Single Throw.  Techinically, it is two SPST switches, as it can be wired either Normally open or normally closed, but not both ways together.

The switch only activates one circuit (even though it could go to multiple inputs), and only has two positions. (Down or up), thus SPST.

FWIW, SPDT, is a two position switch with a single circuit - ON-ON or ON-OFF-ON (they can be momentary or continuous).  This circuit will turn Light A on from Power A in position 1 and Light B on from Power B in Position 2.

DPST is a switch that turns Light A on from Power A and Light B on from Power B or both off.

And a DPDT would turn A on from A and B on from B OR C on from C and D on from D.

FWIW

Hehe.  I was waiting for this one, and I actually had to think about it for a while before I posted that last tirade.

And to be quite honest, I don't really know how they are "advertised" or spec'd.  But electrically, there is no difference between a SPDT toggle and a NO/NC Momentary like we are talking about.

If you hook X input to the NO and Y input to the NC, when you press the button, you get X and when you release it, you get Y.  So there are indeed 2 throws, it's just that one is favored by the spring return  

BTW, to anyone who thinks this thread is "retarded", nobody is twisting your eyeballs to read it .

After you understand all the basics, there is nothing left to discuss but nuances and technicalities. Just because you don't find it interesting or informative, doesn't mean that someone else won't.

RandyT

[steve_pss]

What the hey, lets start a flame war!

Randy - bite my lily what irish arse

Rampy - Star Trek is terrible, and yes.. your a geek

Hoagie - there's no such thing as a bad question, and this stuff can be pretty confusing. I just finished my 1st cab myself and it took alot of research on here. My post wasn't intended as a slight to you or your question at all.

[RacerX]

This might be the most retarded thread I have seen on these boards since I started visiting here.

i've seen more retarded threads, FWIW...

What do you expect with a community that is more than likely to consist of "geeks... As long as no one brings up Natalie Portman, or ask which Star Trek series/cast was best we'll be able to maintain status quo around here.

Rampy

I'm not a Star Trek fan, but that Natalie Portman sure melts my butter!  

[RandyT]

What the hey, lets start a flame war!

Randy - bite my lily what irish arse

Rampy - Star Trek is terrible, and yes.. your a geek

Play nice now.  How do you know rampy isn't 200+ lbs of crew-cutted, ex-military, tattooed, pierced, V-twin riding nut-job like *I* am   ?

RandyT

[Tiger-Heli]

If you hook X input to the NO and Y input to the NC, when you press the button, you get X and when you release it, you get Y.  So there are indeed 2 throws, it's just that one is favored by the spring return  

Ok, I'll give in, the switch is SPDT, but the way it is normally wired for an arcade cab it would be considered SPST.

Also, for anyone who might be interested, the easiest way to keep this single-throw, dual-throw stuff straight is to think of the knife-edge switch that was used in all the 7th-grade science projects.  The switch that went through 90 degrees between off and on was SPST.  The switch that went 180 degrees between Circuit A, off, and Circuit B was SPDT.  And the "throw" refers to the action of opening or closing the switch.

[steve_pss]

hehe - nothing braver than a man fighting over the internet.

whats the saying? winning an arguement over the net is like winning in the special olympics -- you may have won, but your still a retard.

hey long as i have the attention of couple veterans here, anyone got a link for a company selling a ball top leaf 8 way? I just put supers in my 1st cab, and i kinda dont like 'em. they have (to me anyway) a really clickety, sloppy feel.. shouldn't have went cheap. Hoagie, heed that advice, if something is 5 bucks more, spend the 5 bucks.

[Tiger-Heli]

hey long as i have the attention of couple veterans here, anyone got a link for a company selling a ball top leaf 8 way?

Actually, no, I don't.  PaigeOliver is a big fan of these, maybe he would know.  Try calling www.videoconnect.com, sometimes they have older stuff.  Or maybe Bob Roberts would know someone, although I don't think he carries them.  OSCAR might be worth asking also.

There's always E-bay.

[RandyT]

hehe - nothing braver than a man fighting over the internet.

Was there a fight?  I thought we were talking about switches...... at least before SOMEONE started labeling people and criticizing a topic of discussion

*sigh*

RandyT

BTW, you win  

[Hoagie_one]

hey long as i have the attention of couple veterans here, anyone got a link for a company selling a ball top leaf 8 way?

I have two used wico 8 way leafs for trade
Wico 8 way leaf-link

[Tiger-Heli]

hehe - nothing braver than a man fighting over the internet.

BTW, you win  

Who won what???

Other than Steve Pss winning the leaf joystick search?

[steve_pss]

thanks hoagie, trying for new though.

[Hoagie_one]

k

[rampy]

thanks hoagie, trying for new though.

Well they don't MAKE them anymore... but you can try and find someone that has some left over NOS (new old stock)... it's a dwindling supply...

*shrug*  I got some "used" ones from birdtales that were/are in excellent shape.  As long as the gromet is in good shape, a used one is fine... you can get replacment leafs...  (you can get replacement leafs, grommets, and ball tops... but at that point you coulda bought a p360)

rampy