Randy, the marquee looks very nice.
On a side note, I'm waiting to start my own personal Skee until the first release of your software. Since I'm not a graphic designer, I'm not able to create anything as nice as what you've set up, and you've raised the bar high enough that I don't want to bother building a machine unless it has those games
. I wish it wouldn't require a Windows license, but I don't see an easy way around that at the moment--last I checked, admittedly awhile ago, GPWiz doesn't have a linux driver. I've thought about using an Arduino instead of the GPWiz, since it can be programmed register keypresses on Linux when certain events fire. I'd have to scan through old messages in this thread to see how you're controlling the LEDs and see what I'd have to do to emulate the RGB control. I'd like to avoid that extra work, though. Are you using both a GPWiz (for inputs) and an LEDWiz (to control the ring and ramp lights)?
Here are a few thoughts to consider that may make your harness idea easier:
- use old phone line (4 conductor) or cheap cat5 network (8 conductor) wire, it'll make all the wires much easier to manage since they'll already be in small bundles
- for a common ground or common power shared with many components, I'd recommend a heavier gauge wire than phone/network wire. Doorbell wire is usually pretty cheap and found at your local hardware store(s)
- I'd recommend using female connectors like these for your quick connecting/disconnecting harness:
http://hansenhobbies.com/products/connectors/pt1inconnectors/ I used these connectors in previous projects and the hole spacing matched my IR and normal LED/photodiode legs perfectly. I made a jig to help me make my connectors by putting a clipped off LED leg scrap into a vise horizontal to the ground, sliding the female terminal on, and then it holds the terminal steady while I put the wire in place and crimp it. I daisy chained some of my LEDs in my project and while it was a little tricky, I could get two network wires crimped in a single female terminal, allowing me to chain to the next LED's terminal. After making the pair (or 4, if it works with your RGB LEDs) I then put the terminals into a 1x2 or 1x4 housing. After that, I did a test fitting by sliding it onto the legs of a LED and then trimmed the legs until the connector fit snugly and little to no bare leg was visible. If you opt to use these, too, make sure you buy plenty of extras. I had a few bad crimps and needed to redo some of them. You'll want to use a labeler, marker, nail polish, tape, or something to mark polarity on the LED/photodiodes and the connector or the wires leading into the connector to make your life easier down the road when connecting/reconnecting the harness to the rings, especially if the lighting is poor.
I haven't found a cheaper source for these connectors yet, but Hansen's prices are pretty reasonable. If anyone knows of a cheaper vendor, please pass it along.
After you get all the wire runs appropriately sized and test-fitted into your cabinet, you can zip-tie them together to make the bundle/harness, which will also make it easier to secure to the cabinet. If you make a note of the length of each run, it would be pretty easy for others to duplicate the harness.
If you'd like help figuring out the wiring diagram, including setting up an inverter (has anyone verified with RandyT if the GPWiz can only register button presses when current is present (how a normal momentary-closed button works) or if it can be configured to register a button press when current stops?), I'm sure the collective of us can help.