Here is a tutorial on making your own JAMMA adapters. When I priced out adapters for my Galaga (Gallag) PCB, they were $15 to $35 each depending on where you shop. The parts listed below are less than $6. Ready made adapters also are not available for every game. It takes a little time, but it is not difficult.
UPDATED NOTE: This tutorial does not consider the changes necessary to convert an AC powered board into the DC switching power supply voltages required for JAMMA cabinets. If you want to convert an AC powered PCB to JAMMA you will need to make the necessary modifications to the power input. This info can be found by searching here, or googling. An example link for Galaxian is given below in this thread.What you need:- JAMMA Finger-board $4
- Edge connector $2-3
- Pinouts for your PCB and JAMMA standard
- Wire (probably 20-24ga)
- Soldering iron/station
- Wire strippers
- Pliers (helpful, not necessary)
- Time (1-2 hours)
Parts Sources:I will only list some sources for the first three items, since most likely you will already have the remaining items.
JAMMA Finger-board:jammaboards.comtherealbobroberts.netmikesarcade.comEdge connector (wire soldering tail type):Find the correct size for your PCB.
jammaboards.comtherealbobroberts.commikesarcade.comlizardlickamusements.comPinouts:This information is widely replicated.
mikesarcade.comArcade Pinoutscoinop.orgjammaboards.comGoogleTutorialThere are several different types of jamma fingerboards. The cheapest boards are usually nothing more than two rows of flat finger traces. I find these more difficult to solder to, especially without the additional use of vises or clamps to help hold the wires flat while you are soldering. For this reason, I chose the following board from jammaboards.com (
direct link):
It is inexpensive, has plated through-holes for easy soldering, and is clearly labeled for easy pin identification. Basically you will solder the connector to one edge of the board, use jumper wires to connect from through-hole to through-hole matching up your pinout, and then the other edge will plug into your wire harness.
Step 1The solder legs on the edge connector are spaced a little wider than the thickness of the fingerboard. Pinching these together will make a tighter fit and facilitate easier soldering.
Using your fingers, gently pinch the legs together so you get a comfortable fit when you slide the fingerboard in between them. The board should stand up on its own like this:
Step 2Solder the edge connector pins to one side of the fingerboard. You will need to solder both sides of the board.
Note: This tutorial demostrates connecting a 22/44 pin connector to the JAMMA edge which has 28 connections per side. I centered the connector on the board for symmetry, but this will make the pin numbering on the fingerboard not match your pinout sheet. Either take special caution when matching pins, or align your edge connector pin 1 with pin 1 on the fingerboard.When you're done with step 2 it should look like this:
Step 3Take your pinout sheet for your PCB and write the pin number of the corresponding JAMMA pin next to each connector. For example, the JAMMA pin numbers for P1 Up, P1 Down, P1 Left and P1 Right, are 18, 19, 20 and 21. Write these down next to the P1 Up, down left and right for your PCB. Not all JAMMA pins will be used.
Note: If you centered your fingerboard like I did, the pin numbers printed on the fingerboard will not match the pin numbers on your prinoutout. You may need to offset the numbers.Note: Numbers are used to identify the pins on the "parts" side of the board (the side populated with parts). Letters are used to identify the "solder" side. Certain letters are skipped to avoid confusion with numbers - there no G, I, O or Q.Step 4Use short jumper wires to jump each pin on your PCB to the correct JAMMA pin. This is where using the plated through-holes make for easy soldering. I put wires on both sides of the board. I jumpered all the numbered pins on one side, then flipped it over and jumpered all the lettered pins on the other. I cut the wires to length as I went. When you are done, it should look like this:
Step 5If you have a DMM, test the continuity from each pin on the edge connector to their pad on the JAMMA edge. If you probe inside the edge connector, be careful not to bend the pins. I probed from the solder leg to the edge connector pad.
Step 6Label your adapter. Note the PCB (Is it PCB-to-JAMMA, or JAMMA-to-PCB?), side of the connector (parts or solder), and pin 1 may be helpful also. I labeled both sides.
That's it!
A couple of other miscellaneous notes.
- Not all pins on the pinout sheet may be used on your PCB. For example, on my Gallag board the pinout sheet listed P2 controls becuase it shares the same layout as Zig Zag. But my game does not have P2 controls, so these can be safely ignored.
- Galag is also a special case where there is a video connector separate from the edge connector. These may be soldered to pins on the edge connector (or they may not) in any order. I had to modify my pinout accordingly.
- Soldering the legs to the fingerboard makes a nice, neat solution, but the solder is not designed for repeated connecting/disconnecting. Take care to grip the fingerboard when you plug/unplug the adapter.
- Take your time and check your work.
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Topic: Tutorial: DIY JAMMA Adapter for $6 (Read 14231 times)
