iPac-2 SHIFT function not working

[axewater]

Hi everyone ..

Ok, 2 weeks ago I installed the iPac 2 in an old NeoGeo MVS cabinet, connected all the wiring and it was working fine. I could use the P1 start button as 'shift'. When pressed, the P1 Button1 became COIN1 and the P2 start would be ESCAPE (I think this is the default config).

Today I tried to get some of the buttons on the player 2 side cleaned out as they were sticking or not working at all. Connected 1 more wire and closed everything up again. From that moment on, the SHIFT function was gone.

Did some reading and apparantly the SHIFT function wont work if there is a stuck button .. Ok, ran various tools to see if there is a stuck button, there is NO button stuck according to this program : http://www.passmark.com/ftp/keytest.exe ..

Also the LED on the iPac2 is not flashing or turning off, which it should do if it detects a problem with wiring. It just stays lit.

When I run the WinIPAC software, I have tried reloading defaults and programming them into the iPac to no avail. Programming works but the SHIFT still doesn't work.

OS is Windows XP


ANY help would be appreciated .. I'm now using the external USB keyboard to insert coins and hit escape

[drventure]

I'd try disconnecting that one wire. Maybe it's not wired right?

In any event if the ipac light is showing an error, I'd expect all sorts of things to not work right.

It may be in opening things up, you bumped some wires and caused a short.

It's a pain, but you may need to disconnect all wires to the ipac except, say, a button, power up and verify that the ipac reports no problems.

then hook up, say, half the remaining wires and repeat, to try and narrow it down.

[axewater]

doesn't the fact that it stays lit mean there is NO error ?

all the wiring in the cab is still from 20 years ago .. so I guess it won't do any harm to replace the whole lot
end of the month I'll have some cash again and I'll order some parts. until then .. i'm gonna try what you suggest, disconnect all and reconnect a few at a time and see if i can get it working

on another note .. i just found out that the RIGHT joystick acts as a 4 way joystick (!!??) for some weird reason. But I will post that issue in a separate thread to keep things clear.

[AndyWarne]

If you go into the I-PAC interactive test mode: http://www.ultimarc.com/interact.php this might reveal something.

[axewater]

I don't have a PS/2 keyboard here so I cannot try the manual program thingy
A friend is coming over next week with a PS2 keyboard, so I'll try that then.

In the meantime, I have disconnected all the wires from the iPac on the player 2 side but the problem still persists 

When I start WinIpac, what is the best way to check if the SHIFT function is working ? When I open the 'shifted function' page, am I supposed to see buttons working when I hit the combo ?

When I go to test mode :
if I hit the player 1 start, it shows '1'
if I hit just player 1 button 1 is shows 'L.CTRL'
now when I hold 1 start and hit P1 B1 it still just shows 'L.CTRL'

I will now disconnect everything except the P1 start and P1 B1 to see if I can get it working again .... I'll post my progress here ...

[axewater]

*sob*

disconnected EVERY wire from the iPac 2 except PLAYER 1 START and PLAYER 1 SW 1 (button1)

still no SHIFT function working !?!?!?!? I must be retarded or something ... it really was working when I first put it together .. where did I go wrong ? Is it possible the iPac has 'forgotten' what button should be 'shift' and I have to reprogram it ? I tried loading defaults in the WinIpac software and programming it with those a few times to no avail. Is the only way to program the shift function using the COPY CON method ?

I guess I have to wait for that PS/2 keyboard now ...

oh btw, when firing up the box, the Ipac flashes 2 times briefly and then stays lit .. this means 'PS/2 detected' so that seems to be ok ...

[Epyx]

I had the same thing happen. I had no error light but I did have a short which I found with my multimeter. I know you re-wired but did you check everywhere to ensure there is no overlap somewhere?  For me it was my ground connecting with a button which produced no error light.

[AndyWarne]

*sob*

 Is the only way to program the shift function using the COPY CON method ?

No, you can do this with WinIPAC. In table view, the shift connection is shown under the "SHIFT" box in the top left corner.

[axewater]

Hmm so the error can be in the grounding ?
I'm sorry, I'm such a complete no-no when it comes to electronics. I'm a network security expert and am still kicking myself for never picking up electronics when I was in school.

Ok, I tried reprogramming the SHIFT using WinIpac .. it is currently set to something called 'P1 - A' ? No clue what that is ... I click the entry in the table and it asks me to press the button I want there, I hit PL1 STRT and it shows there. I hit program and it programs the iPac ... when I close and reopen WinIpac, the setting is back to P1-A !?!?!?!

Here are screenshots to show what I see now in WinIpac, maybe Andy or someone else has an idea where I went wrong :

blank control panel in winipac ? what happened here ? not important .. i'm going to use table view anyway ...


Table view :
ok here I see assigned to SHIFT = P1 - A ?? what is that ? I tried reprogramming it to P1 start but that didnt stick.


Table view when I press P1 start, which should be SHIFT (?)


Anyway ... I'm most likely gonna order new sticks, buttons and wires and redo the whole thing. I'm now working with close to 20 year old material and its actually no surprise that something isn't working

[AndyWarne]

All you need to do is:

Click on the box which currently says "P1-A"  (under the Shift box)
Click on the box which says "P1 Start" to assign the shift to P1 Start instead of P1-A

Click Program Board

[axewater]

Andy you're a star ! This did the trick !!!!!

I'm so happy it's working again ... just gotta hook up my player 2 controls again.

[taylormadelv]

Funny thing, exactly the same thing just happened to my ipac but mine became p1-up for some reason. Andy's advice here cleared it up.

[flakeride]

+ 1

The same thing happened with my J-Pac.  After several weeks of looking for a faulty ground wire and using the Restore Defaults in WinIpac this thread solved my problems.  I never thought to check P1-A as the Default Shift function!  Changed to P1-Start and system is now a Shift Champ!

Thanks Andy!

[enter]

Sorry to bump this old thread, but just a note to Andy. After three days of messing with wiring & searching the net I stumbled across this thread. Andys tip worked on my cab too. My shift button was being shown as P1-SW7, so I was clicking it in the winipac utility, then pressing my cab start button to try change it but it wouldnt work. You should put your tip on the product webpage Andy for those in need.

[Smeghead]

....and I'll add my stressful evening to the stories too
Dont know how it happened or why restoring defaults didnt fix it, but P1A was my shift key too
Andys fix fixed it - thanks dude   
 

[Dazz]

All you need to do is:

Click on the box which currently says "P1-A"  (under the Shift box)
Click on the box which says "P1 Start" to assign the shift to P1 Start instead of P1-A

Click Program Board

Hey Andy, 

Was this recently changed?  I don't recall having to click on the box to assign my shift functions when I programmed my IPAc4 years ago, but I too was having issues programming the shift on my new IPAC2 and noticed that you click on the shift box and then click the box you want to assign as shift.