The NEW Build Your Own Arcade Controls

Main => Raspberry Pi & Dev Board => Topic started by: WetpantsMcGee on November 05, 2017, 09:55:45 pm

Title: Custom CP with RPi?
Post by: WetpantsMcGee on November 05, 2017, 09:55:45 pm
So I'm mostly done with my first project, and still have a good deal of plywood sitting around.  I've decided to make a mini-cab replica of my first machine with the scraps.  While I'm still getting some measurements noted, the one big question I've had is how do custom sticks and buttons interface with an RPi?  iPac or something like that? 

Basically I want to build this around the RPi that's in my large cab, so that I can upgrade that to a PC  ;)
Title: Re: Custom CP with RPi?
Post by: WetpantsMcGee on November 05, 2017, 09:58:08 pm
Oh, and has anyone had any experience with EscapePod?  They sell full vinyl kits for cabs.  Had my eye on the Tron setup.. :laugh:
Title: Re: Custom CP with RPi?
Post by: 1500points on November 05, 2017, 10:07:07 pm
on klov you will see some people like escapepod others haven't had the same experience.

ipac is hard to beat.  any of the usb interfaces work with pc or pi.  The ultimarc if you want a good one, zero delay on ebay if you want lesser button options and cheap price.
Title: Re: Custom CP with RPi?
Post by: WetpantsMcGee on November 05, 2017, 10:38:53 pm
on klov you will see some people like escapepod others haven't had the same experience.

ipac is hard to beat.  any of the usb interfaces work with pc or pi.  The ultimarc if you want a good one, zero delay on ebay if you want lesser button options and cheap price.

Guess I'll have to do a little more research.  $300-$400 for a kit is a pricey investment.

I'm looking to just do a single player CP with 6 main, 1 start, and maybe 2 other buttons.  I'll look into both the iPac and ultimarc.  Thanks for the heads up!
Title: Re: Custom CP with RPi?
Post by: 1500points on November 06, 2017, 08:02:16 am
on klov you will see some people like escapepod others haven't had the same experience.

ipac is hard to beat.  any of the usb interfaces work with pc or pi.  The ultimarc if you want a good one, zero delay on ebay if you want lesser button options and cheap price.

Guess I'll have to do a little more research.  $300-$400 for a kit is a pricey investment.

I'm looking to just do a single player CP with 6 main, 1 start, and maybe 2 other buttons.  I'll look into both the iPac and ultimarc.  Thanks for the heads up!


Search ebay for zero delay encoder.  Check to see where it ships from if you don’t want china delay.  You can get it with skinny sanwa style connectors or the typical connectors so read the fine print.

Go to ultimarc website to research i-pac


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Title: Re: Custom CP with RPi?
Post by: Grasshopper on November 06, 2017, 09:43:43 am
I'm looking to just do a single player CP with 6 main, 1 start, and maybe 2 other buttons.  I'll look into both the iPac and ultimarc.  Thanks for the heads up!

If you're only going to need a maximum of 13 inputs, then you could probably get away with wiring the joystick and buttons straingh onto the RPi's GPIO pins, unless you're using the pins for something else.
Title: Re: Custom CP with RPi?
Post by: barrymossel on November 07, 2017, 01:08:04 pm
May I suggest the Control Block (https://blog.petrockblock.com/2014/12/29/controlblock-power-switch-and-io-for-the-raspberry-pi/)? It provides a nice and safe way to shut down the RPi and of course allows you to connect arcade controllers.
Title: Re: Custom CP with RPi?
Post by: 1500points on November 07, 2017, 02:34:24 pm
May I suggest the Control Block (https://blog.petrockblock.com/2014/12/29/controlblock-power-switch-and-io-for-the-raspberry-pi/)? It provides a nice and safe way to shut down the RPi and of course allows you to connect arcade controllers.

I actually bought that product and it would't work right.  Plus it wasn't cheap.

Awhile back someone noticed the posted info had a typo in the info the company had posted.
I got no help from the sellers of the product.
Gave it away to someone to see if they could get anywhere with it.
So I wouldn't suggest that item, personally, unless you are a linux devvy type. :)
Title: Re: Custom CP with RPi?
Post by: Slippyblade on November 07, 2017, 08:02:01 pm
If you can find an old Minimus AVR, then KADE is awesome and seemless with a Pi.  I've not used any of the new boards with the new KADE setup, so can't speak to that.
Title: Re: Custom CP with RPi?
Post by: ivwshane on November 08, 2017, 06:50:26 am
I'm doing a two player bartop and I'm using the gpio pins. What software are you using?
Title: Re: Custom CP with RPi?
Post by: barrymossel on November 08, 2017, 01:29:27 pm
May I suggest the Control Block (https://blog.petrockblock.com/2014/12/29/controlblock-power-switch-and-io-for-the-raspberry-pi/)? It provides a nice and safe way to shut down the RPi and of course allows you to connect arcade controllers.

I actually bought that product and it would't work right.  Plus it wasn't cheap.

Awhile back someone noticed the posted info had a typo in the info the company had posted.
I got no help from the sellers of the product.
Gave it away to someone to see if they could get anywhere with it.
So I wouldn't suggest that item, personally, unless you are a linux devvy type. :)
That was actually my noticing the typo. The seller did change it afterwards. Pretty weird that he didn't help you as he is a quite helpful mod at the RetroPie forum. At that forum also some guys rewrote the shutdown scripts for it.
If I will build any other RPi arcade build (need to finish the first still - and a next one will probably rock some better hardware), I will for sure try the Control Block (though I already own a spare Power Block - which I will probably use for some other project).
Title: Re: Custom CP with RPi?
Post by: petrockblog on November 23, 2017, 03:32:42 pm
May I suggest the Control Block (https://blog.petrockblock.com/2014/12/29/controlblock-power-switch-and-io-for-the-raspberry-pi/)? It provides a nice and safe way to shut down the RPi and of course allows you to connect arcade controllers.

I actually bought that product and it would't work right.  Plus it wasn't cheap.

Awhile back someone noticed the posted info had a typo in the info the company had posted.
I got no help from the sellers of the product.
Gave it away to someone to see if they could get anywhere with it.
So I wouldn't suggest that item, personally, unless you are a linux devvy type. :)

I am sorry if the ControlBlock did not work for you and you also did not get the issues solved in the forum. I am trying to support with any issue. Due to the amount of email, sometimes it might take some days until I reply, though. If you can point me to your post, we could take another look at it, if you like!