The NEW Build Your Own Arcade Controls

Main => Driving & Racing Cabinets => Topic started by: alexd74 on November 07, 2013, 01:00:33 am

Title: Potentiometer Adjustment
Post by: alexd74 on November 07, 2013, 01:00:33 am
Hi,
I have converted an old broken arcade driving cabinet with my old xbox and mad catz racing wheel setup.  I have re-wired the accelerator and brake potentiometers to the cabinet's pedal's potentiometers (they are much more sturdy than the mad catz pots), however the range is a bit different.  ie when I have the accelerator just off and the pot adjusted to minimum, when the accelerator is pushed all the way in I only get about half acceleration in game (there is a rev led indication on the madcatz wheel that only goes half way).  Is there an easy way to limit the min/max of the pot?  Or do I need to use different pots? I have been reading about resistors in parallel but not being up on electronics I need some help!
Thanks,
Alex.
Title: Re: Potentiometer Adjustment
Post by: BadMouth on November 07, 2013, 10:40:42 am
You'll most likely have to swap in potentiometers that have the same value as the ones in the mad catz wheel.

The only interfaces people have had luck using the original arcade pots with are the ultimarc devices (apac, uhid), but those are for PC.
Title: Re: Potentiometer Adjustment
Post by: synonym9 on November 18, 2013, 04:48:47 am


Is my question too.

As you know I restore the Hang-On cabinet and m.a.m.e. it to play more motocycle games.

My pot unit is a NOS-part including the pots, so I could go for an U-HID from UltimArc, but also have a Microsoft sidewinder steeringwheel in the basement that would be a plug and play solution if I remove its pots and mount it in the pot-unit of the Hang On.

http://www.arcadefixit.com/product.sc?productId=612&categoryId=68 (http://www.arcadefixit.com/product.sc?productId=612&categoryId=68)

 Since it is a univesal steeringwheel I would assume that its software would hold a lot of paramters to adjust which could be usefull for all the games.

For the U-HID, you told me that I can wire the pots directly to it....but what comes after that? Does it have a software to tune that stuff?

Title: Re: Potentiometer Adjustment
Post by: BadMouth on November 18, 2013, 09:46:21 am


Is my question too.

As you know I restore the Hang-On cabinet and m.a.m.e. it to play more motocycle games.

My pot unit is a NOS-part including the pots, so I could go for an U-HID from UltimArc, but also have a Microsoft sidewinder steeringwheel in the basement that would be a plug and play solution if I remove its pots and mount it in the pot-unit of the Hang On.

http://www.arcadefixit.com/product.sc?productId=612&categoryId=68 (http://www.arcadefixit.com/product.sc?productId=612&categoryId=68)

 Since it is a univesal steeringwheel I would assume that its software would hold a lot of paramters to adjust which could be usefull for all the games.

For the U-HID, you told me that I can wire the pots directly to it....but what comes after that? Does it have a software to tune that stuff?

I wouldn't mess with the old sidewinder wheel.  I don't know a whole lot about them, but I know the force feedback used a different standard and doesn't work with modern games.  Not sure if the controls or other software might also have similar quirks.

If you're going to hack a wheel, pick up a used Logitech wheel cheap because the profiler software is top notch.
Get one from the PS2 era or newer.  The old formula force and red momo wheels have similar quirks to the ms sidewinder.

Personally, I'd just use the U-HID since it would be easier and you're not using force feedback.
Most emulators and games have some level of tweaking for the controls.

You really should set up the games  and see how they play before going to the trouble of converting a cab.
Title: Re: Potentiometer Adjustment
Post by: synonym9 on November 20, 2013, 10:13:42 am


Super Hang-On had FFB and I am thinking of ways to build the FFB-motor in.
But whats more important is is: Will the profiler software help me to find out if I max out the steering-travel of the games?
Title: Re: Potentiometer Adjustment
Post by: BadMouth on November 20, 2013, 02:08:51 pm


Super Hang-On had FFB and I am thinking of ways to build the FFB-motor in.
But whats more important is is: Will the profiler software help me to find out if I max out the steering-travel of the games?

Super Hang-On had directional force feedback like a steering wheel or just a shaker motor?

What do you mean "max out the steering travel of the games"?

The steering wheel is calibrated in the game's service menu.
You can increase or decrease the saturation (how far it is turned before the game sees it as being turned all the way) in either MAME or in the Logitech profiler software.
I just set the saturation to 100%, calibrate the wheel in game, and all is fine.