Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum

Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: PacManess on February 10, 2004, 08:42:04 pm

Title: Dumb Grounding Question
Post by: PacManess on February 10, 2004, 08:42:04 pm

Ok, here is my stupid question for the day.
My IPac4 isn't working, major weird problems between intermittent keyboard error on bootup to just plain nothing doing at all.

I have grounded the thing like this: one end into ground port 1, daisy chained to all devices, then the other end into ground port 2...which basically makes a grounding loop. Would that cause problems? Could it be so simple as to unplug one of those groundy ends and BAM! I have arcade controls?

Any ideas?

Title: Re:Dumb Grounding Question
Post by: eightbit on February 10, 2004, 08:59:46 pm

Quote from: nosleepboy on February 10, 2004, 08:42:04 pm

Ok, here is my stupid question for the day.
My IPac4 isn't working, major weird problems between intermittent keyboard error on bootup to just plain nothing doing at all.

I have grounded the thing like this: one end into ground port 1, daisy chained to all devices, then the other end into ground port 2...which basically makes a grounding loop. Would that cause problems? Could it be so simple as to unplug one of those groundy ends and BAM! I have arcade controls?

Any ideas?

A ground loop is not recomended. Disconnect one of the grounds and see what it does.

Title: Re:Dumb Grounding Question
Post by: PacManess on February 10, 2004, 09:06:32 pm

Sweet! I'll give it a shot when I get home from work. See, today, I worked (am working) 14 hours. Good lord have mercy. And I have to do it again tomorrow. So good times. At least obsessing over getting my IPAC working is giving me something to occupy my nugget.
So anyway, rambling aside, I'll give it a shot when I get home. Hopefully much love and killing will happen joystick and buttons style.

Title: Re:Dumb Grounding Question
Post by: screaming on February 10, 2004, 09:17:03 pm

Quote from: eightbit on February 10, 2004, 08:59:46 pm

A ground loop is not recomended.

  Why? I thought that would just add some redundency?

/Steve

Title: Re:Dumb Grounding Question
Post by: bluGill on February 10, 2004, 09:32:11 pm

Grounds are complex beasts that do not obey any of the normaly obvious rules.   Electrical engineers can take classes to study just grounds at the graduate level.   That is more education than I have, and I've seen the math, it is harder than I want to deal with.

I just follow simple rules: no ground loops.   If this way audio you would hear strange sounds, and never be happy.  This is digital, which is a little more immune, but in this case.

Mind you might have some other problem, but start by eliminating a known potential source of problems.

Title: Re:Dumb Grounding Question
Post by: Brad on February 10, 2004, 09:34:10 pm

heh nosleepboy I answered this at MAmeworld too. Yes I agree take out that last ground into the Ipac. You shouldn't and don't need it. I reckong that could be it *fingers crossed*

Brad