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Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: sTyLeS on May 27, 2004, 11:23:48 am

Title: I-Pac keyboard LEDs
Post by: sTyLeS on May 27, 2004, 11:23:48 am

I'm looking to light up my player start buttons using the LED header on the I-Pac. However, I did not purchase the 3-light harness that Ultimarc also sells. I saw a small schematic at Ultimarc's website that showed basically how to connect straight to the leads on the header, but it also shows 220r resistors being used. Are these resistors built into the harness that they sell? And if I wire it up myself, are the resistors required?
Anybody have an example (pictures) of wiring straight to the I-Pac header without the harness?
Thanks!

Title: Re:I-Pac keyboard LEDs
Post by: sTyLeS on May 28, 2004, 08:11:54 am

No answers? Ok.
How about another question...
What about trackball lighting? I have a translucent USB trackball. Would you recommend tapping into the 5v from the USB power, or running a separate line from the computer power supply? And same question as before...would a resistor be needed in this case as well?
Thanks!

Title: Re:I-Pac keyboard LEDs
Post by: ErikRuud on May 28, 2004, 09:41:18 am

The ultimarc harness has them built in.

The resistors are needed!  Most LED's wil burn up if you hook them directly to 5 volts, they need much lower voltage.

The value of the resistor will vary based on the supply voltage and the specific LED's you use.

You can get LED's that work with 5 volts or even 12 volts but those have a resistor built in.

The USB port has enough power to run a Zip Drive but I would avoid using the USB port as a source of power.  If you put too large of a load on it, you could fry the port.  I tapped power from my PC's power supply.

Your best bet is to look at this circuit  (http://www.oscarcontrols.com/led/index.shtml)on Oscar's site.  There are also links to my site and Carsten Carlos' site for more information.

Title: Re:I-Pac keyboard LEDs
Post by: RayB on May 28, 2004, 09:43:59 am

Is it safe to assume that Atari "lit" cone style buttons already have a built in resistor?

Title: Re:I-Pac keyboard LEDs
Post by: Brad Lee on May 28, 2004, 09:48:37 am

Quote from: RayB on May 28, 2004, 09:43:59 am

Is it safe to assume that Atari "lit" cone style buttons already have a built in resistor?

no no no no no
Running those straight to the ipac WILL light them, but they burn out pretty quickly. Im pretty sure the leds in those are 3v.

Title: Re:I-Pac keyboard LEDs
Post by: JustMichael on May 28, 2004, 10:56:59 am

The Atari "volcano" leds will light up very nicely by using the I-PAC with resistors as described on Ultimarc's website.   ;D

Title: Re:I-Pac keyboard LEDs
Post by: AndyWarne on May 28, 2004, 03:31:48 pm

Yes the LEDs on our harness are 5 volt LEDs with the resistor built-in. This just makes it neater.
On this subject, I can highly recommend fitting LEDs. It's an often overlooked subject, but the MAME devs went to a lot of trouble in many games to implement LED support. For example in AJAX, all 3 LEDs are used for various indications such as "power up" etc, which emulate lights fitted on the original cabinets.
I don't know if any list of games with LED support exists, with functions. Anyone?