Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum
Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: Darq on August 27, 2006, 03:27:18 pm
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I've done the standard searching and reading but wanted some clarification. I'm planning on building a CP with joystick, 7 game buttons and 1 player button for players 1 and 2. This effectively leaves me with 8 LEDs per player (9 if I get a lighted joystick). I wanted to go with RGB but as far as I can tell there is nothing out there that will support (3 x 8) x 2 = 48 outs. I read this was a possible to do with the LEDwiz but probably a far off future item. Other than grouping LEDs or cutting down colors do I have any other options for animated LEDs in game Mame?
Feel free to tell me if I'm and idiot and over looked something obvious.
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RGB will eat your channels quickly. You have the option of running more than 1 LEDWiz at a time and I believe that it is MALA that is currently in development of a more intensive user platform for the Wizs. BUT!, you have to purchase a set of replacement chips to do so.
I chose to use RGBs on the main buttons and single colors on the rest. Remember that not all games used that many buttons. So, if you hit the main jump / fire buttons and made the rest a single color you can make it work.
BTW, remember that for every color you add, you have just added a wire and resistor. The wires build up quickly. Eventually you look down and say, crap, that is several hundred feet of wire sitting there.
I chose PowerMAME through MAMEWah, but am running up against a wall with it right now. I can not make the attract mode work with MW. It will work with PM32. Also the buttons lit durring the game seems to be un usable right now too. But I am still working on this.
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I thought that you "could" use 2 LEDwizs but they wouldnt be in sync
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I believe that it is MALA that is currently in development of a more intensive user platform for the Wizs. BUT!, you have to purchase a set of replacement chips to do so.
FYI MaLa works right now (not development) ;)
* Either with a LedWiz (replace one chip) for basic support see Here (http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=55856.msg551834#msg551834)
* Or Mala Hardware see here (http://mala.arcadezentrum.com/hardware.html)
(http://mala.arcadezentrum.com/screenshots/malaattractmodeani.gif)
Some MaLa Screens for LEDS and LCD:
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RGB will eat your channels quickly. You have the option of running more than 1 LEDWiz at a time and I believe that it is MALA that is currently in development of a more intensive user platform for the Wizs. BUT!, you have to purchase a set of replacement chips to do so.
Also keep in mind that if you go this route, you are essentially crippling the LED-Wiz by removing the PWM (48 brightness levels) and hardware pulse FX. This means only 7 colors are possible with RGB LEDs using the replacements chip instead of the LED-Wiz's normal 110,592.
Just thought this needed to be brought up in case that kind of thing is important to anyone ;)
RandyT
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I was not saying it was a good idea, I was just offering a suggestion. :P
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I was not saying it was a good idea, I was just offering a suggestion. :P
And a valid one too.
Randy T is just pointing out that if you want lots of colours/brightness levels this is not an option for you.
However it is completely reversable (if you want) have a read of my post ;)
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=55856.msg551834#msg551834 (http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=55856.msg551834#msg551834)
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In my reading today, I ran across Atomic FE (was recomended by Havok). Youki is working towards LEDWiz capibilities. Don't know what it will do just yet, but just thought I would mention it. Personally I would really rather use the stuff from Randy I bought and not have to purchase a different set of chips. The LEDWiz Opperates beautifully under PM32. I made up a slew of LWA's and made an LSQ to string them all together. It was like a pinball machine.
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Are we going to see a LEDwiz that can handle more than 32 LED channels?
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You can use up to 16 LedWiz's i think, so that is considerably more than 32 channels.
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I ran across Atomic FE (was recomended by Havok). Youki is working towards LEDWiz capibilities. Don't know what it will do just yet, but just thought I would mention it.
I'm interested to see when and what level Youki will support.
FYI
I have 2x MaLa Hardware and 2x LedWiz. I love my LEDS!!!!! :(
My Wife does not understand ;)
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I didnt think multiple LEDwizes was supported yet
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I have a question slightly off topic. There are 4 wires on the RGB Drive, does it matter what wire goes where? I assume one wire goes to the +5v and the other three connect to the LEDWIZ, I am just not sure if certain wires have to connect to a certain place.
Thanks
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I didnt think multiple LEDwizes was supported yet
They are if you are using PowerMAME or the latest OCX from GGG. Up to 16 LED-Wiz boards for a total of up to 512 outputs.
I have a question slightly off topic. There are 4 wires on the RGB Drive, does it matter what wire goes where? I assume one wire goes to the +5v and the other three connect to the LEDWIZ, I am just not sure if certain wires have to connect to a certain place.
The red marked wire goes to +5. The other three, starting with the first wire after the red marked one, are Blue, Green and Red. I would recommend picking a group of three outputs and wire them in the standard RGB order, using the lowest number in the group as Red and the highest number as Blue.
RandyT
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I have a question slightly off topic. There are 4 wires on the RGB Drive, does it matter what wire goes where? I assume one wire goes to the +5v and the other three connect to the LEDWIZ, I am just not sure if certain wires have to connect to a certain place.
The red marked wire goes to +5. The other three, starting with the first wire after the red marked one, are Blue, Green and Red. I would recommend picking a group of three outputs and wire them in the standard RGB order, using the lowest number in the group as Red and the highest number as Blue.
RandyT
Thanks Randy, however I am a little confused by what you mean " I would recommend picking a group of three outputs and wire them in the standard RGB order, using the lowest number in the group as Red and the highest number as Blue."
Thanks
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I am a little confused by what you mean " I would recommend picking a group of three outputs and wire them in the standard RGB order, using the lowest number in the group as Red and the highest number as Blue."
I believe he means for example
Wiz Output 1- Red (LED 1)
Wiz Output 2- Green (LED 1)
Wiz Output 3- Blue (LED 1)
Wiz Output 4- Red (LED 2)
Wiz Output 5- Green (LED 2)
Wiz Output 6- Blue (LED 2)
Wiz Output 7- Red (LED 3)
Wiz Output 8- Green (LED 3)
Wiz Output 9- Blue (LED 3)
..etc
Probably easier to configure that way
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ok, thats what I was going to do.
Thanks, you guys rock
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I actually made the wires corrospond to the color for easier troublshooting later in life.
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The ones I got already have the wire attached, 28g I think. However I have to make them longer so I might do the same and attach 22g wire to the 28g wire.
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Yeah, I did not want to be hindered by my +5 line. Since it is a ribbon, it travels all the way back to the board. I branched the +5v at each LED button pod.
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I've working with LED Supply for several LED projects.(www.LEDSupply.com)...Maybe they can help?
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Just in case you have not been following the software threads
have a look
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=55856.msg562479#msg562479 (http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=55856.msg562479#msg562479)