Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum
Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: Banacek on September 19, 2008, 05:39:23 pm
-
Hey guys, I'm looking to make the move to LED pushbuttons. There is a lot of info out there, and I'm kind of wondering where to start. Is it really as easy as buying a Pac-Drive (or LED-Wiz), plugging them into the pushbuttons with LEDs inside and calling it a day? Where is a good place to start reading? The wiki seemed a bit thin when talking about LEDs. Thanks!
-
With the simple setups found with Controllers like the LED-Wiz and such, it's really simple. Make sure your 5v/12v source is wired with the right resistors, your grounds are all chained, and you're good to roll normally.
-
With the simple setups found with Controllers like the LED-Wiz and such, it's really simple. Make sure your 5v/12v source is wired with the right resistors, your grounds are all chained, and you're good to roll normally.
That's what it's looking like. I guess I'm finding it hard to believe that it's so easy :)
-
With the simple setups found with Controllers like the LED-Wiz and such, it's really simple. Make sure your 5v/12v source is wired with the right resistors, your grounds are all chained, and you're good to roll normally.
Sorry but that is incorrect. The Pac drive and LED Wiz work using a common anode. The grounds are not chained and are individualy connected to the outputs of the controllers:
(http://ultimarc.com/images/pacdrive_leds.jpg)
This may help you too:
Hey bud. Thats what I have ('Happ' translucent buttons with micro-leafs).
I would get some of [GGGs button diffusers (http://groovygamegear.com/webstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=300)] too. They really do help to light the buttons evenly.
Ass for regards to lighting them, if you just want them red you just want to buy some 'normal' 5mm red LEDs. GGG also carries [Single Red LEDs (http://groovygamegear.com/webstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=83&products_id=264)]. You may as well buy some of them if you are only using a few (<25), if you want to use more Ill find you some suitable ones on ebay next time you are on MSN.
All you need to do then is drill a 5mm hole in the bottom (well, 4.9mm is even better if you can for a nice push fit). If you want you can get your buttons sent to me when you order them and then I can drill them for you and then send them onto you. No charge, its just much easier for me to do it if you dont have access to a drill press. Either way, you want to be drilling a hole here:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v325/Francoberasi/splitbush1.png)
Then you just need to solder a resistor to the cathode and then solder wires to both the anode and the other side of the resistor that you soldered to the cathode, a la:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v325/Francoberasi/led-resistor.png)
If you really don't want to solder you could even use [GGGs RGB-Drive (http://groovygamegear.com/webstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=83&products_id=240)] (the pre wired version) but only use the red anode.
The you just need to power them. If you want them on all the time just wire them to the red 5v wire from your PSU (assuming you used the correct resistor for 5v) You could use [Kaytrims Button Flash (http://forums.shoryuken.com/showthread.php?t=158934)] if you want them to flash once depressed or you could use [Ultimarcs Pac Drive (http://ultimarc.com/pacdrive.html)] or [GGGs LED WIZ (http://groovygamegear.com/webstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=82&products_id=239)] if you want to be able to control the button lighting.
I was hoping to get those red LED lit pictures for you today but I have left my soldering iron at work. Ill grab it tomorrow and get some pics for you tomorrow afternoon if you can hang on till then.