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Swappable CPs design input/questions...
jfunk:
OK, so I'm building my first cab! I'm in planning phases but plan to build the bulk of the cabinet this weekend. Nothing like a bit of warm weather and a free Saturday to get things started!
Anyways, my questions regard 'swappable control panels'... I'm doing almost everything by "The Book" :) In there, Saint mentions creating different control panels and hot-swapping them.. But I didn't see much in the way of elaboration. I've searched the board, but haven't found much. Maybe I'm using the wrong terms.. After all, I am a newbie.. :)
I've actually thought of a couple of ways to do this:
#1 - EXPENSIVE - I could just attach a USB IPAC to each CP I build. Just unplug/replug the USB cable, and you're up and running. Each could have it's very own programmed prom and everything.. But yikes, what a cost!
#2 - COMPLEX - Could create some sort of 'wiring harness'.. Just plug in the harness to a common IPAC and away you go. Would just have to match up the wires on both sides of the harness and make sure they're the same for each CP. A pain, but possible. Not sure what parts I'd need, though...
What have others done? I really want 3 different CPs.. I'm going to post my 'first draft' pics of each here for opinions on them. The one I'm DEFINITELY going to do is what I call my EVERYDAY CP. It's shown below. I'll post my Q-Bert CP and my Fighter CP next...
My Everyday CP will have 2 Ultimarc T-Stik Pluses.. I want that 4/8-way swappability (is that a word?!) If I can get an inexpensive, yet quality, 3" trackball (like from Peale), I'll keep the 3"er.. But I may just go with a 2.25" one from Ultimarc. I'm not going to play any spinner games, so no spinner... The templates are taken from "The Book".. The buttons are in the '7-button Medium Fighter' layout.. Thoughts?
jfunk:
Here's my Q-Bert/Congo Bongo CP.. Just using an Ultimarc J-Stik rotated 45 degrees counter-clockwise. I added 2 buttons on each side for lefties and righties.. However, I'm pretty sure I'll only need one on each side?
The rest is pretty straight-forward. Are there any other games besides Q-Bert (and it's variations) and Congo Bongo that need this type of layout? Not that it matters.. I like the games enough to have a dedicated panel for them :)
THANX AGAIN!
jfunk:
The Fighter CP is my final one. Again the '7-button Medium Fighter' layout from the templates.. A Happs Competition for each player. This gets rid of the trackball for extra room, and provides a better joystick for hitting those diagonals.. Pretty simple.
Is the 'Neo Geo' button really worth it? I'm not even sure how it's mapped, but I know this is a popular layout.. Does the mapping go:
1 2 3
4 5 6
7
or is there some other mapping that is common? Is the 7 button a duplicate of one of hte main 6? It's been so long since I've played some of these things in the arcade that I can't think of the best config for them!
Looking at the pic, I might switch the P# Start and P# Coin buttons.. They seem backwards..
Really looking forward to everyones thoughts! I know these aren't the most original layouts, but hey, I want functionality over originality!! :)
THANX!
SOAPboy:
well.. id reckon you could use RJ 45 jacks to "swap" out the CPs..
jfunk:
That's a great idea! You get so focused on one or two thoughts, and you miss things like that :)
Will Cat5 be thick enough wiring?
Thanx!
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