Several Questions About DC

[sphetr2]

I've posted this in both Main and Consoles. Not sure which one I should've put it in, so it's in both.

I have some questions:

(1) First, is there an electronic device that delays the sending of a signal from the pushbutton to the encoder?

I'm using a DC in a cabinet, and I'm using MAME4ALL and planning on using the X-Arcade BYOA kit. I understand that you press a button to toggle between digital and analog controls. MAME4ALL DC's coin insert is "Analog Joystick right." I was thinking that the insertion of a coin sends a signal to toggle to analog, then a delayed signal tells it to press joystick right, then an even more delayed signal tells the encoder to switch back to digital. This would insert a coin and keep it digital, keeping people that come over from getting confused between digital and analog.

Also, I have another question, while I'm at it. (2) Can I set digital or analog as the default input? For instance, what if I want all of my games to boot into digital, can I set that? Or does the X-Arcade keep the setting from last time?

Oh, and one more question. (3) Is there a controller splitter for the Dreamcast? I want to plug in two lightguns and arcade controls  into the first and second player ports. Is there a commercial splitter, or would I have to hack one out of controller extension cords? Would controller extension cords even work? Note that I'm not trying to play with 8 players. It's just that I don't want to have to switch the lightguns and arcade controls every time I want to play a game that requires one or the other. By hacking extension cords, won't the dreamcast just accept all the signals coming from both the arcade controls and the light guns (i.e. whichever one I'm using)?

Thanks in advance. Sorry if my questions are a little confusing.

[jfh2112]

Oh, and one more question. (3) Is there a controller splitter for the Dreamcast? I want to plug in two lightguns and arcade controls  into the first and second player ports. Is there a commercial splitter, or would I have to hack one out of controller extension cords? Would controller extension cords even work? Note that I'm not trying to play with 8 players. It's just that I don't want to have to switch the lightguns and arcade controls every time I want to play a game that requires one or the other. By hacking extension cords, won't the dreamcast just accept all the signals coming from both the arcade controls and the light guns (i.e. whichever one I'm using)?

It's been a while since I've fired up my Dreamcast, but couldn't you connect your controllers to ports 1 and 2 and your guns to ports 3 and 4? IIRC from the last time I played Confidential Mission (which has been a WHILE), the DC will auto-detect which ports your guns are connected to.

Haven't tried it, but it seems to me if you connected a controller and a gun into a hacked-up Y-cable that the DC would get confused as to which accessory was connected. Some sort of switch would probably work better; maybe a KVM or DB9 switch.

[sphetr2]

It's been a while since I've fired up my Dreamcast, but couldn't you connect your controllers to ports 1 and 2 and your guns to ports 3 and 4? IIRC from the last time I played Confidential Mission (which has been a WHILE), the DC will auto-detect which ports your guns are connected to.

REALLY? THAT'S GREAT! Probably the best news I've heard all day. If you look in the Main Forum we weren't sure how to switch, but if the DC auto detects, that's wonderful.

[jfh2112]

I just tested it with House of the Dead 2, Confidential Mission, and Mortal Kombat Gold, and it looks like I was wrong. If it's a gun game, the guns must be in ports 1 and 2, and if it's a controller game, the controllers must be in ports 1 and 2. Like I said, it's been a WHILE since I played a gun game on the DC.

I think that if you could get your hands on some extension cables and hack them up to a DB9 connector and get a serial A/B switch that it would work. Yes, making those connectors is a PITA, but it's the only thing that comes to mind.

Here's an eBay auction for 2 extension cables: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300017979187&category=41053

And here's the type of switch box I'm thinking of: http://www.sfcable.com/store/40d1-10602.html

And here is the pinout for the DC controllers: http://mc.pp.se/dc/controller.html

[lloydcom]

If you are using Mame-4-ALL as the emulator of choice, I should not bother going the X Arcade route.  I have the X Arcade and the DC hooked up and its not the best scenario.

X Arcades and Dreamcasts are for Soul Calibre and other fighting games.

Better finding a DC Mad Catz controller and building a CP for it.  That way you can have whatever options  you wanted.  The Mad Catz is so easy to hack, especially if you are like me and burn your fingers on the soldering iron!

Find your mad catz on Ebay.

[sphetr2]

If you are using Mame-4-ALL as the emulator of choice, I should not bother going the X Arcade route.  I have the X Arcade and the DC hooked up and its not the best scenario.

Why not? Is there something wrong with it? I was planning on playing modern games (soul calibur, ikaruga) on the cabinet too, so if you have any issues, can you share them with me please?

Also, I (hopefully) will no longer have the delay problem, as Chui (MAME4All dev) has said that he will release an updated MAME4ALLL around the holidays some time, and the new version will insert credits with L+R+START, and pause will be A+B+X+Y. He wanted to have support for the official DC arcade sticks. So no more analog for MAME4All! 

If only I knew some more C++, then I could do this before he releases the new version (which is ideal, because I don't feel like waiting), as the source is available for download. I also have no idea how to compile it either. OR convert to selfboot. Any one here that does know these things that is willing to do this for me (or tell me how)?

So that still leaves me with the light gun switching problem...unless I wanted to do a manual switch as jfh2112 suggested, but I would prefer an automatic switch.

Thanks for all of your help guys.

[lloydcom]

The reason why I choose not to go the DC route with the X Arcade and MAME is the lag on the console.  The PC has no lag so its the best choice.

Hacking a Madcatz has no lag either, thus my suggestion.

Oh while I'm on about it - there is lag on the PSX too. 

Not much, but noticeable.

[Goz]

There is nothing wrong with using the Xarcade BYOA kit with a DC but have to agree that the MAME port is less than spectacular.

I have a cab with hacked Madcatz and a cab with the Xarcade kit and there is no descernable lag seen with either.