Re: control panel parts


[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ Build Your Own Arcade Controls message board ] [ FAQ ]

Posted by Druin on 12, 2001 at 10:49 PM:

In Reply to: control panel parts posted by Ringlancer on 12, 2001 at 3:16 PM:

As mentioned, I have no idea how to go about making sure the interchangeable parts are secure, but if I can find a way to do that, what I plan is to have a smart control panel where not only are the parts interchangeable, but you wouldn't need to mess with cables...each module would have a standard connector on the bottom that plugs into a socket in the control panel (might also help secure it), such as a 40 pin IDE connector and socket pair...each module would have jumpers to configure the type of part it is (analog or digital, switches or joystick if digital, etc) and also which player it's meant for...that way, based on the jumpers, the switches or other connectors on the module would be properly routed to the appropriate set of pins on the connector to do that function...

So if you were plugging in a joystick that was meant for player 2, and you set the jumpers that way, then no matter WHERE you plug that joystick in, it will have its switches routed to the IDE connector's pins that connect to the keyboard encoder's inputs that you set up to be player 2 joystick directionals. So all those IDE sockets in each module bay on the control panel are really connected in parallel like a computer bus, and the modules each only use a few of the many available pins, based on the jumpers...this allows swapping buttons and joysticks for left/right handed players too, just pull the devices out as they are and plug them in as you like, you wouldn't need to set any more jumpers because they'd already register as buttons or joysticks in the new sockets.

I can handle designing all the electronics for this, and it'll be something I attempt if only someone else can figure out the best way to make sure ALL types of modules would be secure, namely joysticks. I can't think of any way to plug in a joystick box and have it secure.

I don't know if I already wrote some of this theory on my arcade circuit page...if not I'll add the section to maybe help inspire others as well and have different people's skills add up to the ultimate solution.



Follow Ups:



Post a Followup

Name:
E-Mail:

Subject:

Comments:

Optional Link URL:
Link Title:
Optional Image URL:


[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ Build Your Own Arcade Controls message board ] [ FAQ ]