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Posted by Jim M on August 29, 1999 at 19:04:12:

In Reply to: Read this one -->Tell us more, and here's how to get it to work in DOS MAME posted by TheWizard on August 29, 1999 at 13:37:14:


First, I would hope no one would try this without making there own determination. www.gravis.com Second, these pads cost about $30 to $40 each (I used one I already had and bought the second one). So I would test these daisy chained on your PC before trashing them. You can even download the Experience software (from the gravis sight) and check it out before buying A pad. I tested and retested before trashing them.

Removing the circuit board- Once you remove the 6 screws in the back of the pad. It still will not come apart. You have to first pop out the throttle button and pop off the Analog D-pad cover. Then It is glued, So you have to snap the front cover off. It won't break. All kinds of stuff will fall out and any chance of getting it back to working order is small. That is why I really what you to be sure that you want to do this. Next you have to remove A few screws on the Analog D-pads plastic parts. Now you can remove the circuit board.

Hacking the board- Its just common sense to see what does what. There is two solder half circles on the board for each button and 4 for the digital pad. By shorting the 2 sides of each circle you get A move. The analog D-pad has it own small board connected to the large board and (I'm not real sure if you could hack this are not. I did not try too). So from there I soldered wires (many wires) on to each half circle. The soldering was A bit harder than soldering to A keyboard hack. But not that bad. YOU DO NEED SOLDERING SKILLS for this!!!!! The 2 buttons in the grip of the pads are just micro switches. So using A ohm meter I figured out what was the switch and soldered to these points. I then mounted the 2 circuit boards to A wood board and mounted 5 12 connection barrier strips to the board. Connected and labeled all my wires to the barrier strips. Note: I never did find out what made the flippers (it was A magnet passing over something (I think).

Getting it running- Daisy chained the hacked pads together (by there connectors) and plugged then in to the game port. Had the gravis software all set up for mame32 and neoragex from all my tests. Started connecting all my wires from the control panel of the cabinet to the barrier strips of the hack. Since everything was well planned. It went off with out A problem!!!

What I used on the gravis pads- The 8 solder points (4 switches) on each of the digital pads- for my joy sticks. The 6 action button switches 12 solder points on each board-for my 6 buttons each player on the cabinet. The large button on the top of the pad- I used the 2 solder points 1 switch for the 1 and 2 player buttons. The smaller switch just under the large button on top- for coin 1 and 2 BUTTON (I have no coin door). I still need A imput for start, escape and reset- So I used 3 of the 4 micro switch button hack for these. This was all I needed so I stopped there. You may are may not be able to get more imputs off the board the hatt control has 4 micro switches and you might be able to get 2 more from the flippers. The analog d pad may be hackable. Your guess on this is as good as mine.

I need to test this alot more before I give A total thumbs up. But for the 3 are 4 hours I played last night it seems to be good. On Street Fighter 2, We had no problems that I could see. But I've never played this in A real Arcade before.......... DO THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK!!!!!!!!

More To Come, Later Jim


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