Bacteria's project - MAME arcade controller mod

[Niode]

Just a quick question. Why are you using a keyboard over something like an ipac or minipac?

PC keyboards, especially old PS/2 keyboards, have a limit on the amount of simultaneous inputs. So any game that requires a diagonal stick direction (2 inputs) and more than 3 buttons at once simply won't register. Something like SFIV won't be able to be played properly using that stick since you won't be able to perform ultras. That's just one example off the top of my head.

You'd have better luck using a USB HID controller and wiring it to that. They don't have a limit to the amount of simultaneous inputs possible.

[CRTGAMER]

Just a quick question. Why are you using a keyboard over something like an ipac or minipac

For me, 100% compatibility in Win XP, Win 98, OSX and most notably DOS EMUs. Ghosting not really an issue for one player.

RETROCADE DOS ARCADE EMU. The coolest interface and not just the front splash screen.

http://www.isomedia.com/homes/blutz/emu ... rocade.htm
http://caesar.logiqx.com/php/emulator.php?id=retrocade
http://www.arcadeathome.com/retro.phtml

[bacteria]

Only game I miss playing on DOS is Psycho Pinball. I play it on the MegaDrive but a lot of the sounds are not present that are in the DOS version.

Tried DOSbox a while back and couldn't make it work for that game, which is a real pity.

[CRTGAMER]

Only game I miss playing on DOS is Psycho Pinball. I play it on the MegaDrive but a lot of the sounds are not present that are in the DOS version.

Tried DOSbox a while back and couldn't make it work for that game, which is a real pity.

Maybe separate internal removable drives, one for DOS, one for Windoze?

[Lord_Santa]

very nice

I tried something similar for Elite back on the C-64, connecting a crude home-made joystick (made from a gearstick), together with a couple of "buttons" (wooden) and connectors, etc. trying to hook it up to the C-64

unfortunately the C-64 keyboard and computer is one and the same, hence it was pretty much improbable that I would ever get it working (I was about 14-15 at the time)

I've been thinking of a way of doing this to USB keyboards, using my TAC-2 (Amiga/C64/Atari) joysticks

please post more pictures and description for *how* to wire the controller buttons, since I am far, far from technical enough to figure it out on my own

C64
A button at a time, one of the C64 joy ports shares with keyboard. Only 5 switches to deal with.
Use the Direction and Fire Button pins. Return line is the Ground pin. Other pins are for Light pen and Paddles.

http://www.zimmers.net/anonftp/pub/cbm/ ... s4joy.html




PC and Mac
Here is a sample pic. With keyboard PCB gutted out of an old keyboard, plug in and run a test program such as Checkit. then jumper a short wire onto two contacts at a time (where the original keyboard matrix plugs in) until you find the keys you want to use.

Mame Player One Defaults
CURSOR KEYS = Direction
CTRL, ALT, SPACE, SHIFT, Z and X are the Fire Buttons. CTRL and ALT are the first two.

wow

thanks, man

been looking into making my TAC-2's into PC-joysticks for years (or Xbox1, but these days I'd prefer making 'em PC)

[CRTGAMER]

.
bacteria, what's the latest on that custom PSX stick? Anxious to see that beauty!

PC and Mac
Here is a sample pic. With keyboard PCB gutted out of an old keyboard, plug in and run a test program such as Checkit. then jumper a short wire onto two contacts at a time (where the original keyboard matrix plugs in) until you find the keys you want to use.

Mame Player One Defaults
CURSOR KEYS = Direction
CTRL, ALT, SPACE, SHIFT, Z and X are the Fire Buttons. CTRL and ALT are the first two.

been looking into making my TAC-2's into PC-joysticks for years (or Xbox1, but these days I'd prefer making 'em PC)

Did this with a Zaxxon Arcade Controller and also a separate box for two 8 button pro pads. As Niode pointed out never be able to play Street Fighter, but with the single fire (lefty or righty) button Tac-2 not an issue.

You just put a mod bug in me, I have some bat handle Wicos. Now I'm thinking of just creating a dual 2600 9 pin port plug in box. That will open the door for all the 2600 joystick and Sega Genesis controllers!

[bacteria]

.
bacteria, what's the latest on that custom PSX stick? Anxious to see that beauty!

Case dried, buttons dried, looking good! PCB is ready for wires to be soldered onto; to the keyboard acetate sheets, can solder to them of course, so will have to use wires taped and glued down - or better still, might see if I can make two holes between the contact points on the keyboard buttons and twist a wire around to make contact - then can solder to that. Worth trying...

Might get this done by the weekend, if not, certainly by middle of next week if not before -back to work again so time is more limited until next week.

[CRTGAMER]

How did you verify the keyboard contacts? My ghetto method or trace of the Keyboard Matrix?

[bacteria]

Plugged the keyboard into my PC and pressed the contacts on the acetates - registered keypresses perfectly.

This makes a difference to space inside the controller (not a lot of space to play with really) - cut about 2/3 off the keyboard acetates, all the places with a dot in the pic are places where keypresses are logged fine... plenty - I need 14 button contacts for the arcade controller - I have 21 working.

[CRTGAMER]

One way to do it! Looks like Number Pad on right. I went the jumper wire route to set up Mame default keys.
Handy for most PC Keyboard Control games. Soldered right to PCB keyboard contacts.