Computer

Friday 23 January 2009

Wiring Diagram

I have Daisy Chained all the ground terminals together by soldering links in between each micro switch. For the positive input signals I have used orange wire too the allocated position on the KeyWiz. I have rotated the buttons accordingly as to direct the micro switches in a fashion to keep the wiring neat & tidy. The extra orange wire will be used for a start button If I choose that path in the future.

Thursday 22 January 2009

KeyWiz Mount ASCII K/Board Lead Entry

I Mounted the KeyWiz as shown in image with two of the spacing screws provided. Then I gently filed out a slot to allow the ASCII Keyboard input lead to sit flush with the base. I used a round file and matched the diameter of the cord.

Wednesday 21 January 2009

Dummy Assembly

There we have it, pre-assembled & everything seems to fit OK, now I'm going to Google what type glue to secure polycarbonate to MDF.

Tuesday 20 January 2009

Outer Face Plate

After Googling several sites, and browsing through many forum posts, I came across a comment how someone was using there router on low speed to make clean cuts through polycarbonate without splintering or cracking the material.

Dimensions as per diagram earlier match the Inner Faceplate; ideally I should have cut and drilled both Face plates @ the same time, but I took the hard path although I still managed to get them to match.

Monday 19 January 2009

Second Coat

Second Coat applied, and I'm happy with the finish, the texture is still quiet rough so I might consider wet rubbing it back slightly.

Sunday 18 January 2009

First Coat

Twas a cold evening ahead, with the help of my little electric IXL Heater I warmed the room temperature to above 10 degrees as per Cabot's advice. First Coat of Varnish great success.

Saturday 17 January 2009

Surface Preparation

The Hardwood Side Panels had to be sanded smooth. If your material choice is hardwood take caution when sanding flat towards the edge as the corners tend to fray easily.

A very fine grit was used to achieve a smooth surface. Any Dried up PVA solution was removed as too not create discrepancy in the varnish end finish.

Thursday 15 January 2009

Join together!

The Outer Chassis; or side panels have been joined with PVA Glue, then screwed from the inside with a right-angled Phillips head screwdriver ratchet through the pre-drilled holes made earlier.

I have placed cardboard between the wood paneling and clamps to avoid indentation whilst the glue dries.

Sunday 11 January 2009

Inner Chassis

As below a picture says a 1000 words; Ive used 40 x 20mm pine, as it is a soft easy to work with timber; and it will not be in view. I have cut sections to desired lengths that best fit my face plate, around the joystick, button and keywiz components.

I have pre-drilled some holes along the center line of the inner side; forward planning in order to secure the outer side plates (polished hardwood) later on with wood screws.

Aquadere/PVA glue has been used to secure the Pine to the MDF Inner Faceplate; I held the pieces in place to dry with some scissor clamps.

Saturday 10 January 2009

Joystick Mount

I've read bibles on joystick mounting techniques of recent, and never realised there were so many options, I've chosen this design, courtesy of Slagcoin a highly recommended detailed Joystick building resource I use.

Friday 9 January 2009

Body Design

Im after a smooth clean finish, my objective is to have no screw heads visible, but structural integrity must not be lost.

To achieve a solid product, without messy joins or visible fixtures, I have chosen to go with the inner & outer chassis design, where the inner chassis will be the mounting platform for all components, and the outer chassis a robust visual shell; aesthetically pleasing.

Inner Chassis dimensions have been determined as follows; Depth derived from the Length of the button component with micro switch attached; allowing 5mm clearance for wire terminals. Length determined based on the popular 6 button schematic layout (shown earlier) & recommended joystick distant. Width via the schematic; and the size of my palm & what I thought felt comfortable.

Thursday 8 January 2009

Internal Face Plate

I have cut out the Inner Face Plate Rectangle (12mm MDF) with a Circular saw; and quick basic mock up jig I have clamped together as shown Above.

The cut is straight, but for that ultra smooth finish I ran over it with a straight edge with a coarse grit sandpaper.

Using my printed template of the Button layout schematic, I have marked the center of the button circle guides with a pen.

I used a IRWIN 28mm hole plain to drill.

After drilling the initial Joystick Center Hole, I clamped the Joystick chassis to the Faceplate, made sure the distance to the edge matched each side, then used the existing holes on Joystick chassis as a guide where to drill for mounts.

Wednesday 7 January 2009

Controller Layout

I have Chosen a traditional Sanwa 6 Button Layout; courtesy of Joystick Vault.

Polycarbonate

I chose Polycarbonate over Perspex because it is less likely to split when drilled. Color polycarbonate was used to cover the Joystick mounting screws and so that I could glue it too the inner face plate to avoid Screw fixtures.

Tuesday 6 January 2009

KeyWiz Max v1.5

Why I chose the Keywiz Max v1.5

32 direct input lines. No Matrix means No Blocking, No Phantom Keys and no variable delays. All inputs are given equal priority and speed.
12mhz Processor. Fast RISC based microcontroller. The proprietary KeyWiz firmware is coded in 100% pure Machine Language for blinding speed!
Custom, State-Based De-bounce Code. Keys are sent the moment the inputs have stabilized. No time delays!
The Shazaaam! Key. Like the shift key on a keyboard, the Shazaaam! Key lets 24 of your buttons have an alternate key assignment. The Shazaaam! Key does not take away an input, so all 32 inputs are always available for use. Another unique Shazaaam! feature is that, with an additional low-cost adapter, any switch can be modified to send a code from the alternate set with a single button press! This means you can have up to 24 additional switches for secondary functions, and still have all 32 inputs available for primary controls.
Fully Programmable. All 32 normal and 24 Shazaaam! key definitions can be configured through the custom codeset to suit your application.
Jumperless Operation. The Custom codeset can be uploaded at any time, with no re-configuration of the hardware required.
On-The-Fly Codeset Switching. Just hold down the Shazaaam! Key and move control stick 1 left or right to seamlessly toggle between the default MAME compatible keycode assignments and the custom keycode set.
Whopping 72 Character Circular Buffer. Gives KeyWiz the highest reliability and maximum throughput capabilities without "stuck" or "missed" keys. Also allows KeyWiz to pass the grueling "Single Button Test."
MAME^TM Ready Right-Out-Of-The-Box. By popular demand, the KeyWiz firmware-default codeset has been made compatible with MAME defaults and includes other useful regular and Shazaaam! Key definitions (Custom firmware-default keycode definitions can be supplied for specialized applications. Contact us for more information).
Fully Interrupt Driven. The key processing begins the instant activity is sensed on ANY input.
Full-featured Custom Codeset Management Software. Completely mouse/trackball driven. One-click selection of any of 15 user definable codesets (32 normal and 24 Shazaaam! codes per). Codeset to be active after programming is user-selectable. Each KeyWiz codeset can have an application associated with it for automatic launching after programming.Command line options for autoprogramming / batch file operation. Screenshots / Download NEW V2.0!
Small Footprint. 2.1 x 3.2 inches. Large enough for easy connections, but small enough to mount just about anywhere.
Dual-layer PCB. Highest quality for durability and reliable operation.
34 Screw Connection Points Available on the PCB. 32 inputs, 1 ground, 1 Shazaaam! Key, plus a solderable +5v connection.
Completely PS/2 Port Powered. No external power source necessary.
6' PS/2 Cable Included
Proudly Designed, Developed and Manufactured in the USA. Inexpensive 2-3 day Priority Mail delivery to anywhere in the US.

Monday 5 January 2009

Button Configuration

The industrial grade buttons I purchased have an inside diameter of 28mm and a visible external rim diameter of 33mm. Once again these buttons were quiet cheap off a reputable eBay power sellers and easy enough to attain.

I originally bought a Super Nintendo color range 2 x yellow, 2 x blue, 2 x red, 2 x green & 4 x white.

Sunday 4 January 2009

Retro Joysticks

I Chose Retro style Joysticks, as I think there visually appealing with there chrome finish, and industrial grade metal components as opposed to the solid plastic option. The Resin knobs are interchangeable and simply screw off with a brass internal thread. I ordered mine off a reputable power seller on eBay, you should be able to purchase them for around $20.00 AUD each including postage.

Saturday 3 January 2009

Tooling Required

28mm metal or wood hole saw
Phillips head screwdriver
Soldering Iron or Terminal Crimping Pliers
Drill (Bench Drill an advantage!, otherwise I did without)
Paintbrush
Circular Saw, Hand Saw, Jig Saw
G Clamps / Scissor Clamps (These will really make life easier)
Sturdy work platform
90 degree square / Measuring tape

Friday 2 January 2009

Bill Of Materials

Basic Bill of Materials Summary

Industrial Grade Joystick
Industrial Grade Buttons x 6
Industrial Grade Micro switches x 6
2-3Amp Copper Core Wiring
Screws/Insulation/Solder/consumables
KeyWiz Controller board
ASCII Keyboard controller cord
Chassis- Hardwood Timber / MDF / Polycarbonate

Thursday 1 January 2009

Introduction

Many DIY Arcade Controllers have been designed, built and documented online, in an attempt to make mine shine, I have put together a small list of characteristics I would like to uphold during my build.

1. Indestructible (to an extent) - my aim is to create a very robust chassis, one that can take the constant pummeling and torment dealt by frustrated / overexcited gaming addicts.

2. A very simple concept, to reverberate the first point, robustness.

3. Infallible electronic components - wiring, solder or terminals must be of superior workmanship.

3. Built from relatively easy to find materials & components.

4. Offer an in-detail step by step Blog Entry of how I attained materials & components, detailing the build.