Wish my buttons weren’t transparent red buttons. Limits the color options to just red 
Wanted to do the red on activation and blue on rumble to my stick, but I can only use red light as any other color looks terrible through the red plastic.
Soooo I’m doing red on activation and red on rumble. It’s possible but just requires a diode for each button to prevent the rumble activation to cause the button to be pressed.
I’m working the wiring now, so I’ll post a video when finished.
@purplearms - o wow thanx for all the advise man i really appreciate it, plus that diagram u put together helps explain both methods of installation on the new models easy. And man i totally forgot about those resistors that the arc-eye already comes with lol good catch on that.
@bencao74 - o snap i didnt even kno you cud get other colors by mixing different combinations on the rgb led. genius! lol
Okay I lied. It took me 2 diodes per button not one.
Diode number 1. Anode end is soldered to the ground spot for red. Just a metal pin is soldered to the V spot on the other side.
http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j138/gocontourgo/projects/th_2010-03-08185624.jpg
Board attached to the microswitch.
http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j138/gocontourgo/projects/th_2010-03-08185645.jpg
Two small holes are drilled through the shell.
http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j138/gocontourgo/projects/th_2010-03-08164404.jpg
Cathode is soldered to the button’s pin to be used for the button signal line.
http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j138/gocontourgo/projects/th_2010-03-08185846.jpg
The anode of diode number 2 is soldered to the anode of diode number 1. The cathode of diode number 2 is soldered to the - rumble spot on the 360 board.
http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j138/gocontourgo/projects/th_2010-03-08211104.jpg
Watch my stick in action in crappy cell phone video. Individual buttons light up when pressed and all six light up when the rumble goes off (being hit in SF4).
VIDEO
Diode number one’s role is to prevent the rumble going off to activate the button press in game.
Diode number two’s role is to prevent all the lights going off when you press a button.
Of course if I wanted to make the leds blue or green off the rumble, I wouldn’t need the diodes and can just wire the - rumble to the blue or green ground on the arc-eye.
See, all of this is making my head spin! I’ll probably try to read over all of this in the next day or two, get confused, read it again, then say ‘screw it’ and send the next project down to VA for Gummowned to wire it for me! I’m in the planning stage for a stick to be cooler than my Berzerker Barrage project, so by time I actually get to doing it, you guys may have something finalized…
I really need another hobby
np… the whole point of the arc-eye is to be flexible and cleaner since it holds all the resistors (you dont have to wire it in line)… so the button press mod that bencao did is basically what I described in my diagram for common power setup, where one color is wired to ground (so its always lit)… a second color is wired to the button signal terminal to give button press activation… since the first color is already on, when you press the button to activate the second color, the two colors mix to make a new secondary color 
Very nice!!
Gummowned is basically using the same principal as bencao. What you need is one color for button press light-up wired to button signal (+), a second color wired to rumble signal (+)… in gummowned’s case, he basically split the red line into two by using diodes (restricts current flow to one direction, so current back flow from the rumble wont trigger a button press)
hey spenzalii, you going to the C3 major in april? You should really go to it and we can do some VA/MD tech talk.
Man, my skills aren’t nearly up to par, and I’d have to steal my buddy’s stick to go (I’m almost ashamed of my first effort now!). But I would like to see the competition and meet you in person, so I’ll do my best to make it. Is there a flyer or website I can go to for info on the event?
Out near Dulles? That’s not too bad. I’ll probably make the trip out that Saturday and see what things look like.
Gum, I’ll do my best to make it to the tourney. I need to pick your brain on my next project to see if it’s feasible, then put it out here to kick around some suggestions. I’ll see if I can borrow Berserker Barrage do you can see it in person
Ben, how would you wire the arc-eye if you wanted that mixed white by default and another color on button press? I think that may work pretty well - have the lights white by themselves, then go white/red/blue for 1p/2p/3p like the old school arcade setup when pressed.
hmm, jep, if you`re using here mc you can do a lot of other kinky stuff. But alone for this I propose to use a simple inverter.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]53759[/ATTACH]
comments are welcome.
Thanks for the diagram Jochen. Before I went to bed last night I think I solidified my next stick’s layout, so I may not go the dual color LED buttons. It almost seems like a waste just to have one color with the arc-eye (and white at that!), but I’m beginning to think the layout will look better that way. Of course, these things are subject to change.
Now to figure out if EL wire or an EL panel will be the better choice for this setup…
Wow EL lighting eh? Should be very cool… better check the power consumption of those… I seem to recall from working with them in the past that they’re power hogs
Yeah, I’m chewing it over. I was considering a 11.1v lipo just for the panel, but I’m not sure on the space for the battery, wiring and inverter inside the case. Plus I’d have to figure out how to recharge it. I think VMS used a 9v battery on his project. I may have to pick his brain as well. Then there are other design an dlayout concerns that really throw this thread off, so I’ll worry about those later.
How did you get your background lit up so bright purp? Was that all from the arc-eye LEDs?
I`ve ordered those EL Panel to after I the the TRONStick. Take 12V or 9V, anyway they need their own PSU… who did this tron stick?
Yeah mine is lit with arc-eye only. The light scatters through the button housing (causing them to light up) but it also causes any etching in the top plexi to light up because light is scattered through the clear plexi (and only visible where its etched). The bad thing is that it will also highlight scratches and dings… lol…
be careful with EL… i’ve given myself a nasty shock before when the liquid crap leaked, and electrified a metallic step plate that was installed in my car…
I barely have room for the 2 pcbs, giant 6AH battery, leo, and the upcoming master strike mod… not to mention bencao’s led controller… lol… dunno where you’re gonna cram the inverter electronics! Although if you take a look at logisys ccfl computer kits, the inverter is relatively small… just break it out of the housing and use it with EL panel… you might find it cheap somewhere…
I’ve done some reading and know I have to make sure to laminate ano cuts I make in the panel lest I get leakage and shock. That definitely won’t be cool!
Space is one of the bigger concerns I have, honestly. My setup will probably be along the same lines as yours (can’t wait for the master strike), but I’m unsure on the LED controller. Even if I use 2 smaller lipos (around a 3000 mah 3.7 and 1500 mah 11.1) fitting the inverter and wiring will be super tight. I’ll probably wait for Voltech to finish the case and see what I have to work with space wise. In the end the EL panel won’t make or break things, but it would be uber cool to pull it off
On an aside, did you catch the link for the new GGG buttons? Almost a shame AE won’t fit in a happ button!
Fuck my ass, that is an awesome stick.
Yeah i think i’ll have to mount master strike on the side wall where the handle is bolted down. lol…
Can you pass me link to the new GGG buttons? The arc-eye is similar in idea to what GGG’s led drive does, except cheaper, for semitsus, and with better quality LED
