So I need to make a custom beatmania controller for use with OSU!mania and i’m having trouble deciding the best game plan when it comes to buttons.
I have an MC Cthulhu already so that’s covered. I just need the 7 buttons and im having an issues between these 2 options.
The first option is picking up these chinese knockoffs and replacing the switches with something else which I am not sure exactly WHAT switches to get. Pretty sure this is what is in the IIDASC controllers from DesktopArcade (black ones though, I like the blue ones). I am just unsure if the buttons themselves are going to become a problem as they are chinese knockoffs of the Sanwa OBSA-45UK or if its just the switches that are the problem.
This option seems to be the best cost effective as well as having the correct button sizes for what I want.
My second option is just picking up 7 Sanwa OBSC-30’s and picking up LED mods for it down the road.
This option seems to be most costly though with LED mods being expensive additions to the buttons.
Option 1: 45mm Rectangle buttons (IIDX Style buttons)
These chinese knock offs come with VERY heavy springs and switches, something along the line of 100g springs and 100g switches. I used these for a USKOC mod and ended up cutting the springs to 2/3 the original length and buying 50g omrons off mouser.
They’re not the same as IIDX arcade switches, but atm I only cared about actuation force. Hell if you want a cheap alternative you could use cherry switches or zippy switches.
The buttons are not bad, and shouldn’t be that big of a worry except for when they stick, which happened on occaision for me. I fixed them by reversing the button plunger or sanding down the button sides.
If you do get them with LEDs, most of the ones I’ve seen online come with 12V LEDs, so you may want to buy your own and install them.
They work stock, but you’ll get more mileage with mods.
Option 2: OBSX-30 Buttons
To comment on the price of an LED mod, it’s relatively inexpensive if you can solder by using 3mm LEDs. You don’t really need an LED Controller PCB since you can just hook up the LED cathode lines to the button signal and hook up the anode line to 5v on the MCC, with an appropriate resistor in between.
Okay so there’s only 5v on the MCC to use, which means the 12v LEDs in the rectangular buttons wouldnt even work? Well that solves that problem then - Ill just go with OBSC-30 unless I can find an even cheaper version of the rectangular buttons somewhere. Where did you pick up yours?
They also sell them in 10x sets and sell them by the piece. These clones were closest to sanwa buttons in terms of the shape, much like DJ Dao buttons, except with different spring and switch ratings, which I previously mentioned.
Also to reflect the edit on my post above, if you do choose to LED mod the OBSC, you can use 3mm LEDs by drilling holes into the bottom of the button. Then hook up the anode line to 5v and the cathode line to the signal line, not ground, and have a resistor between 5v and your anode.
So if I got the rectangular chinese knockoffs listed I would need to:
sand down button edges to stop button sticking
switch out the LEDs with something smaller that could utilize the 5v the MC Cthulhu provides (same cost as the OBSC option)
replace the switches with something more reliable (Cherry D44X from paradise arcade is $16.25 shipped)
Does that sound about right?
EDIT: I just read that OBSC break VERY easily when putting them in or taking them out of a case. I don’t really want to deal with breaking my buttons so I might just go with SEIMITSU PS-14-GN-KN instead. Seems like the screw in stops that shit. Just not sure how snappy they are (i like clicky sounds but i like a steady actuation without a snap) Nevermind they are concave. I don’t like concave.
You don’t have to, as its all preference. I just found the spring/switch setup too heavy, so I did mods to make it lighter.
You could opt to go springless and use the provided 100g switches, or trim the springs and use cherrys.
I did the later and trimmed as such:
Concerning OBSCs:
Yes, they break too easily and would be good if you plan on just installing them once. Seimitsu’s are generally convex, with the PS-14-Gs being flat. PS-14-GN-KN’s are actually more convex than the G set.
Seimitsu’s do provide a different feel, sound, and actuation point. If you wanted something close I’d recommend PS-14-Ks, as they come close to sanwa’s but have more of a deep, lower sound in comparison to sanwas.
Thanks for the info. I don’t feel comfortable paying ~40$ for non-led Sanwas (or worse for LED ones that break easily) or ~$70 for chinese beatmania knock offs after switch and LED replacement soooo…
[s]I pulled the trigger on the official OBSA-45UK-W and OBSA-45UK-K/W for ~100$ on Rakuten.
Gonna get lower voltage LEDs for em and see if my woodworking friend can make me a cabinet.
Goin big![/s]
I found out Sanwa makes clear plungers so I picked them up and Sanwa OBSN so I can put LEDs in them myself, for $33 so i’m satisfied.
Well shouldn’t be $70, its $27 for 7 buttons plus 2 square 33x33mm, about $17 from PAS if you buy Cherry switches, and should be ~$7 shipped for LEDs from somewhere like lighthouseleds.
Then again you can’t really go wrong with sanwas, but IIRC depending on the model they will also come with 100g switches and springs stock, however if anyone can correct me on this if I’m wrong, that would help.
Good luck on the cab! Just please don’t tell me you’re making the cab for Osu!Mania
Well I was calculating with the Sanwa MS-O-3 switches that are in the Sanwa OBSA-45UKs for simplicity sake when comparing the two buttons, but yea its still only like ~20$ more to get the official ones so I’m just gonna go with that. More peace of mind for me and better resale value I guess.
The listing says the following, so i would assume the 20-50g is the spring inside? So ya you’re correct - 100g switches.