Please. I’m making an ultimate arcade cabinet docking cabinet that supports all systems plus mame with ONE control panel. I need to know how to wire both harnesses together. Some guy I work with swore that your stick has two ports (usb and RJ45) but I told him no. He also recommended needing a toggle switch to power whichever PCB is being utilized. I told him that your set up had none of that. Just the 2 boards wired together and one RJ45. So question…do both boards send out signals when a button is pressed? I’m assuming that they do, and whichever system that can communicate with either board will respond. Correct me if I’m wrong.
At an extremely basic level:
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Buy a Brook UFB. Buy an MC Cthulhu. Buy a 20 pin wiring harness for the stick and buttons or make one yourself. Get an RJ45 panel mount.
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Using wire, connect the corresponding connections on the screw terminals between the two boards. Important you connect ground to ground one time only and VCC to VCC. DO NOT connect VCC and ground or “bad shit” will happen. Use the 20 pin wiring harness to hook up your buttons and stick to the Brook board.
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The complicated part: connect the USB data lines of the Brook board to one side of a DP/DT switch. Using a diagram, work out what those data lines would be for an Ethernet to USB cable and wire the same data lines from the MC Cthulhu to the opposite side of the DP/DT switch. The remaining lines on the MC Cthulhu get connected to an ethernet cable, look up the information to make sure you have the right one as I don’t have it with me. Connect the data line cables on the ethernet cable to the output of the DP/DT switch.
Your completed assembly will mean both boards stay powered at all times and grounded at all times, fed to the Brook board through the MC Cthulhu. The data lines are swapped by the DPDT meaning the target console only “sees” one board at a time. For USB consoles, an ethernet to USB cable means the connection is electrically identical to a normal USB connection, when switched to the Brook.
my stick has two ports, the USB breakout for the brooks and the RJ45 which connects to both PCBs.
There is a toggle switch, the orange cable that comes from the top left is connected to a DP/DT switch so i can switch over the D-/+ lines on the RJ45 port.
using the 18 pin (i think it’s 18) connector on the MC Cthulhu i use a ribbon cable to make the brook and cthulu act as one. so yes, they are technically both doing the same thing at the same time.
here’s a closer pic:
more pics here. Freddy Taylor on Instagram: "Some money shots of my “awesome” wiring and soldering"
This is still confusing for me. I’m gonna take these instructions to my arcade guy to see if he understands. So for clarification, I have to also purchase a 20 pin connector for buttons and joystick? BTW I am planning on using American Happ parts joystick and buttons. If that makes a difference.
Also what do I need to do if I wanna add programmable LEDs to the buttons?
Thanks for the assistance
If someone could provide a diagram and or video that would be super helpful.
Thanks
sorry that was a bit facetious. LED’s are probably going to be a bit tricky if you still haven’t gotten your head around the dual mod.
Nah I have an arcade guy who knows about his stuff. I’m gonna ask him if the led’s Are doable with the dual mod. Just provide a basic explaination and I will show him these posts.
It’s hard to get your head round a mod like this at first, but the fundimentals of dual modding are fairly simple:
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All boards are common ground
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All boards are electrically grounded and powered when the stick is in use
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All required buttons and inputs are connected to both boards where applicable
The Brook Universal Fighting Board uses a screw terminal block and a 20 pin header to connect most inputs with only a few board-specific features requiring different connections. If your Brook came without the 20 pin header connected this mod is a little more complicated.
By joining the screw terminals like-to-like as I described you’re forming a circuit between both boards, which 1) grounds and powers both boards at the same time (GROUND and VCC connectors) 2) means when the Brook board registers a button press it sends the electrical signal to the MC Cthulhu too. The 20 pin header is an easy way to connect these functions to the buttons and stick, but if you don’t have a 20 pin connector fitted on the Brook (not all of them came with it) you can just splice the corresponding wires together (don’t worry about the ground wire, you can use a daisy chain and the Brook has spare screw terminals for that).
The circuit you’ve already built between the screw terminals will carry the signals from the 20 pin header on the Brook to the universal fighting board. This takes care of carrying the signals from your buttons and stick to the two boards.
The second part of a dual mod is how you decide to carry the signals from the stick to the console. You used to be able to buy something called an IMP to do this automatically but in 2018 these are discontinued. The Brook uses a USB connection (four wires: ground, signal+, signal-, power) and while most MC Cthulhus come with a USB header, you have to connect an ethernet port to be able to use classic console cables (8 wires, different consoles will use different wiring). Because the MC Cthulhu uses 8 wires, you can still connect it to USB with an ethernet to USB cable. This gives you a choice: use two different connectors (which is more expensive and risks blowing the boards if they’re both plugged in at the same time) or use one connector and swap it between the data lines. The Brook UFB is taken care of by the power and ground being fed through the MC Cthulhu, so you can use something called a dual throw, dual pole switch to swap the data lines only, as I described.
I’m going to do a mod like this when I have the cash for parts a little later, so I can show you what I did if you don’t mind waiting. It’s complicated to understand at first but useful to know about.
What are you using for your LEDs? Also, is your MC Cthulhu the original one (USB port, no 20 pin header) or the one Jasen’s Customs used to sell (Ethernet/RJ45 port, 20 pin header)?
I was on paradise arcadeshop.com and was gonna purchase this Cthulhu:
I believe this is the original one where the Ethernet has to be wired to the board.
And as far as LEDs I also found this Jasen’s Kaimana Kameleon LED Driver PCB (currently out of stock):
https://paradisearcadeshop.com/kaimana-led-series/1629-jasen-s-kaimana-kameleon-led-driver-pcb.html
OR
This Paradise Kaimana Mini LED Driver PCB:
https://paradisearcadeshop.com/leds/1628-paradise-kaimana-led-controller-pcb.html
I was just on that site and started looking at different options for what I want. I don’t know if these two items will even work along with the dual mod. I’m like a super beginner in the fightstick mod game and I’m 30. Although I don’t kno anything about the actual technicality in wiring everything together, I’ve don’t research to plan out exactly what I want.
So I’m building an arcade cabinet docking station form son.
It will include a 32 inch monitor with
PS1
Dreamcast
PS2
PS4
Xbox 1
Nintendo switch
SNES classic
MAME PC
APPLE TV or FIREstick
I am gonna buy a surround system from offer up for sound. On the back of the surround sound system in the HDMI IN port, I will use an 8 way HDMI splitter to switch back and forth from the various HDMI systems. This will allow all those systems to be heard from the surround sound.
For the older systems I will use the standard AV (red yellow white) input on the surround sound. And just manually connect and disconnect those systems accordingly.
For the mame sound Just has an aux cable
The MC Cthulhu + brooks UFB + RJ45 mod will be installed on both sides of the control panel (separately) for 1P and 2P. There will be 2 cables ran from each systems 1P and 2P controller slot to each side of the joystick control panel. The cables will be housed in some type of compartment color coded and labeled to distinguish each system. Depending on which system you wanna use, simply plug that systems cable into the Rj45 and power on THAT system.
Also users will still have the availability or option To use any particular system’s respective controller if they don’t feel comfortable using joystick.
The system will be primarily for fighters however with the MAME, it will emulate all the arcade classics
Also this will house a mini fridge
It will be on wheels
Please tell me if it makes sense and is doable. Also suggestions are welcome.
That’s an ambitious build, but I like ambition! I can’t comment on your full build but in terms of electrics that’s doable. The lighting board is designed to connect to 20 pin header on the Brook UFB, so use the screw terminals.
I can probably do a rough wiring chart for you later in the week, I’ve not completed one of these dual mods but I understand how to do them (one of the other members can check, heh)
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If you are playing on using a PC for MAME, why not just get more emulators for PS1, Dreamcast, SNES, and whatever retro console you want. It would save you space in the cabinet by cutting out a lot. What’s the Apple TV or Firestick for? I know Firesticks are decent at emulation but unless you just have one or are using it just for tv purposes it’s kinda useless, especially if you are putting a PC in there. YOU WILL NEED CASTERS if you are planning on also adding a mini fridge. This thing sounds more like a Entertainment Center on wheel more than it does sound like a cabinet. Maybe make a blueprint and figure out the space you need to get all of this to fit. Not saying it can’t be done, but ambitious sounds like it’s putting it lightly. Best of luck and I hope it goes smoothly.
I just had a meeting with the guy who will do the build. It’s gonna be dope when it’s finished.
Yeah I may just emulate those systems. My main concern were the fighting games. MVC1 and MVS1. If I can emulate those two specifically I’d be good. Then the oldest system I could have in there is PS2. But yeah it’s a rolling entertainment center. I’ll make a video and post when it’s done. The projected due date is May 4 or 5
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Also please provide a diagram on the whole setup WITH the lighting board
Brooks ufb + Cthulhu + RJ45 + lighting board. That would be hella helpful. I gave my guy the link to this forum. He should be checking it out soon.
This is actually really difficult to do as a diagram… I think all I can really do is go through the steps again and try and break it down.
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The Brook UFB has two ways to connect any given button - the screw terminals, and if you bought a presoldered model, the 20 pin header. This is key for an easy dual mod. The MC Cthulhu you have only has screw terminals. For a dual mod to work, the sticks need to have their signal lines for ground and VCC, connected… The screw terminals and the 20 pin header on the UFB are both ways to connect these important lines to the MC Cthulhu, however it’s easier to wire a screw terminal to another screw terminal with a length of wire than to connect a 20 pin ribbon cable . So you screw a wire in from ground to ground and a wire in from VCC to VCC, bridging the boards. This works because both boards are now on the same ground and power circuit.
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For your inputs to work, each punch, kick and direction button, as well as start, select and home all need to be connected, like for like. Use the screw terminals to connect these, like for like.
This works like so - whenever you press punch or kick on a board, it will form a circuit with the button that sends the signal to both boards. Both the MC Cthulhu and the Brook UFB will register your action try and send this signal to the console.
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So the final part of the mod is stopping the “wrong” board from talking to the console. You can do this two ways:
a) Have a USB jack for the Brook Universal Fighting Board and an Ethernet/RJ45 jack for the MC Cthulhu, then only connect one console at a time. This WILL blow out your boards if you plug it into two consoles at once, so if you’re going to be using it the way you are, the risk of accidental damage is very high.
b) Have one connector, an Ethernet passthrough jack, and work out ways to switch this between the two boards - that way the boards will only draw the correct amount of electricity and won’t pop a fuse. -
Using a dual pole, dual throw switch is possibly the hardest part of the mod to grasp. I recommend using this to help with clean wiring: RJ45 Ethernet Connector Breakout Board w/ LED Screw terminals | eBay.
This is the external cable you’re going to use for the USB connection: https://www.focusattack.com/13-foot-black-usb-to-rj45-cable/
Here’s how the cables are wired to work with an RJ45 jack:
Here’s how a USB cable is wired:
Cables 2 and 3 of the USB pinout are the data - and data + lines - they “talk” to the console. Because of the way the cables are wired these are the only cables that need to be “switched” using your DPDT.
- That ethernet port I showed you with the screw terminals will make it really easy to wire this up. You’ll also need to make a JST connector for the USB header on the top of the brook board (don’t use the USB port). Wire everything to the ethernet port from the MC Cthulhu EXCEPT 5 and 6. You can mount that screw terminal block inside your case and link it to a neutrik mounted on the outside of the case with a short ethernet cable. Now we wire up the DPDT switch.
Buy a switch like this and mount it on your case:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/4-SCI-Waterproof-R13-33C-Rocker-Switch-6Pin-DPDT-6A-250VAC-10A-125VAC-UE/332578229166?_trkparms=aid%3D555019%26algo%3DPL.BANDIT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20150817211709%26meid%3D736078de5b184a50b8f78b5346440ae4%26pid%3D100506%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D1%26%26itm%3D332578229166&_trksid=p2045573.c100506.m3226
This is what a DPDT switch looks like (roughly) and how you wire it:
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Follow these instructions if you’re getting the kaimana mini: Paradise Arcade: Kaimana Mini LED RGB Installation and Overview - YouTube
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Buy this, stick it on top of the Kaimana mini the right way around (match the connections the pins on the brook board), and wire it to your stick and buttons: 20-Pin Joystick/Button Harness - Focus Attack
And… you should be done! You’ll need to drill some holes and buy some parts but this should be really clean and work well.
Just a random question. Will either the brooks ufb or Cthulhu communicate with an SNES Classic? If I make RJ45 Cables out of the controllers I wonder if it would work with the dual
Mod. ?
For the dpdt switch can you use any d-, or d+ lines? There reason I ask is because I want to keep the usb in my ufb and sometimes use the usb to ethernet with the ufb(sometimes I feel really lazy to unravel my wire from the compartment)?
Incase anybody wants more information, right now I have a madcatz te with a ufb and a ps360+. The usb cable has a direct line to the ufb, and the ps360+ is connected with the rj45 neutrik.
I don’t think either PCBs support SNES Classic. Brook Nincade does but that’s only for that purpose if I’m not mistaken.
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If you want for a single output you connect both d- and d+ from both PCBs to a DPDT to be able to switch between them. But seeing as you have 2 PCBs with their own ports you don’t need to do this. I guess if you wanted to add the USB function from the ps360+ to the same line out as the UFB sure but the UFB plays both consoles you would use that for (ps3 and 360), so it’d be kind of useless.
I’m not including ps3 and xbox360 in my setup. And yes I only want one single port. Like Smang posted.