I asked them to make samples in their darkest black (just to test that the mold design and production housings CAN work) and a strong dark purple (Pantone #2755C, roughly #35006d for those who deal with RGB). Since infrared is on the other side of the visible spectrum from purples, I figured it’d be a good bet, and it’s hopefully dark enough. I’ll go with black housings if I absolutely have to, but I really don’t want to. I really want people in the know to see and recognize Sparks, and everyone else to go 'That’s cool, what’s that?'
I’ll keep y’all updated. Cross your fingers that at least one of these two sets work well.
Can’t wait, I’ll probably snag 4-6 of these to keep the wife off my ass about the noise 
Toodles, did you set a possible price-point yet?
This would be great! Looking forward to pre-orders.
That makes absolutely no sense.
The enclosure is going to be buried inside the case unless you get a transparent replacement plexi.
Most customs have plexi bottom panels…
And Art’s Hobbies Tek-Cases are ALL PLEXI 
I want one
Anxious for Spark updates… Any news, Toodles?
wow just found this thread, thanks for the bump lol, Im def. interested, plexi case ftw.
Now we just need optical buttons that don’t make any noise and we are set. (my wife complains about the noise too)
Optical buttons would still make noise. Capacitive buttons, now that’d be silent, and not that hard to rig up so long as the ‘buttons’ aren’t mounting in metal.
I’ve wanted to do capacitive buttons for so long; it would be so cool! I could just imagine a capacitive hitbox too. You could probably make that incredibly thin.
I still scratch my head when people say the Sanwa buttons and joysticks are too loud. I barely notice it when I’m playing. I’m too busy enjoying games and trying to clear levels. (Love playing Earthworm Jim HD with a joystick. Pac-Man 2010 will be great with a stick, too, after I pay for and download the full version…)
Most rooms don’t conduct that low a noise level well at all. It’s not louder than typing on a computer keyboard. Are people living in tin shacks or with other people that are that light of sleepers???..
Anyhow, re-reading the first post and seeing how we’ll need the DC-DC converter for all PS 1/2/3 needs. I sort of know where a line connection would have to be soldered for the Hori PS2 PCB I would use a replacement Flash PCB (the PCB has been diagrammed to death and I can always look the Tekken 5 American joystick mod thread) but what about the Mad Catz PS3 PCB’s?
We can come back here and ask how the converters would be connected when the Flash PCB’s ship, right?
Don’t want to come back here and bug you with (repeatedly asked) technical stuff people are probably concerned about times 5… We all get annoyed by questions that get asked a million times.
I appreciate the fact that Toodles generally puts links to firmware updates and FAQs in the first post of the threads he starts… That’s a lot than slogging through 20-40 pages and having to read 200+ posts to get an answer to a question.
New housing samples just got shipped in black, dark purple, and more of the yellow. They said they could add some stuff to the plastic to make it more light resistant, so they sent the new doped yellow for me to test if it does the trick. Parts will arrive soon but probably wont get tested until I get back from Seattle early next week.
Re: Capacitive buttons – LCARS-style hitbox anyone?
I’m definitely wanting one of these now, got a custom coming in by the end of march courtesy of SOUJISTIKS(awesome work) and it would be awesome to be able to upgrade the reg Sanwa stick to one of these badboy’s. Toodles let us know when you get these ready to go.
As this has been bumped, will there be a wire + connector for the voltage connector included?
Yup.
Man, it’s hard to believe this topic is over 4 years old now.
Props for the dedication Toodles. Can’t wait to finally get my hands on one of these things.