Undamned's USB Decoders (USB to JAMMA, etc.)!

undamned · August 2, 2016, 9:21am

Just got some together. Can sell a few directly before I get a larger batch off to Paradise Arcade soon. Shoot me a PM anyone who needs one ASAP.
-ud

edwin128 · August 20, 2016, 12:20am

hello undamned. i just sent you a pm. thx.

c0nn0r · August 31, 2016, 7:00pm

undamned:

Alright, I don’t have time at this moment to re-read/answer the last few pages, but I’ll post up the status of things regarding the MAK Strike. First off:

NOTE: If you have ever used the on-board power switch on your MAK Strike* while the UD-USB Decoders are connected to the DB15 controller ports, all bets are off. It’s entirely possible and highly likely you’ve damaged them. It is no fault of the UD-USB Decoder design and 100% the fault of the MAK Strike design.

*My tests were done on a MAK Strike V3 board. I cannot vouch for versions before or after.

Spoiler

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee311/undamned_photobucket/UD-CPS2/USB%20Converter/MAK%20Strike%20Fix%2003_zpsncq9zgkl.png

Moving on.

Here is my test setup showing a HAPP/Suzo Arcade Power Supply a MAK Strike V3 and my CPS2:

Spoiler

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee311/undamned_photobucket/UD-CPS2/USB%20Converter/MAK%20Strike%20Fix%2004_zpscb4h7ylp.png

The waveform on the oscilloscope is the 5V signal after “turning on” the MAK Strike. The reason I use quotes is because 5V is already applied to the controller ports before you even turn the MAK Strike on. Because of this bizzare design choice (oversight?) when you flip the power switch, massive voltage spikes result when the power supply tries to compensate for the massive load of the arcade board dumped on it all at once. That combined with the fun characteristics of the mechanical switch results in 15V spikes on the 5V line along with multiple dips down to 0V. Thank you MAK Strike.

I tried adding capacitance to the 5V line (as well as the Decoder itself) and was unable to make a significant change to the results. Ultimately the sensible solution is to fix the MAK Strike’s problem.

Cut this trace on the bottom:

Spoiler

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee311/undamned_photobucket/UD-CPS2/USB%20Converter/MAK%20Strike%20Fix%2001_zpstbjmboiy.png

Solder a wire to these two points on the top:

Spoiler

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee311/undamned_photobucket/UD-CPS2/USB%20Converter/MAK%20Strike%20Fix%2002_zpsve1zrfvd.png

Now everything (the Decoders and the arcade board) powers up at once:

Spoiler

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee311/undamned_photobucket/UD-CPS2/USB%20Converter/MAK%20Strike%20Fix%2005_zpscklkhsun.png

Now perfectly safe for the Decoders.

I’d still like to find a solution for MAK Strike owners who are not so handy with soldering, but I’ll need to do a bit more digging on that. I’ll try and respond to the last few pages in the next few days.
-ud

Thanks for this undamned. Excellent fix. We’ve been chatting about this over on neo-geo.com as it came up with my setup. I do have one question - your fix cuts a trace and jumps a line from power to player-1 controller. Does this also fix the power spike issue on player-2 controller?

undamned · September 1, 2016, 8:06am

As I recall, that trace is shared by both P1 & P2, so both should be fine after the mod.
-ud

Jangofatt · September 15, 2016, 11:54pm

Question: What kind of enclosure are you using for the terminal style USB-Decoder?

undamned · September 16, 2016, 8:42am

Screw terminal enclosure options are limitless. If you are referring to the 15-Pin D-Sub verion, the mold is from an old DB15 to DB15 adapter. Back in the PC days before USB and whatnot
-ud

ShinMagus · September 17, 2016, 11:18pm

I really wish there were enclosures for the UD-USB plus another PCB (Brook UFB or PS360+…) for sale.

Gummo · September 18, 2016, 1:37am

Nintendo nes mint tins do great for me.

ShinMagus · September 18, 2016, 2:57am

:o
You put the UD-USB and another PCB inside one of those, connecting them by wires, and use the whole thing as a converter (USB input and USB/RJ-45 output)?

moegreen · September 19, 2016, 6:53pm

Any news on the DSub $40 version becoming available?

pzlate · September 20, 2016, 12:04am

Contact him on Twitter, he told me he had a few left last time I contacted him (if you mean the db15 one).

Just got two normal decoders direct from him since Paradise Arcade was out of stock.

moegreen · September 20, 2016, 12:25am

Thanks for the help

blankaex · October 9, 2016, 4:46pm

What exactly would I need to do with this to add Neo Geo support to a Brook UFB stick? How would I wire everything up? What would the end result look like?

Darksakul · October 9, 2016, 7:26pm

Neo Geo does not need any PCB, you just need to add a DA-15 connector splitting off all your button and joystick inputs.

delti90 · October 9, 2016, 9:54pm

Does anyone know the dimensions of the board version? I’m going to attempt to model and print a case for the board and db15 since the DB15 version is no longer in stock anywhere. I’m ordering some but would like to have the case made before I get them.

undamned · October 10, 2016, 10:23am

This doesn’t really have anything to do with the UD-USB decoders, but essentially you just need to hack a Neo Geo AES extension cable and wire that up to the button/direction signals you wish to use on your UFB PCB. This cable would be fine: http://www.tototek.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=23&products_id=192

First page of “Manual v.1.0 (8 Button - October 2014)”: http://udgametech.blogspot.com/p/firmware.html

Regarding them not being in stock anywhere, I was able to get 30 or so out there (the first few of a big batch I’m in the middle of assembling) last month, but they got eaten up immediately since people were already waiting in line. Hoping to be shipping the rest to Paradise Arcade next weekend (~150 units). This year has been a real zinger. I intend to keep ahead of demand in the future, rather than wait for everything to be sold out before making more.
-ud

blankaex · October 10, 2016, 2:34pm

Thanks for the answer. I thought I needed some extra hardware to hook up the Neo Geo cable in addition to the UFB. I figured if I use quick disconnects to connect ground and signal on my X button to my UFB, for example, I wouldn’t really have anywhere else to connect the Neo Geo cable. I was told this decoder could be helpful but I’m not entirely sure what it does?

Darksakul · October 10, 2016, 6:30pm

blankaex:

Darksakul:

blankaex:

What exactly would I need to do with this to add Neo Geo support to a Brook UFB stick? How would I wire everything up? What would the end result look like?

Neo Geo does not need any PCB, you just need to add a DA-15 connector splitting off all your button and joystick inputs.

undamned:

blankaex:

What exactly would I need to do with this to add Neo Geo support to a Brook UFB stick? How would I wire everything up? What would the end result look like?

This doesn’t really have anything to do with the UD-USB decoders, but essentially you just need to hack a Neo Geo AES extension cable and wire that up to the button/direction signals you wish to use on your UFB PCB. This cable would be fine: http://www.tototek.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=23&products_id=192

Thanks for the answer. I thought I needed some extra hardware to hook up the Neo Geo cable in addition to the UFB. I figured if I use quick disconnects to connect ground and signal on my X button to my UFB, for example, I wouldn’t really have anywhere else to connect the Neo Geo cable. I was told this decoder could be helpful but I’m not entirely sure what it does?

Yes you could use the undamned’s USB decoder with the Neo Geo, the decoder will turn stick and game pad signals to something Jamma could use.
But I found the decoder works best with controllers you can’t modify, like if you are using a Super Gun or Neo Geo at a tournament and people are bringing their own USB arcade sticks.

One other thing, the Neo Geo pinout does have a pin to provide power, you want that Pin to be tied with the VCC of what ever board you are using.
Treat installing a Neo Geo cable on a stick with a existing PCB like you would a Dual mod, if not that PCB could act up and interfer with game play.

blankaex · October 11, 2016, 6:57am

Darksakul:

blankaex:

Darksakul:

blankaex:

What exactly would I need to do with this to add Neo Geo support to a Brook UFB stick? How would I wire everything up? What would the end result look like?

Neo Geo does not need any PCB, you just need to add a DA-15 connector splitting off all your button and joystick inputs.

undamned:

blankaex:

What exactly would I need to do with this to add Neo Geo support to a Brook UFB stick? How would I wire everything up? What would the end result look like?

This doesn’t really have anything to do with the UD-USB decoders, but essentially you just need to hack a Neo Geo AES extension cable and wire that up to the button/direction signals you wish to use on your UFB PCB. This cable would be fine: http://www.tototek.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=23&products_id=192

Thanks for the answer. I thought I needed some extra hardware to hook up the Neo Geo cable in addition to the UFB. I figured if I use quick disconnects to connect ground and signal on my X button to my UFB, for example, I wouldn’t really have anywhere else to connect the Neo Geo cable. I was told this decoder could be helpful but I’m not entirely sure what it does?

Yes you could use the undamned’s USB decoder with the Neo Geo, the decoder will turn stick and game pad signals to something Jamma could use.
But I found the decoder works best with controllers you can’t modify, like if you are using a Super Gun or Neo Geo at a tournament and people are bringing their own USB arcade sticks.

One other thing, the Neo Geo pinout does have a pin to provide power, you want that Pin to be tied with the VCC of what ever board you are using.
Treat installing a Neo Geo cable on a stick with a existing PCB like you would a Dual mod, if not that PCB could act up and interfer with game play.

Ah okay, thanks for clearing that up. That makes a lot of sense. I guess I just need to somehow find a pinout diagram so I know what connects to what and I should be good. Thanks for the info and sorry for going slightly off-topic in your thread.

undamned · October 25, 2016, 9:23am

Restocked @ Paradise Arcade Shop!

http://paradisearcadeshop.com/search?controller=search&orderby=position&orderway=desc&search_query=undamned

-ud