Wiring PCBs, is this a cardinal rule?

Tech Talk
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When wiring either a made for mutiple system fight board, or pad hacking to be used in a fight stick, should I only have one wire in each wire in each point of connection?

My guy, who just hired to follow directions, had to deal with a separate wire for each signal and ground, due to the fact that, A) the Edladdin Colecovision board has a 2 ground/ common system and all trhe others do not, and B) joystick and buttons are designed to have remappable controlas, wve when the software doesn’t allow it.

I fear hang more than one wire in a hole casues power drain, like when I tried to hhok up my CRT TV and streamer togehther. The CRT accepted the weak signal, ut thee the streamer didn’t. Similar prinipcile?

As for grounds, I notice most joysticks other joysticks can grounds. I don’t understand elctronic enough to gve you a textbook definiiotn of a ground, but is there anything specific about a ground that makes it different that I should know about?

Would ther fact that multiple indîvidual button ground wires come tp a single ground solder point be a likely, (or even possible reason.)

I’m nether a shop guy nor an electonics guy. My hired hand is just a shop guy who can follow instructions well but not know much about the electronic theory, except what he learned by doing.

Considering the fact that we’re both amateurs on electronics, is individual grounds sharing the same ground wire hole the most likely reason a PS3 works with a regular USB cable, and the only RJ45 Cthulhu adapter that works is the Dreeamcast and not the others? If so I can propose a way to fix it.

The way I do understand technology, and the ways I don't

By the way, I’m a very creative person elcetronically if I understand the principles, and can direct someone to do aomething, and got Sprint to say Netrogames is possible to do, and Direct connect technology wqill make it happen, but they are not the company to market, but their network can do low ping gaming. I wouldn’t be able to look under the hood and start fiddling with the stuff. Likewise if I have knowledge that something is possible, I’d say something “use this technology that exists in something else, and use it this way.” I can’t design from scratch, but someone else can fill the gaps I have no knowledge of.

If the theroy is correct, I think I know how to proceed based on looking at joystick wires previously.

And this is knowledge use to getting to my ultimate goal, a cheaper design for an ambidextrous fight stick.

Why is ambidextrous a smart strategy? FOr the same reason a minature golf course as all their house clubs as Ambidextrous. Here’s a taped example of where a “one handed” putter is a disadvantage on miniature golf courses, one has the default ambidextrous putter, and one has a right-handed-only large-scale golf putter. (wait 10 seconds to see the golf hole in question. I don’t exacty know how to embed a You Tube clip on Shoryuken)

What is Large-scale Golf?

“Large-scale golf” is term a miniature golfer uses similar to the term “ball golf” is to the similar frisbee golf players portrayed in the Switch video game “Golf Story”.I only use it for the puroses of differentiation. The term “real golf” implies other forms are “fake golf”. They’re 3 different, but closely related, sports, almost like outdoor and indoor scocer. Usually the original is implied with no descriptor,. Just plain “Golf”, when comparing golf forms is Large Scale, or Soccer implying the outdoor form. ( at least In the USA, because we’ll have the whole “What is Football” argument for 2 obviously different games, Amewrican football and “Soccer Football”, a term used when Germany was the largest non-America NFL-brand American Football fan base having 3 of the 6 NFL Europe teams have at least part of their market in Germany)

I said (to my German teacher in High School, written in the German language from an American learning German) when shown a picture of a sporting good store, there wee no American footballs in the picture, i’d say (forgive a lack of unlauts and ess-tsets, i don’t know how to tyope them. Plus I’m a little rusty, but I’m not using Google Translate tin order to test myself.“Veilen Jarenen zukomf, wir werdn ein Americknishden Fussball sehen. Ein Fussball wird ein Sokerfussball heissen.”

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“Common ground” means that it’s all the same ground connection electrically. One or twenty wires to the same point should make no difference at this scale.

If your MC Cthulhu works for PS3 and Dreamcast and not on other platforms, chances are that the console wires crimped for the other platforms are wired incorrect. Have you confirmed that your cables are good and that’s why you’re consistently thinking that there’s a problem with your MCC?
Either test the cable on another PCB, or test your PCB with a known working cable.

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It does not work that way.

One thing at a time. This is why people lose patients with you. Do not tell us how you are going to revolutionize fight sticks when you don’t comprehend basic electrical.

I am going to ask that you refrain from talking about things you don’t understand then.
Seriously, trying to bumble around with no idea how basic electrical works is dangerous at best.

Here is the definition defined by Wikipedia

“In electrical engineering, ground or earth is the reference point in an electrical circuit from which voltages are measured, a common return path for electric current, or a direct physical connection to the earth.”

We are going to focus on the following segments, “a common return path for electric current” and “point in an electrical circuit from which voltages are measured” which applies to any game controller.

Ground is a common return path, a return voltage. It is the negative terminal on a battery, the negative wire in a cable.

Here is a overly super simplified version of every common ground controller Encoder/PCB.

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How%20does%20an%20Encoder%20works1257×689 7.69 KB

You have 2 Wires (ground and signal), a Encoder Chip and a switch.

You have a Wire that is holding a charge lets say 5 volts for arguments sake (reality is closer to 4.8v on most stick and controller PCBs) that is your signal wire (The charge is held by a capacitor or pull up resistor). This is also known as high logic.

When you press the Switch, you complete that circuit path and the signal wire’s voltage drops to zero (low logic). The Encoder detects this and registers you press a button and sends the signal to the console that you pressed a switch (ether a button or joystick direction). Repeat this for every Button and switch a stick would have.

This is how your MC Cthulhu, Brooks Boards, and every other common ground board works.

Having an additional ground wires makes no difference, electrcity isn’t going to lose “power” as electrical circuits do not care that there are multiple ground wires, as long as there is a path.

Is is the same concept as this very simple real life circuit, this is by the way a wiring diargam to any flash light or electric torch.

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The ground is the return back from the power source to make a circuit.

Okay so we have 2 activities. And both are easy enough to do, and cheaper to do ourselves, than ship to a third party.

One is organizing the grounds better. It may not be vital NOW, but no one I know of designed a fight stock that is both a) button swappable and b) compatible with a multi-ground / multi common PCB like the Edladdin Colecovision PCB.

I just noticed through observation that moat joystick designs go in a chain from one button and chian with other buttons and the joystick, and then out to the ground spot. I guess you COULD chain all 18 buttons in the same hole, but I wasn’t sure. PLus each padhack will need that many ground wires if I don’t head it off at the pass/ To save on pad-hack PCB wiring, and to make it look less messy, one change now can simplify it.

The other thing he can do see if there’s any bad parts among the common, easily replaceable, and cheaper Rj-45 M-M’s and F-F’s and test to see if any there are accidentally crossovers and other problems. Stan doesn’t know how to do it exactly, but luckily, I thought: “There’s got to be a machine we can buy to see if all wires are working.” Lookie here!

I saw a video I think I can device a test for all our double male wires and double female keystones.

M-M test with a store bought apapter

M-M

  1. power device
  2. Insert M-M RJ45 of unknown condition from one side to the other.
  3. Press run test:
    3a) if 1-8 flash in sequence and all light up: good Straight cable
    3b) if 1-8 flssh in REVERSE(8->1) sequence and all light up: good crossover cable.
    3c) ifd 1-8 flash, but the sequence is jumbled yet all light up, and none repeat: either miswired cord or a a specialty RJ-45 for a specific purpose
    3d) if one or more fail to flash, or 2 lights comes on together: either specialty wired with internal Y connections for a very specific purpose, or a broken RJ-45

The case that’s most useful is A - staight cable. If we get 2 B’s (crossovers) in a chain, assuming crossovers turn a 1-> 8 flashing into an 8->1 flashing, using 2 together MIGHT be useful, but would screw up future diagnostics if forgotten.

Everything else either throw away or (or if one has time and want to gamble) investigate if it’s a specialty part worth something on Ebay.

F-F test

F-F

  1. That 2 known successfully tested working M-M cables, pt one of each cable in one of eachx testing end.
  2. Plug F-F keystone in both loose ends and press test.
  3. results the same as M-M

Okay once we have enough known working Rj-45 standard, test by playing on consoles

  1. If alll Cthulhu Rj-45 system work, then iy works and we saved on shipping. YAY!
  2. If certain ones work and certain ones do not, find an Rj-45 -> Video console controller adapter repairperson, and get them to repair what’s not working. I think I see a person selling refurbished RJ-45 adapters on Ebay. Maybe that person can be hired to repair them. Besides that person, any recommendations?
  3. if after repairs it still does not work check Cthulhu

Is there an easy way to test the Cthulhu board to see if the circuit sends out all the signals? This is my first hunch. It all depends on if the Cthulhu can be powered with no specific console adapter plugged in. If you need special equipment, sthe repairman’s got it anyway, but if there’s a way to self test, by powering the Cthulhu without plugging into console, run similar test.

But if in RJ-45 mode, all 1->8 light up in sequence, then it’s not a signal transmission problem and will either work, or has some other problem, that must be fixed.

Any recommendations for Cthulhu repair people?

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See all this, irrelevant to the MC Cthulhu, Toodles did not use the RJ-45 specs at all, we are only borrowing the connector as it’s a common and easy to find 8 pin connector, that is it.

Before anything else, STOP. Just STOP.

Go to Youtube search Basics Electrical Circuits
Here is one to start off

When you think you got that down Read slagcoin.com
All the basics of building a stick is there.

How to test out your MC Cthulhu
Step 1. Use a USB cable to connect to the MC Cthulhu’s USB jack, plug the other end into a Windows PC.

Step 2. After your PC detects the board, hit Win+R, that will open a dialog box, type in " joy.cpl "
There you can test all your inputs.

To test on another system (this works best with fighting games).
Go to your game of choice, open up ether Practice Mode and if the game allows for it turn on button annotations, if you dont have a game with a practice mode, set the game to 2 players with no one playing 2nd player, test your inputs.
I find with the NES, Super Mario Bros works well.

Forget this for now. Table it till you got your MC Cthulhu working

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My computer is the number 1 brand of computer maker, which means it uses the number 2 brand os, OS X. A lot of good that does.

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Also if testing to see if the cable works, then you don’t NEED an OS, plug both ends in a tester a tester and run electricity through it.

We’re just seeing if the non-speciaiized RJ-45 equipment works. If they all work and the game dose’t control right, then either thePCB or Rj-454 Adapters are not right.
and t should when column A lights #1 then column B does too, all the way straight down from 1-8.

That’s alll the tester is doing. Seeing if it works and is hooked up right, we can do that with all standaruzed parts to make sure they work. That was step 1
.

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@Darksakul, I know both Stan and I are electronics noobs muddling in the dark about some topics. When most people say “test to see if your RJ45s work” most people just need to see that and know how that works. I admit it:

When responding to:

I said:

I was was getting a machine to test to make sure we have working and correct straight cables and keystones.

First I was explaining the method of testing wires to make sue we got the trechnique right and are reading the results right. To which you said:

I know the Cthlulu is using RjJ-45 just as 8 distinct paths and a ground for other purposes. And I’m using it the tester to make sure I have proper and working “common” RJ-45 cables, even though they won’t be used for networking.m We don’t have the equipment to diagnose the adapters properly except consoles to check to see if they work as they should. We’e just eliminating something wrong on our end.

I assume because the Cthulhu works with USB PS3 via the Cthulhu’s usb port, and the Dreamcast shows theb RJ45 CAN work. then everything is wired correctly as far as the Cthulhu and the DC adapter i concerned. I don’t need the PC test of joysticks.

Also I said the easier next step is send adapters to someone. This/these ebay seller(s) sells refurbished rJ45 adapters, chances are the ebayers either know how to refurbish them, or can find someone and the ebay store is the public salee face> I’ll send messages to the sellers and ask if tey refurbish and they will repairr for hire.

Stan knows how to follow directions and plans. I’m the guy with the ideas. If I was on a desert island, I couldn’t build or install anything. However, my hunch is right more times than you think. This time, if you want to know, this is how I come up with my joystick. This tme, I’m taking out the collkapse:

A person is simultaneously a member of the most important majority and the smallest minority.

The majority is the human family. if you trace the family tree far enough back then forward, we’re all family. (There’s a limit for the legal definition of “family” for marriage purposes.)

The minority is the individual. There is only one you. There is only one me. Even genetically identical twins are 2 different people.

Keep both in mind and you’ll be a good person in life. But that’s just my philosophy. Pick your own and hope others can live with it.

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In some ways, we’re all the same throughout time. In other ways, we’re one of a kind.

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I didn’t want to get into why the RJ45 testers and adaptors worked as you fail to grasp basic electrical, but I explain how you are just wasting time and money.

An Cat 5 tester do not just test continuity, it test the cable to see if the cable falls into the strict electrical properties for Cat 5, theses cables have twists to them. Their supposed to be so many twists per foot. This is to prevent crosstalk of the different wires inside, so that the cable do not interfere with it self. The system cables with RJ45 ends for the MC Cthulhu as well as other controller boards that uses RJ45 will always fail a Cat 5 test.

The tester test for very specific electrical properties and not continuity.

A much more valuable and versatile tester for stick building would be a multimeter. But your dumb ass will never figure that out because instead if reading the dozens of guides on tech talk and following the advice of others, you provide to mainsplain everything and then try to gaslight anyone who calls you out.

You, your self said you have a very limited income and zero actually understanding of basic concepts. You should seriously look at your real world issues and take care of those before even dare to tell others they are wrong because they dont fit your badly misconceived image of the world.

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There are different degrees and qualities of testers. The $100 tester may test some of the stricter standards of RJ45, but the <$10 one may be simpler and just tests to see if 1 goes into 1, 2 goes into 2, etc.

And yes there are cheaper ways. But I’ve been waiting for quite a few years to try this and if a less than $10 device can speed things up, and makes it dummy-proof, then it’s worth it vs the time it takes to get Stan to learn. He doesn’t regularly work with electrical products.

All I know is the quality of workmanship is WAY better than KY enterprises, and I just had to design it better since 2008.

But I am learning more, reading from you guys. Some choices are better than others. There are many different ways to do something. Everyone feels comfortable doing different things for a lot of different resons.

I’m trying to make a model that I can show on Twitch. If the main reason why fight sticks aren’t ambidextrous in the hiome market is that it’s too expensive to have mirrored buttons, then I’m showing Hori, Razer and others that for an OFF-THE-SHELF joystck, it would make it more attractive if ambidexterity costs less money tan the old way, ad it’s worth adding 1 button and 100% more wiring to make it work. If 13 ft per roll x 6 colors of wire cost $15, Each button needs up to conservatively 6 inches of wire per input, so all you need is 9 extra feet of wire, (about $1.50-2 worth of wire extra) and one extra button costs $3-4 vs $24-36 extra for 8 mirrored buttons, you can see how this is more attractive option to make an off-the-shelf model that is ambiextrousoinly costs $6 more and may attract many more people, on something that retails for $150-200, you can see this makes business sense. Plus It’s good as a personal model, even if the business doesn’t pan out.