BYOAC New Wiki - User contributions [en]

Rotary Encoders

2025-07-09T21:52:25Z

PL1: Added image pinout error note.

A rotary encoder converts rotary switch movement to [[Keyboard Encoders|keyboard encoder]] outputs, [[Gamepad_Encoders|gamepad encoder]] outputs, or output pulses that can be interpreted by [[Keyboard Encoders|keyboard encoders]].

{{Also|Joysticks#Rotary Joysticks}}

==GP-Wiz40==
Offered by [[Groovy Game Gear]], this gamepad encoder has built-in rotary support (see [[Gamepad_Encoders#GP-Wiz40|gamepad encoders]] entry).

'''Relevant Link: [http://groovygamegear.com/webstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=76_81&products_id=235 GP-Wiz40 Max]'''
 

==KADE==
[[image:KADEminiArcade.jpg|right|thumb|KADE miniArcade. Photo © kadevice.net, Used with permission.]]
[[image:KADEmicroArcade.jpg|right|thumb|KADE microArcade. Photo © kadevice.net, Used with permission.]]
[[image:KADE Rotary Adapter Boards.jpg|right|thumb|KADE Rotary Adapter Boards. Photo © silverfox0786, Used with permission.]]
The [http://www.kadevice.net KADE] series of Open Source/Open Hardware encoders have a [[Joysticks#Rotary_Joysticks|Mechanical Rotary Joystick]] firmware that supports either one rotary stick with 6 player buttons + 7 admin buttons (either P1 or P2) '''or''' two rotary sticks with 3 player buttons each.

All of the KADE [[Keyboard Encoders|keyboard encoder-style]] outputs are customizable using the KADE Loader program.

Silverfox0786 has made two types of plug-and-play rotary joystick adapter boards for the miniArcade/minimus AVR.

One is a one-joystick, 6-button model (P1 or P2) the other is a two-joystick, 3-button model.

'''Relevant Links: [http://kadevice.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=426 KADE Forum Rotary Joystick Thread]'''

'''[http://kadevice.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=49&t=4128 KADE Rotary Adapter Boards Thread]'''

'''[http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,154126.0.html KADE miniArcade 2.0 Beta Release Thread]'''
 

==Rotary-5==
[[image:rotary5.jpg|right|thumb|Rotary5]]
Offered by [[Hagstrom Electronics|Hagstrom]], this unit is capable of operating as a stand alone device or may be used with a [[Keyboard Encoders|keyboard encoder]]. Its are suitable for driving direct inputs on a keyboard encoder to produce a keystroke or keystrokes for each change of position of the rotary switch.

'''Relevant Link: [http://www.hagstromelectronics.com/products/rotary5.html Hagstrom's Rotary5 Page]'''
 

==Ultimarc "Ikari style 12-way Rotary Upgrade"==
Fits the Servostik or J-Stik.

Converts the stick into a mechanical rotary stick.

12 detent positions per rotation.

The USB encoder sends one user-configurable keystroke or gamepad button press for each click left and another for each click right.

'''Relevant Links: [http://www.ultimarc.com/controls.html Ultimarc controls page]'''

'''[http://www.ultimarc.com/12wayrotary.pdf Information and installation instructions]'''
 

==Rotary Joystick Interface==
[[image:RotaryEncoderLS-30Harness.jpg|right|thumb|Rotary Joystick Interface to LS-30 harness]]

'''No longer available.'''

Offered by [[Ultimarc]], this unit is a stand alone unit. It can convert two [[Joysticks#Rotary_Joysticks|12-position mechanical rotaries]], and outputs a fixed set of keystrokes. It only encodes the rotary switch function on the joystick, not the up/down/left/right microswitch functions.

'''NOTE:''' The current image shows incorrect numbering for P2 pins. Pin 1 should be on the right and pin 13 on the left.

'''Relevant Link: [http://www.ultimarc.com/rotary.html Ultimarc's Rotary Page]'''

'''See also: [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,122755.msg1303804.html#msg1303804 LS-30 Harness Pinout]'''
 

==Druin's Rotary Interface==

'''No longer available.'''

Offered by Druin, this was one of the first rotary encoders for the BYOAC crowd. You could download the plans and build your own board. It can convert two [[Joysticks#Rotary_Joysticks|12-position mechanical rotaries]], and it needs to be connected to a separate [[Keyboard Encoders|keyboard encoder]] or [[Gamepad_Encoders|gamepad encoder]].

==See Also==
* [[Controls]]
* [http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Joysticks#Rotary_Joysticks Rotary Joysticks]
* [http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Joysticks#MAME_Settings_for_Mechanical_Rotary_Joysticks MAME Settings for Mechanical Rotary Joysticks]

[[Category:Controls]]

FAQ

2025-07-09T21:32:56Z

PL1: Fixed the "bad" games list links and added alternate text for the IEC inlet wiring link.

This page is intended for those who want to build their own arcade machine or classic game controllers. If you're planning to restore an existing arcade cabinet, please take a look at the topic [[restoration]].

There are a dizzying variety of skills, disciplines, methods, materials, and resources involved in this hobby. This FAQ is intended to provide a a general overview of basic topics and common terms for newcomers to the arcade and emulation community. It is designed to be a starting point for choosing useful search terms and asking better/more effective questions in the BYOAC Forums.

= Cabinet Basics =
{{Main|Basics}}
Arcade cabinets (often shortened to 'cabs') are gaming machines that include the screen to display the game, controls to play the game and the computer hardware that runs the game.

== Types of cabs ==
{{Main|Arcade Cabinet}}
Arcade cabinets come in various shapes and sizes. Commercially build and operated cabinets are often build to play a single game and are therefore created to match the target audience or recreate the atmosphere of the game.

=== Standing ===
A standing cabinet is the most common cabinet in North America and Europe. Players stand in front of the machine while playing the game.

* '''Regular''', the iconic, archetype, arcade cabinet. The monitor is usually above waist height with the [[marquee]] overhanging.
* '''Cabaret''', a slightly smaller version of the regular cabinet. The [[marquee]] is often located between the control panel and coin door.
* '''Low-boy''', a standup cabinet where the [[marquee]] is in the same plane as the monitor making the cabinet much lower, hence the name.
* '''Pedestal''', a arcade where the screen is not part of the arcade setup. The monitor could be a TV or projection attached to a wall.
* '''Showcase''', a setup where the screen is in a separate housing as the [[control panel]] but still visually part of one setup. Setups like this usually feature a large screen positioned in such way that onlookers may view the action. The 'showcase' may both refer to the player being able to showcase his or her gaming skill as to the elaborate arcade setup itself.

[[File:StandingArcades.png|center]]
<center>Example standing cabinets next to an adult man for size comparison, from left to right: ''Regular'', ''Low-boy'' and ''Showcase''.</center>

=== Seated ===
Seated cabinets come in two distinct categories; arcade cabinets intended to sit at for easier long play sessions or themed cabinets that involve an activity where sitting down mimics the action of the game (such as driving a car).

* '''Candy''', the most common cabinet in Japan. The cabinets are often made of hard plastic - the shiny plastic appearance led to them being called 'candy cabinets'. These cabinets are quite similar to standup cabinets except that they are lower and often have a larger [[control panel]] surface. ''See also [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Japanese_arcade_cabinets List of Japanese cabinets on Wikipedia]].

* '''Cocktail''', the most common sit-down type in North America. An arcade that resembles a table with the screen embedded in the table surface. The surface is made of hardened glass so people can place their drinks on it.

*'''Cockpit''', an arcade that mimics the cockpit of a racecar, fighter plane or spacecraft. The controls are often matched to the type of vehicle portrayed, such as a [[Driving_Controls|steering wheel]], [[Driving_Controls#Pedals|pedals]], [[Driving_Controls#Shifters|gear shifter]] or [[Driving_Controls#Flight_Yokes|flight yoke]].

*'''Ride-on''', similar to the cockpit arcade, a ride-on often is build specific to the activity of the game(s) played. Ride-on cabinets may feature a motorbike or jet ski seat but also less obvious vehicles such as a minecart.

[[File:SitdownArcades.png|center]]
<center>Example sitdown cabinets next to an adult man for size comparison, from left to right ''cocktail'', ''candy'' and ''cockpit''.</center>

=== Small ===
Another category of cabinets are the small size cabinets.

*'''Mini''', a small version of a cabinet resized to suit play for children.

*'''Bartop''', a portable cabinet that can be placed on top of a table (or as the name suggests, on the bartop in a pub or diner).

*'''Barstick''', a bartop without a built-in display. It is usually connected to a TV.

*'''Micro''', micro cabinets are extremely scaled down cabinets. Building a functioning micro cabinet provides experiences cabinet builders a new challenge. Micro cabinets provide a eye catching model for display.

=== Other ===
Some arcade cabinets are built for a single gametype or purpose.

*'''Digital Pinball Table''', a digital pinball machine is designed to look and act like an actual pinball machine with the ball(s), lighting, playfield and backglass replaced by monitors and pinball simulation software. {{Also|Pinball}}

== Parts of a cabinet ==
{{Main|Arcade_Cabinet#Anatomy_of_a_cabinet}}
Arcade cabinets vary in size and complexity but they generally comprise the same basic features as shown on this diagram.
 
[[image:generic_with_numbers.png|left|400px]]

# '''Marquee'''. Back-lit artwork that displays the cabinet's name.
# '''Marquee retainers'''. A part to keep the marquee in place. Allows easy replacement of the marquee graphic.
# '''Speaker panel'''. The panel which holds the speakers.
# '''Monitor bezel'''. A part that surrounds and masks the monitor in the cabinet. In some arcades the bezel also features artwork.
# '''Control panel'''. Holds the joysticks, buttons and other controls needed to play the games.
# '''T-molding'''. T-molding is used to finish and protect the edges of the woodwork.
# '''Coin door'''. A coindoor to accept coins for play.

 

=Building your own Arcade=
{{Main|Building}}

== What type of build meets my needs? ==
One common pitfall of arcade building is trying to build a cab to "play everything" and ending up with a monster of a control panel often nicknamed a [[frankenpanel]] by the community. Consider what you want to achieve and what your limitations are before starting to build.

#'''Start by considering where you want to put/use the cab.''' Measure the doorways so you can actually move the arcade from the place of construction to the gameroom. Consider what type of cab (upright, sitdown, cocktail, bartop, etc.) will fit your circumstances. Consider possible reflections of windows/lamps on the monitor and power outlet availability.
#'''Make a list of the games, emulators, and front end you want to use.''' This list should include any "can't live without" games and will help you choose a suitable computer. Check the [[Multi-Player_Games | multi-player]], [[Joysticks#Games_with_Dual_Joysticks | dual joystick]], [[Joysticks#Mechanical_Rotary_Joystick_Games_.28LS-30.2C_Happ_Mechanical_Rotary_Sticks.29 | rotary joystick]], [[Joysticks#Analog_Joysticks | analog joystick/yoke]], [[Light_Guns#Lightgun_Games_List | lightgun]], and [[Spinners_and_Dials#Which_games_originally_used_a_spinner | spinner]] gamelists to see if there are enough "can't live without" games in each list to justify including these specialized controls in your build. Also check out BadMouth's "All Killer, No Filler" game lists [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,149708.0.html here].
#'''Consider the number of simultaneous players you want to support.''' Keep in mind that more players means adapting your [[control panel]]; the more controls the more room you'll need (space might be an issue). If you plan to support more than 2 players, make sure all players have a good view of the screen. Also more players probably means a bigger budget- keep in mind that there are alternatives like using USB joypads for letting other players join in or using a 2-player version of a 4-player game like Gauntlet, TMNT, or X-Men.
#'''Figure out what kind/quantity of controls you'll need to support the games and emulators on your list.''' Go through the list to determine what controls you will need. [[Joysticks]] come in many variants such as 4-way, 8-way, and analog. Some games or consoles require analog controls. Keep in mind that some controls can be used as alternative: for example a [[Trackballs|trackball]] might also work as a [[spinner]] or mouse. A spinner might also work as a [[Driving_Controls#Optical_.28360_degree_wheels.29|steering wheel]]. Note that reusing controls is also subject to personal preference and is an often discussed subject within the community.
#'''What computer do you want/need to use.''' Newer games means a newer computer. If you already have a computer you plan to use, try some [[emulators]] on it to see what games it is capable of running - cross check this with the games you want to play.
#'''That will lead you to what [[emulators]] and other [[software]] like [[Front-Ends|front-ends]] you want/need.''' [[Emulators]] are programs that can make the computer act as a (retro)gaming system such as an [[Arcade_Emulators|arcade machine]] or [[Game_Consoles|game consoles]]. Do you want the players to be able to switch games? There are many programs where players can select and start games (this kind of software programs are known as [[Front-Ends|front-ends]]. Configuring the computer to run old games is also part of the hobby!
#'''Choose your encoder'''. The [[encoders|encoder]] is a specialized piece of electronics that connects the controls to the computer. There are several vendors that sell encoders, it is also possible to create your own by hacking a keyboard or gamepad. It is usually much easier to buy an encoder from a vendor instead. A few things to keep in mind when selecting an encoder such as the number of supported inputs (how many buttons can you connect) support for analogue devices (trackball, spinner etc.).
#'''What is the artwork/theme/design you want to use?''' [[Overview_%26_Options_to_Consider|Picking the artwork or theme]] early may help you selecting the colors of the [[Pushbuttons|buttons]] or [[T-Molding|t-molding]]. It may also affect the way you want to arrange the buttons on the controlpanel or the size of the marquee.
#'''Arrange the controls on the control panel.''' It is highly encouraged to create a mockup panel out of cardboard, hardboard, or even MDF to test the layout. This enables you to "feel" if the controls are in the right place and the control panel is comfortable to play. [http://slagcoin.com/joystick/layout.html Slagcoin] has many printable button layouts.
#'''Select a monitor.''' What kind of monitor do you plan to use? Consider that the size may affect the dimensions of the cabinet. Keep in mind that many arcade games have the monitor in portrait mode (while these are still playable on a landscape oriented monitor, the games will often be scaled down). Some emulators can use special effects (shaders) to simulate the appearance of an old CRT monitor on LCD (flat panel) monitors, this usually requires a decent videocard.
#'''Design the rest of the cab around the monitor and control panel.''' The control panel and monitor often dictate the required dimensions for the rest of the cabinet. Keep also in mind the considerations at point 1 in this list!

There are many more topics to explore such as [[Rotating_Monitor|rotating monitors]], swappable control panels, and [[Modular_Control_Panels|modular control panels]]. This list is by no means complete but it should provide a solid foundation for you to start designing your own cab!

== What is the difference between an original arcade cab and a MAME cab? ==
An original arcade cabinet refers to a cabinet designed for commercial operation. These cabinets are often crafted for a specific game or specific type of dedicated arcade (computer) hardware.
A MAME cabinet is the collective name for a cabinet intended to simulate the arcade experience. These cabinets are usually configured to allow users to play many different games.

Some original arcade cabinets have electronic components like Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) or monitors that are missing or damaged beyond restoration. Sometimes replacement parts are impossible to find or outrageously expensive. Sometimes the artwork or body of the cabinet is badly damaged. Problems like these can make restoring a commonly-available cabinet so difficult or expensive that it '''clearly''' isn't worth preserving. Cabs like those are possible candidates to convert to a MAME cabinet. Remember to preserve as much as possible and, as the saying goes, "Please don't maim for MAME."

Also note that the name MAME cabinet refers to the [[Emulators|emulator]] [[MAME]], but in many cases several other emulators are used to play games. MAME is the most common emulator to play arcade games.

== What is JAMMA/JAMMA+? ==
{{Main|JAMMA}}
[[Image:Jamma.png|thumbnail|300px|JAMMA connector]]JAMMA is a wiring standard developed in 1985 by Japan Amusement Machine and Marketing Association, Inc. It allows you to easily change between JAMMA compatible game boards without re-wiring the cabinet.
If you plan to build your own arcade from scratch with your own PC, the JAMMA standard does not apply; it is an industry standard.

The JAMMA standard uses a 56-pin edge connector on the board with inputs and outputs common to most video games.
JAMMA Games that have more than 3 action buttons, more than 2 players, or different control types use the JAMMA+ standard.

The JAMMA standard enables you to hook an original arcade cabinet to a PC using a [[Keyboard_Encoders#J-PAC|J-PAC]] encoder. This allows you to use the existing controls to play emulated games.
{{Also|Connecting a PC to an Arcade Cabinet}}

If you have JAMMA compatible game circuit boards, you will need JAMMA compatible arcade hardware to be able to play them.

The Real Bob Roberts™ JAMMA links:
*[http://homearcade.org/BBBB/newjam.html JAMMA pinout]
*[http://homearcade.org/BBBB/jh.html JAMMA harness bundling]
*[http://homearcade.org/BBBB/plus.html JAMMA+ wiring]

= Controls =
{{Main|Controls}}
Authentic controls and [[Control panel|control panels]] give you that original arcade feel.

== Joystick Types ==
{{Main|Joysticks}}
A Joystick is a device to let you manually control direction of movement in an arcade game. When selecting the correct joystick for your setup, keep in mind the games you wish to play. Note that there are also [[Joysticks#Games_with_Dual_Joysticks|games that use dual joysticks]].

===2-way===
2-way joysticks register movement along either the X-axis '''or''' Y-axis. These joysticks are operated by triggering [[Working with Microswitches|microswitches]] or leaf switches which means these are absolute -- either movement in a direction is triggered or not. 4-way or 8-way joysticks can be used as physically-restricted 2-way joysticks by using a slot-shaped restrictor plate.

===4/8-way===
4-way and 8-way joysticks register movement along the X-axis '''and''' Y-axis. These joysticks are operated by triggering [[Working with Microswitches|microswitches]] or leaf switches which means these are absolute -- either movement in a direction is triggered or not. Both 4-way and 8-way joysticks have 4 microswitches or leaf switches. The difference between 4-way and 8-way joysticks is that a 4-way stick can only activate one switch (up, down, left, or right) at a time, but an 8-way stick can register up to two switches (up+right, etc.) at a time. Some joysticks have a restrictor plate that limits/defines the joystick's range of motion, allowing you to select 4/8-way operation. There are also models that can automatically switch between physical 4-way and 8-way restriction using a motor/actuator controlled by software.

===Analog===
Analog joystics can discern how far the handle has been pushed from the center position. This type of joystick is often used where the player must be able to control the movement in a smooth way, for example pushing the joystick further also makes the game character move faster in the chosen direction.

===Speciality joysticks===
Speciality joysticks include [[Joysticks#49-Way_Joysticks|49-way joysticks]], [[Joysticks#Rotary_Joysticks|rotary joysticks]], [[Joysticks#TRON_joysticks|TRON joysticks]] and joysticks with a trigger and/or one or more buttons.

== Buttons ==
{{Main|Pushbuttons}}
{{Also|Working with Microswitches}}
{{Also|Wiring Push Buttons and Conventional Digital Joysticks}}

Pushbuttons are the simplest and most common form of control consisting of a momentary switch that makes contact when pressed.
Buttons come in various colors, shapes and sizes. Round buttons are usually used on control panels.

Pushuttons with 3 tabs have Common (Com), Normally Open (NO), and Normally Closed (NC) connections in a SPDT configuration.

Pushbuttons with 2 tabs are in a SPST configuration.

===Layout===
The placement of buttons (and joysticks) is often influenced by personal preference. It is wise to consider using one of the common layouts used in the arcade industry, as these were designed to allow players to reach and rest their fingers on buttons with minimal hand strain. The [http://www.slagcoin.com/joystick/layout.html Slagcoin] website has a list of descriptions and printable layouts that are '''highly''' recommended reference material.

Before constructing a control panel, a cardboard mockup often gives you a good impression if the controls are comfortable to use.

===Number of player buttons===
The number of player buttons (buttons used during gameplay) to put on your panel is determined by the the games you plan to play. Most fighting games used 6 buttons in a 2 rows of 3 buttons configuration. The [[Neo-Geo]] used 4 buttons in a single row. Some people combine these two layouts in a 2 row layout with 3 buttons on one row and four on the other.

Note that no arcade machine uses more than 4 buttons for players three and four.

If you are making a dedicated cab for 4-way joystick games, you will only need 2 player buttons unless you want to include:

'''4-way joystick 3 button games'''
* Iron Horse
* Punch Out!!
'''4-way joystick 4 button games'''
* Mouse Trap
* Super Punch-Out!!

===Number of admin buttons===
Commonly used admin buttons/function include P1/P2 Start (1/2), P1/P2 Coin (5/6), Pause (P) and Exit. (ESC)

To keep guests or children from accidently messing up their cab configuration, many individuals choose to not include a Menu (Tab) button and disable the shifted function for Menu. (P1 Start + joystick right on I-Pac)

There are several schools of thought concerning admin buttons -- some people prefer dedicated admin buttons, while others prefer using "shifted functions".

'''Dedicated admin buttons:'''
*'''PRO +''' Button functions can be clearly labeled on the panel art or using inserts in translucent buttons.
*'''CON -''' Too many buttons can be confusing and make a panel look cluttered.

Commonly used dedicated admin buttons include P1/P2 Start, P1/P2 Coin, ESC (exit), Pause, and others. Some console emulators may also require additional functions so be sure to install and configure desired emulators '''before''' building your panel.

'''"Shifted functions":'''
*'''PRO +''' Can make the panel look less cluttered.
*'''CON -''' When the "shift" button is pressed, any button pressed at the same time will output the associated shifted function. This may trigger an unintended function (exit, pause, menu, etc.) during a multi-player co-op game when one player performs a shifted function and the other player continues playing.

"Shifted functions" require a button/input to act as the "shift" button -- P1 Start on the IPac, HWB on the KADE, and Shazaaam! on the KeyWiz.

Pressing P1 Start and P2 Start will cause an IPac to output ESC. (exit)

Include an instruction card on the control panel overlay or screen bezel so family members and guests can figure out how to operate the cab.

===Illuminated buttons===
{{Main|Lighting}}
Many vendors sell illuminted single-color buttons and/or RGB (Red/Green/Blue) LED lighting kits for pushbuttons.

Illuminated buttons can be wired directly to a power source for constant single-color illumination '''or''' you can change brightness (single-color or RGB) or color (RGB) using software and a USB LED controller board like the LED-Wiz or the PacLED64.

== Trackballs ==
{{Main|Trackballs}}
A Trackball is a large ball that can be pushed in any direction to control an arcade game. Trackballs provide precise analog control, much like a mouse.

== Spinners ==
{{Main|Spinners}}
A Spinner is a knob that can be spun rapidly in either direction to move an on-screen paddle or character. Spinners provide precise analog control like a mouse, but act only along one axis.

== Other specialized controls ==
{{Also|:Category:Controls}}

Yokes, steering wheels, trigger stick, rotary joysticks, light guns, etc.

== USB gamepads/controllers ==
One way to expand the number of games that you can play (without turning your control panel into a "Frankenpanel") is to use gamepads or controllers plugged into external USB ports.

USB gamepads allow you to add Players 3+4 to a 2-player cab or play console games that use "shoulder buttons" or two analogue joysticks per player (''twin stick shooters'').

You can also add controllers with specialized controls like an analog flightstick for Afterburner or rotary joysticks for Ikari Warriors. Another option is to add controllers with specialized layouts for Defender or Asteroids.

=Construction=
{{Main|Building}}
Building your own arcade cabinet or controller can be a rewarding experience. The construction itself involves various disciplines from woodworking, electronics and design. While some people in the community have produced exceptional cabinets, everyone with some practice and dedication can build a cabinet.
The wiki has an [[Build an OND designed cab Metropolis|example project]] with images to give an impression of how a cabinet is built.

== What tools do I need? ==
{{Main|Hand Tools}}
{{Main|Power Tools}}
Building your own arcade machine is no simple task and requires the correct tools as well as the knowledge of how to use each one correctly and safely.
Keep the safety guidelines in mind for each tool in when using them!
[[File:Ond_tools.jpg|center]]

== Design ==
{{Main|Technical design software}}
Planning is everything is this hobby. To make sure your design fits together as you had in mind it is wise to sketch out your designs first. Regular paper sketches with measurements might suit your needs. There is also software (some available for free) to help design your cabinet. Often community members share their designs in digital files. [http://www.sketchup.com Sketchup] is quite popular, but other software such as Microsoft Visio works as well.

== What type of wood to use? ==
{{Main|Wood products}}
In building an arcade cabinet, several types of materials are available to you. Each has its strengths and weaknesses. The most common used materials are [[Wood_products#MDF|MDF]], [[Wood_products#Plywood|Plywood]] and [[Wood_products#MDO|MDO]].

== What thickness and materials to use for the Control Panel? ==
Many people use [[Wood_products#MDF|MDF]], [[Wood_products#Plywood|Plywood]] or [[Wood_products#MDO|MDO]] since they are easy to work with.

Some use metal.

Some control panel artwork comes with a thin polycarbonate lamination that protects the artwork from wear and tear, but artwork without it needs to be protected using 1/8" plexiglass, polycarbonate, or acrylic.

Plexiglass is usually held down by the pushbuttons/nuts.

If you are using [[T-Molding|T-Molding]], the combined thickness of all the layers needs to add up to the width of the T-Molding.

For example, 5/8" MDF + artwork + 1/8" plexiglass = 3/4" T-Molding.

If you aren't able to find T-molding that matches the thickness of the layers, you can use a chamfer or roundover router bit to angle the lower edge of the control panel.

[[File:T-molding regular and offset 2.jpg|center]]

== Mounting controls in the control panel==
Part of planning is reviewing the mounting options. Some controls require clearance on either side for mounting. When in doubt, tt is advised to use a cardboard mockup to verify the clearances of the controls.

===Hardware===
There are three types of hardware commonly used to mount joysticks.

This hardware is purchased separately from the joystick due to the variety of mounting options and methods.

'''Carriage Bolts:'''
Carriage bolts have a rounded top and a square base slightly larger than the threads.
*'''PRO +''' Strongest mounting method.
*'''CON -''' Visible bolt heads can distract from artwork.

'''Tee Nuts/T-Nuts:'''
The two common styles have either prongs or holes for small nails to keep the nuts from turning when screws are tightened/loosened. The kind with the nails is usually a better choice than the kind with prongs because it's much easier to drill tiny pilot holes for nails than it is to drive prongs into dense MDF.
*'''PRO +''' Almost as strong as carriage bolts.
*'''PRO +''' Can be hidden in a shallow countersink.
*'''CON -''' Requires more work to prepare a smooth surface for paint or vinyl artwork.
*'''PRO/CON''' Use a piece of tape to ensure that wood putty does not get into the threads of the nut, otherwise the hardened putty may be pushed up when you tighten the screw and damage the smooth surface.
*'''PRO/CON''' Screws used must be long enough to engage the tee nut, but not so long that they break through the top of the control panel.

'''Threaded Inserts:'''
These are preferred over wood screws in materials such as MDF. Regardless of what kind of thread geometry the wood screw has, with MDF you can only tighten it reliably '''once'''. When you loosen and retighten a screw in MDF it pulps and strips it. Good threaded inserts for MDF have very wide/flat/thin outer threads that cut into the MDF and keep the insert from backing out when the machine screws are loosened. The negative example below has outer threads that are too narrow to work properly with MDF. Threads on the inside allow you to remove/replace the machine screws in the event you want to replace the joystick.
*'''PRO +''' Easiest way to leave a smooth surface for paint or vinyl artwork.
*'''PRO/CON''' Screws used must be long enough to engage the insert, but not so long that they break through the top of the control panel.

<center>
<gallery>
Image:CarriageBolt.jpg|Carriage bolt
Image:TeeNuts.jpg|Tee-nuts
image:GGGThreadedInserts.jpg|Threaded insert kit. Photo © IDVT Inc. / [http://groovygamegear.com/webstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=70&products_id=317 GroovyGameGear.com], Used with permission.
Image:UltimarcThreadedInserts.jpg|Threaded insert kit. Photo © [http://www.ultimarc.com/controls.html Ultimarc.com], Used with permission.
Image:BadThreadedInsert.jpg|Wrong inserts for MDF: the threads are too small on this type
</gallery>
</center>

===Push buttons===
Most push buttons mount in a round hole -- usually 1-1/8" (28mm) or 30mm. Most push buttons are (from a construction point of view) similar to a nut and bolt: the threaded end is below the control panel and held in place by a nut. Some push buttons have flexible tabs that lock in place under the panel. This type of button is usually used with metal control panels.
<center><gallery>
File:PushButtonThreaded.png|Threaded button
File:PushButtonLockingTab.png|Locking-tab button
</gallery></center>

===Joysticks===
There are several ways to mount a joystick in a control panel.
<center>
<gallery widths=180px heights=180px>
File:Joystickmount-top.png|Top mount
File:Joystickmount-under.png|Under mount (threaded inserts)
File:Joystickmount-undertnuts.png|Under mount (tee-nuts)
File:Joystickmount-underrecessed.png|Under mount (recessed, countersunk screws)
File:Joystickmount-supportblocks.png|Under mount (support blocks)
File:Joystickmount-toprecessed.png|Top mount (recessed)
</gallery>
</center>

* '''Top mount''' The joystick is mounted on top of the control panel; for this a larger hole must be cut in the panel to accomodate the base of the joystick. A top mounted joystick adds a raised plate on top of the panel which is generally undesired if any artwork is to be added to the control panel. Also screws cannot be countersunk using this method. Carriage bolts are commonly used for this mounting configuration.

* '''Under mount''' The joystick is mounted underneath the control panel. Countersunk fasteners or threaded inserts leave a flat surface for comfortable play and application of artwork. The downside to this method is either the loss of joystick height '''or''' an increase in the distance the stick must travel to actuate the switches. countersunk screws/bolts, tee-nuts or threaded inserts are commonly used for this mounting configuration.

* '''Under mount (recessed)''' The joystick is mounted underneath the control panel. An area is cleared using a router to sink the joystick into the wood; this gives the joystick more height for play. Tee-nuts/T-nuts, countersunk screws/bolts, or threaded inserts are commonly used for this mounting configuration.

* '''Under mount (support blocks)''' The joystick is securely supported inside a recessed gap using blocks held in place by a metal plate or flat metal bars secured to the control panel by threaded inserts or tee-nuts. [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,130690.msg1345990.html#msg1345990 This forum topic] has an excellent example of this method. The photos below are from the forum topic, used with permission from [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=profile;u=62783 EMDB].
<center>
<gallery>
File:emdb_1.jpg|1: Routed area
File:emdb_2.jpg|2: Fitting joystick
File:emdb_3.jpg|3: Added support blocks
File:emdb_4.jpg|4: Threaded inserts
File:emdb_5.jpg|5: Plate to secure the joystick
</gallery>
</center>

[[File:Under Mount Metal Bars.jpg|250px|center]]
<center>Simple under mount using support blocks and two flat metal bars.</center>

 
[[image:TopRecessed.jpg|right|thumb| Top mount (recessed) example]]
* '''Top mount (recessed)'''. If (1) the joystick shaft is ''very'' short, (2) you don't want the joystick mounting plate exposed, and (3) need the strongest shallow-mount option available, use a top mount (recessed) configuration. The cover piece can be secured using countersunk screws as shown or a cover piece the size of the whole control panel can be held in place by the push buttons. See [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,129964.msg1329715.html#msg1329715 this topic] with an example and explanation of this method. The down-side of using this method is that it is much more difficult to remove and replace joysticks than with the other methods.

 
====Orientation====
It is important to note that joysticks should ''always'' be mounted parallel to the screen since it is intuitive for a player to move the joystick in relation to the action on the screen. This might seem not obvious in 4-player designs, but experience has proved that this holds true even if the player is standing diagonal towards the screen. Therefore it is advised not to angle joysticks for players 3 and 4. P3, P1, and P2 joysticks are shown parallel, while P4 joystick is shown angled.[[Image:StraightAndAngledSticks.jpg|center|460px|P3=straight, P4=angled]]

The notable exceptions to this rule are the [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,129696.msg1326815.html#msg1326815 diagonal games] Q*bert, Q*bert's Qubes, Inferno (1 angled stick and 1 angled trigger stick per player), and Congo Bongo. The 4-way joystick is angled 45 degrees clockwise -- up relative to stick = up+right relative to the monitor. Since your on-screen character can ''only'' move in diagonals, this keeps the joystick up/down/left/right directions aligned with the on-screen action.

===Trackballs===
{{Also|Trackball Mounting}}

Mounting a trackball in a wood panel is often done with the aid of a mounting plate or kit.

If you aren't using a mounting plate, there are several tools that are good for cutting the large circular hole.
*Holesaw
*Dremel tool circle cutter attachment
*Router circle cutter attachment
*Adjustable circle cutter

There is further information and several useful links in [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,138552.msg1432066.html#msg1432066 this] post.

= Encoders =
{{Main|Encoders}}
An [[Encoders|encoder]] is a device that interfaces between the controls and the computer running the games. In the early days of the hobby, keyboard or gamepad encoders were often re-used/hacked by soldering wires to the connection points. Today [[vendors]] have different kinds of encoder circuit boards to make the process much easier and more reliable. Encoders usually connect to the PC using [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usb USB] or [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PS/2_port PS/2] connectors.

== What type of encoder(s) do I need? ==
There are four basic types of encoders presently available:
*[[Keyboard Encoders]] When using this, the computer will interpret the connected controls as if it was a keyboard.
:'''PRO +''' Most games are able to use the keyboard inputs.
:'''PRO +''' Most encoders come preconfigured with an arcade configuration.
:'''PRO +''' Keyboard encoders can support multiple players (see also ''[[#How_many_encoder_inputs_do_I_need_for_my_control_panel.3F|how many encoder inputs do I need]]'').
:'''CON -''' Can only handle digital (either 'key down' or 'key up') inputs.
:'''CON -''' Certain key combinations [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,149393.msg1559496.html#msg1559496 described here] can cause accidental loss of focus or other undesired functions.
:'''PRO/CON''' Most 4-player encoders have overlapping keys [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,133021.msg1368637.html#msg1368637 described here] that you may want to reprogram.

*[[Gamepad Encoders]] When using this, the computer will interpret the connected controls as if it was a gamepad.
:'''PRO +''' Usually plug-and-play.
:'''PRO +''' Gamepad Encoders that support analog (potentiometer) controls are called [[Analog_Encoders|Analog Encoders]].
:'''CON -''' Usually one player per encoder (as one gamepad per player).
:'''CON -''' Not all software supports gamepads.

*[[Rotary Encoders]] A rotary encoder is required to interface rotary mechanical joysticks like the ones used for Ikari Warriors.
:'''PRO +''' Most models have additional gamepad or keyboard inputs.

*[[Optical Encoders|Optical (Mouse) Encoders]] An optical encoder can connect devices such as trackballs, spinners, or rotary optical joysticks. The computer will interpret the connected controls as if it were a mouse.
:'''PRO +''' A trackball can act as a mouse.

Note that some vendors combine keyboard and optical encoders in one circuit board.

Choosing the right encoder depends on the types of software you plan to use. If, for example, you plan to play games that only support gamepads, it is wise to choose an encoder of the gamepad type. Identify the input capabilities of the software you plan to use and choose accordingly. Also certain types of controls (rotary joysticks, trackballs and spinners) require a specific encoder to be able to connect to the computer.

For some input types a software conversion is possible - for example the program "joy2key" is able to convert gamepad controls into keyboard strokes.

== How many encoder inputs do I need for my control panel? ==
The encoder(s) you choose must be able to support all the controls you plan to use. Check the vendor-supplied information to determine the quantity and type of inputs each encoder can handle.

'''Digital inputs (IPac, KADE, KeyWiz, Mini-Pac, UHID, etc.)'''

*4-way or 8-way joystick - 4 inputs
*Pushbutton - 1 input
*Coin-slot microswitch - 1 input
*Pedal (microswitch) - 1 input

'''Optical inputs - each axis uses 5v, ground, and two data lines (Mini-Pac, OptiWiz, UHID, etc.)'''
*Trackball - 2 axes (NOTE: Some come with a USB or PS/2 adapter)
*Spinner/360 degree wheel - 1 axis

'''Analog inputs - each axis uses 5v, ground and one wiper (A-Pac, KADESTICK, UHID, etc.)'''
*Analog joystick - 2 axes
*Paddle/270 degree wheel - 1 axis
*Pedal (potentiometer) - 1 axis

KADE extended mode (20 inputs ==> 26 functions + 20 shifted functions) or shifted functions can increase the number of controls connected to your encoder. Pros and cons to shifted functions are mentioned in the [[FAQ#Number_of_admin_buttons|Number of admin buttons]] section.

= Basic wiring =
{{Also|Wiring Push Buttons and Conventional Digital Joysticks}}

== Quick disconnect sizes ==
For easy connection/disconnection, many joysticks and switches use standard sized tabs. Compatible connectors are named "quick disconnect terminals". (QDs)

Most microswitches use 0.187" (4.8 mm) QDs and some use 0.250" (6 mm) QDs. Most two tab buttons (Sanwa, Seimitsu, Goldleaf, etc.) and leaf switches use 0.110" QDs. (2.8 mm). Check the product description or measure the tabs to ensure you get the the correct size.
<center>
<gallery widths=220px heights=220px>
File:QuickDisconnectsFemale.png|Female quick disconnect terminals
File:QuickDisconnectsMale.png|Male quick disconnect terminals
</gallery>
</center>
The color-coded plastic insulation sleeve indicates the size wire(s) that the terminal is designed for. Red is used for 18-22 AWG wire, blue is used for 14-16 AWG, and yellow is used for 10-12 AWG.

== Soldering ==
Soldering is another option for connecting wires to components. Soldering electronics is a specialist skill which requires practise.

Soldering is the process of joining two metal components by melting a filler (the solder) between them. Often the joining process is accelerated by the use of a flux liquid to clean/prepare the surfaces. A soldered joint is semi permanent - the joint can be broken by melting the solder again.

A good solder connection will have both good mechanical connection (physically strong) '''and''' good electrical connection. (low resistance)

After soldering, always clean the joint and surrounding area with a cotton swab dipped in isopropyl alcohol to remove any residual flux and solder.

See also: [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,129317.msg1322370.html#msg1322370 Soldering tutorial]

== Commonly used wire sizes ==
Most control panels use between 20AWG and 30AWG wire to connect controls. AWG stands for [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_wire_gauge American Wire Gauge].
22AWG stranded wire is a popular choice -- small enough to work with fairly easily, big enough for solid crimp connections and carrying current for many LED setups.

See Wikipedia for other wire gauges [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_wire_gauge British Standard Wire Gauge], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEC_60228 IEC 60228] and [http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/28/Gauge_Chart.pdf Gauge comparison chart].

== How do I wire microswitches to an encoder? ==
The illustration demonstrates a common way of connecting the microswitches. Please read the topic [[Working with Microswitches]] for a detailed description of the microswitch connectors.
<center>
[[Image:PushbuttonMicroswitchWire.png|300px]]
</center>
Wires 1 and 2 go to the Encoder input for the function you want the push button to activate. For example if the left button is the "Player 1 Start" button, the red wire labelled "1" goes to the corresponding input on the encoder. Note how the black wire labelled "3" is connected to the COM tab of both microswitches. The black daisy-chain ground wire goes to the ground connecter of the encoder.

<center>
[[Image:PushbuttonMicroswitchWire1a.png|620px]]
</center>
The first schematic shows the same switches and wires connected to encoder (gray) input 1, input 2, and ground.

With no buttons pressed, the encoder inputs and wires have 5v connected to them, but like a light switch that is off, there is no path for current flow through the inputs.

The other schematics show the encoder registering a button press when ground is connected to the input which allows current to flow through that part of the circuit like flipping a light switch to turn on a light.

== Power wiring ==
{{Template:DisclaimerElectricity}}
[[image:IECPowerSwitch.jpg|right|thumb|IEC power inlet with fuse and lighted switch]]
One popular choice for neatly bringing power into a cab is a power inlet with an IEC320 C14 socket.

Some of them have built-in switches and/or fuse holders.

A number of vendors carry similar products with several different types of switches.

See [[Wiring#IEC_Fused_Power_Inlet_with_a_Lighted_Switch | IEC Fused Power Inlet with a Lighted Switch]] for details.

 

=Illuminating your cabinet=
{{Main|Lighting}}
{{Also|Finishing}}

== LED Lighting ==
Most arcade LEDs are designed to run on either 5v or 12v circuits.

You can use 12v LEDs powered by 5v for extremely-low power consumption -- commonly used for standalone USB control panels to avoid the use of a second cable for LED power.

== Single color buttons ==
These are lit by a single-color LED.

== RGB buttons ==
Can be hard-wired to operate like single color buttons, but the most common way to use these LEDs is with a controller.

These LEDs have 4 wires: Operating voltage (yellow or black wire), red ground, green ground, and blue ground.

[http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,121965.msg1294271.html#msg1294271 This forum topic] has a comparison of various RGB lighting modules and push buttons.

== LED controllers ==
An LED controller allows the computer to switch LEDs on and off, change the brightness and (in the case of RGB LEDs) change the color. This allows you to illuminate buttons based on what game is being played or create animated light displays.

Several vendors sell LED controller boards for this purpose. Commonly used controllers are LED-Wiz, Pac-LED64, Pac-Drive, and U-HID.

The software [http://www.ledblinky.net/ledblinky.htm LEDBlinky] can be used to drive the controllers. The LEDBlinky software is compatible with various [[Front-Ends|Front end software]].

= Displays =
{{Main|Video}}
Displays come in two basic types: CRT and Flatscreen. Both have advantages and disadvantages.
CRT stands for [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathode_ray_tube Cathode Ray Tube] and works by sending beams of electrons to a fluorescent screen. CRT displays in the consumer markets are becomming less and less common in favor of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flatscreen flatscreen displays]. Flatscreen displays are available in LCD, LED, OLED, and plasma variants -- each with their own strengths and weaknesses but are generally categorised by availability and pricepoint.
A small number of arcade cabinets used speciality displays such as backscreen projection.

See also the [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,45137.0.html Monitor FAQ] topic on the forums.

== Differences: pros/cons ==
'''Arcade CRT monitor''' The arcade monitor offers the best arcade experience as these are the monitors used in the original cabinets. These monitors are hard to find. These monitors usually support low resolutions (which may or may not be a con, depending on the types of games you plan to play). {{Also|Arcade Monitors}}

*'''PRO +''' Offer a real arcade experience.
*'''CON -''' Hard to find.
*'''CON -''' Requires a special videocard to use with a PC.

'''CRT television''' The CRT television can be used as a display. {{Also|Televisions}}

*'''PRO +''' Close to an arcade monitor.
*'''PRO +''' Cheap and easy to find 2nd hand market.
*'''PRO +''' Common in the 4:3 aspect ratio (most common ratio for arcade games).
*'''PRO +''' Europe only: Most European TVs have the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scart SCART] connector for easier RGB connection. This makes the TV work exactly like an arcade monitor. See also [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,77370.0.html this forum topic].
*'''CON -''' Generally very heavy (especially those larger than 19 inches).

'''CRT monitor''' The CRT monitor is a regular CRT PC monitor. Some types of CRT monitors ([[MultiSync Monitors]]) can display arcade hardware natively. {{Also|PC Monitors}}

*'''PRO +''' Close to an arcade monitor (but not as close as a CRT television).
*'''PRO +''' Cheap and easy to find for sizes up to and including 19 inch on 2nd hand market.
*'''PRO +''' Common in the 4:3 aspect ratio (most common ratio for arcade games).
*'''CON -''' Harder to find in sizes of 21 inch and above (even in the 2nd hand market).
*'''CON -''' Generally very heavy (especially ones larger than 19 inches).

'''LCD Flatpanel''' The flatpanel computer monitors are the most common computer displays at the moment.

*'''PRO +''' Lightweight.
*'''PRO +''' Easy to mount inside a cabinet (due to the VESA [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flat_Display_Mounting_Interface mounting standard]).
*'''PRO +''' Cheap and commonly available.
*'''CON -''' Sizes above 19" are usually in the 16:9 (widescreen) aspect ratio (4:3 is more common in arcade games).
*'''CON -''' Lack the authentic look ("too clean"). Some emulators provide graphic filters to simulate the look of a CRT monitor.
*'''CON -''' The viewing angle might be a problem (depends on the model and make- but it is something to keep in mind).
*'''PRO/CON''' Has a "native" resolution, which means it will look the best in a specific setting. Most emulators and software can be set to use this resolution.

'''LED Flatpanel''' LED display technology is an improvement over LCD technology and is currently common used in flatpanel televisions. If you plan to use a television model for your arcade, it is advised to verify if the connection options for the display are compatible to the computer you plan to use.

*'''PRO +''' Lightweight.
*'''PRO +''' Easy to mount inside a cabinet (due to the VESA [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flat_Display_Mounting_Interface mounting standard]).
*'''PRO +''' Available in large sizes.
*'''PRO +''' Wide viewing angle compared to LCD.
*'''CON -''' Generally more expensive than LCD monitors.
*'''CON -''' Nearly all LED displays are in the 16:9 (widescreen) aspect ratio (4:3 is more common in arcade games).
*'''CON -''' Lack the authentic look ("too clean"). Some emulators provide graphic filters to simulate the look of a CRT monitor.
*'''PRO/CON''' Has a "native" resolution, which means it will look the best in a specific setting. Most emulators and software can be set to use this resolution.

== Types of video connections ==
The type of connection depends on the display and the computer (or arcade hardware) used.

This is a list with common connection types and how to recognize them. Some connectors can be converted to another connector type by using a conversion cable; usually conversion is only backwards compatible (ie. Component can be converted to Composite, but not the other way around).

* '''Composite''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Composite_video composite connector] is commonly indicated by a single yellow [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RCA_connector RCA connector]. The signal (usually referred to as ''CVBS'' signal) is an analogue signal. This type of connector is often found on older TV sets.

*'''S-Video''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S-Video S-Video] connection (sometimes referred to as Y/C) is a (small) round with four pins. The quality is better than composite but the available color depth is not as good as component. The S-Video is connection available on some PC video cards (as secondary connector) due to it's small connector size. A S-Video signal can be converted to composite using a conversion cable.

* '''Component''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Component_video component video] (sometimes referred to as YCbCr or YPbPr) connection is indicated by three [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RCA_connector RCA connectors] color coded red, green and blue. The video signal is an [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YPbPr analogue signal]. It is often incorrect assumed that this is an RGB signal (the confusion often stems from the color code of the cables). This is the best available analogue signal, it is commonly found on large television sets. A native YCbCr can be converted to composite or S-video using a conversion cable.

* '''SCART''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SCART SCART connector] is common in Europe- almost all TVs sold are equipped with the connector (another name for SCART is ''EuroAV''). The SCART connector can carry a mix of signals including analogue and digital RGB. The SCART connector can be identified as a two row 21 pin connector. Standard arcade monitors use the 'RGB with sync' signal which is also available in SCART. Note that SCART is a connector standard- it does not automatically mean that a device with a SCART connector is capable displaying all modes the SCART connector can offer. In addition to video, the SCART connector can also carry stereo audio. There is no "native SCART" signal, but there are conversion cables available to connect Composite, S-Video and VGA signals to SCART.

* '''VGA connector''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VGA_connector VGA connector] (The connector itself is called a DE-15 connector) is a connector recognisable as a three row 15 pin connector- usually color coded blue. It is one of the most common video connectors found on computers (even though it is superceded by DVI and HDMI connectors). The signal it carries is analogue RGB and produces a sharp image. A VGA signal can be converted to the DVI, SCART-RGB, Component, S-Video and Composite with a conversion cable. Keep in mind that for some conversions the host must be able to output a specified

* '''DVI''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Visual_Interface DVI connector] is a rectangular (usually white) connector with a three row 24 pin and a two row 4 pin configuration. The DVI connector is a common connector on computers. The DVI standard can carry both analogue and digital video signals. A native DVI signal can be converted to VGA or HDMI with a conversion cable. Note that it is possible to convert VGA to DVI, it is however not possible to convert a native VGA signal via DVI to HDMI.

* '''HDMI''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HDMI HDMI connector] is a flat connector with a two row 19 pin configuration (the pins are usually joined by a plastic center). The HDMI connector is the current industry standard for high definition video and audio signal connections. A native HDMI signal may be converted to DVI with a conversion cable.

<gallery>
File:composite-jackplug.png|Composite
File:svideo-jackplug.png|S-Video
File:component-jackplug.png|Component
File:scart-jackplug.png|SCART
File:vga-jackplug.png|VGA
File:dvi-jackplug.png|DVI
File:hdmi-jackplug.png|HDMI
</gallery>

== Response time and input lag==
Response time is the time for a display to change a pixel from black to white and back to black. This should not be confused with '''input lag'''. Video response times are often listed in the specification sheet of LCD or LED monitors. CRT displays have very fast response time due the refresh rates of 50hz or 60hz.

Slow reponse times may result in blurred movement. See also [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Response_time_(technology)#Display_technologies the Wikipedia page] for more information on response times.

Input lag is the time it takes between an user action and the result being processed and displayed on the display. Input lag can be a problem in games where timing is essential such as rythm-action or fighting games. Since the processing of user input is also emulated, this may cause timing issues.

Input lag can come from software (emulators), firmware (some cheap encoders) or hardware (video converters or TV circuitry).
Modern TVs have additional features to enhance the picture quality, these features however may contribute to input lag- check if the TV you are using has a "game mode" setting which bypasses most of the features.
Some emulators offer options to sacrifice parts of the emulation for the benefit of speed. Another solution may be a faster computer to speed up emulation. The final option is to switch from emulation to simulation (for example use ''Step Mania'' to play ''Dance Dance Revolution'' style of games).

See also [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Input_lag Wikipedia] for more information on input lag.

= Software =
{{Main|Software}}
A variety of software, emulators, and simulators allow you to play a huge number of arcade, console, and PC games on a computer. The software used as a foundation of a home arcade machine generally consists of:
*Emulators to run specific game ROMs on a computer
*ROMs and related files such as MAME bios files (Marble Madness needs atarisy1.zip) and CHD files (Simpsons Bowling needs simpbowl.chd)
*A front-end menu system to easily select and launch games

== What is an emulator? What is a simulator? ==
An emulator is a software program that duplicates the operation of the computer hardware, firmware/software, and gameplay of an older game system. As the name implies it 'emulates' the system.
''See also: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emulator Wikipedia article on Emulators].''

Emulators are often confused with [[Simulators|simulators]]. A simulator does not try to re-create the operation of the original computer hardware/software/firmware but re-create the game itself. Therefore, an emulator provides an accurate re-creation of a game and a simulator provides a near-accurate rendition.

A simulator is often used when part or all of the game does not use fimware/software. Example: In Visual Pinball, the pinball playfield, lights, flippers and ball of Baby Pac-Man (the physical/mechanical parts) are simulated, while the videogame part is emulated using the original game ROMs.

=== What is a ROM? ===
{{Main|ROMs}}
For the original games - '''R'''ead '''O'''nly '''M'''emory chips on the game board/cartridge that hold the program code for a game/game system.
For emulators - .ZIP or .7z file(s) containing a copy ("dump") of the game/game system code.

=== Why do my ROMs not work? ===
It is not always guaranteed that a particular game ROM will work with a given emulator. The original memory chips may use encryption that is not yet decoded or a game may use a specific function that the chosen emulator does not currently support. Some games also require additional data such as a CD-Rom image or harddisk data - usually supplied as CHD ('''C'''ompressed '''H'''unks of '''D'''ata) files. Also, the data extraction method/format may not be compatible with the emulator (or emulator version) of choice.

When using MAME, one can use '''clrmamepro''' [http://mamedev.emulab.it/clrmamepro/] or your emulator's "Audit" function (if available) to check the version and filenames of ROMs compared to your MAME emulator program version. See also the [[Utilities#ROM_Managers.2C_Renamers_.26_Dats|rom manager]] section for other tools.

=== Commonly used emulators ===
{{Also|Arcade Emulators}}
{{Also|MAME Variants}}

The most common used emulator for arcade machines is [[MAME]], short for '''M'''ultiple '''A'''rcade '''M'''achine '''E'''mulator. MAME can emulate a wide range of arcade hardware and thus can run many different games. However for some types of arcade hardware, very specific emulators are created which may perform better. For example [[Supermodel]] is a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Sega_arcade_system_boards#Sega_Model_3 SEGA Model 3] emulator.

MAME is a major emulator in the arcade community, there are many different variants or "flavors" of MAME. These modified MAME variants often maintain the version numbering of the official (commonly referred to as "vanilla") MAME version to be clear what the base features and compatible ROM sets are. See [[MAME Variants]]. The most common variants are:

<center>
{|class="wikitable"
|MAME
|The "official" command line program that the other variants are based on.
|[http://www.mamedev.org/]
|-
|NoNag patched
|Suppresses error messages that are useful when troubleshooting.
|[http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,64298.0.html]
|-
|MAMEUI
|Built in frontend.
|[http://www.mameui.info/]
|-
|MAMEUIFX
|Built in frontend.
|[http://mame32fx.altervista.org/home.htm]
|-
|MAME Hub
|Added network play.
|[http://sites.google.com/site/mamehub/]
|-
|HB MAME
|Dedicated "homebrew" hacks.
|[http://hbmame.the-chronicles.org/index.html]
|-
|Groovy MAME
|Mainly aimed at CRT monitors and alleviating some annoyances associated with emulation on LCD displays.
|[http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?board=52.0]
|}
</center>

=== Should I upgrade my emulators to the latest version? ===
The answer is almost always '''NO'''. This is often a case of, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."

Only upgrade your emulators if you benefit from the upgrade -- for example the new version now supports a game you want to play. Keep in mind that upgrading your emulators probably means that your ROMs need updating as well. If the new release fixes something that makes it worth the time and effort to update your ROMs '''and''' will still run well on your system, consider the update.

== What is a Front end? ==
{{Main|Front-Ends}}
A front end is software used to launch games. With some emulators it can be quite a hassle to switch between games, as each game may require different settings. A front end can provide the end user with a seamless experience from selecting to playing games.
There are many front ends available, each with their own strengths and weaknesses.
Please check the table on the [[Front-Ends]] wiki page for features of various front ends.

== Other useful software ==
{{Main|Utilities}}
The community has produced many small tools and utilities to enhance the home arcade experience. Some utilities are used to overcome a shortcoming of an emulator or the operating system, others are created to support a specific piece of hardware.
Utilities may include [[Utilities#Input Mapping Software|input mapping software]] to redirect keystrokes to joystick buttons (or vice versa), tools to [[Utilities#Video Tools|manipulate the video display]] - for example switch between horizontal and vertical orientation of the display.

= Forum tips for asking questions that get good/faster answers: =
* Search first, somebody else has probably encountered this problem before -- don't ask people to retype the same old answers to the same old questions.
* Take your time editing the post so it is specific, clear, and easy to read.
* Whenever possible, include decent pics/screencaps/diagrams/part numbers/links.
* Include software/OS versions if applicable.
* Include your location when asking about parts/vendors or electrical wiring. (different countries use different wire colors and/or voltages)

'''DISCLAIMER:''' The authors of the document linked below ask that we remind you that they are not a help desk for your project.

More useful tips on asking smart questions [http://www.catb.org/esr/faqs/smart-questions.html here].

:''[[#top|Back to the top of this document]]''

=Help make this wiki even better=
You are welcome to contribute to this wiki. Take a look at the [[Community Portal]] for more information on how to help out. To contribute as an author or editor, you first need to create an account on the [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/ BYOAC forum] and then post in [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,136208.msg1407831.html#msg1407831 this thread] of the forum. One of the wiki moderators ([[User:Saint|Saint]], [[User:Felsir|Felsir]], or [[User:PL1|PL1]]) will help you get started.

=Resources and acknowledgments=
The inspiration for this FAQ is the MAME FAQ written in 2003 by CitznFish. It is available via the [http://web.archive.org/web/20081006130304/http://www.arcade-at-home.com/mame_faq.html Internet Wayback Machine]. 
The collective experience found on [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com the Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum]. 
Images used in the [[#Types_of_cabs|types of cabs]] section are based on the Sketchup models made by [http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/cldetails?clid=4ac3dc12784cb20bd06e6be4f8954ac Gozer]. 

[[Category:Index]]

Spinners and Dials

2025-07-09T21:05:56Z

PL1: Fixed "bad" game list links.

A '''Spinner''' is a knob that can be spun rapidly in either direction to move an on-screen paddle or character. Spinners provide precise analog control like a mouse, but act only along one axis. Spinners were used for many popular early arcade games such as Pong, Tempest, Arkanoid, and Tron.
{{Cleanup}}

=What is a Spinner?=

You might remember the spinner from games like Tempest and Arkanoid. The player turns a knob to move the on-screen character. But what's going on behind the scenes; what's that knob attached to?

Underneath the control panel, the shaft comes down from the knob above. Mounted on the shaft, is an optical encoder wheel- a flat disk with notches cut around the outside edge. These notches pass though a set of infra-red optics, that detect the notches as they spin by. There are two sets of optics, spaced such that they see the notches spin by just a little bit out of sync. The combined signal from both of these optics tells the game which direction the disk is turning, and how fast. This is also how a trackball works, as well as a ball-type PC mouse.

If you are buying or building a working spinner for your cabinet, you will need the Spinner (the mechanical part,) the optics(the part that watches the spinning,) and the optical encoder (the part that sends info to the computer.) If a manufacturer advertises "USB Connectivity" that generally means that it is an all in one solution, and no additional parts are required. Otherwise, you'll find that optics are generally included, but an encoder is not. In the rare occurence that your spinner does not have optics included, they can be built with parts from your local electronic store, or you can build them based off of a [[Optical_Encoders#Mouse_Hack|mouse hack.]] If the unit does not ship with an optical encoder, you can purchase one from an aftermarket seller. You can find out more about [[Optical_Encoders|optical encoders here.]]

Note: Paddles, while similar to spinners in that they rotate and have knobs, are usually based on potentiometers (like a volume knob on an old TV or radio), rather than the optics in a spinner. Spinners, as the name suggests, spin. There is no end to how many times the knob can fully rotate in any direction. They often move things in a game in a circular fashion, as in Tempest or TRON. Paddles are the precursor to the spinner. The paddles found on early arcade games (like pong) rotated a full 360 degrees but used a 360 potentiometer (or pot) rather than an optical encoder. Since a pot requires physical contact, they tend to spin less freely than a true spinner. MAME adds to confusion by classifying 270 degree steering wheels as paddles. This is false as most, if not all arcade games that actually used paddles used 360 degree paddles and 270 degree wheels used a regular linear potentiometer (like a radio knob, which can only turn so far). There is such a thing as a 270 degree paddle though, just to make things even more confusing. As a matter of fact, many pong clones used the 270 degree paddles as they were cheaper. Most of your home versions of pong also used the 270 degree paddles. Most emulators will let you play paddle games with a spinner, but spinner games are generally not playable with paddles, mostly due to the fact that paddles just don't spin that well.

=Spinner Varieties=

#Tempest- Fast spinning lightweight spinner, which is very popular with arcade enthusiassts. It has 72 teeth on the encoder wheel, with nylon upper and lower bearings on the shaft. This was the model for the Oscar Vortex aftermarket spinner.
#Arkanoid- The "geared" spinner. Rather than mounting the encoder wheel directly to the shaft, the Arkanoid spinner used two sets of gears between the knob and the encoder wheel, to make the spinner extremely sensitive. While the encoder wheel only has 24 notches, the gearing causes 486 notches to pass through the optics for every turn of the knob! Due to the lightweight and friction from the gearing, the Arkanoid spinner stops the instant you take your hand off the knob.
#360° Steering Wheels - Games like the original Pole Position and Sprint 2 used steering wheels that were essentially giant spinners. The Pole Position steering wheel, for instance, was geared similarly to an Arkanoid spinner. However, the gear ratio was only 5:1 to a 24 notch encoder wheel (96 notches per wheel revolution). This and the mechanical advantage of the large steering wheel rather than a small knob, let the wheel spin freely. Sprint 2 (and Sprint 1, and probably Sprints 4 and 8)used an ungeared 38 notch encoder cup, and spun freely.
#Discs of Tron ''Push/Pull''- This spinner used a giant 128-notch encoder wheel with a push / pull switch feature built into the spindle shaft. When the player pulled up or down on the spinner, a leafswitch was activated. This was used to control the high / low aim of the disc in later levels of the game. Zwackery also used a Push/Pull spinner, and Forgotten Worlds used a push only (no pull) spinner. Oscar Controls marketed a Push/Pull spinner with a slightly different design, and a smaller 72 notch encoder wheel, but it is no longer available for purchase. The Oscar V2 had a Push option, and a Pull kit was rumored to be in the works before Oscar Controls closed down.

=Spinner Brands=

==[http://GroovyGameGear.com GroovyGameGear]==
[[Image:TurboTwist2.jpg|right|200px|thumb|GGG's TurboTwist 2 spinner Photo © IDVT Inc. / GroovyGameGear.com, Used with permission.]]
The successor to their original TurboTwist, the TurboTwist 2 is relatively new to the spinner scene. The most instantly noticeable feature of this spinner is its very small footprint; it is designed to fit a standard 1 1/8" pushbutton hole and occupies little more space inside the control panel. The TurboTwist 2 has a dual ball-bearing design with all components sealed inside its housing. The TurboTwist 2 has an extra-high resolution encoder wheel, and comes with it's own USB or PS/2 Opti-Wiz interface. The interface can be configured to put the spinner on the X, Y, or Z mouse axis, and will control other optic devices on the remaining two axes, such as a trackball, or additional spinners/steering wheels/optical rotary joysticks. Several optional extras are also available for the TurboTwist 2, such as a novel mini steering-wheel and a heavy 'energy storage cylinder'.

GroovyGameGear also sells the "TurboTwist High-Low" push/pull spinner, appropriate for games such as Discs of Tron and Forgotten Worlds.
 

==[http://www.ultimarc.com Ultimarc]==
[[Image:Spintrack1.jpg|right|120px|thumb|Ultimarc's SpinTrak spinner (older style) Photo © Ultimarc.com, Used with permission.]]
Ultimarc recently announced their own contribution to the spinner market. The SpinTrak uses a sealed-component design (the encoder wheel and other components are protected inside the spinners housing) and is compatible with SlikStik's custom spinner knobs.
 

=Defunct Spinner Brands=
==[http://oscarcontrols.com/ Oscar Controls]==
Oscar Controls was a popular manufacturer of spinners for the hobbyist market until recently. Several models were produced over the years, including the Model One, Pro, Vortex, Push/Pull, and V2. These spinners did not include an encoder and required connection to an [[Optical_Encoders#Opti-PAC|Opti-Pac]] or to a [[Optical_Encoders#Mouse_Hack|mouse hack]].
 

==[http://www.slikstik.com/spinfeat.htm SlikStik]==
[[Image:SlikStikTornadoSpinner.jpg|150px|right|thumb|SlikStik's Tornado spinner]]
The Tornado was billed as the "longest spinning" spinner on the market. With an extra-small footprint, and dual-bearing design, the Tornado was very well made. Plans to sell the Tornado with a plain-jane optic card were also announced.
 

==[http://www.apachecontrols.com/ Apache Controls]==
[[Image:ApacheControlsBlackhawkPushPullSPinner.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Apache Controls' Blackhawk spinner]]
Ever since the original Atari Discs Of Tron push-pull NOS spinners disappeared from the market and Oscar Controls stopped producing their push-pull spinners, they have been highly sought after by collectors and arcade restorers. For further details take a look at the [http://www.retroblast.com/reviews/apache-070106-01.html RetroBlast review] of this spinner.
 

==[http://ArcadeGames4U.com ArcadeGames4U]==
The Cyclone had a dual-bearing design, with a lower resolution encoder wheel. The Cyclone shipped with an optic card, but no interface.
 

=Build Your Own Spinner=

For those of us who would prefer to build their own spinner or cannot afford a retail unit, with a few spare parts that most likely are already lying around, can easily build your own. Here are some links to help you along your way:

'''[http://arcadecontrols.com/files/Miscellaneous/spinner.pdf Nathan Strum's Cheep Spinner]'''

'''[http://www.doughansen.net/arcade/spinner.htm DHansen's Arcade Stupidity Spinner]'''

'''[http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=17522.0 BYO "Nasty-Spinner" Thread]'''

'''List of compatible hard drives:'''

WD Caviar 1200 210 MB Drive

WD Caviar 11200 1.2 GB Drive

* Please feel free to add to the list of compatible drives if you have successfully built your own spinner with a drive that is not listed.

'''[http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=69812.0 BYO "Arkanoid (I) spinner from VCR parts" Thread]'''

=FAQs=
==Which games originally used a spinner/paddle?==
The lists below are incomplete, but can be used as a guide to find many games that used a spinner (optical) or paddle. (potentiometer)
===Standard spinner games===
*Arkanoid arkanoid
*Arkanoid - Revenge of Doh arknoid2
*Arkanoid Returns arkretrn
*Aztarac aztarac (spinner and trigger stick)
*Blasteroids (version 4) blstroid
*Boxing Bugs boxingb
*Cameltry (US) cameltry
*Cosmic Chasm (set 1) cchasm
*Crater Raider crater (spinner and trigger stick)
*Dark Planet darkplnt
*Free Kick freekick
*Ghox (spinner) ghox
*Gigas gigas
*Gigas Mark II gigasm2b
*Goindol (world) goindol
*Homo homo
*Mad Planets mplanets (spinner and trigger stick)
*Puzz Loop puzzloop
*Puzz Loop 2 pzloop2
*Quester quester
*Riddle of Pythagoras ridleofp
*Star Trek startrek
*Tac/Scan tacscan
*Tempest (rev 3) tempest
*Tempest Tubes temptube
*Tournament Arkanoid arkatour
*Tron tron (spinner and trigger stick)
*Victory victory
*Vs. Hot Smash hotsmash
*Wheel Of Fortune wfortune
*Wolf Pack (prototype) wolfpack

===Push/pull spinner games===
*Discs of Tron (Upright) dotron (push/pull spinner and trigger stick)
*Forgotten Worlds forgottn (push spinner and joystick)
*Kozmik Kroozr kroozr (push spinner and trigger stick)
*Zwackery zwackery (push/pull spinner and trigger stick)

===Roller (single axis trackball) games===
*Kick (upright) kick
*Kickman (upright) kickman
*Major Havoc (rev 3) mhavoc
*Moonwar moonwar

=== 360° steering wheel (optical) games===
*American Speedway (set 1) amspdwy
*APB - All Points Bulletin (set 1) apb
*Bad Lands badlands
*Buggy Challenge buggychl
*Championship Sprint csprint
*Change Lanes changela
*Chase H.Q. chasehq
*Cruis'n USA crusnusa
*Danny Sullivan's Indy Heat indyheat
*Demolition Derby demoderb
*Drag Race dragrace
*Final Lap 2 finalap2
*Fire Truck firetrk
*Grand Champion grchamp
*Great 1000 Miles Rally gtmrusa (NOTE: This game PCB can use either a 270° potentiometer or 360° optical steering wheel)
*Hot Rod (turbo 3 player) hotrod
*Ironman Ivan Stewart's Super Off-Road offroad
*Ironman Ivan Stewart's Super Off-Road Track-Pak offroadt
*Konami GT konamigt
*Mille Miglia 2: Great 1000 Miles Rally (95/05/24) gtmr2
*Monte Carlo montecar
*Off the Wall (Atari) offtwall (3 player)
*Off the Wall (Sente) otwalls (2 player)
*Over Drive overdriv
*Pole Position polepos
*Pole Position II polepos2
*Redline Racer (2 players) redlin2p
*Road Blasters (set 1) roadblst
*Special Criminal Investigation sci
*Speed Freak speedfrk
*Sprint 1 sprint1
*Sprint 2 sprint2
*Stocker stocker
*Subs subs
*Super Bug superbug
*Super Speed Race sspeedr
*Super Speed Race Junior ssrj
*Super Sprint ssprint
*Turbo turbo

===Paddle (potentiometer) games===
*Avalanche avalnche
*Beam Invader beaminv
*Bomb Bee bombbee
*Circus circus
*Clowns (rev. 2) clowns
*Cutie Q cutieq
*Field Goal fgoal
*Gee Bee geebee
*Gypsy Juggler gypsyjug
*Rip Cord ripcord
*Super Breakout sbrkout
*Warlords warlords (4 player)

===Steering wheel (potentiometer) games===
*California Speed calspeed
*Chequered Flag chqflag
*Cyber Cycles cybrcycc
*Daytona USA daytona
*Final Lap finallap
*Great 1000 Miles Rally gtmrusa (NOTE: This game PCB can use either a 270° potentiometer or 360° optical steering wheel)
*Hard Drivin' harddriv
*Out Run outrun
*Power Drift pdrift
*Ridge Racer ridgerac
*Ridge Racer 2 ridgera2
*Road Riot 4WD roadriot
*Spy Hunter spyhunt

===Non-standard spinner and paddle game controllers===
*720 Degrees (set 1) 720 (Optical 720 spinner/joy hybrid)
*Blue Shark blueshrk (Positional gun, potentiometer)
*Boot Hill boothill (Y-axis-only analog joystick used for aiming your gun)
*Destroyer destroyr (Y-axis control lever, potentiometer)
*Fire One fireone (Two periscope-handled player controls with thumb buttons, potentiometer)
*Hang-On hangon (Motorcycle handlebars, potentiometer)
*Lunar Lander (rev 2) llander (Spring-loaded thruster handle, potentiometer)
*Omega Race omegrace (Free-turning potentiometer with a built-in encoder that converts analog to 6-bit gray code)
*Panic Park panicprk (Lever arms, potentiometer)
*Sea Wolf seawolf (Periscope, potentiometer)
*Sea Wolf II seawolf2 (Two periscopes, potentiometer)
*Up Scope upscope (Periscope, potentiometer)

===Other game lists:===
*[[Joysticks#Mechanical_Rotary_Joystick_Games_.28LS-30.2C_Happ_Mechanical_Rotary_Sticks.29 | Rotary Joystick Games]]
*[[Joysticks#Games_with_Dual_Joysticks | Dual Joystick Games]]
*[[Joysticks#Analog_Joysticks | Analog Joystick and Yoke Games]]
*[[Light_Guns#Lightgun_Games_List | Lightgun Games]]
*[[Multi-Player_Games | Multi-Player Games]]
*2-player game list -- dgame compiled an excellent list of 200 games [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,129295.msg1327639.html#msg1327639 here].
*"All Killer, No Filler" game lists -- BadMouth compiled these excellent collections [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,149708.0.html here] -- 1. SHMUPS, 2. VS FIGHTERS, 3. SPORTS, 4. PUZZLE, 5. RUN 'N GUN, 6. BEAT 'EM UP/HACK 'N SLASH, 7. PLATFORM, and 8. CLASSICS.

==Two Spinners on a control panel; is it worth it?==
The answer is an unequivocal ''maybe''. There are several factors to keep in mind when trying to determine whether you should buy and install 2 spinners on your control panel.
#Budget- Spinners are somewhat expensive. Buying 2 aftermarket spinners with optics will set you back about $80-$160.
#Software- Can your software support 2 mice at the same time. Make sure you have a version of mame that can support 2 spinners if they're both individual USB units. If you have them both plugged into an [[Optical_Encoders#Opti-PAC|Optipac]] this won't be a problem.
#Space- Depending on the model, spinners can take up a lot of room under the surface of a control panel. The Oscar Controls Push/Pull spinner was approximately 5.5x6" for instance. Also, the more spinners you have, the less room you may have for other features and joysticks.
#Games- Most importantly, do you like any games that use more than 1 spinner? Below is a (non-definitive) list of multi-spinner games
##Paddle Games
###Arkanoid Returns
###Off the Wall (Atari)
###Off the Wall (Bally Sente)
###Warlords (uses 4!)
###Pop'n Bounce
###Plump Pop
###VS Blok Breaker
##Flying
###Blasteroids
###Two Tigers
##Driving
###Super Off Road
### Super Sprint (uses 3!)
###Championship Super Sprint
###Bad Lands
###Ironman Ivan Stewart's Super Off-Road (uses 3!)
###Ironman Stewart's Super Off-Road Track Pack (uses 3!)
###Danny Sullivan's Indy Heat
## Other
###Atari 2 player games
###Puzzloop / Puzzloop 2
###Puzzle Bobble 2/3/4 (a.k.a. Bust a move)
###Forgotten Worlds

==If I can have only a spinner or a trackball... which should I choose?==
'''insert pro/con arguments here'''
relevant links in msg board. delete links once the info has been added.
* http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=25477.0
* http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=37876.0
* http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=36036.0

==See Also==
* [[Controls]]
* [[Spinner_Turn_Count]]

[[Category:Controls]]
[[Category:Index]]

Light Guns

2025-07-09T20:57:54Z

PL1: Fixed "bad" games list links.

A '''light gun''' is a gun that you can point and shoot at an arcade game screen to shoot objects in the game. Light guns of different size and shape are popular in almost all shooting games.

'''Editors Note''' - This page should contain brief descriptions of various lightguns available, and details of their setup. If any one portion of the page starts getting a little too long, a seperate page may be started for that topic.

==Act-Labs Lightgun==
'''Pros:'''
* These have been around for a while - so they have been more thoroughly tested/supported.

'''Cons:'''
* Only works on either a TV or a CRT Monitor - not both (corresponds to which model you buy)
* Does not allow continuous tracking
* Expensive

'''Related Links:''' [http://www.act-labs.com/products/gun1.htm Act-Labs Webpage] - [http://www.retroblast.com/reviews/actlabs.html Retroblast! Review]

==[[LCDTopGun]]==
'''Pros:'''
* Allows for Continuous tracking
* Works on ALL display types.

'''Cons:'''
* Relative newcomer, still working out kinks - shouldn't be long before these are the standard.
* Requires you to stand far away from the monitor.

'''Related Links:''' [http://www.lik-sang.com/info.php?category=266&products_id=8565& Lik-Sang Webpage] - [http://www.wizardsworks.org/chod/gun/topgun.htm Unofficial FAQ] - [http://www.silverfoxy.f2s.com/Topgun.html Unofficial Setup Info (Out of Date with recent Mame changes)] - [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=48982.0 BYOAC Forum Thread]

==GunCon2==

'''Pros:'''
* Cheap - You might already have these sitting around your house.

'''Cons:'''
* Requires hardware to work with CRT Monitors.*

*With one exception being the Guncon2 compatible:
RGT:G1, which works independently with any display.

'''Related Links:''' [http://xoomer.alice.it/guncon2/ GunCon2PC Driver Webpage] - [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=37872.0 BYOAC Forum Thread]

==AimTrak==
'''Pros:'''
*Ease of Use - Simple set up and calibration.
*Works on all TVs - LCDs, CRTs, it all works.
*Distance - Shoot from almost anywhere.
*Cost - A low price considering all of the perks.

'''Cons:'''
*Gun Shell - Requires the usage of homemade gun shell or a gutted gun peripheral.
*Newcomer to the market, but support is strong.

'''Related Links:''' [http://www.ultimarc.com/aimtrak.html Ultimarc Information Page]

== Lightgun Games List ==
This is an incomplete list of lightgun games.

*Born To Fight
*Catch-22
*Cheyenne
*Chiller
*Clay Pigeon
*Combat
*Crackshot
*Crossbow
*Gunbuster (light or positional?)
*Hit 'n Miss
*Mechanized Attack
*Mobil Suit Gundam Final Shooting (light or positional?)
*Operation Wolf
*Shooting Gallery
*Showdown
*Turkey Shoot (light or optical positional? -- no potentiometers)
*Who Dunit

Because of MAME's flexibility in handling inputs, a lightgun game like Operation Wolf will run pretty much the same as a positional gun game like Operation Wolf 3 using an analog joystick or trackball. (see the Analog Joystick game list for more positional gun games)

Other game lists:
*[[Spinners_and_Dials#Which_games_originally_used_a_spinner.2Fpaddle.3F | Spinner and Dial Games]]
*[[Joysticks#Mechanical_Rotary_Joystick_Games_.28LS-30.2C_Happ_Mechanical_Rotary_Sticks.29 | Rotary Joystick Games]]
*[[Joysticks#Games_with_Dual_Joysticks | Dual Joystick Games]]
*[[Joysticks#Analog_Joysticks Analog | Joystick and Yoke Games]]
*[[Multi-Player_Games | Multi-Player Games]]
*2-player game list -- dgame compiled an excellent list of 200 games [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,129295.msg1327639.html#msg1327639 here].
*"All Killer, No Filler" game lists -- BadMouth compiled these excellent collections [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,149708.0.html here] -- 1. SHMUPS, 2. VS FIGHTERS, 3. SPORTS, 4. PUZZLE, 5. RUN 'N GUN, 6. BEAT 'EM UP/HACK 'N SLASH, 7. PLATFORM, and 8. CLASSICS.

== Software Settings ==
[[Mame Lightgun Setup]]

==See Also==
* [[Controls]]

[[Category:Controls]]
[[Category:Index]]

Multi-Player Games

2025-07-09T20:52:28Z

PL1: Fixed "bad" game list links and added The Simpsons.

These gamelists include many of the multi-player (simultaneous) games in MAME.

You may want to check for games like Hard Dunk, a 6-player game that works well on a 4-player panel.

2-player games are not included here because that list would be ''way'' too long.

= 3-player games =
* Most use an 8-way joystick and 2 buttons, except as noted below.

Alien Storm (8-way joystick and 3 buttons per player)

Alien vs. Predator (8-way joystick and 3 buttons per player)

Armored Warriors (8-way joystick and 3 buttons per player)

Battle Toads

Brute Force

Cadillacs and Dinosaurs

Combatribes, The

Dark Adventure (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

Double Dragon 3 - The Rosetta Stone (8-way joystick and 3 buttons per player)

Judge Dredd -- 1993 prototype (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

Knights of the Round

Mercs

Michael Jackson's Moonwalker

Pig Out: Dine Like a Swine

Pit Fighter (8-way joystick and 3 buttons per player)

Power Drive (4 buttons per player)

Powered Gear: Strategic Variant Armor Equipment (8-way joystick and 3 buttons per player)

Rampage

Rampage World Tour (8-way joystick and 3 buttons per player)

Senjou no Ookami II

Star Guards (two 8-way joysticks per player)

Undercover Cops

Violent Storm

Wheel Of Fortune (1 button per player and a shared spinner -- can be played with joystick)
'''NOTE:''' The original game used a spinner, but if you use your joystick to select "spin wheel" and wait 5 seconds, the game will spin the wheel for you.

Xenophobe (8-way joystick and 3 buttons per player)

== 3-player games with specialized controls ==
Crypt Killer (light gun and 2 buttons per player)

Danny Sullivan's Indy Heat (Steering wheel and 2 buttons per player)

Hot Rod (Steering wheel and Pedal per player)

Ironman Ivan Stewart's Super Off-Road (Steering wheel and Pedal per player)

Ironman Ivan Stewart's Super Off-Road Track-Pak (Steering wheel and Pedal per player)

Rampart (trackball and 2 buttons per player)

Super Sprint (Steering wheel and Pedal per player)

Wheel Of Fortune (1 button per player and a shared spinner -- can be played with joystick -- see above)

= 4-Player games =
* Most use 8-way joysticks and 3 pushbuttons, except as noted below.

2 On 2 Open Ice Challenge a.k.a. NHL Open Ice

Arabian Fight (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Arabian Magic

Barricade (4 buttons '''or''' 1 joystick per player)

Battle Circuit (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Blazing Tornado (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

Bomber Man World (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Bucky O'Hare

Captain America and the Avengers (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Captain Commando (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Checkmate (8-way joystick per player)

Comotion (4-way joystick per player)

Cops'n Robbers (2-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Crime Fighters (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Desert Assault (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Dungeons and Dragons: Shadow Over Mystara (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

Dungeons and Dragons: Tower of Doom (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

Dunk Mania

Dynablaster (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Euro Champ '92 (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Escape Kids (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Exvania

Face Off (8-way joystick and 1 button per player)

Football Champ (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Gauntlet (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Gauntlet II (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

GI Joe

Gladiator, The (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

Golden Axe: The Revenge of Death Adder

Growl

Hat Trick Hero (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Hat Trick Hero '93 (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

Hat Trick Hero '94 (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

Hat Trick Hero '95 (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

Heated Barrel (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

High Impact Football (8-way joystick and 1 button per player)

Hit Me (3 buttons per player)

Hit the Ice (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Hook (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Hyper Sports Special (3 buttons per player)

John Elway's Team Quarterback (8-way joystick and 1 button per player, 2 analog joysticks for passing plays)

Karate Blazers (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

Knights of Valour (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

Knights of Valor 2 (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

Knuckle Heads

Main Event, The (8-way joystick and 1 button per player)

Metamorphic Force (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Muscle Bomber Duo

Mystic Warriors

NBA Hangtime/NBA Maximum Hangtime

NBA Jam

NBA Jam Extreme (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

NBA Jam Tournament Edition

NBA Play By Play

NBA Showtime/NFL Blitz 2000

NBA Showtime: NBA on NBC (49-way joystick and 3 buttons per player)

NBA Showtime - NBA on NBC [Gold Edition] (49-way joystick and 3 buttons per player)
'''NOTE:''' This is both a standalone game and part of Midway's Sportstation upgrade from NBA on NBC Gold (which just adds Blitz 2000 Gold to the cab making it a 2 in 1 cabinet.) Not available in MAME at this time.

NFL Blitz

NFL Blitz '99

NFL Blitz 2000 Gold edition

Ninja Baseball Batman (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Ninja Kids, The (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Numan Athletics

Oriental Legend (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

Punk Shot (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Quartet (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Rim Rockin' Basketball (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Ring Rage

Run and Gun

Run and Gun 2

Runark (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Rushing Heroes

Sangokushi II -- Asia region version of "Warriors of Fate"

Saturday Night Slam Masters a.k.a. Muscle Bomber: The Body Explosion

Silent Dragon

Simpsons, The (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Slam Dunk

Slam Dunk 2

Snow Bros. 2 - With New Elves (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Spider-man: The Videogame (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Sunset Riders (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Super Cup Finals (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

Super High Impact (8-way joystick and 1 button per player)

Tecmo Bowl (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Turtles in Time (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Tournament Cyberball 2072 (8-way joystick and 1 button per player)

Trog (8-way joystick and 1 button per player)

U.S. Championship V'ball (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Vendetta (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Vs. Tennis (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Warriors of Fate

Wayne Gretzky's 3D Hockey (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

World Soccer Finals (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

WWF Wrestlefest (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

X-Men (There are also 2-player and 6-player ROM versions)

== 4-player games with specialized controls ==
Atari Football (Trackball per player)

Atari Soccer (Trackball and 2 buttons per player)

Car Polo (Spinner and 3 buttons per player)

John Elway's Team Quarterback (8-way joystick and 1 button per player, 2 analog joysticks for passing plays)

Racin' Force (270 degree steering wheel/potentiometer and 3 buttons per player)

Sprint 4 (Steering wheel, 5 buttons)

TouchDown Fever (8-way [[Joysticks#Rotary_Joysticks|optical rotary]] joystick and 2 buttons per player)

TouchDown Fever 2 (8-way [[Joysticks#Rotary_Joysticks|optical rotary]] joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Tournament Table (Paddle/potentiometer and 1 pushbutton per player)

Warlords (Paddle/potentiometer and 1 pushbutton per player)

= 6-player games =
Hard Dunk (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

X-Men (There are also 2-player and 4-player ROM versions)

== 6-player games with specialized controls ==

= 8-player games =
Tank 8 (Double 2-way joysticks per player)

== 8-player games with specialized controls ==
Sprint 8 (Steering wheel, 2 buttons)

= Other game lists =
*[[Spinners_and_Dials#Which_games_originally_used_a_spinner.2Fpaddle.3F | Spinner and Dial Games]]

*[[Joysticks#Mechanical_Rotary_Joystick_Games_.28LS-30.2C_Happ_Mechanical_Rotary_Sticks.29 | Rotary Joystick Games]]

*[[Joysticks#Games_with_Dual_Joysticks | Dual Joystick Games]]

*[[Joysticks#Analog_Joysticks | Analog Joystick and Yoke Games]]

*[[Light_Guns#Lightgun_Games_List | Lightgun Games]]

*2-player game list -- dgame compiled an excellent list of 200 games [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,129295.msg1327639.html#msg1327639 here].

*"All Killer, No Filler" game lists -- BadMouth compiled these excellent collections [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,149708.0.html here] -- 1. SHMUPS, 2. VS FIGHTERS, 3. SPORTS, 4. PUZZLE, 5. RUN 'N GUN, 6. BEAT 'EM UP/HACK 'N SLASH, 7. PLATFORM, and 8. CLASSICS.

[[Category:Index]]

Joysticks

2025-07-09T20:37:22Z

PL1: Fixed "bad" games list links,

A '''Joystick''' is a device to let you manually control direction of movement in an arcade game. This article describes the most common types of joysticks used in arcade cabinets and game systems.

==Conventional Digital Joysticks: 8-way, 4-way & 2-way==
[[image:Stick-principal.jpg|200px|thumb|right|Stick diagram by JoyMonkey]]
Conventional joysticks are fairly simple devices without which Pac-Man would be ghost-fodder. When the joystick shaft is moved in any direction, the lower end of the stick is levered in the opposite direction and makes contact with switches, these switches are what tells Pac-Man to move and in which direction.

[[image:Directions.png|left]]By using four switches at the base of the joystick, 8 directions can be achieved; Up, Down, Left and Right as well as the four corner positions which are triggered by two switches being activated simultaneously. When you press the joystick diagonally up and to the right, both the "up switch" and the "right switch" are triggered simultaneously, indicating your diagonal move. Joysticks like this are known as 8-way joysticks.

Some joysticks were designed to specifically prevent the player from moving diagonally. For example, joysticks used in Pac-Man and Donkey Kong both have physical restrictions preventing the joystick from moving to the diagonals. Since the joysticks only allow movement in 4 directions (Up, Down, Left and Right) they are known as 4-way joysticks. While it is possible to use an 8-way joystick when playing 4-way games, it's not recommended, as accidentally hitting a diagonal with the joystick can create problems during gameplay, such as causing Mario to stand still or Pac-Man to become confused between moving up or to the side.

Other games, such as Defender, Joust, Mario Brothers and Galaga, used a 2-way joystick since movement was only necessary from left to right or up to down. While it may not be historically accurate, it is generally not a problem to use either 4-way or 8-way joysticks for these games.

Standard 8-way only joysticks:
:* [http://www.happ.com/joysticks/competition_joy.htm Happ Competition]
:* [http://www.happ.com/joysticks/ultimate_joy.htm Happ Ultimate] ([http://www.retroblast.com/20041130273/Hardware/RetroBlast-Review-Happ-Controls-Ultimate-Joystick.php review]) (can be ordered 2, 4, or 8-way)
:* [http://retroblast.com/reviews/joysticks/wico.html Wico 8-way Leafswitch Joystick (discontinued)].

Standard 4-way only joysticks:
:* Happ Ms.Pac/Galaga Reunion
:* Betson Ms.Pac/Galaga Reunion
:* [http://www.happ.com/joysticks/ultimate_joy.htm Happ Ultimate] ([http://www.retroblast.com/20041130273/Hardware/RetroBlast-Review-Happ-Controls-Ultimate-Joystick.php review]) (can be ordered 2, 4, or 8-way)
:* [http://www.retroblast.com/reviews/joysticks/wico.html Wico 4-Way Leafswitch (discontinued)].

====8-Way to 4-Way Switchable Joysticks====
Many 8-way joysticks that are sold can also be set to work in 4-way mode. There are two basic methods to change modes:

1) Changing a restrictor plate that only allows the joystick handle to be pushed in certain directions; or:

2) Changing the actuator (that's the small piece on the bottom end of the joystick shaft that makes contact with the switches) to only allow contact with one switch at a time.

Restrictor plate changes convert the joystick to "true" 4-way operation, and will give the best play. Actuator changes do not keep the handle from moving into the diagonal positions, this method only keeps the switches from being activated. The result is a "dead spot" in the corners, where the stick can be pushed, but no switches are hit. This is not much better than playing in standard 8-way mode, and is not reccomended. Adjusting these joystick usually involves opening up your control panel so you can access the lower section of the joystick base. Some models using a restrictor plate can be easily changed by hand once the control panel is open, while some others require the use of basic tools, like a screwdriver.

Joysticks that can be set to 4-way or 8-way operation via an actuator swap include:
:* [http://retroblast.com/reviews/joysticks/happsuper.html Happ Super], [http://www.retroblast.com/reviews/joysticks/happsp360.html Happ Perfect 360], [http://www.retroblast.com/reviews/joysticks/xgaming.html X-Gaming Joystick (X-Arcade)].

Joysticks that can be set to 4-way or 8-way operation via the restrictor plate include:
:* Suzo 500 (aka [http://ultimarc.com/controls.html Euro-Stik] or [http://groovygamegear.com/webstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=65&products_id=197 Omni-Stik]), [http://retroblast.com/reviews/joysticks/ultimarc_tstik.html Ultimarc T-Stik], Ultimarc Mag-Stik, [http://retroblast.com/reviews/joysticks/ultimarc_jstik.html Ultimarc J-Stik], [http://www.himuragames.com/store_joysticks.php Sanwa JLF-TP-8YT], [http://www.himuragames.com/store_joysticks.php Seimitsu LS-32].

In the last few years, some companies have added to this feature to allow the joystick to be switchable from above the control panel in some way. This makes it simple for anyone to switch the joystick between 4-way to 8-way from game to game, without having to access 'the guts' of the control panel.

Conventional joysticks that can be switched from above the control panel like this include:
:* [http://retroblast.com/reviews/joysticks/ultimarc_tstik.html T-Stik Plus], [http://retroblast.com/reviews/joysticks/ultimarc_magstikplus_part1.html Mag-Stik Plus], [http://retroblast.com/reviews/joysticks/prodigy.html Omni-Stik Prodigy].

====[[TRON joystick]]s====
TRON arcade machines had 8-way trigger joysticks that were restricted to make it difficult to go diagonally. This was necessary because some of the four games in TRON were developed for 4-way sticks, while others were able to use 8-ways. [[TRON_joystick|More on TRON joysticks here.]]

Also see [[Wiring Push Buttons and Conventional Digital Joysticks]].

==Unconventional Digital Joysticks==
[[image:Inductivestickopen.jpg|right|thumb|Inside a Suzo Inductive Stick]]
====[http://www.suzo.com/suzo/product.asp?nP=4545 Suzo Inductive Joystick]====
Instead of using conventional microswitches, Suzo Inductive sticks employ the use of a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrite ferrite ring] at the base of the joystick shaft. An oscillating magnetic field is induced in the ferrite ring by the main coil in the centre of the PCB around the opening. This oscillating field within the ferrite ring induces a current in one or more of the eight smaller coils on the PCB. The exact position of the joystick is determined by the strength of the current in each coil. A potentiometer can be adjusted so that diagonal positions are ignored (resulting in 4-way output) or that diagonals are accepted (resulting in 8-way output.) The sensitivity of 8-way operation can be refined using the potentiometer. It is completely silent and is easily switchable between 4-way and 8-way using the aforementioned pot located on the bottom plate of the joystick.
[[Image:Suzo_Inductive_restrictor.JPG|right|thumb|Suzo Inductive Octagonal Restrictor]]
It has an octagonal restrictor to assist in locating the desired directions. There are 6 pins for the connection which are labeled on the bottom plate of the joystick: Ground/Earth; +5 VDC; Left; Right; Up; Down. It is a short throw joystick with a max travel of 5 degrees from centre. The joystick is designed to be undermounted without taking the joystick apart; this requires a hole in the panel approx 44 mm or 1 3/4". The joystick handle was produced in two sizes, a 32 mm ball handle (suitable for cocktail cabinets), and a 38 mm ball handle. This joystick is no longer produced but as of May 2006 some were still available from Groovy Game Gear and TNT Amusements.

====[http://retroblast.com/reviews/joysticks/happsp360.html Happ Perfect 360 (P360)]====

The Perfect 360 joystick is an optical joystick, which means that the position of the handle is read by optical switches, instead of conventional leaf switches or microswitches. This gives near-silent operation, as the handle & actuator never touch anything.

These sticks have a very smooth feel, largely due to the "no touch" action. P360 joysticks have a round restrictor, instead of the more common square restriction found on many other modern joysticks. This round restriction adds to the smoothness factor, because there are no corners to feel.

Connection- P360 joys require a little more effort to hook up- in addition to the Up, Down, Left, Right and Ground connections on standard joysticks, the P360 also needs a +5 volts connection. This is easy enough to get, as encoders such as the I-Pac and KeyWiz provide a +5v header. PC power supplies produce +5v on the red wire of the drive connectors. There is also +5v power available on USB & PS2 cables. +5 volt power is easy to find.

History- The Perfect 360 started out as an aftermarket add-on kit for Wico leafswitch joysticks. Models were later added to the product line to convert Happ Super, Competition, and Ultimate sticks, and possibly others as well. Happ eventually bought the rights to the P360 technology, and discontinued the kits. Happ began producing a complete stick instead, with the top half of a Wico joystick base (no longer sold by Wico by then) mated to a P360 bottom half.

Interchangability- P360 handles and Wico handles have been found to be interchangable. There are also replacement handles available from SlikStik. Wico Pear-top sticks used the same pivot cones and spacer sleeves.

====[http://www.retroblast.com/Hardware/Ultimarc-UltraStik-360-Review.php Ultimarc UltraStik 360 (U360)]====
[[Image:UltraStik1.jpg|right|thumb|Ultimarc's Ultrastik 360 Photo © Ultimarc.com, Used with permission.]]
This offering from Ultimarc operates on similar principals to an inductive joystick, but offers many more custom features. Using its USB interface and the provided software, it's possible to easily switch the joystick between 2-way, 4-way, 8-way, analog and even 4-way diagonal (Q*Bert) modes. User defineable custom modes are also available.

When used via USB, Windows thinks of this joystick as a gamepad and allows you to hook-up 8 buttons straight to the joystick; so no seperate encoder (IPac, Keywiz etc) is necessary.

==49-Way Joysticks==
Once used in a small handfull of Williams, Midway and Atari games, 49 way joysticks live in a no-man's land between digital and analog joysticks. 49-way joysticks do not, as the name might seem to imply, point in 49 different directions. The number 49 comes from the number of positions the stick can report to the game hardware, including positions somewhere ''between'' "dead center" and "pushed all the way". Imagine a 7x7 grid (that's 49 squares) and you've got it. Games that originally used this hardware benefited from the extra info the joystick could report by allowing the player to control the on-screen character with more precision- both in the form of better directional control (24 discrete directions possible, if you count dead center), and 3 levels of speed control, based on how far from center the stick was pushed. For example, in [http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?letter=&game_id=9553 SiniStar], the player can make the ship move faster or slower, by varying how hard they push the stick, and the ship's movement is not limited to just 8 directions. Attempting to play this game (or others that originally used 49-way sticks) with a standard 8-way digital joystick tends to be frustrating- SiniStar is a very difficult game in the first place; take away the speed control and limit yourself to 8 directions, and it's ''really, really'' hard. More info on 49-way joysticks can be found at [https://web.archive.org/web/20120614171216/http://urebelscum.speedhost.com/49waySticks.html What are 49-Way joysticks?] by URebelScum

Games that originally used 49-way joysticks include:

*Arch Rivals
*Blaster
*Blitz
*Blitz '99
*Blitz 2000
*Gauntlet: Dark Legacy
*Gauntlet: Legends
*NBA Showtime
*NFL Blitz 2000 Gold Edition
*Pigskin 621 A.D.
*SiniStar
*SportStation

For home gaming purposes, when paired with the [[Gamepad Encoders#GP Wiz49|GP Wiz49]] controller from [http://www.groovygamegear.com GroovyGameGear], these analog style joysticks have become a popular all-around stick. Using the GP-Wiz's various DRS modes, these joysticks can be easily switched between 8-way, 4-way, 2-way (vertical), 2-way (horizontal) and diagonal (Q*Bert style) modes without having to physically change the joystick hardware. This allows these sticks to be used to play any digital joystick games well. In addition, the two 49-way modes allow play for games that originally used 49-way sticks (and have emulator support that goes beyond 8-ways- not all 49-way games do), and also will play well for ''some'' games that originally used analog or Hall-Effect joysticks.

For those with a penchant for soldering here's a [http://www.arcadecollecting.com/info/49way_to_Hall.gif circuit on Arcadecollecting.com] that allows a 49-way to be connected with an an analog interface (Dualstrike hack etc).

There are three varieties of 49-way joystick: Williams, Midway, and Happ.

The Williams are easy to distinguish- they use a distinctive rubber centering "spider" on the bottom, and have balltop handles. Red balltops come from SiniStar; Orange come from Arch Rivals. There are also Williams optical sticks out there with Turquoise and Yellow balltops. These ''look'' like 49-ways, complete with centering spider. However, these sticks do not have as many optics, and the pin connector is different, with fewer pins. These sticks are 8-way only. Turquoise ones most likely come from Bubbles, however, some early Joust games shipped with Turquoise and Yellow optical sticks.

The Midway and Happ 49-ways are ''very'' similar, in fact the Happ is just the Midway stick with a minor re-design. (Happ bought the rights to a lot of Midway's parts business several years ago.) The Midway sticks have a smaller diameter shaft, and the centering grommet has a correspondingly smaller hole. Both have a black bat top handle. Replacement handles are available in a variety of colors (Happ variety only) at [http://www.groovygamegear.com GroovyGameGear].

==Analog Joysticks==

Analog joysticks are not bound by the limits digital joysticks face. Digital joysticks can only point in 8 (or fewer; see above) directions, or no direction at all (centered). Analog joysticks can point in (theoretically) an unlimited number of directions. Furthermore, Analog joystics can discern how far the handle has been pushed from the center position. Games take advantage of these properties to give the player a much greater level of control over their on-screen character. For example, the bird in [http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?letter=&game_id=9338 Road Runner] can run in more than just the 8 standard directions, and how far the player pushes the joystick from center determines how fast the Road Runner runs.

Most analog sticks use a pair of potentiometers, one to measure left-to-right movement (the X-axis), and one to measure forward-and-back movement (the Y-axis). A few games, however, used a "Hall Effect" stick. Hall effect sticks use Hall sensors and magnets to read the postion of the stick. The end result is the same, though- both types report to the game which direction and how far the stick is being pressed.

While the actual resolution of an analog joystick may be theoretically unlimited, the standard for analog joysticks connected to a PC is 256x256. Compare this to the 7x7 resolution of a 49-way joystick, or the 3x3 resolution of a standard 8-way joystick. This explains why it is difficult to play games that originally used analog controls with a standard 8-way stick; the stick simply can't control the on-screen character the way it was intended to be controlled. A 49-way stick is sufficient for ''some'' games that originally used analog controls, but not all of them. Road Runner, for example, can be adequately controlled with a 49-way joystick, as that stick would give the bird 24 directions to run in, and four speeds (including stopped)- which ought to be enough to outwit that dumb coyote. [http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?letter=&game_id=9773 Star Wars], on the other hand, cannot be played well with a 49-way, as that stick will only aim the X-Wing's blasters at 49 equally spaced spots on the screen, leaving Tie Fighters that are in-between those spots un-shootable. (Star Wars actually used an analog [[Flight Yoke]], rather than an analog joystick, but these controls are electrically identical, and actually interchangeable as far as the game is concerned.)

Games that used analog joysticks include:

{|
|
*After Burner
*Alpine Racer
*Alpine Racer 2
*Air Combat
*Air Combat 22
*Aqua Jet (3 analog axes -- stick + throttle)
*Cyber Commando ''(2 sticks per player; two players = 4 sticks)''
*Cyber Sled ''(2 sticks per player; two players = 4 sticks)''
*Cyber Tank ''(4 analog axes -- P1 steer/accelerate and P2 machine gun X/Y)''
*Food Fight
*G-LOC Air Battle
*Galaxy Force 2 (3 analog axes -- stick + pedal)
*Jurrasic Park
*Lock-On
*Maneater
*Metal Hawk
*Night Striker
*Poolshark
*Prop Cycle
*Pursuit
*Quarterback
*Rail Chase
*Rail Chase 2
*Red Baron
*Solar Assault
*Shrike Avenger
*Sky Raider
*Space Encounters
*Space Harrier
*Star Wars Trilogy
*Steel Talons (4 analog axes -- 2 cyclic, 1 collective, 1 pedals)
*Strike Fighter
|
*T-Mek ''(2 sticks per player; two players = 4 sticks)''
*Tail Gunner
*Tail Gunner II
*Thunder Ceptor (3 analog axes -- stick + pedal)
*Thunder Ceptor II (3 analog axes -- stick + pedal)
*Thunderblade
*Tomcat (prototype)
*Tunnel Hunt
*Turret Tower
*Warp Speed (prototype)
*World Series Baseball

*Alien 3: The Gun ''(positional gun)''
*Beast Busters ''(positional gun)''
*Beast Busters: Second Nightmare ''(positional gun)''
*Desert Gun ''(positional gun)''
*Dragon Gun ''(positional gun)''
*Laser Ghost ''(positional gun)''
*Line of Fire ''(positional gun)''
*Operation Thunderbolt ''(positional gun)''
*Operation Wolf 3 ''(positional gun)''
*Revolution X ''(positional gun)''
*Space Gun ''(positional gun)''
*Steel Gunner ''(positional gun)''
*Steel Gunner 2 ''(positional gun)''
*Terminator 2 ''(positional gun)''
*Triple Hunt ''(positional gun)''
*Wild Pilot ''(positional gun)''
|
*Escape From The Planet Of The Robot Monsters ''(Hall-Effect)''
*I, Robot ''(Hall-Effect)''
*Road Runner ''(Hall-Effect)''

*Enduro Racer (2 axis handlebars + gas + brake)
*Hang-On (handlebars + gas + brake)
*Super Hang-On (handlebars + gas + brake)

*Battle Shark ''(periscope)''

*Apache 3 ''(yoke)''
*FireFox ''(yoke)''
*Hydra ''(yoke + 1 pedal)''
*Hyperdrive ''(yoke + 2 pedals)''
*Lock-On ''(yoke)''
*Paperboy ''(yoke)''
*Return Of The Jedi ''(yoke)''
*Star Fire ''(yoke + throttle)''
*Star Wars ''(yoke)''
*Starblade ''(yoke)''
*S.T.U.N. Runner / STUN Runner ''(yoke)''
*The Empire Strikes Back ''(yoke)''
*Top Gunner - Exidy ''(yoke + throttle)''
*Turbo-Sub ''(yoke)''
*Two Tigers ''(yoke -- X-axis only)''
|}

===MAME Settings for Analog Joysticks===
"Input (this Game)" menu

:Set the AD Stick Analog axes. (press Enter then move that axis)

:Set the individual "INC" and "DEC" inputs to "none". (press Enter then ESC)

:-- INC and DEC are used to substitute key presses for analog input.

"Analog Controls" menu

:Adjust settings as needed.

==Rotary Joysticks==

There are two types of rotary joysticks that often get confused: Mechanical rotary sticks, and optical rotary sticks. Either can be interfaced with a PC.

[[image:LS 30 loop24.jpg|thumbnail|320px|Loop-24 and LS-30 joysticks]]
Mechanical rotary sticks are the type that most people remember from games like Ikari Warriors. They have a 12-position rotary switch attached to the bottom of the joystick, which is turned by rotating the handle. Each turn of the handle is accompanied by a clicking sound, and distinct tactile feedback that lets the player know that a turn has been registered.

The SNK games used a stick called the LS-30, with yellow octagonal tops. The Data East games used the same sticks, but with a yellow barrel shaped top. Wico used to make a rotary stick, with a yellow balltop These were basically standard Wico leaf sticks, with the rotary switch added to the bottom. Happ still sells a mechanical rotary stick, which is basically a Happ Super with a rotary switch added to the bottom.

[[image:Loop-24.jpg|thumbnail|320px|Loop-24 encoder wheel]]
Optical rotary sticks have an optical encoder wheel, similar to a spinner, instead of a rotary switch. Caliber .50 used a stick called the Loop-24, with green octagonal tops.

Most games that used rotary joysticks used the rotary function to determine which direction the on-screen character was aiming. This allowed the player to shoot in a different direction from the direction of motion, all with one hand.
 

===Mechanical Rotary Joystick Games (LS-30, Happ Mechanical Rotary Sticks)===
*Battle Field (Japanese verion of Time Soldiers)
*Bermuda Triangle
*Bermuda Triangle (Japan) (Japanese version of Bermuda Triangle)
*Bermuda Triangle (World Wars) (U.S. version of World Wars (World?))
*Dogou Souken a.k.a. Dogosoken (Japanese version of Victory Road)
*Downtown
*Gondomania
*Guerilla War
*Guevara (Japanese version of Guerrilla War)
*Heavy Barrel
*Ikari III - The Rescue (This is the only rotary game that uses three player buttons.)
*Ikari Warriors
*Jackal (Japanese version of Top Gunner)
*Last Survivor (Japan)
*Makyou Senshi (Japanese version of Gondomania)
*Midnight Resistance
*SAR - Search And Rescue
*T.A.N.K (Japanese version of T.N.K. III)
*T.N.K. III
*Time Soldiers
*Top Gunner (bootleg)
*Victory Road
*World Wars (World?)

===Optical Rotary Joystick Games (Loop-24 or Happ Optical Rotary Sticks)===
*Caliber .50
*Exterminator
*Touchdown Fever
*Touchdown Fever II

===Other "Rotary" Games===
These games did ''not'' use rotary joysticks,
but are sometimes confused with rotary games.

*720 (Optical 720 spinner/joy hybrid)
*Bandido (rotary switch, clone of Sheriff)
*Frontline (Taito Aim-n-Fire)
*Sheriff (rotary switch)
*The Tin Star (Taito Aim-n-Fire)
*Western Gun Part II (rotary switch, clone of Sheriff)
*Wild Western (Taito Aim-n-Fire)
*Xybots (Twist-to-Turn)

===MAME Settings for Mechanical Rotary Joysticks===
'''For mechanical rotary games:'''

"Input (this Game)" menu
:Positional Analog to none

"Analog Controls" menu
:Positional Digital Speed = 0
:Positional Sensitivity = 100

'''For optical rotary games:'''

"Input (this Game)" menu
:Dial Analog to none

"Analog Controls" menu
:Dial Digital Speed = double the default value
:Dial Sensitivity = default value

==Mounting Joysticks==
{{Also|FAQ#Joysticks}}

==European vs US vs Japanese Joysticks==

Common US joysticks include those produced by:

*Happ
*Wico
*Atari
*Midway

[Most of the Happ 8/4-way joysticks (including the Supers and Competitions) are actually manufactured by a Spanish company ([http://www.industrias-lorenzo.com Industrias-Lorenzo]) and are therefore technically European joysticks, while most of the Happ analog joysticks are based on Atari designs.]

Common European joysticks include those produced by:

*Suzo
*Industrias-Lorenzo

Common Japanese joysticks include those produced by:

*Sanwa
*Semitsu

==Games with Dual Joysticks==
List (not complete) of games that use dual 2-way, 4-way, or 8-way sticks. (Dual analog stick games are listed [[Joysticks#Analog_Joysticks | here]].)

Games marked "per player" support simultaneous play by more than one player.

*[http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=6888 Angel Kids]
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=6934 Assault] -- 2 buttons
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=7059 Battlezone] -- 1 button
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=7139 Black Widow]
*[http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=12798 Bullet]
*[http://www.arcade-history.com/?n=chan-bara&page=detail&id=24236 Chan Bara] -- 2 sticks per player
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=7353 Cloak & Dagger] -- 1 button
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=11015 Complex X] -- 1 button
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=7426 Crazy Climber]
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=7427 Crazy Climber 2]
*[http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=10341 Cyber Troopers: Virtual On] -- 4 buttons per player
*[http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=17846 Draco]
*[http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=7654 Dribbling] -- 2 buttons
*[http://www.arcade-history.com/?n=face-off&page=detail&id=799 Face Off] -- 2 buttons per player
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=7813 Fire Trap] -- 1 button
*[http://www.arcade-history.com/?n=gachaga-champ&page=detail&id=4195 Gachaga Champ]
*[http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=8187 Indoor Soccer] -- 2 buttons
*[http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=8191 Inferno (Williams)] -- 1 button per player
*[http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=8245 Joyful Road (Japan)]
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=8279 Karate Champ]
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=8280 Karate Champ Player Vs Player] -- 2 sticks per player
*[http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=8331 Knightmare] -- 2 buttons
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=8358 Krull]
*[http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=8423 Libble Rabble] -- 1 button per player
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=8456 Lost Tomb] -- 1 button
*[http://www.arcade-history.com/?n=main-event&page=detail&id=1539 Main Event (1984)] -- 4 buttons per player
*[http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=8628 Mars]
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=8700 Minefield] -- 1 button
*[http://www.arcade-history.com/?n=polygonet-commanders-model-gx305&page=detail&id=2005 Polygonet Commanders] -- 2 buttons
*[http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=9184 QB-3] -- 4 buttons? (MAME has inputs for buttons 1, 2, and 4, but not for button 3 -- related functions are unknown, buttons not used in game?)
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=9299 Rescue] -- 1 button
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=9300 Rescue Raider] -- 1 button
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=9347 Robotron: 2084]
*[http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=9350 Rock Climber]
*[http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=9433 Sarge] -- 2 buttons per player
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=9451 Screw Loose]
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=9591 Smash TV] -- 2 sticks per player
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=9648 Space Dungeon]
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=9727 Splat!] -- 2 sticks per player
*[http://www.arcade-history.com/?n=star-guards&page=detail&id=2617 Star Guards] -- 2 sticks per player
*[http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=10025 Tank 8] -- 1 button per player
*[http://www.arcade-history.com/?n=tank-battle&page=detail&id=2770 Tank Battle (prototype rev. 4/21/92)] -- 1 button per player
*[http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=9302 The Return of Ishtar] -- 2 buttons
*[http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=10129 Title Fight]
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=10167 Total Carnage] -- 2 sticks per player
*[http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=10261 Ultra Tank] -- 1 button per player
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=10319 Vindicators] -- 4 buttons per player
*[http://www.arcade-history.com/?n=vindicators-part-ii&page=detail&id=3075 Vindicators Part II] -- 4 buttons per player
*[http://www.arcade-history.com/?n=water-match&page=detail&id=3148 Water Match] -- 1 button

==Discontinued Joysticks and Reproductions==
[[LS-30_Switch_Service | LS-30 Rotary Switch disassembly and service]] 
[http://www.mikesarcade.com/arcade/njoysticks.html Nintendo joystick guide (Mike's Arcade)] 
[[Joystick_Database | Table with assorted stick info (wip)]]

==See Also==
* [[Controls]]
* [http://www.slagcoin.com/joystick/introduction.html slagcoin's Joystick Information Pages]

Game lists:
* [[Spinners_and_Dials#Which_games_originally_used_a_spinner.2Fpaddle.3F | Spinner and Dial Games]] 
* [[Joysticks#Mechanical_Rotary_Joystick_Games_.28LS-30.2C_Happ_Mechanical_Rotary_Sticks.29 | Rotary Joystick Games]] 
* [[Joysticks#Games_with_Dual_Joysticks | Dual Joystick Games]] 
* [[Joysticks#Analog_Joysticks | Analog Joystick and Yoke Games]] 
* [[Light_Guns#Lightgun_Games_List | Lightgun Games]] 
* [[Multi-Player_Games | Multi-Player Games]] 
*2-player game list -- dgame compiled an excellent list of 200 games [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,129295.msg1327639.html#msg1327639 here].
*"All Killer, No Filler" game lists -- BadMouth compiled these excellent collections [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,149708.0.html here] -- 1. SHMUPS, 2. VS FIGHTERS, 3. SPORTS, 4. PUZZLE, 5. RUN 'N GUN, 6. BEAT 'EM UP/HACK 'N SLASH, 7. PLATFORM, and 8. CLASSICS.

[[Category:Controls]]
[[Category:Index]]

Spinner Turn Count

2022-12-30T02:41:37Z

PL1: /* Links (Recommended Reading) */

== Purpose ==

This is intended to be a page to keep track of the correct turns ratio of spinner/dial/paddle/trackball-controlled arcade games. Below is comma-separated text, hopefully this is a useful format.

''Q: How do I use this information?''

''A: To tweak the analog sensitivity in MAME to better emulate real hardware.''

An example from the first link below:
Tempest, 72 count

if the control you use has 1200 counts per turn, the sensitivity calculation is:
Sensitivity = 100 * 72 / 1200 = 6%

== Links (Recommended Reading) ==
[http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=61381.0 http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=61381.0]

[http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=23967.0 http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=23967.0]

[http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=42401.msg474159#msg474159 http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=42401.msg474159#msg474159]

[http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,164017.0.html http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,164017.0.html]

== Data ==

'''Effective_Tooth_Count''' = teeth that pass through the optical sensor per revolution of the knob (multiply by any gear ratios to obtain)

'''Counts_Per_Revolution''' = could be 1x, 2x, or 4x of the Effective_Tooth_Count (depends on original hardware interpretation of optical sensor information)

'''Other_Notes''' = quantitative information relating to game play (like degrees of turn from one side of the screen to another - useful for potentiometer games like Warlords)

{| class="wikitable" border=1
|-
! Game !! Effective_Tooth_Count !! Counts_Per_Revolution !! Other_Notes
|-
| 720 degrees || 72 || 144 || LETA 2x (schematic)
|-
| Arkanoid || 486 || 486 || Geared: The knob attaches to shaft #1, which has a 72 tooth gear on it. That gear turns a 16 tooth gear on shaft #2. Shaft #2 also has a 72 tooth gear on it, which then turns a 16 tooth gear on shaft #3. Shaft #3 also has the encoder wheel on it, which has 24 teeth. 120-130 deg = one traversal across the screen
|-
| Aztarac || || 4x || Same spinner as Mad Planets
|-
| Blasteroids || 72 || 288 || LETA 4x (schematic)
|-
| Crater Raider || 64 || 64 ||
|-
| Caliber .50 || 24 || || Loop24 optical rotary stick
|-
| Cameltry || 486 || || Same Spinner as Arkanoid
|-
| Dark Planet || 64 || 64 || 6-bit rotary encoder
|-
| Demolition Derby (2-Player Mono Board Version) || 8 || ||
|-
| Disks of Tron || 128 || 128 ||
|-
| Forgotten Worlds || || || geared spinner
|-
| Ivan Ironman Offroad || a) 154.286 or b) 164.57 || || Geared: a) 60 teeth on the steering wheel shaft, meshes with a 14 tooth gear on the encoder shaft, which has 36 teeth on its encoder wheel b) 96 teeth on steering wheel shaft, to 14 tooth gear on encoder shaft, which has 24 teeth on encoder wheel.
|-
| Kick / Kickman || 12 || || Ball-shaped roller.
|-
| Off the Wall || 128 || 256 || LETA 2x (schematic)
|-
| Omega Race || 64 || 64 || Omega Race uses a 6-bit (64-position) rotary encoder
|-
| Pole Position Pole Position II || 102 6/7 || 102 6/7 || Geared: 60 tooth gear on wheel shaft, 14 tooth gear on 24 tooth encoder disk shaft => (60 / 14) * 24 = 102 6/7
|-
| Revenge of DOH || 486 || 972 || Same spinner as Arkanoid
|-
| RoadBlasters || 154 2/7 || || Wheel/Yoke: 60 tooth gear turns 14 tooth gear with 36 tooth encoder disc. Limited angle of rotation.
|-
| Super Speed Race || 64 || 64 || 6-bit rotary encoder
|-
| Tempest || 72 || 72 || 1 full turn moves 5 spaces on first screen
|-
| Tron || 128 || 128 ||
|-
| Two Tigers (conversion) || 64 || 64 ||
|-
| Tac/Scan Star Trek Zektor || 64 || 64 || All use the same spinner
|-
| Turbo || || || 2 1/2 turns to go across the screen
|-
| Mad Planets || || 1x ||
|-
| Subs Monte Carlo Super Sprint Drag Race Fire Truck || 36 || ||
|-
| Sprint || 36 || 36 ||
|-
| Championship Sprint APB || 36 || 72 ||
|-
|}

Trackball Hardware
{| class="wikitable" border=1
|-
! Trackball !! resolution !! Notes
|-
| Happ 2.25 inch trackball || 149.2 (no wear) || 2.25 inch ball, 0.362 inch roller, 24 tooth encoder disc
|-
| Happ 3 inch trackball || 167.4 (no wear) || 3 inch ball, 0.43 inch roller, 24 tooth encoder disc
|-
| Atari 4.5 inch trackball || 330.6 (no wear)|| 4.5 inch ball, 0.49 inch roller, 36 tooth encoder wheel
|}

Trackball Games
{| class="wikitable" border=1
|-
! Game !! Trackball !! Multiplier !! Notes
|-
| Crystal Castles || Atari/Happ 3 in || 2x ||
|-
| Marble Madness || Atari/Happ 3 in || 4x ||
|-
| Rampart || Atari/Happ 3 in || 2x ||
|-
| Snake Pit || Wico 2.25 in || ||
|-
| Cabal || Wico 2.25 in || ||
|-
|}

Pot Based
{| class="wikitable" border=1
|-
! Game !! Gear Ratio !! Other_Notes
|-
| Warlords || 1 || 120-130 deg one traversal end to end of castle
|-
| Final Lap || 2/3 ||
|-
| Moto Frenzy || 1 ||
|-
| Breakout || 1 ||
|-
| Super Breakout || 1 || 120-130 deg one traversal across the screen
|-
| Star Wars || 15/7 (left/right) 30/7 (up/down) || Yoke
|-
| Paperboy || 30/7 (left/right) 30/7 (up/down) || Yoke
|}

'''Trackball Games:'''
'''Game Name, Notes'''

Crystal Castles, 1st screen BB moves length of line above his head from center of trackball moved to one side

Centipede, 1 trackball move 1 end to other (stock tb)
2 1/2 mushroom lengths

Missile Command
1 full end to end visible trackball movement goes from left to the
right of the little bump after the missile base

''Atari LETA Chip:''
several of Atari's optical-control games used the LETA quadrature-decoder chip. It could be set to a 2x or 4x resolution. Therefore all of the below games are either 2x or 4x. 
Major Havoc 
Marble Madness 
Crystal Castles 
Rampart 
Off The Wall 
Blasteroids 
720 
Championship Sprint 
Super Sprint 
APB

Main Page

2019-04-06T12:26:22Z

PL1: Undo revision 15052 by KraigWentcher (talk)

__NOTOC__
{{Welcome}}

''Note - this is the new wiki home. The old wiki is [http://wiki.arcadecontrols.com here].''

<div style="background:#f9f9f9; padding:0px; border:1px solid #aaaaaa; margin-bottom:5px;">
{| cellpadding="10" width="100%" style="background:#f4f4f4"
|style="width:50%" valign="top"|
==Places to Start==
* [[FAQ|Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)]]
* [[Examples|Examples of Various Cabinet Projects]]

==Main Arcade Cabinet Portals==
* [[Basics|Arcade Cabinet Basics]]
* [[Building|Cabinet Design and Building]]
* [[Controls|Control Panels and Interfaces]]
* [[Video|Monitors and Video]]
* [[Finishing|Finishing and Artwork]]
* [[Vendors|Vendors - Where you buy your stuff from]]
* [[Software|Software, Emulators]] & [[Utilities]]
* [[Using Consoles In an Arcade Machine]]

|valign="top"|

==Site Index==
* [[:Category:Index|Site Index]]
* [[Special:Popularpages|Most Popular Pages]]
* [[Glossary]]
* [[Community Portal]] - To add or edit pages!
* [[Contents]] - Old Contents/Index page

==External Links==
* [http://arcadecontrols.com Main BYOAC Web Site]
* [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/ BYOAC Discussion Forum]
* [http://files.arcadecontrols.com/ BYOAC File Repository]
* [[Project Arcade|Project Arcade - The Book]] - Written by Saint - the BYOAC sponsor
|}
</div>

[[Category:Portals]]

Main Page

2019-04-06T12:25:15Z

PL1: Undo revision 15053 by KraigWentcher (talk)

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Rotary Encoders

2019-04-05T19:07:21Z

PL1:

A rotary encoder converts rotary switch movement to [[Keyboard Encoders|keyboard encoder]] outputs, [[Gamepad_Encoders|gamepad encoder]] outputs, or output pulses that can be interpreted by [[Keyboard Encoders|keyboard encoders]].

{{Also|Joysticks#Rotary Joysticks}}

==GP-Wiz40==
Offered by [[Groovy Game Gear]], this gamepad encoder has built-in rotary support (see [[Gamepad_Encoders#GP-Wiz40|gamepad encoders]] entry).

'''Relevant Link: [http://groovygamegear.com/webstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=76_81&products_id=235 GP-Wiz40 Max]'''
 

==KADE==
[[image:KADEminiArcade.jpg|right|thumb|KADE miniArcade. Photo © kadevice.net, Used with permission.]]
[[image:KADEmicroArcade.jpg|right|thumb|KADE microArcade. Photo © kadevice.net, Used with permission.]]
[[image:KADE Rotary Adapter Boards.jpg|right|thumb|KADE Rotary Adapter Boards. Photo © silverfox0786, Used with permission.]]
The [http://www.kadevice.net KADE] series of Open Source/Open Hardware encoders have a [[Joysticks#Rotary_Joysticks|Mechanical Rotary Joystick]] firmware that supports either one rotary stick with 6 player buttons + 7 admin buttons (either P1 or P2) '''or''' two rotary sticks with 3 player buttons each.

All of the KADE [[Keyboard Encoders|keyboard encoder-style]] outputs are customizable using the KADE Loader program.

Silverfox0786 has made two types of plug-and-play rotary joystick adapter boards for the miniArcade/minimus AVR.

One is a one-joystick, 6-button model (P1 or P2) the other is a two-joystick, 3-button model.

'''Relevant Links: [http://kadevice.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=426 KADE Forum Rotary Joystick Thread]'''

'''[http://kadevice.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=49&t=4128 KADE Rotary Adapter Boards Thread]'''

'''[http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,154126.0.html KADE miniArcade 2.0 Beta Release Thread]'''
 

==Rotary-5==
[[image:rotary5.jpg|right|thumb|Rotary5]]
Offered by [[Hagstrom Electronics|Hagstrom]], this unit is capable of operating as a stand alone device or may be used with a [[Keyboard Encoders|keyboard encoder]]. Its are suitable for driving direct inputs on a keyboard encoder to produce a keystroke or keystrokes for each change of position of the rotary switch.

'''Relevant Link: [http://www.hagstromelectronics.com/products/rotary5.html Hagstrom's Rotary5 Page]'''
 

==Ultimarc "Ikari style 12-way Rotary Upgrade"==
Fits the Servostik or J-Stik.

Converts the stick into a mechanical rotary stick.

12 detent positions per rotation.

The USB encoder sends one user-configurable keystroke or gamepad button press for each click left and another for each click right.

'''Relevant Links: [http://www.ultimarc.com/controls.html Ultimarc controls page]'''

'''[http://www.ultimarc.com/12wayrotary.pdf Information and installation instructions]'''
 

==Rotary Joystick Interface==
[[image:RotaryEncoderLS-30Harness.jpg|right|thumb|Rotary Joystick Interface to LS-30 harness]]

'''No longer available.'''

Offered by [[Ultimarc]], this unit is a stand alone unit. It can convert two [[Joysticks#Rotary_Joysticks|12-position mechanical rotaries]], and outputs a fixed set of keystrokes. It only encodes the rotary switch function on the joystick, not the up/down/left/right microswitch functions.

'''Relevant Link: [http://www.ultimarc.com/rotary.html Ultimarc's Rotary Page]'''

'''See also: [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,122755.msg1303804.html#msg1303804 LS-30 Harness Pinout]'''
 

==Druin's Rotary Interface==

'''No longer available.'''

Offered by Druin, this was one of the first rotary encoders for the BYOAC crowd. You could download the plans and build your own board. It can convert two [[Joysticks#Rotary_Joysticks|12-position mechanical rotaries]], and it needs to be connected to a separate [[Keyboard Encoders|keyboard encoder]] or [[Gamepad_Encoders|gamepad encoder]].

==See Also==
* [[Controls]]
* [http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Joysticks#Rotary_Joysticks Rotary Joysticks]
* [http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Joysticks#MAME_Settings_for_Mechanical_Rotary_Joysticks MAME Settings for Mechanical Rotary Joysticks]

[[Category:Controls]]

Rotary Encoders

2019-04-05T18:43:19Z

PL1: /* Rotary Joystick Interface */

A rotary encoder converts rotary switch movement to [[Keyboard Encoders|keyboard encoder]] outputs, [[Gamepad_Encoders|gamepad encoder]] outputs, or output pulses that can be interpreted by [[Keyboard Encoders|keyboard encoders]].

{{Also|Joysticks#Rotary Joysticks}}

==GP-Wiz40==
Offered by [[Groovy Game Gear]], this gamepad encoder has built-in rotary support (see [[Gamepad_Encoders#GP-Wiz40|gamepad encoders]] entry).

'''Relevant Link: [http://groovygamegear.com/webstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=76_81&products_id=235 GP-Wiz40 Max]'''
 

==KADE==
[[image:KADEminiArcade.jpg|right|thumb|KADE miniArcade. Photo © kadevice.com, Used with permission.]]
[[image:KADEmicroArcade.jpg|right|thumb|KADE microArcade. Photo © kadevice.com, Used with permission.]]
[[image:KADE Rotary Adapter Boards.jpg|right|thumb|KADE Rotary Adapter Boards. Photo © silverfox0786, Used with permission.]]
The [http://www.kadevice.com KADE] series of Open Source/Open Hardware encoders have a [[Joysticks#Rotary_Joysticks|Mechanical Rotary Joystick]] firmware that supports either one rotary stick with 6 player buttons + 7 admin buttons (either P1 or P2) '''or''' two rotary sticks with 3 player buttons each.

All of the KADE [[Keyboard Encoders|keyboard encoder-style]] outputs are customizable using the KADE Loader program.

Silverfox0786 has made two types of plug-and-play rotary joystick adapter boards for the miniArcade/minimus AVR.

One is a one-joystick, 6-button model (P1 or P2) the other is a two-joystick, 3-button model.

'''Relevant Links: [http://kadevice.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=426 KADE Forum Rotary Joystick Thread]'''

'''[http://kadevice.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=49&t=4128 KADE Rotary Adapter Boards Thread]'''
 

==Rotary Joystick Interface==
[[image:RotaryEncoderLS-30Harness.jpg|right|thumb|Rotary Joystick Interface to LS-30 harness]]

'''No longer available.'''

Offered by [[Ultimarc]], this unit is a stand alone unit. It can convert two [[Joysticks#Rotary_Joysticks|12-position mechanical rotaries]], and outputs a fixed set of keystrokes. It only encodes the rotary switch function on the joystick, not the up/down/left/right microswitch functions.

'''Relevant Link: [http://www.ultimarc.com/rotary.html Ultimarc's Rotary Page]'''

'''See also: [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,122755.msg1303804.html#msg1303804 LS-30 Harness Pinout]'''
 

==Rotary-5==
[[image:rotary5.jpg|right|thumb|Rotary5]]
Offered by [[Hagstrom Electronics|Hagstrom]], this unit is capable of operating as a stand alone device or may be used with a [[Keyboard Encoders|keyboard encoder]]. Its are suitable for driving direct inputs on a keyboard encoder to produce a keystroke or keystrokes for each change of position of the rotary switch.

'''Relevant Link: [http://www.hagstromelectronics.com/products/rotary5.html Hagstrom's Rotary5 Page]'''
 

==Druin's Rotary Interface==

'''No longer available.'''

Offered by Druin, this was one of the first rotary encoders for the BYOAC crowd. You could download the plans and build your own board. It can convert two [[Joysticks#Rotary_Joysticks|12-position mechanical rotaries]], and it needs to be connected to a separate [[Keyboard Encoders|keyboard encoder]] or [[Gamepad_Encoders|gamepad encoder]].

==See Also==
* [[Controls]]
* [http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Joysticks#Rotary_Joysticks Rotary Joysticks]
* [http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Joysticks#MAME_Settings_for_Mechanical_Rotary_Joysticks MAME Settings for Mechanical Rotary Joysticks]

[[Category:Controls]]

FAQ

2016-07-01T17:41:04Z

PL1: /* Joysticks */

This page is intended for those who want to build their own arcade machine or classic game controllers. If you're planning to restore an existing arcade cabinet, please take a look at the topic [[restoration]].

There are a dizzying variety of skills, disciplines, methods, materials, and resources involved in this hobby. This FAQ is intended to provide a a general overview of basic topics and common terms for newcomers to the arcade and emulation community. It is designed to be a starting point for choosing useful search terms and asking better/more effective questions in the BYOAC Forums.

= Cabinet Basics =
{{Main|Basics}}
Arcade cabinets (often shortened to 'cabs') are gaming machines that include the screen to display the game, controls to play the game and the computer hardware that runs the game.

== Types of cabs ==
{{Main|Arcade Cabinet}}
Arcade cabinets come in various shapes and sizes. Commercially build and operated cabinets are often build to play a single game and are therefore created to match the target audience or recreate the atmosphere of the game.

=== Standing ===
A standing cabinet is the most common cabinet in North America and Europe. Players stand in front of the machine while playing the game.

* '''Regular''', the iconic, archetype, arcade cabinet. The monitor is usually above waist height with the [[marquee]] overhanging.
* '''Cabaret''', a slightly smaller version of the regular cabinet. The [[marquee]] is often located between the control panel and coin door.
* '''Low-boy''', a standup cabinet where the [[marquee]] is in the same plane as the monitor making the cabinet much lower, hence the name.
* '''Pedestal''', a arcade where the screen is not part of the arcade setup. The monitor could be a TV or projection attached to a wall.
* '''Showcase''', a setup where the screen is in a separate housing as the [[control panel]] but still visually part of one setup. Setups like this usually feature a large screen positioned in such way that onlookers may view the action. The 'showcase' may both refer to the player being able to showcase his or her gaming skill as to the elaborate arcade setup itself.

[[File:StandingArcades.png|center]]
<center>Example standing cabinets next to an adult man for size comparison, from left to right: ''Regular'', ''Low-boy'' and ''Showcase''.</center>

=== Seated ===
Seated cabinets come in two distinct categories; arcade cabinets intended to sit at for easier long play sessions or themed cabinets that involve an activity where sitting down mimics the action of the game (such as driving a car).

* '''Candy''', the most common cabinet in Japan. The cabinets are often made of hard plastic - the shiny plastic appearance led to them being called 'candy cabinets'. These cabinets are quite similar to standup cabinets except that they are lower and often have a larger [[control panel]] surface. ''See also [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Japanese_arcade_cabinets List of Japanese cabinets on Wikipedia]].

* '''Cocktail''', the most common sit-down type in North America. An arcade that resembles a table with the screen embedded in the table surface. The surface is made of hardened glass so people can place their drinks on it.

*'''Cockpit''', an arcade that mimics the cockpit of a racecar, fighter plane or spacecraft. The controls are often matched to the type of vehicle portrayed, such as a [[Driving_Controls|steering wheel]], [[Driving_Controls#Pedals|pedals]], [[Driving_Controls#Shifters|gear shifter]] or [[Driving_Controls#Flight_Yokes|flight yoke]].

*'''Ride-on''', similar to the cockpit arcade, a ride-on often is build specific to the activity of the game(s) played. Ride-on cabinets may feature a motorbike or jet ski seat but also less obvious vehicles such as a minecart.

[[File:SitdownArcades.png|center]]
<center>Example sitdown cabinets next to an adult man for size comparison, from left to right ''cocktail'', ''candy'' and ''cockpit''.</center>

=== Small ===
Another category of cabinets are the small size cabinets.

*'''Mini''', a small version of a cabinet resized to suit play for children.

*'''Bartop''', a portable cabinet that can be placed on top of a table (or as the name suggests, on the bartop in a pub or diner).

*'''Barstick''', a bartop without a built-in display. It is usually connected to a TV.

*'''Micro''', micro cabinets are extremely scaled down cabinets. Building a functioning micro cabinet provides experiences cabinet builders a new challenge. Micro cabinets provide a eye catching model for display.

=== Other ===
Some arcade cabinets are built for a single gametype or purpose.

*'''Digital Pinball Table''', a digital pinball machine is designed to look and act like an actual pinball machine with the ball(s), lighting, playfield and backglass replaced by monitors and pinball simulation software. {{Also|Pinball}}

== Parts of a cabinet ==
{{Main|Arcade_Cabinet#Anatomy_of_a_cabinet}}
Arcade cabinets vary in size and complexity but they generally comprise the same basic features as shown on this diagram.
 
[[image:generic_with_numbers.png|left|400px]]

# '''Marquee'''. Back-lit artwork that displays the cabinet's name.
# '''Marquee retainers'''. A part to keep the marquee in place. Allows easy replacement of the marquee graphic.
# '''Speaker panel'''. The panel which holds the speakers.
# '''Monitor bezel'''. A part that surrounds and masks the monitor in the cabinet. In some arcades the bezel also features artwork.
# '''Control panel'''. Holds the joysticks, buttons and other controls needed to play the games.
# '''T-molding'''. T-molding is used to finish and protect the edges of the woodwork.
# '''Coin door'''. A coindoor to accept coins for play.

 

=Building your own Arcade=
{{Main|Building}}

== What type of build meets my needs? ==
One common pitfall of arcade building is trying to build a cab to "play everything" and ending up with a monster of a control panel often nicknamed a [[frankenpanel]] by the community. Consider what you want to achieve and what your limitations are before starting to build.

#'''Start by considering where you want to put/use the cab.''' Measure the doorways so you can actually move the arcade from the place of construction to the gameroom. Consider what type of cab (upright, sitdown, cocktail, bartop, etc.) will fit your circumstances. Consider possible reflections of windows/lamps on the monitor and power outlet availability.
#'''Make a list of the games, emulators, and front end you want to use.''' This list should include any "can't live without" games and will help you choose a suitable computer. Check the [http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Multi-Player_Games multi-player], [http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Joysticks#Games_with_Dual_Joysticks dual joystick], [http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Joysticks#Mechanical_Rotary_Joystick_Games_.28LS-30.2C_Happ_Mechanical_Rotary_Sticks.29 rotary joystick], [http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Joysticks#Analog_Joysticks analog joystick/yoke], [http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Light_Guns#Lightgun_Games_List lightgun], and [http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Spinners_and_Dials#Which_games_originally_used_a_spinner spinner] gamelists to see if there are enough "can't live without" games in each list to justify including these specialized controls in your build. Also check out BadMouth's "All Killer, No Filler" game lists [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,149708.0.html here].
#'''Consider the number of simultaneous players you want to support.''' Keep in mind that more players means adapting your [[control panel]]; the more controls the more room you'll need (space might be an issue). If you plan to support more than 2 players, make sure all players have a good view of the screen. Also more players probably means a bigger budget- keep in mind that there are alternatives like using USB joypads for letting other players join in or using a 2-player version of a 4-player game like Gauntlet, TMNT, or X-Men.
#'''Figure out what kind/quantity of controls you'll need to support the games and emulators on your list.''' Go through the list to determine what controls you will need. [[Joysticks]] come in many variants such as 4-way, 8-way, and analog. Some games or consoles require analog controls. Keep in mind that some controls can be used as alternative: for example a [[Trackballs|trackball]] might also work as a [[spinner]] or mouse. A spinner might also work as a [[Driving_Controls#Optical_.28360_degree_wheels.29|steering wheel]]. Note that reusing controls is also subject to personal preference and is an often discussed subject within the community.
#'''What computer do you want/need to use.''' Newer games means a newer computer. If you already have a computer you plan to use, try some [[emulators]] on it to see what games it is capable of running - cross check this with the games you want to play.
#'''That will lead you to what [[emulators]] and other [[software]] like [[Front-Ends|front-ends]] you want/need.''' [[Emulators]] are programs that can make the computer act as a (retro)gaming system such as an [[Arcade_Emulators|arcade machine]] or [[Game_Consoles|game consoles]]. Do you want the players to be able to switch games? There are many programs where players can select and start games (this kind of software programs are known as [[Front-Ends|front-ends]]. Configuring the computer to run old games is also part of the hobby!
#'''Choose your encoder'''. The [[encoders|encoder]] is a specialized piece of electronics that connects the controls to the computer. There are several vendors that sell encoders, it is also possible to create your own by hacking a keyboard or gamepad. It is usually much easier to buy an encoder from a vendor instead. A few things to keep in mind when selecting an encoder such as the number of supported inputs (how many buttons can you connect) support for analogue devices (trackball, spinner etc.).
#'''What is the artwork/theme/design you want to use?''' [[Overview_%26_Options_to_Consider|Picking the artwork or theme]] early may help you selecting the colors of the [[Pushbuttons|buttons]] or [[T-Molding|t-molding]]. It may also affect the way you want to arrange the buttons on the controlpanel or the size of the marquee.
#'''Arrange the controls on the control panel.''' It is highly encouraged to create a mockup panel out of cardboard, hardboard, or even MDF to test the layout. This enables you to "feel" if the controls are in the right place and the control panel is comfortable to play. [http://slagcoin.com/joystick/layout.html Slagcoin] has many printable button layouts.
#'''Select a monitor.''' What kind of monitor do you plan to use? Consider that the size may affect the dimensions of the cabinet. Keep in mind that many arcade games have the monitor in portrait mode (while these are still playable on a landscape oriented monitor, the games will often be scaled down). Some emulators can use special effects (shaders) to simulate the appearance of an old CRT monitor on LCD (flat panel) monitors, this usually requires a decent videocard.
#'''Design the rest of the cab around the monitor and control panel.''' The control panel and monitor often dictate the required dimensions for the rest of the cabinet. Keep also in mind the considerations at point 1 in this list!

There are many more topics to explore such as [[Rotating_Monitor|rotating monitors]], swappable control panels, and [[Modular_Control_Panels|modular control panels]]. This list is by no means complete but it should provide a solid foundation for you to start designing your own cab!

== What is the difference between an original arcade cab and a MAME cab? ==
An original arcade cabinet refers to a cabinet designed for commecial operation. These cabinets are often crafted for a specific game or specific type of dedicated arcade (computer) hardware.
A MAME cabinet is the collective name for a cabinet intended to simulate the arcade experience. These cabinets are usually configured to allow users to play many different games.

Some original arcade cabinets have electronic components like Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) or monitors that are missing or damaged beyond restoration. Sometimes replacement parts are impossible to find or outrageously expensive. Sometimes the artwork or body of the cabinet is badly damaged. Problems like these can make restoring a commonly-available cabinet so difficult or expensive that it '''clearly''' isn't worth preserving. Cabs like those are possible candidates to convert to a MAME cabinet. Remember to preserve as much as possible and, as the saying goes, "Please don't maim for MAME."

Also note that the name MAME cabinet refers to the [[Emulators|emulator]] [[MAME]], but in many cases several other emulators are used to play games. MAME is the most common emulator to play arcade games.

== What is JAMMA/JAMMA+? ==
{{Main|JAMMA}}
[[Image:Jamma.png|thumbnail|300px|JAMMA connector]]JAMMA is a wiring standard developed in 1985 by Japan Amusement Machine and Marketing Association, Inc. It allows you to easily change between JAMMA compatible game boards without re-wiring the cabinet.
If you plan to build your own arcade from scratch with your own PC, the JAMMA standard does not apply; it is an industry standard.

The JAMMA standard uses a 56-pin edge connector on the board with inputs and outputs common to most video games.
JAMMA Games that have more than 3 action buttons, more than 2 players, or different control types use the JAMMA+ standard.

The JAMMA standard enables you to hook an original arcade cabinet to a PC using a [[Keyboard_Encoders#J-PAC|J-PAC]] encoder. This allows you to use the existing controls to play emulated games.
{{Also|Connecting a PC to an Arcade Cabinet}}

If you have JAMMA compatible game circuit boards, you will need JAMMA compatible arcade hardware to be able to play them.

The Real Bob Roberts™ JAMMA links:
*[http://homearcade.org/BBBB/newjam.html JAMMA pinout]
*[http://homearcade.org/BBBB/jh.html JAMMA harness bundling]
*[http://homearcade.org/BBBB/plus.html JAMMA+ wiring]

= Controls =
{{Main|Controls}}
Authentic controls and [[Control panel|control panels]] give you that original arcade feel.

== Joystick Types ==
{{Main|Joysticks}}
A Joystick is a device to let you manually control direction of movement in an arcade game. When selecting the correct joystick for your setup, keep in mind the games you wish to play. Note that there are also [[Joysticks#Games_with_Dual_Joysticks|games that use dual joysticks]].

===2-way===
2-way joysticks register movement along either the X-axis '''or''' Y-axis. These joysticks are operated by triggering [[Working with Microswitches|microswitches]] or leaf switches which means these are absolute -- either movement in a direction is triggered or not. 4-way or 8-way joysticks can be used as physically-restricted 2-way joysticks by using a slot-shaped restrictor plate.

===4/8-way===
4-way and 8-way joysticks register movement along the X-axis '''and''' Y-axis. These joysticks are operated by triggering [[Working with Microswitches|microswitches]] or leaf switches which means these are absolute -- either movement in a direction is triggered or not. Both 4-way and 8-way joysticks have 4 microswitches or leaf switches. The difference between 4-way and 8-way joysticks is that a 4-way stick can only activate one switch (up, down, left, or right) at a time, but an 8-way stick can register up to two switches (up+right, etc.) at a time. Some joysticks have a restrictor plate that limits/defines the joystick's range of motion, allowing you to select 4/8-way operation. There are also models that can automatically switch between physical 4-way and 8-way restriction using a motor/actuator controlled by software.

===Analog===
Analog joystics can discern how far the handle has been pushed from the center position. This type of joystick is often used where the player must be able to control the movement in a smooth way, for example pushing the joystick further also makes the game character move faster in the chosen direction.

===Speciality joysticks===
Speciality joysticks include [[Joysticks#49-Way_Joysticks|49-way joysticks]], [[Joysticks#Rotary_Joysticks|rotary joysticks]], [[Joysticks#TRON_joysticks|TRON joysticks]] and joysticks with a trigger and/or one or more buttons.

== Buttons ==
{{Main|Pushbuttons}}
{{Also|Working with Microswitches}}
{{Also|Wiring Push Buttons and Conventional Digital Joysticks}}

Pushbuttons are the simplest and most common form of control consisting of a momentary switch that makes contact when pressed.
Buttons come in various colors, shapes and sizes. Round buttons are usually used on control panels.

Pushuttons with 3 tabs have Common (Com), Normally Open (NO), and Normally Closed (NC) connections in a SPDT configuration.

Pushbuttons with 2 tabs are in a SPST configuration.

===Layout===
The placement of buttons (and joysticks) is often influenced by personal preference. It is wise to consider using one of the common layouts used in the arcade industry, as these were designed to allow players to reach and rest their fingers on buttons with minimal hand strain. The [http://www.slagcoin.com/joystick/layout.html Slagcoin] website has a list of descriptions and printable layouts that are '''highly''' recommended reference material.

Before constructing a control panel, a cardboard mockup often gives you a good impression if the controls are comfortable to use.

===Number of player buttons===
The number of player buttons (buttons used during gameplay) to put on your panel is determined by the the games you plan to play. Most fighting games used 6 buttons in a 2 rows of 3 buttons configuration. The [[Neo-Geo]] used 4 buttons in a single row. Some people combine these two layouts in a 2 row layout with 3 buttons on one row and four on the other.

Note that no arcade machine uses more than 4 buttons for players three and four.

If you are making a dedicated cab for 4-way joystick games, you will only need 2 player buttons unless you want to include:

'''4-way joystick 3 button games'''
* Iron Horse
* Punch Out!!
'''4-way joystick 4 button games'''
* Mouse Trap
* Super Punch-Out!!

===Number of admin buttons===
Commonly used admin buttons/function include P1/P2 Start (1/2), P1/P2 Coin (5/6), Pause (P) and Exit. (ESC)

To keep guests or children from accidently messing up their cab configuration, many individuals choose to not include a Menu (Tab) button and disable the shifted function for Menu. (P1 Start + joystick right on I-Pac)

There are several schools of thought concerning admin buttons -- some people prefer dedicated admin buttons, while others prefer using "shifted functions".

'''Dedicated admin buttons:'''
*'''PRO +''' Button functions can be clearly labeled on the panel art or using inserts in translucent buttons.
*'''CON -''' Too many buttons can be confusing and make a panel look cluttered.

Commonly used dedicated admin buttons include P1/P2 Start, P1/P2 Coin, ESC (exit), Pause, and others. Some console emulators may also require additional functions so be sure to install and configure desired emulators '''before''' building your panel.

'''"Shifted functions":'''
*'''PRO +''' Can make the panel look less cluttered.
*'''CON -''' When the "shift" button is pressed, any button pressed at the same time will output the associated shifted function. This may trigger an unintended function (exit, pause, menu, etc.) during a multi-player co-op game when one player performs a shifted function and the other player continues playing.

"Shifted functions" require a button/input to act as the "shift" button -- P1 Start on the IPac, HWB on the KADE, and Shazaaam! on the KeyWiz.

Pressing P1 Start and P2 Start will cause an IPac to output ESC. (exit)

Include an instruction card on the control panel overlay or screen bezel so family members and guests can figure out how to operate the cab.

===Illuminated buttons===
{{Main|Lighting}}
Many vendors sell illuminted single-color buttons and/or RGB (Red/Green/Blue) LED lighting kits for pushbuttons.

Illuminated buttons can be wired directly to a power source for constant single-color illumination '''or''' you can change brightness (single-color or RGB) or color (RGB) using software and a USB LED controller board like the LED-Wiz or the PacLED64.

== Trackballs ==
{{Main|Trackballs}}
A Trackball is a large ball that can be pushed in any direction to control an arcade game. Trackballs provide precise analog control, much like a mouse.

== Spinners ==
{{Main|Spinners}}
A Spinner is a knob that can be spun rapidly in either direction to move an on-screen paddle or character. Spinners provide precise analog control like a mouse, but act only along one axis.

== Other specialized controls ==
{{Also|:Category:Controls}}

Yokes, steering wheels, trigger stick, rotary joysticks, light guns, etc.

== USB gamepads/controllers ==
One way to expand the number of games that you can play (without turning your control panel into a "Frankenpanel") is to use gamepads or controllers plugged into external USB ports.

USB gamepads allow you to add Players 3+4 to a 2-player cab or play console games that use "shoulder buttons" or two analogue joysticks per player (''twin stick shooters'').

You can also add controllers with specialized controls like an analog flightstick for Afterburner or rotary joysticks for Ikari Warriors. Another option is to add controllers with specialized layouts for Defender or Asteroids.

=Construction=
{{Main|Building}}
Building your own arcade cabinet or controller can be a rewarding experience. The construction itself involves various disciplines from woodworking, electronics and design. While some people in the community have produced exceptional cabinets, everyone with some practice and dedication can build a cabinet.
The wiki has an [[Build an OND designed cab Metropolis|example project]] with images to give an impression of how a cabinet is built.

== What tools do I need? ==
{{Main|Hand Tools}}
{{Main|Power Tools}}
Building your own arcade machine is no simple task and requires the correct tools as well as the knowledge of how to use each one correctly and safely.
Keep the safety guidelines in mind for each tool in when using them!
[[File:Ond_tools.jpg|center]]

== Design ==
{{Main|Technical design software}}
Planning is everything is this hobby. To make sure your design fits together as you had in mind it is wise to sketch out your designs first. Regular paper sketches with measurements might suit your needs. There is also software (some available for free) to help design your cabinet. Often community members share their designs in digital files. [http://www.sketchup.com Sketchup] is quite popular, but other software such as Microsoft Visio works as well.

== What type of wood to use? ==
{{Main|Wood products}}
In building an arcade cabinet, several types of materials are available to you. Each has its strengths and weaknesses. The most common used materials are [[Wood_products#MDF|MDF]], [[Wood_products#Plywood|Plywood]] and [[Wood_products#MDO|MDO]].

== What thickness and materials to use for the Control Panel? ==
Many people use [[Wood_products#MDF|MDF]], [[Wood_products#Plywood|Plywood]] or [[Wood_products#MDO|MDO]] since they are easy to work with.

Some use metal.

Some control panel artwork comes with a thin polycarbonate lamination that protects the artwork from wear and tear, but artwork without it needs to be protected using 1/8" plexiglass, polycarbonate, or acrylic.

Plexiglass is usually held down by the pushbuttons/nuts.

If you are using [[T-Molding|T-Molding]], the combined thickness of all the layers needs to add up to the width of the T-Molding.

For example, 5/8" MDF + artwork + 1/8" plexiglass = 3/4" T-Molding.

If you aren't able to find T-molding that matches the thickness of the layers, you can use a chamfer or roundover router bit to angle the lower edge of the control panel.

[[File:T-molding regular and offset 2.jpg|center]]

== Mounting controls in the control panel==
Part of planning is reviewing the mounting options. Some controls require clearance on either side for mounting. When in doubt, tt is advised to use a cardboard mockup to verify the clearances of the controls.

===Hardware===
There are three types of hardware commonly used to mount joysticks.

This hardware is purchased separately from the joystick due to the variety of mounting options and methods.

'''Carriage Bolts:'''
Carriage bolts have a rounded top and a square base slightly larger than the threads.
*'''PRO +''' Strongest mounting method.
*'''CON -''' Visible bolt heads can distract from artwork.

'''Tee Nuts/T-Nuts:'''
The two common styles have either prongs or holes for small nails to keep the nuts from turning when screws are tightened/loosened. The kind with the nails is usually a better choice than the kind with prongs because it's much easier to drill tiny pilot holes for nails than it is to drive prongs into dense MDF.
*'''PRO +''' Almost as strong as carriage bolts.
*'''PRO +''' Can be hidden in a shallow countersink.
*'''CON -''' Requires more work to prepare a smooth surface for paint or vinyl artwork.
*'''PRO/CON''' Use a piece of tape to ensure that wood putty does not get into the threads of the nut, otherwise the hardened putty may be pushed up when you tighten the screw and damage the smooth surface.
*'''PRO/CON''' Screws used must be long enough to engage the tee nut, but not so long that they break through the top of the control panel.

'''Threaded Inserts:'''
These are preferred over wood screws in materials such as MDF. Regardless of what kind of thread geometry the wood screw has, with MDF you can only tighten it reliably '''once'''. When you loosen and retighten a screw in MDF it pulps and strips it. Good threaded inserts for MDF have very wide/flat/thin outer threads that cut into the MDF and keep the insert from backing out when the machine screws are loosened. The negative example below has outer threads that are too narrow to work properly with MDF. Threads on the inside allow you to remove/replace the machine screws in the event you want to replace the joystick.
*'''PRO +''' Easiest way to leave a smooth surface for paint or vinyl artwork.
*'''PRO/CON''' Screws used must be long enough to engage the insert, but not so long that they break through the top of the control panel.

<center>
<gallery>
Image:CarriageBolt.jpg|Carriage bolt
Image:TeeNuts.jpg|Tee-nuts
image:GGGThreadedInserts.jpg|Threaded insert kit. Photo © IDVT Inc. / [http://groovygamegear.com/webstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=70&products_id=317 GroovyGameGear.com], Used with permission.
Image:UltimarcThreadedInserts.jpg|Threaded insert kit. Photo © [http://www.ultimarc.com/controls.html Ultimarc.com], Used with permission.
Image:BadThreadedInsert.jpg|Wrong inserts for MDF: the threads are too small on this type
</gallery>
</center>

===Push buttons===
Most push buttons mount in a round hole -- usually 1-1/8" (28mm) or 30mm. Most push buttons are (from a construction point of view) similar to a nut and bolt: the threaded end is below the control panel and held in place by a nut. Some push buttons have flexible tabs that lock in place under the panel. This type of button is usually used with metal control panels.
<center><gallery>
File:PushButtonThreaded.png|Threaded button
File:PushButtonLockingTab.png|Locking-tab button
</gallery></center>

===Joysticks===
There are several ways to mount a joystick in a control panel.
<center>
<gallery widths=180px heights=180px>
File:Joystickmount-top.png|Top mount
File:Joystickmount-under.png|Under mount (threaded inserts)
File:Joystickmount-undertnuts.png|Under mount (tee-nuts)
File:Joystickmount-underrecessed.png|Under mount (recessed, countersunk screws)
File:Joystickmount-supportblocks.png|Under mount (support blocks)
File:Joystickmount-toprecessed.png|Top mount (recessed)
</gallery>
</center>

* '''Top mount''' The joystick is mounted on top of the control panel; for this a larger hole must be cut in the panel to accomodate the base of the joystick. A top mounted joystick adds a raised plate on top of the panel which is generally undesired if any artwork is to be added to the control panel. Also screws cannot be countersunk using this method. Carriage bolts are commonly used for this mounting configuration.

* '''Under mount''' The joystick is mounted underneath the control panel. Countersunk fasteners or threaded inserts leave a flat surface for comfortable play and application of artwork. The downside to this method is either the loss of joystick height '''or''' an increase in the distance the stick must travel to actuate the switches. countersunk screws/bolts, tee-nuts or threaded inserts are commonly used for this mounting configuration.

* '''Under mount (recessed)''' The joystick is mounted underneath the control panel. An area is cleared using a router to sink the joystick into the wood; this gives the joystick more height for play. Tee-nuts/T-nuts, countersunk screws/bolts, or threaded inserts are commonly used for this mounting configuration.

* '''Under mount (support blocks)''' The joystick is securely supported inside a recessed gap using blocks held in place by a metal plate or flat metal bars secured to the control panel by threaded inserts or tee-nuts. [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,130690.msg1345990.html#msg1345990 This forum topic] has an excellent example of this method. The photos below are from the forum topic, used with permission from [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=profile;u=62783 EMDB].
<center>
<gallery>
File:emdb_1.jpg|1: Routed area
File:emdb_2.jpg|2: Fitting joystick
File:emdb_3.jpg|3: Added support blocks
File:emdb_4.jpg|4: Threaded inserts
File:emdb_5.jpg|5: Plate to secure the joystick
</gallery>
</center>

[[File:Under Mount Metal Bars.jpg|250px|center]]
<center>Simple under mount using support blocks and two flat metal bars.</center>

 
[[image:TopRecessed.jpg|right|thumb| Top mount (recessed) example]]
* '''Top mount (recessed)'''. If (1) the joystick shaft is ''very'' short, (2) you don't want the joystick mounting plate exposed, and (3) need the strongest shallow-mount option available, use a top mount (recessed) configuration. The cover piece can be secured using countersunk screws as shown or a cover piece the size of the whole control panel can be held in place by the push buttons. See [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,129964.msg1329715.html#msg1329715 this topic] with an example and explanation of this method. The down-side of using this method is that it is much more difficult to remove and replace joysticks than with the other methods.

 
====Orientation====
It is important to note that joysticks should ''always'' be mounted parallel to the screen since it is intuitive for a player to move the joystick in relation to the action on the screen. This might seem not obvious in 4-player designs, but experience has proved that this holds true even if the player is standing diagonal towards the screen. Therefore it is advised not to angle joysticks for players 3 and 4. P3, P1, and P2 joysticks are shown parallel, while P4 joystick is shown angled.[[Image:StraightAndAngledSticks.jpg|center|460px|P3=straight, P4=angled]]

The notable exceptions to this rule are the [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,129696.msg1326815.html#msg1326815 diagonal games] Q*bert, Q*bert's Qubes, Inferno (1 angled stick and 1 angled trigger stick per player), and Congo Bongo. The 4-way joystick is angled 45 degrees clockwise -- up relative to stick = up+right relative to the monitor. Since your on-screen character can ''only'' move in diagonals, this keeps the joystick up/down/left/right directions aligned with the on-screen action.

===Trackballs===
{{Also|Trackball Mounting}}

Mounting a trackball in a wood panel is often done with the aid of a mounting plate or kit.

If you aren't using a mounting plate, there are several tools that are good for cutting the large circular hole.
*Holesaw
*Dremel tool circle cutter attachment
*Router circle cutter attachment
*Adjustable circle cutter

There is further information and several useful links in [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,138552.msg1432066.html#msg1432066 this] post.

= Encoders =
{{Main|Encoders}}
An [[Encoders|encoder]] is a device that interfaces between the controls and the computer running the games. In the early days of the hobby, keyboard or gamepad encoders were often re-used/hacked by soldering wires to the connection points. Today [[vendors]] have different kinds of encoder circuit boards to make the process much easier and more reliable. Encoders usually connect to the PC using [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usb USB] or [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PS/2_port PS/2] connectors.

== What type of encoder(s) do I need? ==
There are four basic types of encoders presently available:
*[[Keyboard Encoders]] When using this, the computer will interpret the connected controls as if it was a keyboard.
:'''PRO +''' Most games are able to use the keyboard inputs.
:'''PRO +''' Most encoders come preconfigured with an arcade configuration.
:'''PRO +''' Keyboard encoders can support multiple players (see also ''[[#How_many_encoder_inputs_do_I_need_for_my_control_panel.3F|how many encoder inputs do I need]]'').
:'''CON -''' Can only handle digital (either 'key down' or 'key up') inputs.
:'''CON -''' Certain key combinations [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,149393.msg1559496.html#msg1559496 described here] can cause accidental loss of focus or other undesired functions.
:'''PRO/CON''' Most 4-player encoders have overlapping keys [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,133021.msg1368637.html#msg1368637 described here] that you may want to reprogram.

*[[Gamepad Encoders]] When using this, the computer will interpret the connected controls as if it was a gamepad.
:'''PRO +''' Usually plug-and-play.
:'''PRO +''' Gamepad Encoders that support analog (potentiometer) controls are called [[Analog_Encoders|Analog Encoders]].
:'''CON -''' Usually one player per encoder (as one gamepad per player).
:'''CON -''' Not all software supports gamepads.

*[[Rotary Encoders]] A rotary encoder is required to interface rotary mechanical joysticks like the ones used for Ikari Warriors.
:'''PRO +''' Most models have additional gamepad or keyboard inputs.

*[[Optical Encoders|Optical (Mouse) Encoders]] An optical encoder can connect devices such as trackballs, spinners, or rotary optical joysticks. The computer will interpret the connected controls as if it were a mouse.
:'''PRO +''' A trackball can act as a mouse.

Note that some vendors combine keyboard and optical encoders in one circuit board.

Choosing the right encoder depends on the types of software you plan to use. If, for example, you plan to play games that only support gamepads, it is wise to choose an encoder of the gamepad type. Identify the input capabilities of the software you plan to use and choose accordingly. Also certain types of controls (rotary joysticks, trackballs and spinners) require a specific encoder to be able to connect to the computer.

For some input types a software conversion is possible - for example the program "joy2key" is able to convert gamepad controls into keyboard strokes.

== How many encoder inputs do I need for my control panel? ==
The encoder(s) you choose must be able to support all the controls you plan to use. Check the vendor-supplied information to determine the quantity and type of inputs each encoder can handle.

'''Digital inputs (IPac, KADE, KeyWiz, Mini-Pac, UHID, etc.)'''

*4-way or 8-way joystick - 4 inputs
*Pushbutton - 1 input
*Coin-slot microswitch - 1 input
*Pedal (microswitch) - 1 input

'''Optical inputs - each axis uses 5v, ground, and two data lines (Mini-Pac, OptiWiz, UHID, etc.)'''
*Trackball - 2 axes (NOTE: Some come with a USB or PS/2 adapter)
*Spinner/360 degree wheel - 1 axis

'''Analog inputs - each axis uses 5v, ground and one wiper (A-Pac, KADESTICK, UHID, etc.)'''
*Analog joystick - 2 axes
*Paddle/270 degree wheel - 1 axis
*Pedal (potentiometer) - 1 axis

KADE extended mode (20 inputs ==> 26 functions + 20 shifted functions) or shifted functions can increase the number of controls connected to your encoder. Pros and cons to shifted functions are mentioned in the [[FAQ#Number_of_admin_buttons|Number of admin buttons]] section.

= Basic wiring =
{{Also|Wiring Push Buttons and Conventional Digital Joysticks}}

== Quick disconnect sizes ==
For easy connection/disconnection, many joysticks and switches use standard sized tabs. Compatible connectors are named "quick disconnect terminals". (QDs)

Most microswitches use 0.187" (4.8 mm) QDs and some use 0.250" (6 mm) QDs. Most two tab buttons (Sanwa, Seimitsu, Goldleaf, etc.) and leaf switches use 0.110" QDs. (2.8 mm). Check the product description or measure the tabs to ensure you get the the correct size.
<center>
<gallery widths=220px heights=220px>
File:QuickDisconnectsFemale.png|Female quick disconnect terminals
File:QuickDisconnectsMale.png|Male quick disconnect terminals
</gallery>
</center>
The color-coded plastic insulation sleeve indicates the size wire(s) that the terminal is designed for. Red is used for 18-22 AWG wire, blue is used for 14-16 AWG, and yellow is used for 10-12 AWG.

== Soldering ==
Soldering is another option for connecting wires to components. Soldering electronics is a specialist skill which requires practise.

Soldering is the process of joining two metal components by melting a filler (the solder) between them. Often the joining process is accelerated by the use of a flux liquid to clean/prepare the surfaces. A soldered joint is semi permanent - the joint can be broken by melting the solder again.

A good solder connection will have both good mechanical connection (physically strong) '''and''' good electrical connection. (low resistance)

After soldering, always clean the joint and surrounding area with a cotton swab dipped in isopropyl alcohol to remove any residual flux and solder.

See also: [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,129317.msg1322370.html#msg1322370 Soldering tutorial]

== Commonly used wire sizes ==
Most control panels use between 20AWG and 30AWG wire to connect controls. AWG stands for [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_wire_gauge American Wire Gauge].
22AWG stranded wire is a popular choice -- small enough to work with fairly easily, big enough for solid crimp connections and carrying current for many LED setups.

See Wikipedia for other wire gauges [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_wire_gauge British Standard Wire Gauge], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEC_60228 IEC 60228] and [http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/28/Gauge_Chart.pdf Gauge comparison chart].

== How do I wire microswitches to an encoder? ==
The illustration demonstrates a common way of connecting the microswitches. Please read the topic [[Working with Microswitches]] for a detailed description of the microswitch connectors.
<center>
[[Image:PushbuttonMicroswitchWire.png|300px]]
</center>
Wires 1 and 2 go to the Encoder input for the function you want the push button to activate. For example if the left button is the "Player 1 Start" button, the red wire labelled "1" goes to the corresponding input on the encoder. Note how the black wire labelled "3" is connected to the COM tab of both microswitches. The black daisy-chain ground wire goes to the ground connecter of the encoder.

<center>
[[Image:PushbuttonMicroswitchWire1a.png|620px]]
</center>
The first schematic shows the same switches and wires connected to encoder (gray) input 1, input 2, and ground.

With no buttons pressed, the encoder inputs and wires have 5v connected to them, but like a light switch that is off, there is no path for current flow through the inputs.

The other schematics show the encoder registering a button press when ground is connected to the input which allows current to flow through that part of the circuit like flipping a light switch to turn on a light.

== Power wiring ==
{{Template:DisclaimerElectricity}}
[[image:IECPowerSwitch.jpg|right|thumb|IEC power inlet with fuse and lighted switch]]
One popular choice for neatly bringing power into a cab is a power inlet with an IEC320 C14 socket.

Some of them have built-in switches and/or fuse holders.

A number of vendors carry similar products with several different types of switches.

See [[Wiring#IEC_Fused_Power_Inlet_with_a_Lighted_Switch]] for details.

 

=Illuminating your cabinet=
{{Main|Lighting}}
{{Also|Finishing}}

== LED Lighting ==
Most arcade LEDs are designed to run on either 5v or 12v circuits.

You can use 12v LEDs powered by 5v for extremely-low power consumption -- commonly used for standalone USB control panels to avoid the use of a second cable for LED power.

== Single color buttons ==
These are lit by a single-color LED.

== RGB buttons ==
Can be hard-wired to operate like single color buttons, but the most common way to use these LEDs is with a controller.

These LEDs have 4 wires: Operating voltage (yellow or black wire), red ground, green ground, and blue ground.

[http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,121965.msg1294271.html#msg1294271 This forum topic] has a comparison of various RGB lighting modules and push buttons.

== LED controllers ==
An LED controller allows the computer to switch LEDs on and off, change the brightness and (in the case of RGB LEDs) change the color. This allows you to illuminate buttons based on what game is being played or create animated light displays.

Several vendors sell LED controller boards for this purpose. Commonly used controllers are LED-Wiz, Pac-LED64, Pac-Drive, and U-HID.

The software [http://www.ledblinky.net/ledblinky.htm LEDBlinky] can be used to drive the controllers. The LEDBlinky software is compatible with various [[Front-Ends|Front end software]].

= Displays =
{{Main|Video}}
Displays come in two basic types: CRT and Flatscreen. Both have advantages and disadvantages.
CRT stands for [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathode_ray_tube Cathode Ray Tube] and works by sending beams of electrons to a fluorescent screen. CRT displays in the consumer markets are becomming less and less common in favor of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flatscreen flatscreen displays]. Flatscreen displays are available in LCD, LED, OLED, and plasma variants -- each with their own strengths and weaknesses but are generally categorised by availability and pricepoint.
A small number of arcade cabinets used speciality displays such as backscreen projection.

See also the [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,45137.0.html Monitor FAQ] topic on the forums.

== Differences: pros/cons ==
'''Arcade CRT monitor''' The arcade monitor offers the best arcade experience as these are the monitors used in the original cabinets. These monitors are hard to find. These monitors usually support low resolutions (which may or may not be a con, depending on the types of games you plan to play). {{Also|Arcade Monitors}}

*'''PRO +''' Offer a real arcade experience.
*'''CON -''' Hard to find.
*'''CON -''' Requires a special videocard to use with a PC.

'''CRT television''' The CRT television can be used as a display. {{Also|Televisions}}

*'''PRO +''' Close to an arcade monitor.
*'''PRO +''' Cheap and easy to find 2nd hand market.
*'''PRO +''' Common in the 4:3 aspect ratio (most common ratio for arcade games).
*'''PRO +''' Europe only: Most European TVs have the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scart SCART] connector for easier RGB connection. This makes the TV work exactly like an arcade monitor. See also [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,77370.0.html this forum topic].
*'''CON -''' Generally very heavy (especially those larger than 19 inches).

'''CRT monitor''' The CRT monitor is a regular CRT PC monitor. Some types of CRT monitors ([[MultiSync Monitors]]) can display arcade hardware natively. {{Also|PC Monitors}}

*'''PRO +''' Close to an arcade monitor (but not as close as a CRT television).
*'''PRO +''' Cheap and easy to find for sizes up to and including 19 inch on 2nd hand market.
*'''PRO +''' Common in the 4:3 aspect ratio (most common ratio for arcade games).
*'''CON -''' Harder to find in sizes of 21 inch and above (even in the 2nd hand market).
*'''CON -''' Generally very heavy (especially ones larger than 19 inches).

'''LCD Flatpanel''' The flatpanel computer monitors are the most common computer displays at the moment.

*'''PRO +''' Lightweight.
*'''PRO +''' Easy to mount inside a cabinet (due to the VESA [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flat_Display_Mounting_Interface mounting standard]).
*'''PRO +''' Cheap and commonly available.
*'''CON -''' Sizes above 19" are usually in the 16:9 (widescreen) aspect ratio (4:3 is more common in arcade games).
*'''CON -''' Lack the authentic look ("too clean"). Some emulators provide graphic filters to simulate the look of a CRT monitor.
*'''CON -''' The viewing angle might be a problem (depends on the model and make- but it is something to keep in mind).
*'''PRO/CON''' Has a "native" resolution, which means it will look the best in a specific setting. Most emulators and software can be set to use this resolution.

'''LED Flatpanel''' LED display technology is an improvement over LCD technology and is currently common used in flatpanel televisions. If you plan to use a television model for your arcade, it is advised to verify if the connection options for the display are compatible to the computer you plan to use.

*'''PRO +''' Lightweight.
*'''PRO +''' Easy to mount inside a cabinet (due to the VESA [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flat_Display_Mounting_Interface mounting standard]).
*'''PRO +''' Available in large sizes.
*'''PRO +''' Wide viewing angle compared to LCD.
*'''CON -''' Generally more expensive than LCD monitors.
*'''CON -''' Nearly all LED displays are in the 16:9 (widescreen) aspect ratio (4:3 is more common in arcade games).
*'''CON -''' Lack the authentic look ("too clean"). Some emulators provide graphic filters to simulate the look of a CRT monitor.
*'''PRO/CON''' Has a "native" resolution, which means it will look the best in a specific setting. Most emulators and software can be set to use this resolution.

== Types of video connections ==
The type of connection depends on the display and the computer (or arcade hardware) used.

This is a list with common connection types and how to recognize them. Some connectors can be converted to another connector type by using a conversion cable; usually conversion is only backwards compatible (ie. Component can be converted to Composite, but not the other way around).

* '''Composite''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Composite_video composite connector] is commonly indicated by a single yellow [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RCA_connector RCA connector]. The signal (usually referred to as ''CVBS'' signal) is an analogue signal. This type of connector is often found on older TV sets.

*'''S-Video''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S-Video S-Video] connection (sometimes referred to as Y/C) is a (small) round with four pins. The quality is better than composite but the available color depth is not as good as component. The S-Video is connection available on some PC video cards (as secondary connector) due to it's small connector size. A S-Video signal can be converted to composite using a conversion cable.

* '''Component''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Component_video component video] (sometimes referred to as YCbCr or YPbPr) connection is indicated by three [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RCA_connector RCA connectors] color coded red, green and blue. The video signal is an [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YPbPr analogue signal]. It is often incorrect assumed that this is an RGB signal (the confusion often stems from the color code of the cables). This is the best available analogue signal, it is commonly found on large television sets. A native YCbCr can be converted to composite or S-video using a conversion cable.

* '''SCART''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SCART SCART connector] is common in Europe- almost all TVs sold are equipped with the connector (another name for SCART is ''EuroAV''). The SCART connector can carry a mix of signals including analogue and digital RGB. The SCART connector can be identified as a two row 21 pin connector. Standard arcade monitors use the 'RGB with sync' signal which is also available in SCART. Note that SCART is a connector standard- it does not automatically mean that a device with a SCART connector is capable displaying all modes the SCART connector can offer. In addition to video, the SCART connector can also carry stereo audio. There is no "native SCART" signal, but there are conversion cables available to connect Composite, S-Video and VGA signals to SCART.

* '''VGA connector''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VGA_connector VGA connector] (The connector itself is called a DE-15 connector) is a connector recognisable as a three row 15 pin connector- usually color coded blue. It is one of the most common video connectors found on computers (even though it is superceded by DVI and HDMI connectors). The signal it carries is analogue RGB and produces a sharp image. A VGA signal can be converted to the DVI, SCART-RGB, Component, S-Video and Composite with a conversion cable. Keep in mind that for some conversions the host must be able to output a specified

* '''DVI''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Visual_Interface DVI connector] is a rectangular (usually white) connector with a three row 24 pin and a two row 4 pin configuration. The DVI connector is a common connector on computers. The DVI standard can carry both analogue and digital video signals. A native DVI signal can be converted to VGA or HDMI with a conversion cable. Note that it is possible to convert VGA to DVI, it is however not possible to convert a native VGA signal via DVI to HDMI.

* '''HDMI''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HDMI HDMI connector] is a flat connector with a two row 19 pin configuration (the pins are usually joined by a plastic center). The HDMI connector is the current industry standard for high definition video and audio signal connections. A native HDMI signal may be converted to DVI with a conversion cable.

<gallery>
File:composite-jackplug.png|Composite
File:svideo-jackplug.png|S-Video
File:component-jackplug.png|Component
File:scart-jackplug.png|SCART
File:vga-jackplug.png|VGA
File:dvi-jackplug.png|DVI
File:hdmi-jackplug.png|HDMI
</gallery>

== Response time and input lag==
Response time is the time for a display to change a pixel from black to white and back to black. This should not be confused with '''input lag'''. Video response times are often listed in the specification sheet of LCD or LED monitors. CRT displays have very fast response time due the refresh rates of 50hz or 60hz.

Slow reponse times may result in blurred movement. See also [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Response_time_(technology)#Display_technologies the Wikipedia page] for more information on response times.

Input lag is the time it takes between an user action and the result being processed and displayed on the display. Input lag can be a problem in games where timing is essential such as rythm-action or fighting games. Since the processing of user input is also emulated, this may cause timing issues.

Input lag can come from software (emulators), firmware (some cheap encoders) or hardware (video converters or TV circuitry).
Modern TVs have additional features to enhance the picture quality, these features however may contribute to input lag- check if the TV you are using has a "game mode" setting which bypasses most of the features.
Some emulators offer options to sacrifice parts of the emulation for the benefit of speed. Another solution may be a faster computer to speed up emulation. The final option is to switch from emulation to simulation (for example use ''Step Mania'' to play ''Dance Dance Revolution'' style of games).

See also [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Input_lag Wikipedia] for more information on input lag.

= Software =
{{Main|Software}}
A variety of software, emulators, and simulators allow you to play a huge number of arcade, console, and PC games on a computer. The software used as a foundation of a home arcade machine generally consists of:
*Emulators to run specific game ROMs on a computer
*ROMs and related files such as MAME bios files (Marble Madness needs atarisy1.zip) and CHD files (Simpsons Bowling needs simpbowl.chd)
*A front-end menu system to easily select and launch games

== What is an emulator? What is a simulator? ==
An emulator is a software program that duplicates the operation of the computer hardware, firmware/software, and gameplay of an older game system. As the name implies it 'emulates' the system.
''See also: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emulator Wikipedia article on Emulators].''

Emulators are often confused with [[Simulators|simulators]]. A simulator does not try to re-create the operation of the original computer hardware/software/firmware but re-create the game itself. Therefore, an emulator provides an accurate re-creation of a game and a simulator provides a near-accurate rendition.

A simulator is often used when part or all of the game does not use fimware/software. Example: In Visual Pinball, the pinball playfield, lights, flippers and ball of Baby Pac-Man (the physical/mechanical parts) are simulated, while the videogame part is emulated using the original game ROMs.

=== What is a ROM? ===
{{Main|ROMs}}
For the original games - '''R'''ead '''O'''nly '''M'''emory chips on the game board/cartridge that hold the program code for a game/game system.
For emulators - .ZIP or .7z file(s) containing a copy ("dump") of the game/game system code.

=== Why do my ROMs not work? ===
It is not always guaranteed that a particular game ROM will work with a given emulator. The original memory chips may use encryption that is not yet decoded or a game may use a specific function that the chosen emulator does not currently support. Some games also require additional data such as a CD-Rom image or harddisk data - usually supplied as CHD ('''C'''ompressed '''H'''unks of '''D'''ata) files. Also, the data extraction method/format may not be compatible with the emulator (or emulator version) of choice.

When using MAME, one can use '''clrmamepro''' [http://mamedev.emulab.it/clrmamepro/] or your emulator's "Audit" function (if available) to check the version and filenames of ROMs compared to your MAME emulator program version. See also the [[Utilities#ROM_Managers.2C_Renamers_.26_Dats|rom manager]] section for other tools.

=== Commonly used emulators ===
{{Also|Arcade Emulators}}
{{Also|MAME Variants}}

The most common used emulator for arcade machines is [[MAME]], short for '''M'''ultiple '''A'''rcade '''M'''achine '''E'''mulator. MAME can emulate a wide range of arcade hardware and thus can run many different games. However for some types of arcade hardware, very specific emulators are created which may perform better. For example [[Supermodel]] is a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Sega_arcade_system_boards#Sega_Model_3 SEGA Model 3] emulator.

MAME is a major emulator in the arcade community, there are many different variants or "flavors" of MAME. These modified MAME variants often maintain the version numbering of the official (commonly referred to as "vanilla") MAME version to be clear what the base features and compatible ROM sets are. See [[MAME Variants]]. The most common variants are:

<center>
{|class="wikitable"
|MAME
|The "official" command line program that the other variants are based on.
|[http://www.mamedev.org/]
|-
|NoNag patched
|Suppresses error messages that are useful when troubleshooting.
|[http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,64298.0.html]
|-
|MAMEUI
|Built in frontend.
|[http://www.mameui.info/]
|-
|MAMEUIFX
|Built in frontend.
|[http://mame32fx.altervista.org/home.htm]
|-
|MAME Hub
|Added network play.
|[http://sites.google.com/site/mamehub/]
|-
|HB MAME
|Dedicated "homebrew" hacks.
|[http://hbmame.the-chronicles.org/index.html]
|-
|Groovy MAME
|Mainly aimed at CRT monitors and alleviating some annoyances associated with emulation on LCD displays.
|[http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?board=52.0]
|}
</center>

=== Should I upgrade my emulators to the latest version? ===
The answer is almost always '''NO'''. This is often a case of, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."

Only upgrade your emulators if you benefit from the upgrade -- for example the new version now supports a game you want to play. Keep in mind that upgrading your emulators probably means that your ROMs need updating as well. If the new release fixes something that makes it worth the time and effort to update your ROMs '''and''' will still run well on your system, consider the update.

== What is a Front end? ==
{{Main|Front-Ends}}
A front end is software used to launch games. With some emulators it can be quite a hassle to switch between games, as each game may require different settings. A front end can provide the end user with a seamless experience from selecting to playing games.
There are many front ends available, each with their own strengths and weaknesses.
Please check the table on the [[Front-Ends]] wiki page for features of various front ends.

== Other useful software ==
{{Main|Utilities}}
The community has produced many small tools and utilities to enhance the home arcade experience. Some utilities are used to overcome a shortcoming of an emulator or the operating system, others are created to support a specific piece of hardware.
Utilities may include [[Utilities#Input Mapping Software|input mapping software]] to redirect keystrokes to joystick buttons (or vice versa), tools to [[Utilities#Video Tools|manipulate the video display]] - for example switch between horizontal and vertical orientation of the display.

= Forum tips for asking questions that get good/faster answers: =
* Search first, somebody else has probably encountered this problem before -- don't ask people to retype the same old answers to the same old questions.
* Take your time editing the post so it is specific, clear, and easy to read.
* Whenever possible, include decent pics/screencaps/diagrams/part numbers/links.
* Include software/OS versions if applicable.
* Include your location when asking about parts/vendors or electrical wiring. (different countries use different wire colors and/or voltages)

'''DISCLAIMER:''' The authors of the document linked below ask that we remind you that they are not a help desk for your project.

More useful tips on asking smart questions [http://www.catb.org/esr/faqs/smart-questions.html here].

:''[[#top|Back to the top of this document]]''

=Help make this wiki even better=
You are welcome to contribute to this wiki. Take a look at the [[Community Portal]] for more information on how to help out. To contribute as an author or editor, you first need to create an account on the [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/ BYOAC forum] and then post in [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,136208.msg1407831.html#msg1407831 this thread] of the forum. One of the wiki moderators ([[User:Saint|Saint]], [[User:Felsir|Felsir]], or [[User:PL1|PL1]]) will help you get started.

=Resources and acknowledgments=
The inspiration for this FAQ is the MAME FAQ written in 2003 by CitznFish. It is available via the [http://web.archive.org/web/20081006130304/http://www.arcade-at-home.com/mame_faq.html Internet Wayback Machine]. 
The collective experience found on [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com the Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum]. 
Images used in the [[#Types_of_cabs|types of cabs]] section are based on the Sketchup models made by [http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/cldetails?clid=4ac3dc12784cb20bd06e6be4f8954ac Gozer]. 

[[Category:Index]]

File:Under Mount Metal Bars.jpg

2016-07-01T17:34:45Z

PL1: Photo © BYOAC member JudgeRob (cropped by PL1) -- originally posted at http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,149895.msg1579199.html#msg1579199 Used with permission conveyed in BYOAC PM from JudgeRob to PL1 on July 1st, 2016 at 10:55:22 am.

Photo © BYOAC member JudgeRob (cropped by PL1) -- originally posted at http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,149895.msg1579199.html#msg1579199 Used with permission conveyed in BYOAC PM from JudgeRob to PL1 on July 1st, 2016 at 10:55:22 am.

Optical Encoders

2016-07-01T04:15:24Z

PL1:

Optical encoders (or Mouse encoders) allow the use of a trackball, spinner, or 360 degree steering wheel and offer the functionality of a mouse hack in an easy-to-use form. They offer several benefits including ease in connecting controls and time savings.

==KADE==
[[image:KADEminiArcade.jpg|right|thumb|KADE miniArcade. Photo © kadevice.com, Used with permission.]]
[[image:KADEmicroArcade.jpg|right|thumb|KADE microArcade. Photo © kadevice.com, Used with permission.]]
The [http://www.kadevice.com KADE] series of Open Source/Open Hardware encoders allow you to load your choice of various gamepad, keyboard, rotary joystick, or game-console specific firmwares.

Some firmwares like "Trackball/Spinner (Quadrature) to USBHID Gamepad Encoder" and "Trackball/Spinner (Quadrature) to USB Mouse and Keyboard Encoder" can process raw optical inputs.

The easy-to-use KADE Loader software programs the desired firmware into the AVR microcontroller.

The miniArcade and microArcade encoders have 20 player inputs and allow "shifted functions" using the HWB input.

Because it is Open Hardware, you can get the AVR (atmega32u2 for the miniArcade) from various vendors to build a custom version.
 

==ME4==
[[image:me4.png|right|thumb|ME4]]

The ME4 is designed to interface a Trackball and/or Spinner to your computer's PS2 mouse port. Signals from the Trackball and Spinner are merged and converted into PS2 mouse protocol. Since the response from both devices is merged at the ME4, activity from either device will report mouse movement to the PS2 mouse port. This arrangement allows both the Trackball and Spinner to be used simultaneously, or independently.

'''Relevant Link: [http://www.hagstromelectronics.com/products/me4.html Hagstrom's ME4 Page]'''
 

==Mini-PAC==
A very versatile keyboard/trackball/spinner encoder. (gamepad outputs added to 2015 version)

It has a shift function for adding secondary functions to connected buttons.

It has default MAME-style input mapping that can be reprogrammed with Ultimarc's WinIPAC utility. (DOS, Windows, OSX, Linux, and MAC versions available)

Optional harnesses are available to easily connect the Mini-PAC to the button/joystick switches and up to 3 optical axes.

The Mini-PAC can be configured for use with either "active-low" or "active-high" optical devices.

===Original version Mini-PAC===
Connects via either USB or PS/2. (PS/2 only works for buttons)

The interface does not suffer from ghosting and matrix side-effects common to regular USB keyboards. The board is actually a small-size I-PAC2 with 3 optical interfaces added.

It interfaces 28 buttons and 3 optical axes for a trackball and a spinner.

===2015 version Mini-PAC===
Connects via USB. PS/2 connection is possible with an optional adaptor.

Interfaces 32 buttons and 3 optical axes for a trackball and a spinner.

Inputs can also be programmed as gamepad button outputs.

'''Relevant Link: [http://ultimarc.com/minipac.html Ultimarc's Mini-PAC Page]'''
 

==Mouse Hack==
It's possible to perform a simple hack on a ball-mouse that allows it to connect to a standard arcade trackball (and perhaps spinners?). This is done by removing the mouse's optical receivers and wiring the trackball's encoders to them. Additionally, a mouse can be hacked to create a spinner with a few extra parts.

*[[Info on Serial/PS2/USB Mouse 'Polling']]

'''Relevant Link: [http://arcadecontrols.com/files/Miscellaneous/Mouse_to_Trackball_Instructions.pdf How to turn a Mouse into an Arcade Trackball Interface (PDF)]

'''Relevant Link: [http://wiki.arcadecontrols.com/wiki/Spinners#Build_Your_Own_Spinner Build you own Spinner Wiki Entry]
 

==Opti-PAC==
[[image:optipac.jpg|right|thumb|Older-style Opti-PAC Photo © Ultimarc.com, Used with permission.]]
The Opti-PAC allows for easily connecting optical-type arcade control devices including trackballs and spinners to a PC.

The current version handles up to two trackballs and 4 spinners.

The Opti-PAC can be configured for use with either "active-low" or "active-high" optical devices.

'''Relevant Link: [http://www.ultimarc.com/optipac1.html Ultimarc's Opti-PAC Page]'''
 

==Opti-Wiz==
[[image:optiwiz.jpg|right|thumb|Older-style Opti-Wiz Photo © IDVT Inc. / GroovyGameGear.com, Used with permission.]]

High-Performance 3-Axis, 3-button Mouse Emulation.

USB and PS/2 compatible. Available with either connector, but is compatible with both using an adapter.

Connections provided for 3 buttons, 3 axes, +5v and Ground.

With the addition of a resistor and 2 opto-interrupters, can be used as a full optical board for home-made controls with X, Y or Z Axis selectability.

Small Footprint

USB or PS/2 cable included, depending on version ordered.

Compatible with virtually any device utilizing "Active Low" opto-electronics.

'''Relevant Link: [http://groovygamegear.com/webstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=76_85&products_id=260 GroovyGameGear's Opti-Wiz Page]'''
 

==U-HID==
Ultimarc's [http://www.u-hid.com/home/index.php U-HID] allows users to assign a variety of input and output functions to desired pins.

Input devices/types:
* Microswitch buttons/joysticks
* Optical (spinner/trackball/mouse/360 degree steering wheel)
* Analog (potentiometer joystick/pedal/270 degree steering wheel)

Outputs:
* Keyboard
* Gamepad (including analog and digital controls)
* Mouse and mouse buttons
* LED outputs

Total 50 connection pins:
* Max 8 analog axes on 50 possible pins (Windows limitation)
* Max 32 Gamepad buttons on 50 possible pins (Windows limitation)
* Max 8 Quadrature mouse devices on 16 possible pins out of the 50.
* Max 3 Quadrature mouse axes (X, Y and Z, Windows limitation)
* Max 50 keyboard keys on 50 possible pins.
* Max 16 LEDs in any combination of PC or U-HID controlled. (USB 500 mA current limitation).
* Max 50 low-current output drivers.
 

==U-HID-G==
The [http://www.u-hid.com/home/uhidg.php U-HID-G] is similar to the U-HID, but with only 8 input pins and a three-axis accelerometer for sensing gravity and motion acceleration.
 

==U-HID Nano==
The [http://www.u-hid.com/home/uhid_nano.php U-HID Nano] is similar to the U-HID, but with only 8 input pins.
 

==See Also==
* [[Controls]]

[[Category:Controls]]

Gamepad Encoders

2016-07-01T03:51:36Z

PL1:

Gamepad Encoders offer the functionality of a PC controller (such as a joystick or gamepad) hack in an easy-to-use form. They offer several benefits including ease in connecting controls and time savings.

==A-PAC==
[[image:Apac.jpg|right|thumb|Older-style A-PAC Photo © Ultimarc.com, Used with permission.]]
The A-PAC is an analog/digital interface which emulates two gamepads. It can be used for buttons only, or various combinations of buttons and analog potentiometer (pot) devices. It can be used in any of these configurations::

32 Buttons
One analog axis and 30 buttons
Two analog axes and 28 buttons
Three analog axes and 26 buttons
Four analog axes and 24 buttons

Inputs auto-detect whether pots or buttons.are connected. One button on each side of the board is a shift button which enables another set of shifted buttons. This gives a maximum of 62 logical buttons.

'''Relevant Link: [http://www.ultimarc.com/a-pac.html Ultimarc's A-PAC Page]'''
 

==GP Wiz40==
{| align=right
| [[image:GPWIZ40Eco LRG.jpg|right|thumb|GP-Wiz40 Eco Photo © IDVT Inc. / GroovyGameGear.com, Used with permission.|104px]]
| [[image:GPWIZMAX LRG.jpg|right|thumb|GP-Wiz40 MAXPhoto © IDVT Inc. / GroovyGameGear.com, Used with permission.|80px]]
|}
A gamepad encoder that allows [[Joysticks#Conventional Digital Joysticks|conventonal digital joysticks]], [[Joysticks#Rotary Joysticks|rotary joysticks]], and buttons to be hooked up to your PC.

Three terminals on the interface can be switched in software between standard and rotary inputs. The three-wire interface requires that a harness be made to connect 12-way rotaries. On the other hand it allows those with modular panels to connect a rotary stick with cat5 cable. (three rotary lines, four switch lines, and ground).

Available in both Eco and MAX models. Both models have exactly the same functionality but the MAX model uses screw terminals for connecting controls, while the Eco model features solder pads.

'''Relevant Link: [http://groovygamegear.com/webstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=76_81&products_id=234 GroovyGameGear's GP-Wiz40 Eco Page] [http://groovygamegear.com/webstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=76_81&products_id=235 GroovyGameGear's GP-Wiz40 MAX Page]'''
 

==GP Wiz49==
{| align=right
| [[image:GPWIZ49 LRG.jpg|right|thumb|GP-Wiz49 Eco Photo © IDVT Inc. / GroovyGameGear.com, Used with permission.|104px]]
| [[image:GPWIZ49MAXL LRG.jpg|right|thumb|GP-Wiz49 MAX Photo © IDVT Inc. / GroovyGameGear.com, Used with permission.|80px]]
|}
A gamepad encoder that allows [[Joysticks#49-Way Joysticks|49-Way joysticks]] (and more conventional hardware) to be hooked up to your PC.

Available in both Eco and MAX models. Both models have exactly the same functionality but the MAX model uses screw terminals for connecting controls, whereas the Eco models feature either solder pads or a no-solder 40 pin header.

'''Relevant Link: [http://groovygamegear.com/webstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=76_81&products_id=202 GroovyGameGear's GP-Wiz49 Eco Page] [http://groovygamegear.com/webstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=76_81&products_id=233 GroovyGameGear's GP-Wiz MAX Page]'''

Software distributed by GroovyGameGear allows you to digitally restrict your 49-way joystick to simulate other types of physically restricted joysticks. The GP-Wiz49 software supports the following modes, 49 way, 49 way progressive, 8 way, 4 way, 4 way diagonal, 2 way vertical, 2 way horizontal, 16 way circular. The fairly long throw of a 49-way stick coupled with the available restriction modes makes the stick an ideal compromise for both classic platform & fighting games. In combination with [[set49mode]] software and a [[Glossary#front end|front end]] the GP-wiz49 software will allow you to automatically set the joystick restriction type based on the game you are playing. [[Arcade_Emulators#PowerMAME|PowerMAME]] Will also support automatic joystick restriction setting.
 

==KADE==
[[image:KADEminiArcade.jpg|right|thumb|KADE miniArcade. Photo © kadevice.com, Used with permission.]]
[[image:KADEmicroArcade.jpg|right|thumb|KADE microArcade. Photo © kadevice.com, Used with permission.]]
The [http://www.kadevice.com KADE] series of Open Source/Open Hardware encoders allow you to load your choice of various gamepad, keyboard, rotary joystick, or game-console specific firmwares.

The easy-to-use KADE Loader software programs the desired firmware into the AVR microcontroller.

The miniArcade and microArcade encoders have 20 player inputs and allow "shifted functions" using the HWB input.

Because it is Open Hardware, you can get the AVR (atmega32u2 for the miniArcade) from various vendors to build a custom version.
 

==Mini-PAC (2015 version)==
A very versatile keyboard/gamepad/trackball/spinner encoder -- gamepad outputs are not available with older versions of the Mini-PAC.

Connects via USB. PS/2 connection is possible with an optional adaptor.

Interfaces 32 buttons and 3 optical axes for a trackball and a spinner.

Inputs can also be programmed as gamepad button outputs.

It has a shift function for adding secondary functions to connected buttons.

It has default MAME-style input mapping that can be reprogrammed with Ultimarc's WinIPAC utility. (DOS, Windows, OSX, Linux, and MAC versions available)

Optional harnesses are available to easily connect the Mini-PAC to the button/joystick switches and up to 3 optical axes.

'''Relevant Link: [http://ultimarc.com/minipac.html Ultimarc's Mini-PAC Page]'''
 

==U-HID==
Ultimarc's [http://www.u-hid.com/home/index.php U-HID] allows users to assign a variety of input and output functions to desired pins.

Input devices/types:
* Microswitch buttons/joysticks
* Optical (spinner/trackball/mouse/360 degree steering wheel)
* Analog (potentiometer joystick/pedal/270 degree steering wheel)

Outputs:
* Keyboard
* Gamepad (including analog and digital controls)
* Mouse and mouse buttons
* LED outputs

Total 50 connection pins:
* Max 8 analog axes on 50 possible pins (Windows limitation)
* Max 32 Gamepad buttons on 50 possible pins (Windows limitation)
* Max 8 Quadrature mouse devices on 16 possible pins out of the 50.
* Max 3 Quadrature mouse axes (X, Y and Z, Windows limitation)
* Max 50 keyboard keys on 50 possible pins.
* Max 16 LEDs in any combination of PC or U-HID controlled. (USB 500 mA current limitation).
* Max 50 low-current output drivers.
 

==U-HID-G==
The [http://www.u-hid.com/home/uhidg.php U-HID-G] is similar to the U-HID, but with only 8 input pins and a three-axis accelerometer for sensing gravity and motion acceleration.
 

==U-HID Nano==
The [http://www.u-hid.com/home/uhid_nano.php U-HID Nano] is similar to the U-HID, but with only 8 input pins.
 

==Xin-Mo==
The Xin-Mo is an inexpensive encoder available from various vendors in both 1- and 2-player versions.

Some users have complained about quality issues and lag, but others haven't encountered these problems.

There may be more than one manufacturer producing this encoder.

If you decide to use this encoder, you may want to purchase it from a reputable vendor like GroovyGameGear or Paradise Arcade Shop.
 

==ZD (Zero Delay)==
The ZD is an inexpensive encoder available from various vendors.

Many vendors include plug-and-play pre-fab wiring kits.

This encoder is a bit unusual because it is an "active-high" device. (5v applied to the input yields an input)

If you are using an [http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Coin_Doors#Coin_Mechanisms electronic coin recognizer] with the ZD encoder, you will need to use a relay to isolate the two circuits.

See [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,137899.0.html this thread] for details.
 

==See Also==
* [[Controls]]

[[Category:Controls]]

Keyboard Encoders

2016-07-01T03:36:41Z

PL1: /* Mini-PAC */

Keyboard Encoders offer the functionality of a keyboard hack in an easy-to-use form. They offer several benefits including reduction/elimination of ghosting, ease in connecting controls and time savings.

==I-PAC2==
[[image:Ipac2 diag.jpg|right|thumb|I-PAC2 (PS/2 version) Photo © Ultimarc.com, Used with permission.]]
Ultimarc's IPac2 was the first full-featured affordable keyboard encoder to hit the BYOAC community and quickly became the hook-up of choice. Up until it's release most people were still hacking keyboards, since most keyboard encoders came with a high price tag or were difficult to find.

It's still a very popular choice and comes in PS/2 and USB flavours.

Both versions have 28 inputs. They are all programmable and are designated as 2 joysticks, 8 buttons each, plus coin1, coin2, start1, start2. One of the inputs is assigned as a shift key to access an alternate code set (usefull if you want to keep administrative buttons to a minimum on your control panel). Both models also have connectors for NumLock, CapsLock and ScrollLock keyboard LEDs.The PS/2 model includes a very usefull keyboard passthrough.

'''Relevant Link: [http://www.ultimarc.com/ipac1.html Ultimarc's I-PAC2 Page]'''
 

==I-PAC2 FS32==
Ultimarc's IPac2 FS32 is a new model of the IPac2. I has the same features as the IPac2 but with more inputs (32 vs. 28)

'''Relevant Link: [http://www.ultimarc.com/ipac1.html Ultimarc's I-PAC2 Page]'''
 

==I-PAC4==
[[image:ipac4.jpg|right|thumb|I-PAC4 (PS/2 version) Photo © Ultimarc.com, Used with permission.]]
The I-PAC4 is designed for 4-player panels or where large numbers of inputs are needed. It also comes in PS/2 and USB versions.

Both versions have 56 inputs and are all programmable and designated 4 joysticks, 8 buttons each plus coin 1,2,3,4 and start 1,2,3,4. Two of the inputs are assigned as shift keys to access two separate codes sets covering the player 1,2 and the player 3,4 inputs, usefull if you want to keep administrative buttons to a minimum on your control panel

'''Relevant Link: [http://www.ultimarc.com/ipac1.html Ultimarc's I-PAC4 Page]'''
 

==I-PAC VE==
[[image:ipac_ve.jpg|right|thumb|I-PAC VE Photo © Ultimarc.com, Used with permission.]]
This "value edition" of the I-PAC only comes in USB form. It is suitable for all Windows versions, Linux, and Mac, but not DOS. You may require a standard A-B USB cable (check the Ultimarc website for details regarding this).

One important difference with this model is that when a custom codeset is used, it is stored in RAM instead of EEPROM, meaning that storage needs refreshing after power-down (this does not apply if you always use the built-in default MAME code set of course, the settings revert to MAME on power-down)

This model has 32 inputs. They are all programmable and are designated as 2 joysticks, 8 buttons each, plus coin1, coin2, start1, start2. One of the inputs is assigned as a shift key to access an alternate code set (usefull if you want to keep administrative buttons to a minimum on your control panel). This model also has connectors for NumLock, CapsLock and ScrollLock keyboard LEDs.

'''Relevant Link: [http://www.ultimarc.com/ipacve.html Ultimarc's I-PAC VE Page]'''
 

==J-PAC==
[[image:jpac.jpg|right|thumb|J-PAC Photo © Ultimarc.com, Used with permission.]]
The J-PAC is an encoder which allows plug-in connection of a [http://wiki.arcadecontrols.com/wiki/JAMMA JAMMA] arcade cabinet to a VGA card and keyboard port or USB port on a PC motherboard, and incorporates all the functions of the standard I-PAC's and has a dual interface for PS/2 and USB.

'''Relevant Link: [http://www.ultimarc.com/jpac.html Ultimarc's J-PAC Page]'''
 

==JammASD==
Functionally similar in most respects to the J-PAC, this encoder includes an audio amplifier supporting both mono and stereo sound (vs. the J-PAC's unamplified mono only) as well as an RCA jack for use with a lightgun. The JammASD is PS/2 only and limited to 7 buttons per player (with no support for Tilt, Service SW or Test buttons). The JammASD draws power from the JAMMA harness itself or (alternatively) from a PC power supply by wiring a standard 4-pin Molex receptacle to screw terminals on the JammASD.

'''Relevant Link: [http://www.arcadeitalia.net/jammasd.html ArcadeItalia's JammASD Page]'''
 

==KADE==
[[image:KADEminiArcade.jpg|right|thumb|KADE miniArcade. Photo © kadevice.com, Used with permission.]]
[[image:KADEmicroArcade.jpg|right|thumb|KADE microArcade. Photo © kadevice.com, Used with permission.]]
The [http://www.kadevice.com KADE] series of Open Source/Open Hardware encoders allow you to load your choice of various gamepad, keyboard, rotary joystick, or game-console specific firmwares.

The easy-to-use KADE Loader software programs the desired firmware into the AVR microcontroller.

The miniArcade and microArcade encoders have 20 player inputs and allow "shifted functions" using the HWB input.

Because it is Open Hardware, you can get the AVR (atmega32u2 for the miniArcade) from various vendors to build a custom version.
 

==KeyWiz MAX==
[[image:kwmax.jpg|right|thumb|KeyWiz MAX Photo © IDVT Inc. / GroovyGameGear.com, Used with permission.]]

A high-performance keyboard encoder produced by Groovy Game Gear. It features screw terminal headers on the PCB for easy hookup and a switch to allow the "pass-thru" use of a connected keyboard.

The KeyWiz line of keyboard encoders feature 32 inputs and connect to a PC via the keyboard PS2 port. The Keywiz has the default MAME codeset hard-coded by default. Custom codesets can easily be created and loaded into RAM on the Keywiz via its included software. This software can be placed in the Windows Startup folder to automatically load a custom keyset each time the computer is booted.

The Keywiz uses a SHAZAAM key to allow most of the inputs to have alternate keycodes. For example, pushing the SHAZAAM key and the Player 1 button #2 is the same as hitting the TAB key. This function allows many "administrative" keys to be accessed without dedicated pushbuttons to clutter the control panel.

'''Relevant Link: [http://groovygamegear.com/webstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=76_80&products_id=199 GroovyGameGear's KeyWiz MAX Page]'''
 

==KeyWiz Eco 2==
[[image:kweco2.jpg|right|thumb|KeyWiz Eco 2 Photo © IDVT Inc. / GroovyGameGear.com, Used with permission.]]

A high-performance keyboard encoder produced by Groovy Game Gear. This encoder boasts the same performance as the KeyWiz Max, but without keyboard pass-thru or screw terminal headers on the PCB. The KeyWiz Eco is available in a "solder" and "no solder" version.

The KeyWiz line of keyboard encoders feature 32 inputs and connect to a PC via the keyboard PS2 port. The Keywiz has the default MAME codeset hard-coded by default. Custom codesets can easily be created and loaded into RAM on the Keywiz via its included software. This software can be placed in the Windows Startup folder to automatically load a custom keyset each time the computer is booted.

The Keywiz uses a SHAZAAM key to allow most of the inputs to have alternate keycodes. For example, pushing the SHAZAAM key and the Player 1 button #2 is the same as hitting the TAB key. This function allows many "administrative" keys to be accessed without dedicated pushbuttons to clutter the control panel.

'''Relevant Link: [http://groovygamegear.com/webstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=76_80&products_id=200 GroovyGameGear's KeyWiz Eco 2 Page]'''
 

==KE18==
[[image:ke18.jpg|right|thumb|KE18]]

The KE18 is sold with MiniDIN 6-pin (PS/2) connectors however the manual mentions the board is sold with 5-pin DIN (AT-Style) connectors.

The control board is fairly basic, including no shift keys and a fixed key table (however alternate key codes and a different scanning arrangement can be specified upon ordering). The KE18's most notable feature is compatibility with older PC interfaces, a feature that might be desirable when maintaining older computer hardware. Another desirable feature for some is a keyboard pass-through port which allows a keyboard to remain connected to the PC.

Three jumpers allow some configuration options:

No Rep|Rep: Disables or Enables the repeat function of the keyboard interface.

1x18|9x9: Changes from a 18 key direct input to a 9x9 (for a total of 81 inputs) matrix mode.

XT|AT: Alternates between XT or AT PC mode.

Note: It is unclear from the documentation whether ghosting in matrix mode is addressed.

'''Relevant Link: [http://www.hagstromelectronics.com/products/ke18.html Hagstrom's KE18 Page]'''
 

==KE24==
[[image:ke24.jpg|right|thumb|KE24]]

The KE24 is a PS/2 (MiniDIN) or AT (DIN) programmable interface board with a keyboard pass-through port. The KE24 manual makes no mention of native USB support.

Each of the 24 inputs can be individually programmed in matrix or direct input mode. eg, 7 pins can be programmed as a 4x3 matrix (such as a standard 0-9,#,* keypad) while the remaining 17 inputs can be programmed as direct input. Thus the inputs can be programmed as 24 individual inputs, a matrix of 12x12 allowing for 144 inputs or any combination in between. In addition, any input can be assigned a macro consisting of up to 16 keystrokes.

An RS-232 I/O port is included and is used as a programming port to configure the board, allow simulated key strokes to be feed to the control board and to obtain key strokes from the control board. Programming is done with an included software (Unspecified OS) application.

'''Relevant Link: [http://www.hagstromelectronics.com/products/ke24.html Hagstrom's KE24 Page]'''
 

==KE-USB36==
[[image:keusb36.jpg|right|thumb|KE-USB36]]
The KE-USB36 emulates a standard USB Keyboard and Mouse device. Any keystroke may also be modified with a Ctrl, Alt, or Shift function, or any combination of the three modifiers. In addition to keystrokes, inputs may be programmed to emulate mouse Left, Middle, and Right buttons.

The KE-USB36 features a Trackball input for conversion of this device to mouse movement. (A Spinner may be used instead of a Trackball)

The KE-USB36 is programmed through the USB port of the PC using the programming application included with the unit. Once programmed, the configuration is stored on the KE-USB36 in non-volatile memory.

All power for the KE-USB36 is taken from the PC USB port, so no other voltage supply is required.

'''Relevant Link: [http://www.hagstromelectronics.com/products/ke_usb36.html Hagstrom's KE-USB36 Page]'''
 

==KE72==
[[image:ke72.jpg|right|thumb|KE72]]
The KE72 features 72 individual inputs. Each input may be programmed to output a single keystroke, or a sequence (macro) of keystrokes. For macros, each input may generate up to 32 keystrokes when activated, and up to 16 keystrokes when the input is released. The KE72 is able to emulate any keystroke found on a standard 101 or 104 key keyboard.

'''Relevant Link: [http://www.hagstromelectronics.com/products/ke72.html Hagstrom's KE72 Page]'''
 

==LP24==
[[image:lp24.jpg|right|thumb|LP24]]

PS/2 or USB or both?

Number of Inputs

Designated for anything?

Shift keys?

Additional features?

'''Relevant Link: [http://www.hagstromelectronics.com/products/lp24.html Hagstrom's LP24 Page]'''
 

==Mini-PAC==
A very versatile keyboard/trackball/spinner encoder. (gamepad outputs added to 2015 version)

It has a shift function for adding secondary functions to connected buttons.

It has default MAME-style input mapping that can be reprogrammed with Ultimarc's WinIPAC utility. (DOS, Windows, OSX, Linux, and MAC versions available)

Optional harnesses are available to easily connect the Mini-PAC to the button/joystick switches and up to 3 optical axes.

===Original version Mini-PAC===
Connects via either USB or PS/2. (PS/2 only works for buttons)

The interface does not suffer from ghosting and matrix side-effects common to regular USB keyboards. The board is actually a small-size I-PAC2 with 3 optical interfaces added.

It interfaces 28 buttons and 3 optical axes for a trackball and a spinner.

===2015 version Mini-PAC===
Connects via USB. PS/2 connection is possible with an optional adaptor.

Interfaces 32 buttons and 3 optical axes for a trackball and a spinner.

Inputs can also be programmed as gamepad button outputs.

'''Relevant Link: [http://ultimarc.com/minipac.html Ultimarc's Mini-PAC Page]'''
 

==U-HID==
Ultimarc's [http://www.u-hid.com/home/index.php U-HID] allows users to assign a variety of input and output functions to desired pins.

Input devices/types:
* Microswitch buttons/joysticks
* Optical (spinner/trackball/mouse/360 degree steering wheel)
* Analog (potentiometer joystick/pedal/270 degree steering wheel)

Outputs:
* Keyboard
* Gamepad (including analog and digital controls)
* Mouse and mouse buttons
* LED outputs

Total 50 connection pins:
* Max 8 analog axes on 50 possible pins (Windows limitation)
* Max 32 Gamepad buttons on 50 possible pins (Windows limitation)
* Max 8 Quadrature mouse devices on 16 possible pins out of the 50.
* Max 3 Quadrature mouse axes (X, Y and Z, Windows limitation)
* Max 50 keyboard keys on 50 possible pins.
* Max 16 LEDs in any combination of PC or U-HID controlled. (USB 500 mA current limitation).
* Max 50 low-current output drivers.
 

==U-HID-G==
The [http://www.u-hid.com/home/uhidg.php U-HID-G] is similar to the U-HID, but with only 8 input pins and a three-axis accelerometer for sensing gravity and motion acceleration.
 

==U-HID Nano==
The [http://www.u-hid.com/home/uhid_nano.php U-HID Nano] is similar to the U-HID, but with only 8 input pins.
 

==X-Arcade BYO Kit==
X-Arcade™ Build Your Own Arcade Features

<li>Supports 28 Inputs In Any Combination (2 Joysticks + 20 Buttons) See Default Config [http://www.xgaming.com/downloads/PC-MAC.pdf Here]</li>
<li>Speedstep™ Design Supports 28 Simultaneous Input Presses With Absolutely No Delay</li>
<li>Award Winning Electronics Featured In Video Game/Technology Publications Worldwide</li>
<li>Fully Programmable Input Assignments In Hardware (PC Only) For Re-Assigning Buttons/Joysticks To Any Input On Keyboard.</li>
<li>Programmed Modes Include Memory Storage To Maintain Settings When Unit Is Off</li>
<li>4 Different Memory Mode Settings In Hardware For Saving Button/Joystick Layouts For Various Emulators Or Settings</li>
<li>Direct Plug-In For Connectors: No Screwdriver Required</li>
<li>Included LED Display Shows On/Off Test Function And Assists In Programming Modes</li>
<li>Includes PS/2 Keyboard Pass-Thru Input</li>
<li>No Separate Power Required, No Ghosting, No Scanning, No Delays</li>
<li>External Connection Via PS/2 Port or USB Port</li>
<li>No Limit On USB Simultaneously-Pressed Switches: Full Native On-Board USB Support '''***NOTE: Exceeding the 6-button limit requires a work-around configuration mentioned [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,140123.msg1450239.html#msg1450239 here]. ***'''</li>
<li>Compatible With Any Game System (Game Adapters Sold Separately)</li>
<li>No Software Or Drivers Needed</li>
<li>No Soldering Requied (Easy Installation For Anyone!)</li>
<li>Can Be Used With Any Third Party USB or PS/2 Trackball/Spinner</li>
<li>Fully Compatible With Any OS, (Mac, Linux, Unix, PC, etc)</li>
<li>Fully Seamless Operation And Configuration With MAME/Emulation Software</li>
<li>Default Support Provided Both By MAME and Gametap (X-Arcade PCB Support In Both Applications)</li>

'''Relevant Link: [http://www.xgaming.com/byoarcade.shtml X-Arcade PCB]'''
 

==PC Arcade Controller 2 Player Version(With USB/PS2 ADAPTER) For MAME Cabinet==
Supports 2 x Joysticks,12 x fire buttons(each 6 buttons for 2 player),P1 Start,P2 Start,Insert Coin.
Extra inputs for Pause[P],MAME Menu[Tab],Quit Game[Esc].
Connects to the PS2 port of your PC with a supplied 1.5m cable.
Simple plug & play.No drivers or software required.
Easily mountable compact control box
Long 55 cm harness insulated steel cable.All cables are paired together and labelled for easy connection.

6.3mm female crimp terminals for connection to standard micro-switches.
Supports all Happ/Suzo type joysticks and buttons.
No programming and no key-mapping software needed.
No key ghosting or blocking.
Compatible with all versions of M$ Windows and M$-DOS.
It is simply the easiest way to interface a PC with arcade controls.
The ideal solution if you want to run MAME in an arcade cabinet.
Includes an easy to follow installation manual.

'''Relevant Link: [http://www.arcademvs.com/ARCADE_ACESSERIOR.htm Y-Plus ADAPTER]'''
 

==See Also==
* [[Controls]]

[[Category:Controls]]

FAQ

2016-06-25T21:30:34Z

PL1: /* Orientation */

This page is intended for those who want to build their own arcade machine or classic game controllers. If you're planning to restore an existing arcade cabinet, please take a look at the topic [[restoration]].

There are a dizzying variety of skills, disciplines, methods, materials, and resources involved in this hobby. This FAQ is intended to provide a a general overview of basic topics and common terms for newcomers to the arcade and emulation community. It is designed to be a starting point for choosing useful search terms and asking better/more effective questions in the BYOAC Forums.

= Cabinet Basics =
{{Main|Basics}}
Arcade cabinets (often shortened to 'cabs') are gaming machines that include the screen to display the game, controls to play the game and the computer hardware that runs the game.

== Types of cabs ==
{{Main|Arcade Cabinet}}
Arcade cabinets come in various shapes and sizes. Commercially build and operated cabinets are often build to play a single game and are therefore created to match the target audience or recreate the atmosphere of the game.

=== Standing ===
A standing cabinet is the most common cabinet in North America and Europe. Players stand in front of the machine while playing the game.

* '''Regular''', the iconic, archetype, arcade cabinet. The monitor is usually above waist height with the [[marquee]] overhanging.
* '''Cabaret''', a slightly smaller version of the regular cabinet. The [[marquee]] is often located between the control panel and coin door.
* '''Low-boy''', a standup cabinet where the [[marquee]] is in the same plane as the monitor making the cabinet much lower, hence the name.
* '''Pedestal''', a arcade where the screen is not part of the arcade setup. The monitor could be a TV or projection attached to a wall.
* '''Showcase''', a setup where the screen is in a separate housing as the [[control panel]] but still visually part of one setup. Setups like this usually feature a large screen positioned in such way that onlookers may view the action. The 'showcase' may both refer to the player being able to showcase his or her gaming skill as to the elaborate arcade setup itself.

[[File:StandingArcades.png|center]]
<center>Example standing cabinets next to an adult man for size comparison, from left to right: ''Regular'', ''Low-boy'' and ''Showcase''.</center>

=== Seated ===
Seated cabinets come in two distinct categories; arcade cabinets intended to sit at for easier long play sessions or themed cabinets that involve an activity where sitting down mimics the action of the game (such as driving a car).

* '''Candy''', the most common cabinet in Japan. The cabinets are often made of hard plastic - the shiny plastic appearance led to them being called 'candy cabinets'. These cabinets are quite similar to standup cabinets except that they are lower and often have a larger [[control panel]] surface. ''See also [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Japanese_arcade_cabinets List of Japanese cabinets on Wikipedia]].

* '''Cocktail''', the most common sit-down type in North America. An arcade that resembles a table with the screen embedded in the table surface. The surface is made of hardened glass so people can place their drinks on it.

*'''Cockpit''', an arcade that mimics the cockpit of a racecar, fighter plane or spacecraft. The controls are often matched to the type of vehicle portrayed, such as a [[Driving_Controls|steering wheel]], [[Driving_Controls#Pedals|pedals]], [[Driving_Controls#Shifters|gear shifter]] or [[Driving_Controls#Flight_Yokes|flight yoke]].

*'''Ride-on''', similar to the cockpit arcade, a ride-on often is build specific to the activity of the game(s) played. Ride-on cabinets may feature a motorbike or jet ski seat but also less obvious vehicles such as a minecart.

[[File:SitdownArcades.png|center]]
<center>Example sitdown cabinets next to an adult man for size comparison, from left to right ''cocktail'', ''candy'' and ''cockpit''.</center>

=== Small ===
Another category of cabinets are the small size cabinets.

*'''Mini''', a small version of a cabinet resized to suit play for children.

*'''Bartop''', a portable cabinet that can be placed on top of a table (or as the name suggests, on the bartop in a pub or diner).

*'''Barstick''', a bartop without a built-in display. It is usually connected to a TV.

*'''Micro''', micro cabinets are extremely scaled down cabinets. Building a functioning micro cabinet provides experiences cabinet builders a new challenge. Micro cabinets provide a eye catching model for display.

=== Other ===
Some arcade cabinets are built for a single gametype or purpose.

*'''Digital Pinball Table''', a digital pinball machine is designed to look and act like an actual pinball machine with the ball(s), lighting, playfield and backglass replaced by monitors and pinball simulation software. {{Also|Pinball}}

== Parts of a cabinet ==
{{Main|Arcade_Cabinet#Anatomy_of_a_cabinet}}
Arcade cabinets vary in size and complexity but they generally comprise the same basic features as shown on this diagram.
 
[[image:generic_with_numbers.png|left|400px]]

# '''Marquee'''. Back-lit artwork that displays the cabinet's name.
# '''Marquee retainers'''. A part to keep the marquee in place. Allows easy replacement of the marquee graphic.
# '''Speaker panel'''. The panel which holds the speakers.
# '''Monitor bezel'''. A part that surrounds and masks the monitor in the cabinet. In some arcades the bezel also features artwork.
# '''Control panel'''. Holds the joysticks, buttons and other controls needed to play the games.
# '''T-molding'''. T-molding is used to finish and protect the edges of the woodwork.
# '''Coin door'''. A coindoor to accept coins for play.

 

=Building your own Arcade=
{{Main|Building}}

== What type of build meets my needs? ==
One common pitfall of arcade building is trying to build a cab to "play everything" and ending up with a monster of a control panel often nicknamed a [[frankenpanel]] by the community. Consider what you want to achieve and what your limitations are before starting to build.

#'''Start by considering where you want to put/use the cab.''' Measure the doorways so you can actually move the arcade from the place of construction to the gameroom. Consider what type of cab (upright, sitdown, cocktail, bartop, etc.) will fit your circumstances. Consider possible reflections of windows/lamps on the monitor and power outlet availability.
#'''Make a list of the games, emulators, and front end you want to use.''' This list should include any "can't live without" games and will help you choose a suitable computer. Check the [http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Multi-Player_Games multi-player], [http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Joysticks#Games_with_Dual_Joysticks dual joystick], [http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Joysticks#Mechanical_Rotary_Joystick_Games_.28LS-30.2C_Happ_Mechanical_Rotary_Sticks.29 rotary joystick], [http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Joysticks#Analog_Joysticks analog joystick/yoke], [http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Light_Guns#Lightgun_Games_List lightgun], and [http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Spinners_and_Dials#Which_games_originally_used_a_spinner spinner] gamelists to see if there are enough "can't live without" games in each list to justify including these specialized controls in your build. Also check out BadMouth's "All Killer, No Filler" game lists [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,149708.0.html here].
#'''Consider the number of simultaneous players you want to support.''' Keep in mind that more players means adapting your [[control panel]]; the more controls the more room you'll need (space might be an issue). If you plan to support more than 2 players, make sure all players have a good view of the screen. Also more players probably means a bigger budget- keep in mind that there are alternatives like using USB joypads for letting other players join in or using a 2-player version of a 4-player game like Gauntlet, TMNT, or X-Men.
#'''Figure out what kind/quantity of controls you'll need to support the games and emulators on your list.''' Go through the list to determine what controls you will need. [[Joysticks]] come in many variants such as 4-way, 8-way, and analog. Some games or consoles require analog controls. Keep in mind that some controls can be used as alternative: for example a [[Trackballs|trackball]] might also work as a [[spinner]] or mouse. A spinner might also work as a [[Driving_Controls#Optical_.28360_degree_wheels.29|steering wheel]]. Note that reusing controls is also subject to personal preference and is an often discussed subject within the community.
#'''What computer do you want/need to use.''' Newer games means a newer computer. If you already have a computer you plan to use, try some [[emulators]] on it to see what games it is capable of running - cross check this with the games you want to play.
#'''That will lead you to what [[emulators]] and other [[software]] like [[Front-Ends|front-ends]] you want/need.''' [[Emulators]] are programs that can make the computer act as a (retro)gaming system such as an [[Arcade_Emulators|arcade machine]] or [[Game_Consoles|game consoles]]. Do you want the players to be able to switch games? There are many programs where players can select and start games (this kind of software programs are known as [[Front-Ends|front-ends]]. Configuring the computer to run old games is also part of the hobby!
#'''Choose your encoder'''. The [[encoders|encoder]] is a specialized piece of electronics that connects the controls to the computer. There are several vendors that sell encoders, it is also possible to create your own by hacking a keyboard or gamepad. It is usually much easier to buy an encoder from a vendor instead. A few things to keep in mind when selecting an encoder such as the number of supported inputs (how many buttons can you connect) support for analogue devices (trackball, spinner etc.).
#'''What is the artwork/theme/design you want to use?''' [[Overview_%26_Options_to_Consider|Picking the artwork or theme]] early may help you selecting the colors of the [[Pushbuttons|buttons]] or [[T-Molding|t-molding]]. It may also affect the way you want to arrange the buttons on the controlpanel or the size of the marquee.
#'''Arrange the controls on the control panel.''' It is highly encouraged to create a mockup panel out of cardboard, hardboard, or even MDF to test the layout. This enables you to "feel" if the controls are in the right place and the control panel is comfortable to play. [http://slagcoin.com/joystick/layout.html Slagcoin] has many printable button layouts.
#'''Select a monitor.''' What kind of monitor do you plan to use? Consider that the size may affect the dimensions of the cabinet. Keep in mind that many arcade games have the monitor in portrait mode (while these are still playable on a landscape oriented monitor, the games will often be scaled down). Some emulators can use special effects (shaders) to simulate the appearance of an old CRT monitor on LCD (flat panel) monitors, this usually requires a decent videocard.
#'''Design the rest of the cab around the monitor and control panel.''' The control panel and monitor often dictate the required dimensions for the rest of the cabinet. Keep also in mind the considerations at point 1 in this list!

There are many more topics to explore such as [[Rotating_Monitor|rotating monitors]], swappable control panels, and [[Modular_Control_Panels|modular control panels]]. This list is by no means complete but it should provide a solid foundation for you to start designing your own cab!

== What is the difference between an original arcade cab and a MAME cab? ==
An original arcade cabinet refers to a cabinet designed for commecial operation. These cabinets are often crafted for a specific game or specific type of dedicated arcade (computer) hardware.
A MAME cabinet is the collective name for a cabinet intended to simulate the arcade experience. These cabinets are usually configured to allow users to play many different games.

Some original arcade cabinets have electronic components like Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) or monitors that are missing or damaged beyond restoration. Sometimes replacement parts are impossible to find or outrageously expensive. Sometimes the artwork or body of the cabinet is badly damaged. Problems like these can make restoring a commonly-available cabinet so difficult or expensive that it '''clearly''' isn't worth preserving. Cabs like those are possible candidates to convert to a MAME cabinet. Remember to preserve as much as possible and, as the saying goes, "Please don't maim for MAME."

Also note that the name MAME cabinet refers to the [[Emulators|emulator]] [[MAME]], but in many cases several other emulators are used to play games. MAME is the most common emulator to play arcade games.

== What is JAMMA/JAMMA+? ==
{{Main|JAMMA}}
[[Image:Jamma.png|thumbnail|300px|JAMMA connector]]JAMMA is a wiring standard developed in 1985 by Japan Amusement Machine and Marketing Association, Inc. It allows you to easily change between JAMMA compatible game boards without re-wiring the cabinet.
If you plan to build your own arcade from scratch with your own PC, the JAMMA standard does not apply; it is an industry standard.

The JAMMA standard uses a 56-pin edge connector on the board with inputs and outputs common to most video games.
JAMMA Games that have more than 3 action buttons, more than 2 players, or different control types use the JAMMA+ standard.

The JAMMA standard enables you to hook an original arcade cabinet to a PC using a [[Keyboard_Encoders#J-PAC|J-PAC]] encoder. This allows you to use the existing controls to play emulated games.
{{Also|Connecting a PC to an Arcade Cabinet}}

If you have JAMMA compatible game circuit boards, you will need JAMMA compatible arcade hardware to be able to play them.

The Real Bob Roberts™ JAMMA links:
*[http://homearcade.org/BBBB/newjam.html JAMMA pinout]
*[http://homearcade.org/BBBB/jh.html JAMMA harness bundling]
*[http://homearcade.org/BBBB/plus.html JAMMA+ wiring]

= Controls =
{{Main|Controls}}
Authentic controls and [[Control panel|control panels]] give you that original arcade feel.

== Joystick Types ==
{{Main|Joysticks}}
A Joystick is a device to let you manually control direction of movement in an arcade game. When selecting the correct joystick for your setup, keep in mind the games you wish to play. Note that there are also [[Joysticks#Games_with_Dual_Joysticks|games that use dual joysticks]].

===2-way===
2-way joysticks register movement along either the X-axis '''or''' Y-axis. These joysticks are operated by triggering [[Working with Microswitches|microswitches]] or leaf switches which means these are absolute -- either movement in a direction is triggered or not. 4-way or 8-way joysticks can be used as physically-restricted 2-way joysticks by using a slot-shaped restrictor plate.

===4/8-way===
4-way and 8-way joysticks register movement along the X-axis '''and''' Y-axis. These joysticks are operated by triggering [[Working with Microswitches|microswitches]] or leaf switches which means these are absolute -- either movement in a direction is triggered or not. Both 4-way and 8-way joysticks have 4 microswitches or leaf switches. The difference between 4-way and 8-way joysticks is that a 4-way stick can only activate one switch (up, down, left, or right) at a time, but an 8-way stick can register up to two switches (up+right, etc.) at a time. Some joysticks have a restrictor plate that limits/defines the joystick's range of motion, allowing you to select 4/8-way operation. There are also models that can automatically switch between physical 4-way and 8-way restriction using a motor/actuator controlled by software.

===Analog===
Analog joystics can discern how far the handle has been pushed from the center position. This type of joystick is often used where the player must be able to control the movement in a smooth way, for example pushing the joystick further also makes the game character move faster in the chosen direction.

===Speciality joysticks===
Speciality joysticks include [[Joysticks#49-Way_Joysticks|49-way joysticks]], [[Joysticks#Rotary_Joysticks|rotary joysticks]], [[Joysticks#TRON_joysticks|TRON joysticks]] and joysticks with a trigger and/or one or more buttons.

== Buttons ==
{{Main|Pushbuttons}}
{{Also|Working with Microswitches}}
{{Also|Wiring Push Buttons and Conventional Digital Joysticks}}

Pushbuttons are the simplest and most common form of control consisting of a momentary switch that makes contact when pressed.
Buttons come in various colors, shapes and sizes. Round buttons are usually used on control panels.

Pushuttons with 3 tabs have Common (Com), Normally Open (NO), and Normally Closed (NC) connections in a SPDT configuration.

Pushbuttons with 2 tabs are in a SPST configuration.

===Layout===
The placement of buttons (and joysticks) is often influenced by personal preference. It is wise to consider using one of the common layouts used in the arcade industry, as these were designed to allow players to reach and rest their fingers on buttons with minimal hand strain. The [http://www.slagcoin.com/joystick/layout.html Slagcoin] website has a list of descriptions and printable layouts that are '''highly''' recommended reference material.

Before constructing a control panel, a cardboard mockup often gives you a good impression if the controls are comfortable to use.

===Number of player buttons===
The number of player buttons (buttons used during gameplay) to put on your panel is determined by the the games you plan to play. Most fighting games used 6 buttons in a 2 rows of 3 buttons configuration. The [[Neo-Geo]] used 4 buttons in a single row. Some people combine these two layouts in a 2 row layout with 3 buttons on one row and four on the other.

Note that no arcade machine uses more than 4 buttons for players three and four.

If you are making a dedicated cab for 4-way joystick games, you will only need 2 player buttons unless you want to include:

'''4-way joystick 3 button games'''
* Iron Horse
* Punch Out!!
'''4-way joystick 4 button games'''
* Mouse Trap
* Super Punch-Out!!

===Number of admin buttons===
Commonly used admin buttons/function include P1/P2 Start (1/2), P1/P2 Coin (5/6), Pause (P) and Exit. (ESC)

To keep guests or children from accidently messing up their cab configuration, many individuals choose to not include a Menu (Tab) button and disable the shifted function for Menu. (P1 Start + joystick right on I-Pac)

There are several schools of thought concerning admin buttons -- some people prefer dedicated admin buttons, while others prefer using "shifted functions".

'''Dedicated admin buttons:'''
*'''PRO +''' Button functions can be clearly labeled on the panel art or using inserts in translucent buttons.
*'''CON -''' Too many buttons can be confusing and make a panel look cluttered.

Commonly used dedicated admin buttons include P1/P2 Start, P1/P2 Coin, ESC (exit), Pause, and others. Some console emulators may also require additional functions so be sure to install and configure desired emulators '''before''' building your panel.

'''"Shifted functions":'''
*'''PRO +''' Can make the panel look less cluttered.
*'''CON -''' When the "shift" button is pressed, any button pressed at the same time will output the associated shifted function. This may trigger an unintended function (exit, pause, menu, etc.) during a multi-player co-op game when one player performs a shifted function and the other player continues playing.

"Shifted functions" require a button/input to act as the "shift" button -- P1 Start on the IPac, HWB on the KADE, and Shazaaam! on the KeyWiz.

Pressing P1 Start and P2 Start will cause an IPac to output ESC. (exit)

Include an instruction card on the control panel overlay or screen bezel so family members and guests can figure out how to operate the cab.

===Illuminated buttons===
{{Main|Lighting}}
Many vendors sell illuminted single-color buttons and/or RGB (Red/Green/Blue) LED lighting kits for pushbuttons.

Illuminated buttons can be wired directly to a power source for constant single-color illumination '''or''' you can change brightness (single-color or RGB) or color (RGB) using software and a USB LED controller board like the LED-Wiz or the PacLED64.

== Trackballs ==
{{Main|Trackballs}}
A Trackball is a large ball that can be pushed in any direction to control an arcade game. Trackballs provide precise analog control, much like a mouse.

== Spinners ==
{{Main|Spinners}}
A Spinner is a knob that can be spun rapidly in either direction to move an on-screen paddle or character. Spinners provide precise analog control like a mouse, but act only along one axis.

== Other specialized controls ==
{{Also|:Category:Controls}}

Yokes, steering wheels, trigger stick, rotary joysticks, light guns, etc.

== USB gamepads/controllers ==
One way to expand the number of games that you can play (without turning your control panel into a "Frankenpanel") is to use gamepads or controllers plugged into external USB ports.

USB gamepads allow you to add Players 3+4 to a 2-player cab or play console games that use "shoulder buttons" or two analogue joysticks per player (''twin stick shooters'').

You can also add controllers with specialized controls like an analog flightstick for Afterburner or rotary joysticks for Ikari Warriors. Another option is to add controllers with specialized layouts for Defender or Asteroids.

=Construction=
{{Main|Building}}
Building your own arcade cabinet or controller can be a rewarding experience. The construction itself involves various disciplines from woodworking, electronics and design. While some people in the community have produced exceptional cabinets, everyone with some practice and dedication can build a cabinet.
The wiki has an [[Build an OND designed cab Metropolis|example project]] with images to give an impression of how a cabinet is built.

== What tools do I need? ==
{{Main|Hand Tools}}
{{Main|Power Tools}}
Building your own arcade machine is no simple task and requires the correct tools as well as the knowledge of how to use each one correctly and safely.
Keep the safety guidelines in mind for each tool in when using them!
[[File:Ond_tools.jpg|center]]

== Design ==
{{Main|Technical design software}}
Planning is everything is this hobby. To make sure your design fits together as you had in mind it is wise to sketch out your designs first. Regular paper sketches with measurements might suit your needs. There is also software (some available for free) to help design your cabinet. Often community members share their designs in digital files. [http://www.sketchup.com Sketchup] is quite popular, but other software such as Microsoft Visio works as well.

== What type of wood to use? ==
{{Main|Wood products}}
In building an arcade cabinet, several types of materials are available to you. Each has its strengths and weaknesses. The most common used materials are [[Wood_products#MDF|MDF]], [[Wood_products#Plywood|Plywood]] and [[Wood_products#MDO|MDO]].

== What thickness and materials to use for the Control Panel? ==
Many people use [[Wood_products#MDF|MDF]], [[Wood_products#Plywood|Plywood]] or [[Wood_products#MDO|MDO]] since they are easy to work with.

Some use metal.

Some control panel artwork comes with a thin polycarbonate lamination that protects the artwork from wear and tear, but artwork without it needs to be protected using 1/8" plexiglass, polycarbonate, or acrylic.

Plexiglass is usually held down by the pushbuttons/nuts.

If you are using [[T-Molding|T-Molding]], the combined thickness of all the layers needs to add up to the width of the T-Molding.

For example, 5/8" MDF + artwork + 1/8" plexiglass = 3/4" T-Molding.

If you aren't able to find T-molding that matches the thickness of the layers, you can use a chamfer or roundover router bit to angle the lower edge of the control panel.

[[File:T-molding regular and offset 2.jpg|center]]

== Mounting controls in the control panel==
Part of planning is reviewing the mounting options. Some controls require clearance on either side for mounting. When in doubt, tt is advised to use a cardboard mockup to verify the clearances of the controls.

===Hardware===
There are three types of hardware commonly used to mount joysticks.

This hardware is purchased separately from the joystick due to the variety of mounting options and methods.

'''Carriage Bolts:'''
Carriage bolts have a rounded top and a square base slightly larger than the threads.
*'''PRO +''' Strongest mounting method.
*'''CON -''' Visible bolt heads can distract from artwork.

'''Tee Nuts/T-Nuts:'''
The two common styles have either prongs or holes for small nails to keep the nuts from turning when screws are tightened/loosened. The kind with the nails is usually a better choice than the kind with prongs because it's much easier to drill tiny pilot holes for nails than it is to drive prongs into dense MDF.
*'''PRO +''' Almost as strong as carriage bolts.
*'''PRO +''' Can be hidden in a shallow countersink.
*'''CON -''' Requires more work to prepare a smooth surface for paint or vinyl artwork.
*'''PRO/CON''' Use a piece of tape to ensure that wood putty does not get into the threads of the nut, otherwise the hardened putty may be pushed up when you tighten the screw and damage the smooth surface.
*'''PRO/CON''' Screws used must be long enough to engage the tee nut, but not so long that they break through the top of the control panel.

'''Threaded Inserts:'''
These are preferred over wood screws in materials such as MDF. Regardless of what kind of thread geometry the wood screw has, with MDF you can only tighten it reliably '''once'''. When you loosen and retighten a screw in MDF it pulps and strips it. Good threaded inserts for MDF have very wide/flat/thin outer threads that cut into the MDF and keep the insert from backing out when the machine screws are loosened. The negative example below has outer threads that are too narrow to work properly with MDF. Threads on the inside allow you to remove/replace the machine screws in the event you want to replace the joystick.
*'''PRO +''' Easiest way to leave a smooth surface for paint or vinyl artwork.
*'''PRO/CON''' Screws used must be long enough to engage the insert, but not so long that they break through the top of the control panel.

<center>
<gallery>
Image:CarriageBolt.jpg|Carriage bolt
Image:TeeNuts.jpg|Tee-nuts
image:GGGThreadedInserts.jpg|Threaded insert kit. Photo © IDVT Inc. / [http://groovygamegear.com/webstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=70&products_id=317 GroovyGameGear.com], Used with permission.
Image:UltimarcThreadedInserts.jpg|Threaded insert kit. Photo © [http://www.ultimarc.com/controls.html Ultimarc.com], Used with permission.
Image:BadThreadedInsert.jpg|Wrong inserts for MDF: the threads are too small on this type
</gallery>
</center>

===Push buttons===
Most push buttons mount in a round hole -- usually 1-1/8" (28mm) or 30mm. Most push buttons are (from a construction point of view) similar to a nut and bolt: the threaded end is below the control panel and held in place by a nut. Some push buttons have flexible tabs that lock in place under the panel. This type of button is usually used with metal control panels.
<center><gallery>
File:PushButtonThreaded.png|Threaded button
File:PushButtonLockingTab.png|Locking-tab button
</gallery></center>

===Joysticks===
There are several ways to mount a joystick in a control panel.
<center>
<gallery widths=180px heights=180px>
File:Joystickmount-top.png|Top mount
File:Joystickmount-under.png|Under mount (threaded inserts)
File:Joystickmount-undertnuts.png|Under mount (tee-nuts)
File:Joystickmount-underrecessed.png|Under mount (recessed, countersunk screws)
File:Joystickmount-supportblocks.png|Under mount (support blocks)
File:Joystickmount-toprecessed.png|Top mount (recessed)
</gallery>
</center>

* '''Top mount''' The joystick is mounted on top of the control panel; for this a larger hole must be cut in the panel to accomodate the base of the joystick. A top mounted joystick adds a raised plate on top of the panel which is generally undesired if any artwork is to be added to the control panel. Also screws cannot be countersunk using this method. Carriage bolts are commonly used for this mounting configuration.

* '''Under mount''' The joystick is mounted underneath the control panel. Countersunk fasteners or threaded inserts leave a flat surface for comfortable play and application of artwork. The downside to this method is either the loss of joystick height '''or''' an increase in the distance the stick must travel to actuate the switches. countersunk screws/bolts, tee-nuts or threaded inserts are commonly used for this mounting configuration.

* '''Under mount (recessed)''' The joystick is mounted underneath the control panel. An area is cleared using a router to sink the joystick into the wood; this gives the joystick more height for play. Tee-nuts/T-nuts, countersunk screws/bolts, or threaded inserts are commonly used for this mounting configuration.

* '''Under mount (support blocks)''' The joystick is securely supported inside a recessed gap using blocks held in place by a metal plate or flat metal bars secured to the control panel by threaded inserts or tee-nuts. [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,130690.msg1345990.html#msg1345990 This forum topic] has an excellent example of this method. The photos below are from the forum topic, used with permission from [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=profile;u=62783 EMDB].
<center>
<gallery>
File:emdb_1.jpg|1: Routed area
File:emdb_2.jpg|2: Fitting joystick
File:emdb_3.jpg|3: Added support blocks
File:emdb_4.jpg|4: Threaded inserts
File:emdb_5.jpg|5: Plate to secure the joystick
</gallery>
</center>
[[image:TopRecessed.jpg|right|thumb| Top mount (recessed) example]]
* '''Top mount (recessed)'''. If (1) the joystick shaft is ''very'' short, (2) you don't want the joystick mounting plate exposed, and (3) need the strongest shallow-mount option available, use a top mount (recessed) configuration. The cover piece can be secured using countersunk screws as shown or a cover piece the size of the whole control panel can be held in place by the push buttons. See [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,129964.msg1329715.html#msg1329715 this topic] with an example and explanation of this method. The down-side of using this method is that it is much more difficult to remove and replace joysticks than with the other methods.

 
====Orientation====
It is important to note that joysticks should ''always'' be mounted parallel to the screen since it is intuitive for a player to move the joystick in relation to the action on the screen. This might seem not obvious in 4-player designs, but experience has proved that this holds true even if the player is standing diagonal towards the screen. Therefore it is advised not to angle joysticks for players 3 and 4. P3, P1, and P2 joysticks are shown parallel, while P4 joystick is shown angled.[[Image:StraightAndAngledSticks.jpg|center|460px|P3=straight, P4=angled]]

The notable exceptions to this rule are the [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,129696.msg1326815.html#msg1326815 diagonal games] Q*bert, Q*bert's Qubes, Inferno (1 angled stick and 1 angled trigger stick per player), and Congo Bongo. The 4-way joystick is angled 45 degrees clockwise -- up relative to stick = up+right relative to the monitor. Since your on-screen character can ''only'' move in diagonals, this keeps the joystick up/down/left/right directions aligned with the on-screen action.

===Trackballs===
{{Also|Trackball Mounting}}

Mounting a trackball in a wood panel is often done with the aid of a mounting plate or kit.

If you aren't using a mounting plate, there are several tools that are good for cutting the large circular hole.
*Holesaw
*Dremel tool circle cutter attachment
*Router circle cutter attachment
*Adjustable circle cutter

There is further information and several useful links in [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,138552.msg1432066.html#msg1432066 this] post.

= Encoders =
{{Main|Encoders}}
An [[Encoders|encoder]] is a device that interfaces between the controls and the computer running the games. In the early days of the hobby, keyboard or gamepad encoders were often re-used/hacked by soldering wires to the connection points. Today [[vendors]] have different kinds of encoder circuit boards to make the process much easier and more reliable. Encoders usually connect to the PC using [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usb USB] or [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PS/2_port PS/2] connectors.

== What type of encoder(s) do I need? ==
There are four basic types of encoders presently available:
*[[Keyboard Encoders]] When using this, the computer will interpret the connected controls as if it was a keyboard.
:'''PRO +''' Most games are able to use the keyboard inputs.
:'''PRO +''' Most encoders come preconfigured with an arcade configuration.
:'''PRO +''' Keyboard encoders can support multiple players (see also ''[[#How_many_encoder_inputs_do_I_need_for_my_control_panel.3F|how many encoder inputs do I need]]'').
:'''CON -''' Can only handle digital (either 'key down' or 'key up') inputs.
:'''CON -''' Certain key combinations [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,149393.msg1559496.html#msg1559496 described here] can cause accidental loss of focus or other undesired functions.
:'''PRO/CON''' Most 4-player encoders have overlapping keys [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,133021.msg1368637.html#msg1368637 described here] that you may want to reprogram.

*[[Gamepad Encoders]] When using this, the computer will interpret the connected controls as if it was a gamepad.
:'''PRO +''' Usually plug-and-play.
:'''PRO +''' Gamepad Encoders that support analog (potentiometer) controls are called [[Analog_Encoders|Analog Encoders]].
:'''CON -''' Usually one player per encoder (as one gamepad per player).
:'''CON -''' Not all software supports gamepads.

*[[Rotary Encoders]] A rotary encoder is required to interface rotary mechanical joysticks like the ones used for Ikari Warriors.
:'''PRO +''' Most models have additional gamepad or keyboard inputs.

*[[Optical Encoders|Optical (Mouse) Encoders]] An optical encoder can connect devices such as trackballs, spinners, or rotary optical joysticks. The computer will interpret the connected controls as if it were a mouse.
:'''PRO +''' A trackball can act as a mouse.

Note that some vendors combine keyboard and optical encoders in one circuit board.

Choosing the right encoder depends on the types of software you plan to use. If, for example, you plan to play games that only support gamepads, it is wise to choose an encoder of the gamepad type. Identify the input capabilities of the software you plan to use and choose accordingly. Also certain types of controls (rotary joysticks, trackballs and spinners) require a specific encoder to be able to connect to the computer.

For some input types a software conversion is possible - for example the program "joy2key" is able to convert gamepad controls into keyboard strokes.

== How many encoder inputs do I need for my control panel? ==
The encoder(s) you choose must be able to support all the controls you plan to use. Check the vendor-supplied information to determine the quantity and type of inputs each encoder can handle.

'''Digital inputs (IPac, KADE, KeyWiz, Mini-Pac, UHID, etc.)'''

*4-way or 8-way joystick - 4 inputs
*Pushbutton - 1 input
*Coin-slot microswitch - 1 input
*Pedal (microswitch) - 1 input

'''Optical inputs - each axis uses 5v, ground, and two data lines (Mini-Pac, OptiWiz, UHID, etc.)'''
*Trackball - 2 axes (NOTE: Some come with a USB or PS/2 adapter)
*Spinner/360 degree wheel - 1 axis

'''Analog inputs - each axis uses 5v, ground and one wiper (A-Pac, KADESTICK, UHID, etc.)'''
*Analog joystick - 2 axes
*Paddle/270 degree wheel - 1 axis
*Pedal (potentiometer) - 1 axis

KADE extended mode (20 inputs ==> 26 functions + 20 shifted functions) or shifted functions can increase the number of controls connected to your encoder. Pros and cons to shifted functions are mentioned in the [[FAQ#Number_of_admin_buttons|Number of admin buttons]] section.

= Basic wiring =
{{Also|Wiring Push Buttons and Conventional Digital Joysticks}}

== Quick disconnect sizes ==
For easy connection/disconnection, many joysticks and switches use standard sized tabs. Compatible connectors are named "quick disconnect terminals". (QDs)

Most microswitches use 0.187" (4.8 mm) QDs and some use 0.250" (6 mm) QDs. Most two tab buttons (Sanwa, Seimitsu, Goldleaf, etc.) and leaf switches use 0.110" QDs. (2.8 mm). Check the product description or measure the tabs to ensure you get the the correct size.
<center>
<gallery widths=220px heights=220px>
File:QuickDisconnectsFemale.png|Female quick disconnect terminals
File:QuickDisconnectsMale.png|Male quick disconnect terminals
</gallery>
</center>
The color-coded plastic insulation sleeve indicates the size wire(s) that the terminal is designed for. Red is used for 18-22 AWG wire, blue is used for 14-16 AWG, and yellow is used for 10-12 AWG.

== Soldering ==
Soldering is another option for connecting wires to components. Soldering electronics is a specialist skill which requires practise.

Soldering is the process of joining two metal components by melting a filler (the solder) between them. Often the joining process is accelerated by the use of a flux liquid to clean/prepare the surfaces. A soldered joint is semi permanent - the joint can be broken by melting the solder again.

A good solder connection will have both good mechanical connection (physically strong) '''and''' good electrical connection. (low resistance)

After soldering, always clean the joint and surrounding area with a cotton swab dipped in isopropyl alcohol to remove any residual flux and solder.

See also: [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,129317.msg1322370.html#msg1322370 Soldering tutorial]

== Commonly used wire sizes ==
Most control panels use between 20AWG and 30AWG wire to connect controls. AWG stands for [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_wire_gauge American Wire Gauge].
22AWG stranded wire is a popular choice -- small enough to work with fairly easily, big enough for solid crimp connections and carrying current for many LED setups.

See Wikipedia for other wire gauges [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_wire_gauge British Standard Wire Gauge], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEC_60228 IEC 60228] and [http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/28/Gauge_Chart.pdf Gauge comparison chart].

== How do I wire microswitches to an encoder? ==
The illustration demonstrates a common way of connecting the microswitches. Please read the topic [[Working with Microswitches]] for a detailed description of the microswitch connectors.
<center>
[[Image:PushbuttonMicroswitchWire.png|300px]]
</center>
Wires 1 and 2 go to the Encoder input for the function you want the push button to activate. For example if the left button is the "Player 1 Start" button, the red wire labelled "1" goes to the corresponding input on the encoder. Note how the black wire labelled "3" is connected to the COM tab of both microswitches. The black daisy-chain ground wire goes to the ground connecter of the encoder.

<center>
[[Image:PushbuttonMicroswitchWire1a.png|620px]]
</center>
The first schematic shows the same switches and wires connected to encoder (gray) input 1, input 2, and ground.

With no buttons pressed, the encoder inputs and wires have 5v connected to them, but like a light switch that is off, there is no path for current flow through the inputs.

The other schematics show the encoder registering a button press when ground is connected to the input which allows current to flow through that part of the circuit like flipping a light switch to turn on a light.

== Power wiring ==
{{Template:DisclaimerElectricity}}
[[image:IECPowerSwitch.jpg|right|thumb|IEC power inlet with fuse and lighted switch]]
One popular choice for neatly bringing power into a cab is a power inlet with an IEC320 C14 socket.

Some of them have built-in switches and/or fuse holders.

A number of vendors carry similar products with several different types of switches.

See [[Wiring#IEC_Fused_Power_Inlet_with_a_Lighted_Switch]] for details.

 

=Illuminating your cabinet=
{{Main|Lighting}}
{{Also|Finishing}}

== LED Lighting ==
Most arcade LEDs are designed to run on either 5v or 12v circuits.

You can use 12v LEDs powered by 5v for extremely-low power consumption -- commonly used for standalone USB control panels to avoid the use of a second cable for LED power.

== Single color buttons ==
These are lit by a single-color LED.

== RGB buttons ==
Can be hard-wired to operate like single color buttons, but the most common way to use these LEDs is with a controller.

These LEDs have 4 wires: Operating voltage (yellow or black wire), red ground, green ground, and blue ground.

[http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,121965.msg1294271.html#msg1294271 This forum topic] has a comparison of various RGB lighting modules and push buttons.

== LED controllers ==
An LED controller allows the computer to switch LEDs on and off, change the brightness and (in the case of RGB LEDs) change the color. This allows you to illuminate buttons based on what game is being played or create animated light displays.

Several vendors sell LED controller boards for this purpose. Commonly used controllers are LED-Wiz, Pac-LED64, Pac-Drive, and U-HID.

The software [http://www.ledblinky.net/ledblinky.htm LEDBlinky] can be used to drive the controllers. The LEDBlinky software is compatible with various [[Front-Ends|Front end software]].

= Displays =
{{Main|Video}}
Displays come in two basic types: CRT and Flatscreen. Both have advantages and disadvantages.
CRT stands for [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathode_ray_tube Cathode Ray Tube] and works by sending beams of electrons to a fluorescent screen. CRT displays in the consumer markets are becomming less and less common in favor of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flatscreen flatscreen displays]. Flatscreen displays are available in LCD, LED, OLED, and plasma variants -- each with their own strengths and weaknesses but are generally categorised by availability and pricepoint.
A small number of arcade cabinets used speciality displays such as backscreen projection.

See also the [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,45137.0.html Monitor FAQ] topic on the forums.

== Differences: pros/cons ==
'''Arcade CRT monitor''' The arcade monitor offers the best arcade experience as these are the monitors used in the original cabinets. These monitors are hard to find. These monitors usually support low resolutions (which may or may not be a con, depending on the types of games you plan to play). {{Also|Arcade Monitors}}

*'''PRO +''' Offer a real arcade experience.
*'''CON -''' Hard to find.
*'''CON -''' Requires a special videocard to use with a PC.

'''CRT television''' The CRT television can be used as a display. {{Also|Televisions}}

*'''PRO +''' Close to an arcade monitor.
*'''PRO +''' Cheap and easy to find 2nd hand market.
*'''PRO +''' Common in the 4:3 aspect ratio (most common ratio for arcade games).
*'''PRO +''' Europe only: Most European TVs have the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scart SCART] connector for easier RGB connection. This makes the TV work exactly like an arcade monitor. See also [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,77370.0.html this forum topic].
*'''CON -''' Generally very heavy (especially those larger than 19 inches).

'''CRT monitor''' The CRT monitor is a regular CRT PC monitor. Some types of CRT monitors ([[MultiSync Monitors]]) can display arcade hardware natively. {{Also|PC Monitors}}

*'''PRO +''' Close to an arcade monitor (but not as close as a CRT television).
*'''PRO +''' Cheap and easy to find for sizes up to and including 19 inch on 2nd hand market.
*'''PRO +''' Common in the 4:3 aspect ratio (most common ratio for arcade games).
*'''CON -''' Harder to find in sizes of 21 inch and above (even in the 2nd hand market).
*'''CON -''' Generally very heavy (especially ones larger than 19 inches).

'''LCD Flatpanel''' The flatpanel computer monitors are the most common computer displays at the moment.

*'''PRO +''' Lightweight.
*'''PRO +''' Easy to mount inside a cabinet (due to the VESA [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flat_Display_Mounting_Interface mounting standard]).
*'''PRO +''' Cheap and commonly available.
*'''CON -''' Sizes above 19" are usually in the 16:9 (widescreen) aspect ratio (4:3 is more common in arcade games).
*'''CON -''' Lack the authentic look ("too clean"). Some emulators provide graphic filters to simulate the look of a CRT monitor.
*'''CON -''' The viewing angle might be a problem (depends on the model and make- but it is something to keep in mind).
*'''PRO/CON''' Has a "native" resolution, which means it will look the best in a specific setting. Most emulators and software can be set to use this resolution.

'''LED Flatpanel''' LED display technology is an improvement over LCD technology and is currently common used in flatpanel televisions. If you plan to use a television model for your arcade, it is advised to verify if the connection options for the display are compatible to the computer you plan to use.

*'''PRO +''' Lightweight.
*'''PRO +''' Easy to mount inside a cabinet (due to the VESA [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flat_Display_Mounting_Interface mounting standard]).
*'''PRO +''' Available in large sizes.
*'''PRO +''' Wide viewing angle compared to LCD.
*'''CON -''' Generally more expensive than LCD monitors.
*'''CON -''' Nearly all LED displays are in the 16:9 (widescreen) aspect ratio (4:3 is more common in arcade games).
*'''CON -''' Lack the authentic look ("too clean"). Some emulators provide graphic filters to simulate the look of a CRT monitor.
*'''PRO/CON''' Has a "native" resolution, which means it will look the best in a specific setting. Most emulators and software can be set to use this resolution.

== Types of video connections ==
The type of connection depends on the display and the computer (or arcade hardware) used.

This is a list with common connection types and how to recognize them. Some connectors can be converted to another connector type by using a conversion cable; usually conversion is only backwards compatible (ie. Component can be converted to Composite, but not the other way around).

* '''Composite''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Composite_video composite connector] is commonly indicated by a single yellow [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RCA_connector RCA connector]. The signal (usually referred to as ''CVBS'' signal) is an analogue signal. This type of connector is often found on older TV sets.

*'''S-Video''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S-Video S-Video] connection (sometimes referred to as Y/C) is a (small) round with four pins. The quality is better than composite but the available color depth is not as good as component. The S-Video is connection available on some PC video cards (as secondary connector) due to it's small connector size. A S-Video signal can be converted to composite using a conversion cable.

* '''Component''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Component_video component video] (sometimes referred to as YCbCr or YPbPr) connection is indicated by three [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RCA_connector RCA connectors] color coded red, green and blue. The video signal is an [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YPbPr analogue signal]. It is often incorrect assumed that this is an RGB signal (the confusion often stems from the color code of the cables). This is the best available analogue signal, it is commonly found on large television sets. A native YCbCr can be converted to composite or S-video using a conversion cable.

* '''SCART''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SCART SCART connector] is common in Europe- almost all TVs sold are equipped with the connector (another name for SCART is ''EuroAV''). The SCART connector can carry a mix of signals including analogue and digital RGB. The SCART connector can be identified as a two row 21 pin connector. Standard arcade monitors use the 'RGB with sync' signal which is also available in SCART. Note that SCART is a connector standard- it does not automatically mean that a device with a SCART connector is capable displaying all modes the SCART connector can offer. In addition to video, the SCART connector can also carry stereo audio. There is no "native SCART" signal, but there are conversion cables available to connect Composite, S-Video and VGA signals to SCART.

* '''VGA connector''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VGA_connector VGA connector] (The connector itself is called a DE-15 connector) is a connector recognisable as a three row 15 pin connector- usually color coded blue. It is one of the most common video connectors found on computers (even though it is superceded by DVI and HDMI connectors). The signal it carries is analogue RGB and produces a sharp image. A VGA signal can be converted to the DVI, SCART-RGB, Component, S-Video and Composite with a conversion cable. Keep in mind that for some conversions the host must be able to output a specified

* '''DVI''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Visual_Interface DVI connector] is a rectangular (usually white) connector with a three row 24 pin and a two row 4 pin configuration. The DVI connector is a common connector on computers. The DVI standard can carry both analogue and digital video signals. A native DVI signal can be converted to VGA or HDMI with a conversion cable. Note that it is possible to convert VGA to DVI, it is however not possible to convert a native VGA signal via DVI to HDMI.

* '''HDMI''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HDMI HDMI connector] is a flat connector with a two row 19 pin configuration (the pins are usually joined by a plastic center). The HDMI connector is the current industry standard for high definition video and audio signal connections. A native HDMI signal may be converted to DVI with a conversion cable.

<gallery>
File:composite-jackplug.png|Composite
File:svideo-jackplug.png|S-Video
File:component-jackplug.png|Component
File:scart-jackplug.png|SCART
File:vga-jackplug.png|VGA
File:dvi-jackplug.png|DVI
File:hdmi-jackplug.png|HDMI
</gallery>

== Response time and input lag==
Response time is the time for a display to change a pixel from black to white and back to black. This should not be confused with '''input lag'''. Video response times are often listed in the specification sheet of LCD or LED monitors. CRT displays have very fast response time due the refresh rates of 50hz or 60hz.

Slow reponse times may result in blurred movement. See also [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Response_time_(technology)#Display_technologies the Wikipedia page] for more information on response times.

Input lag is the time it takes between an user action and the result being processed and displayed on the display. Input lag can be a problem in games where timing is essential such as rythm-action or fighting games. Since the processing of user input is also emulated, this may cause timing issues.

Input lag can come from software (emulators), firmware (some cheap encoders) or hardware (video converters or TV circuitry).
Modern TVs have additional features to enhance the picture quality, these features however may contribute to input lag- check if the TV you are using has a "game mode" setting which bypasses most of the features.
Some emulators offer options to sacrifice parts of the emulation for the benefit of speed. Another solution may be a faster computer to speed up emulation. The final option is to switch from emulation to simulation (for example use ''Step Mania'' to play ''Dance Dance Revolution'' style of games).

See also [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Input_lag Wikipedia] for more information on input lag.

= Software =
{{Main|Software}}
A variety of software, emulators, and simulators allow you to play a huge number of arcade, console, and PC games on a computer. The software used as a foundation of a home arcade machine generally consists of:
*Emulators to run specific game ROMs on a computer
*ROMs and related files such as MAME bios files (Marble Madness needs atarisy1.zip) and CHD files (Simpsons Bowling needs simpbowl.chd)
*A front-end menu system to easily select and launch games

== What is an emulator? What is a simulator? ==
An emulator is a software program that duplicates the operation of the computer hardware, firmware/software, and gameplay of an older game system. As the name implies it 'emulates' the system.
''See also: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emulator Wikipedia article on Emulators].''

Emulators are often confused with [[Simulators|simulators]]. A simulator does not try to re-create the operation of the original computer hardware/software/firmware but re-create the game itself. Therefore, an emulator provides an accurate re-creation of a game and a simulator provides a near-accurate rendition.

A simulator is often used when part or all of the game does not use fimware/software. Example: In Visual Pinball, the pinball playfield, lights, flippers and ball of Baby Pac-Man (the physical/mechanical parts) are simulated, while the videogame part is emulated using the original game ROMs.

=== What is a ROM? ===
{{Main|ROMs}}
For the original games - '''R'''ead '''O'''nly '''M'''emory chips on the game board/cartridge that hold the program code for a game/game system.
For emulators - .ZIP or .7z file(s) containing a copy ("dump") of the game/game system code.

=== Why do my ROMs not work? ===
It is not always guaranteed that a particular game ROM will work with a given emulator. The original memory chips may use encryption that is not yet decoded or a game may use a specific function that the chosen emulator does not currently support. Some games also require additional data such as a CD-Rom image or harddisk data - usually supplied as CHD ('''C'''ompressed '''H'''unks of '''D'''ata) files. Also, the data extraction method/format may not be compatible with the emulator (or emulator version) of choice.

When using MAME, one can use '''clrmamepro''' [http://mamedev.emulab.it/clrmamepro/] or your emulator's "Audit" function (if available) to check the version and filenames of ROMs compared to your MAME emulator program version. See also the [[Utilities#ROM_Managers.2C_Renamers_.26_Dats|rom manager]] section for other tools.

=== Commonly used emulators ===
{{Also|Arcade Emulators}}
{{Also|MAME Variants}}

The most common used emulator for arcade machines is [[MAME]], short for '''M'''ultiple '''A'''rcade '''M'''achine '''E'''mulator. MAME can emulate a wide range of arcade hardware and thus can run many different games. However for some types of arcade hardware, very specific emulators are created which may perform better. For example [[Supermodel]] is a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Sega_arcade_system_boards#Sega_Model_3 SEGA Model 3] emulator.

MAME is a major emulator in the arcade community, there are many different variants or "flavors" of MAME. These modified MAME variants often maintain the version numbering of the official (commonly referred to as "vanilla") MAME version to be clear what the base features and compatible ROM sets are. See [[MAME Variants]]. The most common variants are:

<center>
{|class="wikitable"
|MAME
|The "official" command line program that the other variants are based on.
|[http://www.mamedev.org/]
|-
|NoNag patched
|Suppresses error messages that are useful when troubleshooting.
|[http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,64298.0.html]
|-
|MAMEUI
|Built in frontend.
|[http://www.mameui.info/]
|-
|MAMEUIFX
|Built in frontend.
|[http://mame32fx.altervista.org/home.htm]
|-
|MAME Hub
|Added network play.
|[http://sites.google.com/site/mamehub/]
|-
|HB MAME
|Dedicated "homebrew" hacks.
|[http://hbmame.the-chronicles.org/index.html]
|-
|Groovy MAME
|Mainly aimed at CRT monitors and alleviating some annoyances associated with emulation on LCD displays.
|[http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?board=52.0]
|}
</center>

=== Should I upgrade my emulators to the latest version? ===
The answer is almost always '''NO'''. This is often a case of, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."

Only upgrade your emulators if you benefit from the upgrade -- for example the new version now supports a game you want to play. Keep in mind that upgrading your emulators probably means that your ROMs need updating as well. If the new release fixes something that makes it worth the time and effort to update your ROMs '''and''' will still run well on your system, consider the update.

== What is a Front end? ==
{{Main|Front-Ends}}
A front end is software used to launch games. With some emulators it can be quite a hassle to switch between games, as each game may require different settings. A front end can provide the end user with a seamless experience from selecting to playing games.
There are many front ends available, each with their own strengths and weaknesses.
Please check the table on the [[Front-Ends]] wiki page for features of various front ends.

== Other useful software ==
{{Main|Utilities}}
The community has produced many small tools and utilities to enhance the home arcade experience. Some utilities are used to overcome a shortcoming of an emulator or the operating system, others are created to support a specific piece of hardware.
Utilities may include [[Utilities#Input Mapping Software|input mapping software]] to redirect keystrokes to joystick buttons (or vice versa), tools to [[Utilities#Video Tools|manipulate the video display]] - for example switch between horizontal and vertical orientation of the display.

= Forum tips for asking questions that get good/faster answers: =
* Search first, somebody else has probably encountered this problem before -- don't ask people to retype the same old answers to the same old questions.
* Take your time editing the post so it is specific, clear, and easy to read.
* Whenever possible, include decent pics/screencaps/diagrams/part numbers/links.
* Include software/OS versions if applicable.
* Include your location when asking about parts/vendors or electrical wiring. (different countries use different wire colors and/or voltages)

'''DISCLAIMER:''' The authors of the document linked below ask that we remind you that they are not a help desk for your project.

More useful tips on asking smart questions [http://www.catb.org/esr/faqs/smart-questions.html here].

:''[[#top|Back to the top of this document]]''

=Help make this wiki even better=
You are welcome to contribute to this wiki. Take a look at the [[Community Portal]] for more information on how to help out. To contribute as an author or editor, you first need to create an account on the [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/ BYOAC forum] and then post in [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,136208.msg1407831.html#msg1407831 this thread] of the forum. One of the wiki moderators ([[User:Saint|Saint]], [[User:Felsir|Felsir]], or [[User:PL1|PL1]]) will help you get started.

=Resources and acknowledgments=
The inspiration for this FAQ is the MAME FAQ written in 2003 by CitznFish. It is available via the [http://web.archive.org/web/20081006130304/http://www.arcade-at-home.com/mame_faq.html Internet Wayback Machine]. 
The collective experience found on [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com the Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum]. 
Images used in the [[#Types_of_cabs|types of cabs]] section are based on the Sketchup models made by [http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/cldetails?clid=4ac3dc12784cb20bd06e6be4f8954ac Gozer]. 

[[Category:Index]]

FAQ

2016-06-25T20:55:17Z

PL1: /* Orientation */

This page is intended for those who want to build their own arcade machine or classic game controllers. If you're planning to restore an existing arcade cabinet, please take a look at the topic [[restoration]].

There are a dizzying variety of skills, disciplines, methods, materials, and resources involved in this hobby. This FAQ is intended to provide a a general overview of basic topics and common terms for newcomers to the arcade and emulation community. It is designed to be a starting point for choosing useful search terms and asking better/more effective questions in the BYOAC Forums.

= Cabinet Basics =
{{Main|Basics}}
Arcade cabinets (often shortened to 'cabs') are gaming machines that include the screen to display the game, controls to play the game and the computer hardware that runs the game.

== Types of cabs ==
{{Main|Arcade Cabinet}}
Arcade cabinets come in various shapes and sizes. Commercially build and operated cabinets are often build to play a single game and are therefore created to match the target audience or recreate the atmosphere of the game.

=== Standing ===
A standing cabinet is the most common cabinet in North America and Europe. Players stand in front of the machine while playing the game.

* '''Regular''', the iconic, archetype, arcade cabinet. The monitor is usually above waist height with the [[marquee]] overhanging.
* '''Cabaret''', a slightly smaller version of the regular cabinet. The [[marquee]] is often located between the control panel and coin door.
* '''Low-boy''', a standup cabinet where the [[marquee]] is in the same plane as the monitor making the cabinet much lower, hence the name.
* '''Pedestal''', a arcade where the screen is not part of the arcade setup. The monitor could be a TV or projection attached to a wall.
* '''Showcase''', a setup where the screen is in a separate housing as the [[control panel]] but still visually part of one setup. Setups like this usually feature a large screen positioned in such way that onlookers may view the action. The 'showcase' may both refer to the player being able to showcase his or her gaming skill as to the elaborate arcade setup itself.

[[File:StandingArcades.png|center]]
<center>Example standing cabinets next to an adult man for size comparison, from left to right: ''Regular'', ''Low-boy'' and ''Showcase''.</center>

=== Seated ===
Seated cabinets come in two distinct categories; arcade cabinets intended to sit at for easier long play sessions or themed cabinets that involve an activity where sitting down mimics the action of the game (such as driving a car).

* '''Candy''', the most common cabinet in Japan. The cabinets are often made of hard plastic - the shiny plastic appearance led to them being called 'candy cabinets'. These cabinets are quite similar to standup cabinets except that they are lower and often have a larger [[control panel]] surface. ''See also [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Japanese_arcade_cabinets List of Japanese cabinets on Wikipedia]].

* '''Cocktail''', the most common sit-down type in North America. An arcade that resembles a table with the screen embedded in the table surface. The surface is made of hardened glass so people can place their drinks on it.

*'''Cockpit''', an arcade that mimics the cockpit of a racecar, fighter plane or spacecraft. The controls are often matched to the type of vehicle portrayed, such as a [[Driving_Controls|steering wheel]], [[Driving_Controls#Pedals|pedals]], [[Driving_Controls#Shifters|gear shifter]] or [[Driving_Controls#Flight_Yokes|flight yoke]].

*'''Ride-on''', similar to the cockpit arcade, a ride-on often is build specific to the activity of the game(s) played. Ride-on cabinets may feature a motorbike or jet ski seat but also less obvious vehicles such as a minecart.

[[File:SitdownArcades.png|center]]
<center>Example sitdown cabinets next to an adult man for size comparison, from left to right ''cocktail'', ''candy'' and ''cockpit''.</center>

=== Small ===
Another category of cabinets are the small size cabinets.

*'''Mini''', a small version of a cabinet resized to suit play for children.

*'''Bartop''', a portable cabinet that can be placed on top of a table (or as the name suggests, on the bartop in a pub or diner).

*'''Barstick''', a bartop without a built-in display. It is usually connected to a TV.

*'''Micro''', micro cabinets are extremely scaled down cabinets. Building a functioning micro cabinet provides experiences cabinet builders a new challenge. Micro cabinets provide a eye catching model for display.

=== Other ===
Some arcade cabinets are built for a single gametype or purpose.

*'''Digital Pinball Table''', a digital pinball machine is designed to look and act like an actual pinball machine with the ball(s), lighting, playfield and backglass replaced by monitors and pinball simulation software. {{Also|Pinball}}

== Parts of a cabinet ==
{{Main|Arcade_Cabinet#Anatomy_of_a_cabinet}}
Arcade cabinets vary in size and complexity but they generally comprise the same basic features as shown on this diagram.
 
[[image:generic_with_numbers.png|left|400px]]

# '''Marquee'''. Back-lit artwork that displays the cabinet's name.
# '''Marquee retainers'''. A part to keep the marquee in place. Allows easy replacement of the marquee graphic.
# '''Speaker panel'''. The panel which holds the speakers.
# '''Monitor bezel'''. A part that surrounds and masks the monitor in the cabinet. In some arcades the bezel also features artwork.
# '''Control panel'''. Holds the joysticks, buttons and other controls needed to play the games.
# '''T-molding'''. T-molding is used to finish and protect the edges of the woodwork.
# '''Coin door'''. A coindoor to accept coins for play.

 

=Building your own Arcade=
{{Main|Building}}

== What type of build meets my needs? ==
One common pitfall of arcade building is trying to build a cab to "play everything" and ending up with a monster of a control panel often nicknamed a [[frankenpanel]] by the community. Consider what you want to achieve and what your limitations are before starting to build.

#'''Start by considering where you want to put/use the cab.''' Measure the doorways so you can actually move the arcade from the place of construction to the gameroom. Consider what type of cab (upright, sitdown, cocktail, bartop, etc.) will fit your circumstances. Consider possible reflections of windows/lamps on the monitor and power outlet availability.
#'''Make a list of the games, emulators, and front end you want to use.''' This list should include any "can't live without" games and will help you choose a suitable computer. Check the [http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Multi-Player_Games multi-player], [http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Joysticks#Games_with_Dual_Joysticks dual joystick], [http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Joysticks#Mechanical_Rotary_Joystick_Games_.28LS-30.2C_Happ_Mechanical_Rotary_Sticks.29 rotary joystick], [http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Joysticks#Analog_Joysticks analog joystick/yoke], [http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Light_Guns#Lightgun_Games_List lightgun], and [http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Spinners_and_Dials#Which_games_originally_used_a_spinner spinner] gamelists to see if there are enough "can't live without" games in each list to justify including these specialized controls in your build. Also check out BadMouth's "All Killer, No Filler" game lists [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,149708.0.html here].
#'''Consider the number of simultaneous players you want to support.''' Keep in mind that more players means adapting your [[control panel]]; the more controls the more room you'll need (space might be an issue). If you plan to support more than 2 players, make sure all players have a good view of the screen. Also more players probably means a bigger budget- keep in mind that there are alternatives like using USB joypads for letting other players join in or using a 2-player version of a 4-player game like Gauntlet, TMNT, or X-Men.
#'''Figure out what kind/quantity of controls you'll need to support the games and emulators on your list.''' Go through the list to determine what controls you will need. [[Joysticks]] come in many variants such as 4-way, 8-way, and analog. Some games or consoles require analog controls. Keep in mind that some controls can be used as alternative: for example a [[Trackballs|trackball]] might also work as a [[spinner]] or mouse. A spinner might also work as a [[Driving_Controls#Optical_.28360_degree_wheels.29|steering wheel]]. Note that reusing controls is also subject to personal preference and is an often discussed subject within the community.
#'''What computer do you want/need to use.''' Newer games means a newer computer. If you already have a computer you plan to use, try some [[emulators]] on it to see what games it is capable of running - cross check this with the games you want to play.
#'''That will lead you to what [[emulators]] and other [[software]] like [[Front-Ends|front-ends]] you want/need.''' [[Emulators]] are programs that can make the computer act as a (retro)gaming system such as an [[Arcade_Emulators|arcade machine]] or [[Game_Consoles|game consoles]]. Do you want the players to be able to switch games? There are many programs where players can select and start games (this kind of software programs are known as [[Front-Ends|front-ends]]. Configuring the computer to run old games is also part of the hobby!
#'''Choose your encoder'''. The [[encoders|encoder]] is a specialized piece of electronics that connects the controls to the computer. There are several vendors that sell encoders, it is also possible to create your own by hacking a keyboard or gamepad. It is usually much easier to buy an encoder from a vendor instead. A few things to keep in mind when selecting an encoder such as the number of supported inputs (how many buttons can you connect) support for analogue devices (trackball, spinner etc.).
#'''What is the artwork/theme/design you want to use?''' [[Overview_%26_Options_to_Consider|Picking the artwork or theme]] early may help you selecting the colors of the [[Pushbuttons|buttons]] or [[T-Molding|t-molding]]. It may also affect the way you want to arrange the buttons on the controlpanel or the size of the marquee.
#'''Arrange the controls on the control panel.''' It is highly encouraged to create a mockup panel out of cardboard, hardboard, or even MDF to test the layout. This enables you to "feel" if the controls are in the right place and the control panel is comfortable to play. [http://slagcoin.com/joystick/layout.html Slagcoin] has many printable button layouts.
#'''Select a monitor.''' What kind of monitor do you plan to use? Consider that the size may affect the dimensions of the cabinet. Keep in mind that many arcade games have the monitor in portrait mode (while these are still playable on a landscape oriented monitor, the games will often be scaled down). Some emulators can use special effects (shaders) to simulate the appearance of an old CRT monitor on LCD (flat panel) monitors, this usually requires a decent videocard.
#'''Design the rest of the cab around the monitor and control panel.''' The control panel and monitor often dictate the required dimensions for the rest of the cabinet. Keep also in mind the considerations at point 1 in this list!

There are many more topics to explore such as [[Rotating_Monitor|rotating monitors]], swappable control panels, and [[Modular_Control_Panels|modular control panels]]. This list is by no means complete but it should provide a solid foundation for you to start designing your own cab!

== What is the difference between an original arcade cab and a MAME cab? ==
An original arcade cabinet refers to a cabinet designed for commecial operation. These cabinets are often crafted for a specific game or specific type of dedicated arcade (computer) hardware.
A MAME cabinet is the collective name for a cabinet intended to simulate the arcade experience. These cabinets are usually configured to allow users to play many different games.

Some original arcade cabinets have electronic components like Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) or monitors that are missing or damaged beyond restoration. Sometimes replacement parts are impossible to find or outrageously expensive. Sometimes the artwork or body of the cabinet is badly damaged. Problems like these can make restoring a commonly-available cabinet so difficult or expensive that it '''clearly''' isn't worth preserving. Cabs like those are possible candidates to convert to a MAME cabinet. Remember to preserve as much as possible and, as the saying goes, "Please don't maim for MAME."

Also note that the name MAME cabinet refers to the [[Emulators|emulator]] [[MAME]], but in many cases several other emulators are used to play games. MAME is the most common emulator to play arcade games.

== What is JAMMA/JAMMA+? ==
{{Main|JAMMA}}
[[Image:Jamma.png|thumbnail|300px|JAMMA connector]]JAMMA is a wiring standard developed in 1985 by Japan Amusement Machine and Marketing Association, Inc. It allows you to easily change between JAMMA compatible game boards without re-wiring the cabinet.
If you plan to build your own arcade from scratch with your own PC, the JAMMA standard does not apply; it is an industry standard.

The JAMMA standard uses a 56-pin edge connector on the board with inputs and outputs common to most video games.
JAMMA Games that have more than 3 action buttons, more than 2 players, or different control types use the JAMMA+ standard.

The JAMMA standard enables you to hook an original arcade cabinet to a PC using a [[Keyboard_Encoders#J-PAC|J-PAC]] encoder. This allows you to use the existing controls to play emulated games.
{{Also|Connecting a PC to an Arcade Cabinet}}

If you have JAMMA compatible game circuit boards, you will need JAMMA compatible arcade hardware to be able to play them.

The Real Bob Roberts™ JAMMA links:
*[http://homearcade.org/BBBB/newjam.html JAMMA pinout]
*[http://homearcade.org/BBBB/jh.html JAMMA harness bundling]
*[http://homearcade.org/BBBB/plus.html JAMMA+ wiring]

= Controls =
{{Main|Controls}}
Authentic controls and [[Control panel|control panels]] give you that original arcade feel.

== Joystick Types ==
{{Main|Joysticks}}
A Joystick is a device to let you manually control direction of movement in an arcade game. When selecting the correct joystick for your setup, keep in mind the games you wish to play. Note that there are also [[Joysticks#Games_with_Dual_Joysticks|games that use dual joysticks]].

===2-way===
2-way joysticks register movement along either the X-axis '''or''' Y-axis. These joysticks are operated by triggering [[Working with Microswitches|microswitches]] or leaf switches which means these are absolute -- either movement in a direction is triggered or not. 4-way or 8-way joysticks can be used as physically-restricted 2-way joysticks by using a slot-shaped restrictor plate.

===4/8-way===
4-way and 8-way joysticks register movement along the X-axis '''and''' Y-axis. These joysticks are operated by triggering [[Working with Microswitches|microswitches]] or leaf switches which means these are absolute -- either movement in a direction is triggered or not. Both 4-way and 8-way joysticks have 4 microswitches or leaf switches. The difference between 4-way and 8-way joysticks is that a 4-way stick can only activate one switch (up, down, left, or right) at a time, but an 8-way stick can register up to two switches (up+right, etc.) at a time. Some joysticks have a restrictor plate that limits/defines the joystick's range of motion, allowing you to select 4/8-way operation. There are also models that can automatically switch between physical 4-way and 8-way restriction using a motor/actuator controlled by software.

===Analog===
Analog joystics can discern how far the handle has been pushed from the center position. This type of joystick is often used where the player must be able to control the movement in a smooth way, for example pushing the joystick further also makes the game character move faster in the chosen direction.

===Speciality joysticks===
Speciality joysticks include [[Joysticks#49-Way_Joysticks|49-way joysticks]], [[Joysticks#Rotary_Joysticks|rotary joysticks]], [[Joysticks#TRON_joysticks|TRON joysticks]] and joysticks with a trigger and/or one or more buttons.

== Buttons ==
{{Main|Pushbuttons}}
{{Also|Working with Microswitches}}
{{Also|Wiring Push Buttons and Conventional Digital Joysticks}}

Pushbuttons are the simplest and most common form of control consisting of a momentary switch that makes contact when pressed.
Buttons come in various colors, shapes and sizes. Round buttons are usually used on control panels.

Pushuttons with 3 tabs have Common (Com), Normally Open (NO), and Normally Closed (NC) connections in a SPDT configuration.

Pushbuttons with 2 tabs are in a SPST configuration.

===Layout===
The placement of buttons (and joysticks) is often influenced by personal preference. It is wise to consider using one of the common layouts used in the arcade industry, as these were designed to allow players to reach and rest their fingers on buttons with minimal hand strain. The [http://www.slagcoin.com/joystick/layout.html Slagcoin] website has a list of descriptions and printable layouts that are '''highly''' recommended reference material.

Before constructing a control panel, a cardboard mockup often gives you a good impression if the controls are comfortable to use.

===Number of player buttons===
The number of player buttons (buttons used during gameplay) to put on your panel is determined by the the games you plan to play. Most fighting games used 6 buttons in a 2 rows of 3 buttons configuration. The [[Neo-Geo]] used 4 buttons in a single row. Some people combine these two layouts in a 2 row layout with 3 buttons on one row and four on the other.

Note that no arcade machine uses more than 4 buttons for players three and four.

If you are making a dedicated cab for 4-way joystick games, you will only need 2 player buttons unless you want to include:

'''4-way joystick 3 button games'''
* Iron Horse
* Punch Out!!
'''4-way joystick 4 button games'''
* Mouse Trap
* Super Punch-Out!!

===Number of admin buttons===
Commonly used admin buttons/function include P1/P2 Start (1/2), P1/P2 Coin (5/6), Pause (P) and Exit. (ESC)

To keep guests or children from accidently messing up their cab configuration, many individuals choose to not include a Menu (Tab) button and disable the shifted function for Menu. (P1 Start + joystick right on I-Pac)

There are several schools of thought concerning admin buttons -- some people prefer dedicated admin buttons, while others prefer using "shifted functions".

'''Dedicated admin buttons:'''
*'''PRO +''' Button functions can be clearly labeled on the panel art or using inserts in translucent buttons.
*'''CON -''' Too many buttons can be confusing and make a panel look cluttered.

Commonly used dedicated admin buttons include P1/P2 Start, P1/P2 Coin, ESC (exit), Pause, and others. Some console emulators may also require additional functions so be sure to install and configure desired emulators '''before''' building your panel.

'''"Shifted functions":'''
*'''PRO +''' Can make the panel look less cluttered.
*'''CON -''' When the "shift" button is pressed, any button pressed at the same time will output the associated shifted function. This may trigger an unintended function (exit, pause, menu, etc.) during a multi-player co-op game when one player performs a shifted function and the other player continues playing.

"Shifted functions" require a button/input to act as the "shift" button -- P1 Start on the IPac, HWB on the KADE, and Shazaaam! on the KeyWiz.

Pressing P1 Start and P2 Start will cause an IPac to output ESC. (exit)

Include an instruction card on the control panel overlay or screen bezel so family members and guests can figure out how to operate the cab.

===Illuminated buttons===
{{Main|Lighting}}
Many vendors sell illuminted single-color buttons and/or RGB (Red/Green/Blue) LED lighting kits for pushbuttons.

Illuminated buttons can be wired directly to a power source for constant single-color illumination '''or''' you can change brightness (single-color or RGB) or color (RGB) using software and a USB LED controller board like the LED-Wiz or the PacLED64.

== Trackballs ==
{{Main|Trackballs}}
A Trackball is a large ball that can be pushed in any direction to control an arcade game. Trackballs provide precise analog control, much like a mouse.

== Spinners ==
{{Main|Spinners}}
A Spinner is a knob that can be spun rapidly in either direction to move an on-screen paddle or character. Spinners provide precise analog control like a mouse, but act only along one axis.

== Other specialized controls ==
{{Also|:Category:Controls}}

Yokes, steering wheels, trigger stick, rotary joysticks, light guns, etc.

== USB gamepads/controllers ==
One way to expand the number of games that you can play (without turning your control panel into a "Frankenpanel") is to use gamepads or controllers plugged into external USB ports.

USB gamepads allow you to add Players 3+4 to a 2-player cab or play console games that use "shoulder buttons" or two analogue joysticks per player (''twin stick shooters'').

You can also add controllers with specialized controls like an analog flightstick for Afterburner or rotary joysticks for Ikari Warriors. Another option is to add controllers with specialized layouts for Defender or Asteroids.

=Construction=
{{Main|Building}}
Building your own arcade cabinet or controller can be a rewarding experience. The construction itself involves various disciplines from woodworking, electronics and design. While some people in the community have produced exceptional cabinets, everyone with some practice and dedication can build a cabinet.
The wiki has an [[Build an OND designed cab Metropolis|example project]] with images to give an impression of how a cabinet is built.

== What tools do I need? ==
{{Main|Hand Tools}}
{{Main|Power Tools}}
Building your own arcade machine is no simple task and requires the correct tools as well as the knowledge of how to use each one correctly and safely.
Keep the safety guidelines in mind for each tool in when using them!
[[File:Ond_tools.jpg|center]]

== Design ==
{{Main|Technical design software}}
Planning is everything is this hobby. To make sure your design fits together as you had in mind it is wise to sketch out your designs first. Regular paper sketches with measurements might suit your needs. There is also software (some available for free) to help design your cabinet. Often community members share their designs in digital files. [http://www.sketchup.com Sketchup] is quite popular, but other software such as Microsoft Visio works as well.

== What type of wood to use? ==
{{Main|Wood products}}
In building an arcade cabinet, several types of materials are available to you. Each has its strengths and weaknesses. The most common used materials are [[Wood_products#MDF|MDF]], [[Wood_products#Plywood|Plywood]] and [[Wood_products#MDO|MDO]].

== What thickness and materials to use for the Control Panel? ==
Many people use [[Wood_products#MDF|MDF]], [[Wood_products#Plywood|Plywood]] or [[Wood_products#MDO|MDO]] since they are easy to work with.

Some use metal.

Some control panel artwork comes with a thin polycarbonate lamination that protects the artwork from wear and tear, but artwork without it needs to be protected using 1/8" plexiglass, polycarbonate, or acrylic.

Plexiglass is usually held down by the pushbuttons/nuts.

If you are using [[T-Molding|T-Molding]], the combined thickness of all the layers needs to add up to the width of the T-Molding.

For example, 5/8" MDF + artwork + 1/8" plexiglass = 3/4" T-Molding.

If you aren't able to find T-molding that matches the thickness of the layers, you can use a chamfer or roundover router bit to angle the lower edge of the control panel.

[[File:T-molding regular and offset 2.jpg|center]]

== Mounting controls in the control panel==
Part of planning is reviewing the mounting options. Some controls require clearance on either side for mounting. When in doubt, tt is advised to use a cardboard mockup to verify the clearances of the controls.

===Hardware===
There are three types of hardware commonly used to mount joysticks.

This hardware is purchased separately from the joystick due to the variety of mounting options and methods.

'''Carriage Bolts:'''
Carriage bolts have a rounded top and a square base slightly larger than the threads.
*'''PRO +''' Strongest mounting method.
*'''CON -''' Visible bolt heads can distract from artwork.

'''Tee Nuts/T-Nuts:'''
The two common styles have either prongs or holes for small nails to keep the nuts from turning when screws are tightened/loosened. The kind with the nails is usually a better choice than the kind with prongs because it's much easier to drill tiny pilot holes for nails than it is to drive prongs into dense MDF.
*'''PRO +''' Almost as strong as carriage bolts.
*'''PRO +''' Can be hidden in a shallow countersink.
*'''CON -''' Requires more work to prepare a smooth surface for paint or vinyl artwork.
*'''PRO/CON''' Use a piece of tape to ensure that wood putty does not get into the threads of the nut, otherwise the hardened putty may be pushed up when you tighten the screw and damage the smooth surface.
*'''PRO/CON''' Screws used must be long enough to engage the tee nut, but not so long that they break through the top of the control panel.

'''Threaded Inserts:'''
These are preferred over wood screws in materials such as MDF. Regardless of what kind of thread geometry the wood screw has, with MDF you can only tighten it reliably '''once'''. When you loosen and retighten a screw in MDF it pulps and strips it. Good threaded inserts for MDF have very wide/flat/thin outer threads that cut into the MDF and keep the insert from backing out when the machine screws are loosened. The negative example below has outer threads that are too narrow to work properly with MDF. Threads on the inside allow you to remove/replace the machine screws in the event you want to replace the joystick.
*'''PRO +''' Easiest way to leave a smooth surface for paint or vinyl artwork.
*'''PRO/CON''' Screws used must be long enough to engage the insert, but not so long that they break through the top of the control panel.

<center>
<gallery>
Image:CarriageBolt.jpg|Carriage bolt
Image:TeeNuts.jpg|Tee-nuts
image:GGGThreadedInserts.jpg|Threaded insert kit. Photo © IDVT Inc. / [http://groovygamegear.com/webstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=70&products_id=317 GroovyGameGear.com], Used with permission.
Image:UltimarcThreadedInserts.jpg|Threaded insert kit. Photo © [http://www.ultimarc.com/controls.html Ultimarc.com], Used with permission.
Image:BadThreadedInsert.jpg|Wrong inserts for MDF: the threads are too small on this type
</gallery>
</center>

===Push buttons===
Most push buttons mount in a round hole -- usually 1-1/8" (28mm) or 30mm. Most push buttons are (from a construction point of view) similar to a nut and bolt: the threaded end is below the control panel and held in place by a nut. Some push buttons have flexible tabs that lock in place under the panel. This type of button is usually used with metal control panels.
<center><gallery>
File:PushButtonThreaded.png|Threaded button
File:PushButtonLockingTab.png|Locking-tab button
</gallery></center>

===Joysticks===
There are several ways to mount a joystick in a control panel.
<center>
<gallery widths=180px heights=180px>
File:Joystickmount-top.png|Top mount
File:Joystickmount-under.png|Under mount (threaded inserts)
File:Joystickmount-undertnuts.png|Under mount (tee-nuts)
File:Joystickmount-underrecessed.png|Under mount (recessed, countersunk screws)
File:Joystickmount-supportblocks.png|Under mount (support blocks)
File:Joystickmount-toprecessed.png|Top mount (recessed)
</gallery>
</center>

* '''Top mount''' The joystick is mounted on top of the control panel; for this a larger hole must be cut in the panel to accomodate the base of the joystick. A top mounted joystick adds a raised plate on top of the panel which is generally undesired if any artwork is to be added to the control panel. Also screws cannot be countersunk using this method. Carriage bolts are commonly used for this mounting configuration.

* '''Under mount''' The joystick is mounted underneath the control panel. Countersunk fasteners or threaded inserts leave a flat surface for comfortable play and application of artwork. The downside to this method is either the loss of joystick height '''or''' an increase in the distance the stick must travel to actuate the switches. countersunk screws/bolts, tee-nuts or threaded inserts are commonly used for this mounting configuration.

* '''Under mount (recessed)''' The joystick is mounted underneath the control panel. An area is cleared using a router to sink the joystick into the wood; this gives the joystick more height for play. Tee-nuts/T-nuts, countersunk screws/bolts, or threaded inserts are commonly used for this mounting configuration.

* '''Under mount (support blocks)''' The joystick is securely supported inside a recessed gap using blocks held in place by a metal plate or flat metal bars secured to the control panel by threaded inserts or tee-nuts. [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,130690.msg1345990.html#msg1345990 This forum topic] has an excellent example of this method. The photos below are from the forum topic, used with permission from [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=profile;u=62783 EMDB].
<center>
<gallery>
File:emdb_1.jpg|1: Routed area
File:emdb_2.jpg|2: Fitting joystick
File:emdb_3.jpg|3: Added support blocks
File:emdb_4.jpg|4: Threaded inserts
File:emdb_5.jpg|5: Plate to secure the joystick
</gallery>
</center>
[[image:TopRecessed.jpg|right|thumb| Top mount (recessed) example]]
* '''Top mount (recessed)'''. If (1) the joystick shaft is ''very'' short, (2) you don't want the joystick mounting plate exposed, and (3) need the strongest shallow-mount option available, use a top mount (recessed) configuration. The cover piece can be secured using countersunk screws as shown or a cover piece the size of the whole control panel can be held in place by the push buttons. See [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,129964.msg1329715.html#msg1329715 this topic] with an example and explanation of this method. The down-side of using this method is that it is much more difficult to remove and replace joysticks than with the other methods.

 
====Orientation====
It is important to note that joysticks should ''always'' be mounted parallel to the screen since it is intuitive for a player to move the joystick in relation to the action on the screen. This might seem not obvious in 4-player designs, but experience has proved that this holds true even if the player is standing diagonal towards the screen. Therefore it is advised not to angle joysticks for players 3 and 4. P3, P1, and P2 joysticks are shown parallel, while P4 joystick is shown angled.[[Image:StraightAndAngledSticks.jpg|center|460px|P3=straight, P4=angled]]

The notable exceptions to this rule are the [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,129696.msg1326815.html#msg1326815 diagonal games] Q*bert, Q*bert's Qubes, Congo Bongo, and Inferno. (1 angled stick and 1 angled trigger stick per player) The 4-way joystick is angled 45 degrees clockwise -- up relative to stick = up+right relative to the monitor. Since your on-screen character can ''only'' move in diagonals, this keeps the joystick up/down/left/right directions aligned with the on-screen action.

===Trackballs===
{{Also|Trackball Mounting}}

Mounting a trackball in a wood panel is often done with the aid of a mounting plate or kit.

If you aren't using a mounting plate, there are several tools that are good for cutting the large circular hole.
*Holesaw
*Dremel tool circle cutter attachment
*Router circle cutter attachment
*Adjustable circle cutter

There is further information and several useful links in [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,138552.msg1432066.html#msg1432066 this] post.

= Encoders =
{{Main|Encoders}}
An [[Encoders|encoder]] is a device that interfaces between the controls and the computer running the games. In the early days of the hobby, keyboard or gamepad encoders were often re-used/hacked by soldering wires to the connection points. Today [[vendors]] have different kinds of encoder circuit boards to make the process much easier and more reliable. Encoders usually connect to the PC using [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usb USB] or [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PS/2_port PS/2] connectors.

== What type of encoder(s) do I need? ==
There are four basic types of encoders presently available:
*[[Keyboard Encoders]] When using this, the computer will interpret the connected controls as if it was a keyboard.
:'''PRO +''' Most games are able to use the keyboard inputs.
:'''PRO +''' Most encoders come preconfigured with an arcade configuration.
:'''PRO +''' Keyboard encoders can support multiple players (see also ''[[#How_many_encoder_inputs_do_I_need_for_my_control_panel.3F|how many encoder inputs do I need]]'').
:'''CON -''' Can only handle digital (either 'key down' or 'key up') inputs.
:'''CON -''' Certain key combinations [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,149393.msg1559496.html#msg1559496 described here] can cause accidental loss of focus or other undesired functions.
:'''PRO/CON''' Most 4-player encoders have overlapping keys [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,133021.msg1368637.html#msg1368637 described here] that you may want to reprogram.

*[[Gamepad Encoders]] When using this, the computer will interpret the connected controls as if it was a gamepad.
:'''PRO +''' Usually plug-and-play.
:'''PRO +''' Gamepad Encoders that support analog (potentiometer) controls are called [[Analog_Encoders|Analog Encoders]].
:'''CON -''' Usually one player per encoder (as one gamepad per player).
:'''CON -''' Not all software supports gamepads.

*[[Rotary Encoders]] A rotary encoder is required to interface rotary mechanical joysticks like the ones used for Ikari Warriors.
:'''PRO +''' Most models have additional gamepad or keyboard inputs.

*[[Optical Encoders|Optical (Mouse) Encoders]] An optical encoder can connect devices such as trackballs, spinners, or rotary optical joysticks. The computer will interpret the connected controls as if it were a mouse.
:'''PRO +''' A trackball can act as a mouse.

Note that some vendors combine keyboard and optical encoders in one circuit board.

Choosing the right encoder depends on the types of software you plan to use. If, for example, you plan to play games that only support gamepads, it is wise to choose an encoder of the gamepad type. Identify the input capabilities of the software you plan to use and choose accordingly. Also certain types of controls (rotary joysticks, trackballs and spinners) require a specific encoder to be able to connect to the computer.

For some input types a software conversion is possible - for example the program "joy2key" is able to convert gamepad controls into keyboard strokes.

== How many encoder inputs do I need for my control panel? ==
The encoder(s) you choose must be able to support all the controls you plan to use. Check the vendor-supplied information to determine the quantity and type of inputs each encoder can handle.

'''Digital inputs (IPac, KADE, KeyWiz, Mini-Pac, UHID, etc.)'''

*4-way or 8-way joystick - 4 inputs
*Pushbutton - 1 input
*Coin-slot microswitch - 1 input
*Pedal (microswitch) - 1 input

'''Optical inputs - each axis uses 5v, ground, and two data lines (Mini-Pac, OptiWiz, UHID, etc.)'''
*Trackball - 2 axes (NOTE: Some come with a USB or PS/2 adapter)
*Spinner/360 degree wheel - 1 axis

'''Analog inputs - each axis uses 5v, ground and one wiper (A-Pac, KADESTICK, UHID, etc.)'''
*Analog joystick - 2 axes
*Paddle/270 degree wheel - 1 axis
*Pedal (potentiometer) - 1 axis

KADE extended mode (20 inputs ==> 26 functions + 20 shifted functions) or shifted functions can increase the number of controls connected to your encoder. Pros and cons to shifted functions are mentioned in the [[FAQ#Number_of_admin_buttons|Number of admin buttons]] section.

= Basic wiring =
{{Also|Wiring Push Buttons and Conventional Digital Joysticks}}

== Quick disconnect sizes ==
For easy connection/disconnection, many joysticks and switches use standard sized tabs. Compatible connectors are named "quick disconnect terminals". (QDs)

Most microswitches use 0.187" (4.8 mm) QDs and some use 0.250" (6 mm) QDs. Most two tab buttons (Sanwa, Seimitsu, Goldleaf, etc.) and leaf switches use 0.110" QDs. (2.8 mm). Check the product description or measure the tabs to ensure you get the the correct size.
<center>
<gallery widths=220px heights=220px>
File:QuickDisconnectsFemale.png|Female quick disconnect terminals
File:QuickDisconnectsMale.png|Male quick disconnect terminals
</gallery>
</center>
The color-coded plastic insulation sleeve indicates the size wire(s) that the terminal is designed for. Red is used for 18-22 AWG wire, blue is used for 14-16 AWG, and yellow is used for 10-12 AWG.

== Soldering ==
Soldering is another option for connecting wires to components. Soldering electronics is a specialist skill which requires practise.

Soldering is the process of joining two metal components by melting a filler (the solder) between them. Often the joining process is accelerated by the use of a flux liquid to clean/prepare the surfaces. A soldered joint is semi permanent - the joint can be broken by melting the solder again.

A good solder connection will have both good mechanical connection (physically strong) '''and''' good electrical connection. (low resistance)

After soldering, always clean the joint and surrounding area with a cotton swab dipped in isopropyl alcohol to remove any residual flux and solder.

See also: [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,129317.msg1322370.html#msg1322370 Soldering tutorial]

== Commonly used wire sizes ==
Most control panels use between 20AWG and 30AWG wire to connect controls. AWG stands for [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_wire_gauge American Wire Gauge].
22AWG stranded wire is a popular choice -- small enough to work with fairly easily, big enough for solid crimp connections and carrying current for many LED setups.

See Wikipedia for other wire gauges [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_wire_gauge British Standard Wire Gauge], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEC_60228 IEC 60228] and [http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/28/Gauge_Chart.pdf Gauge comparison chart].

== How do I wire microswitches to an encoder? ==
The illustration demonstrates a common way of connecting the microswitches. Please read the topic [[Working with Microswitches]] for a detailed description of the microswitch connectors.
<center>
[[Image:PushbuttonMicroswitchWire.png|300px]]
</center>
Wires 1 and 2 go to the Encoder input for the function you want the push button to activate. For example if the left button is the "Player 1 Start" button, the red wire labelled "1" goes to the corresponding input on the encoder. Note how the black wire labelled "3" is connected to the COM tab of both microswitches. The black daisy-chain ground wire goes to the ground connecter of the encoder.

<center>
[[Image:PushbuttonMicroswitchWire1a.png|620px]]
</center>
The first schematic shows the same switches and wires connected to encoder (gray) input 1, input 2, and ground.

With no buttons pressed, the encoder inputs and wires have 5v connected to them, but like a light switch that is off, there is no path for current flow through the inputs.

The other schematics show the encoder registering a button press when ground is connected to the input which allows current to flow through that part of the circuit like flipping a light switch to turn on a light.

== Power wiring ==
{{Template:DisclaimerElectricity}}
[[image:IECPowerSwitch.jpg|right|thumb|IEC power inlet with fuse and lighted switch]]
One popular choice for neatly bringing power into a cab is a power inlet with an IEC320 C14 socket.

Some of them have built-in switches and/or fuse holders.

A number of vendors carry similar products with several different types of switches.

See [[Wiring#IEC_Fused_Power_Inlet_with_a_Lighted_Switch]] for details.

 

=Illuminating your cabinet=
{{Main|Lighting}}
{{Also|Finishing}}

== LED Lighting ==
Most arcade LEDs are designed to run on either 5v or 12v circuits.

You can use 12v LEDs powered by 5v for extremely-low power consumption -- commonly used for standalone USB control panels to avoid the use of a second cable for LED power.

== Single color buttons ==
These are lit by a single-color LED.

== RGB buttons ==
Can be hard-wired to operate like single color buttons, but the most common way to use these LEDs is with a controller.

These LEDs have 4 wires: Operating voltage (yellow or black wire), red ground, green ground, and blue ground.

[http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,121965.msg1294271.html#msg1294271 This forum topic] has a comparison of various RGB lighting modules and push buttons.

== LED controllers ==
An LED controller allows the computer to switch LEDs on and off, change the brightness and (in the case of RGB LEDs) change the color. This allows you to illuminate buttons based on what game is being played or create animated light displays.

Several vendors sell LED controller boards for this purpose. Commonly used controllers are LED-Wiz, Pac-LED64, Pac-Drive, and U-HID.

The software [http://www.ledblinky.net/ledblinky.htm LEDBlinky] can be used to drive the controllers. The LEDBlinky software is compatible with various [[Front-Ends|Front end software]].

= Displays =
{{Main|Video}}
Displays come in two basic types: CRT and Flatscreen. Both have advantages and disadvantages.
CRT stands for [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathode_ray_tube Cathode Ray Tube] and works by sending beams of electrons to a fluorescent screen. CRT displays in the consumer markets are becomming less and less common in favor of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flatscreen flatscreen displays]. Flatscreen displays are available in LCD, LED, OLED, and plasma variants -- each with their own strengths and weaknesses but are generally categorised by availability and pricepoint.
A small number of arcade cabinets used speciality displays such as backscreen projection.

See also the [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,45137.0.html Monitor FAQ] topic on the forums.

== Differences: pros/cons ==
'''Arcade CRT monitor''' The arcade monitor offers the best arcade experience as these are the monitors used in the original cabinets. These monitors are hard to find. These monitors usually support low resolutions (which may or may not be a con, depending on the types of games you plan to play). {{Also|Arcade Monitors}}

*'''PRO +''' Offer a real arcade experience.
*'''CON -''' Hard to find.
*'''CON -''' Requires a special videocard to use with a PC.

'''CRT television''' The CRT television can be used as a display. {{Also|Televisions}}

*'''PRO +''' Close to an arcade monitor.
*'''PRO +''' Cheap and easy to find 2nd hand market.
*'''PRO +''' Common in the 4:3 aspect ratio (most common ratio for arcade games).
*'''PRO +''' Europe only: Most European TVs have the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scart SCART] connector for easier RGB connection. This makes the TV work exactly like an arcade monitor. See also [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,77370.0.html this forum topic].
*'''CON -''' Generally very heavy (especially those larger than 19 inches).

'''CRT monitor''' The CRT monitor is a regular CRT PC monitor. Some types of CRT monitors ([[MultiSync Monitors]]) can display arcade hardware natively. {{Also|PC Monitors}}

*'''PRO +''' Close to an arcade monitor (but not as close as a CRT television).
*'''PRO +''' Cheap and easy to find for sizes up to and including 19 inch on 2nd hand market.
*'''PRO +''' Common in the 4:3 aspect ratio (most common ratio for arcade games).
*'''CON -''' Harder to find in sizes of 21 inch and above (even in the 2nd hand market).
*'''CON -''' Generally very heavy (especially ones larger than 19 inches).

'''LCD Flatpanel''' The flatpanel computer monitors are the most common computer displays at the moment.

*'''PRO +''' Lightweight.
*'''PRO +''' Easy to mount inside a cabinet (due to the VESA [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flat_Display_Mounting_Interface mounting standard]).
*'''PRO +''' Cheap and commonly available.
*'''CON -''' Sizes above 19" are usually in the 16:9 (widescreen) aspect ratio (4:3 is more common in arcade games).
*'''CON -''' Lack the authentic look ("too clean"). Some emulators provide graphic filters to simulate the look of a CRT monitor.
*'''CON -''' The viewing angle might be a problem (depends on the model and make- but it is something to keep in mind).
*'''PRO/CON''' Has a "native" resolution, which means it will look the best in a specific setting. Most emulators and software can be set to use this resolution.

'''LED Flatpanel''' LED display technology is an improvement over LCD technology and is currently common used in flatpanel televisions. If you plan to use a television model for your arcade, it is advised to verify if the connection options for the display are compatible to the computer you plan to use.

*'''PRO +''' Lightweight.
*'''PRO +''' Easy to mount inside a cabinet (due to the VESA [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flat_Display_Mounting_Interface mounting standard]).
*'''PRO +''' Available in large sizes.
*'''PRO +''' Wide viewing angle compared to LCD.
*'''CON -''' Generally more expensive than LCD monitors.
*'''CON -''' Nearly all LED displays are in the 16:9 (widescreen) aspect ratio (4:3 is more common in arcade games).
*'''CON -''' Lack the authentic look ("too clean"). Some emulators provide graphic filters to simulate the look of a CRT monitor.
*'''PRO/CON''' Has a "native" resolution, which means it will look the best in a specific setting. Most emulators and software can be set to use this resolution.

== Types of video connections ==
The type of connection depends on the display and the computer (or arcade hardware) used.

This is a list with common connection types and how to recognize them. Some connectors can be converted to another connector type by using a conversion cable; usually conversion is only backwards compatible (ie. Component can be converted to Composite, but not the other way around).

* '''Composite''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Composite_video composite connector] is commonly indicated by a single yellow [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RCA_connector RCA connector]. The signal (usually referred to as ''CVBS'' signal) is an analogue signal. This type of connector is often found on older TV sets.

*'''S-Video''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S-Video S-Video] connection (sometimes referred to as Y/C) is a (small) round with four pins. The quality is better than composite but the available color depth is not as good as component. The S-Video is connection available on some PC video cards (as secondary connector) due to it's small connector size. A S-Video signal can be converted to composite using a conversion cable.

* '''Component''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Component_video component video] (sometimes referred to as YCbCr or YPbPr) connection is indicated by three [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RCA_connector RCA connectors] color coded red, green and blue. The video signal is an [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YPbPr analogue signal]. It is often incorrect assumed that this is an RGB signal (the confusion often stems from the color code of the cables). This is the best available analogue signal, it is commonly found on large television sets. A native YCbCr can be converted to composite or S-video using a conversion cable.

* '''SCART''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SCART SCART connector] is common in Europe- almost all TVs sold are equipped with the connector (another name for SCART is ''EuroAV''). The SCART connector can carry a mix of signals including analogue and digital RGB. The SCART connector can be identified as a two row 21 pin connector. Standard arcade monitors use the 'RGB with sync' signal which is also available in SCART. Note that SCART is a connector standard- it does not automatically mean that a device with a SCART connector is capable displaying all modes the SCART connector can offer. In addition to video, the SCART connector can also carry stereo audio. There is no "native SCART" signal, but there are conversion cables available to connect Composite, S-Video and VGA signals to SCART.

* '''VGA connector''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VGA_connector VGA connector] (The connector itself is called a DE-15 connector) is a connector recognisable as a three row 15 pin connector- usually color coded blue. It is one of the most common video connectors found on computers (even though it is superceded by DVI and HDMI connectors). The signal it carries is analogue RGB and produces a sharp image. A VGA signal can be converted to the DVI, SCART-RGB, Component, S-Video and Composite with a conversion cable. Keep in mind that for some conversions the host must be able to output a specified

* '''DVI''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Visual_Interface DVI connector] is a rectangular (usually white) connector with a three row 24 pin and a two row 4 pin configuration. The DVI connector is a common connector on computers. The DVI standard can carry both analogue and digital video signals. A native DVI signal can be converted to VGA or HDMI with a conversion cable. Note that it is possible to convert VGA to DVI, it is however not possible to convert a native VGA signal via DVI to HDMI.

* '''HDMI''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HDMI HDMI connector] is a flat connector with a two row 19 pin configuration (the pins are usually joined by a plastic center). The HDMI connector is the current industry standard for high definition video and audio signal connections. A native HDMI signal may be converted to DVI with a conversion cable.

<gallery>
File:composite-jackplug.png|Composite
File:svideo-jackplug.png|S-Video
File:component-jackplug.png|Component
File:scart-jackplug.png|SCART
File:vga-jackplug.png|VGA
File:dvi-jackplug.png|DVI
File:hdmi-jackplug.png|HDMI
</gallery>

== Response time and input lag==
Response time is the time for a display to change a pixel from black to white and back to black. This should not be confused with '''input lag'''. Video response times are often listed in the specification sheet of LCD or LED monitors. CRT displays have very fast response time due the refresh rates of 50hz or 60hz.

Slow reponse times may result in blurred movement. See also [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Response_time_(technology)#Display_technologies the Wikipedia page] for more information on response times.

Input lag is the time it takes between an user action and the result being processed and displayed on the display. Input lag can be a problem in games where timing is essential such as rythm-action or fighting games. Since the processing of user input is also emulated, this may cause timing issues.

Input lag can come from software (emulators), firmware (some cheap encoders) or hardware (video converters or TV circuitry).
Modern TVs have additional features to enhance the picture quality, these features however may contribute to input lag- check if the TV you are using has a "game mode" setting which bypasses most of the features.
Some emulators offer options to sacrifice parts of the emulation for the benefit of speed. Another solution may be a faster computer to speed up emulation. The final option is to switch from emulation to simulation (for example use ''Step Mania'' to play ''Dance Dance Revolution'' style of games).

See also [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Input_lag Wikipedia] for more information on input lag.

= Software =
{{Main|Software}}
A variety of software, emulators, and simulators allow you to play a huge number of arcade, console, and PC games on a computer. The software used as a foundation of a home arcade machine generally consists of:
*Emulators to run specific game ROMs on a computer
*ROMs and related files such as MAME bios files (Marble Madness needs atarisy1.zip) and CHD files (Simpsons Bowling needs simpbowl.chd)
*A front-end menu system to easily select and launch games

== What is an emulator? What is a simulator? ==
An emulator is a software program that duplicates the operation of the computer hardware, firmware/software, and gameplay of an older game system. As the name implies it 'emulates' the system.
''See also: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emulator Wikipedia article on Emulators].''

Emulators are often confused with [[Simulators|simulators]]. A simulator does not try to re-create the operation of the original computer hardware/software/firmware but re-create the game itself. Therefore, an emulator provides an accurate re-creation of a game and a simulator provides a near-accurate rendition.

A simulator is often used when part or all of the game does not use fimware/software. Example: In Visual Pinball, the pinball playfield, lights, flippers and ball of Baby Pac-Man (the physical/mechanical parts) are simulated, while the videogame part is emulated using the original game ROMs.

=== What is a ROM? ===
{{Main|ROMs}}
For the original games - '''R'''ead '''O'''nly '''M'''emory chips on the game board/cartridge that hold the program code for a game/game system.
For emulators - .ZIP or .7z file(s) containing a copy ("dump") of the game/game system code.

=== Why do my ROMs not work? ===
It is not always guaranteed that a particular game ROM will work with a given emulator. The original memory chips may use encryption that is not yet decoded or a game may use a specific function that the chosen emulator does not currently support. Some games also require additional data such as a CD-Rom image or harddisk data - usually supplied as CHD ('''C'''ompressed '''H'''unks of '''D'''ata) files. Also, the data extraction method/format may not be compatible with the emulator (or emulator version) of choice.

When using MAME, one can use '''clrmamepro''' [http://mamedev.emulab.it/clrmamepro/] or your emulator's "Audit" function (if available) to check the version and filenames of ROMs compared to your MAME emulator program version. See also the [[Utilities#ROM_Managers.2C_Renamers_.26_Dats|rom manager]] section for other tools.

=== Commonly used emulators ===
{{Also|Arcade Emulators}}
{{Also|MAME Variants}}

The most common used emulator for arcade machines is [[MAME]], short for '''M'''ultiple '''A'''rcade '''M'''achine '''E'''mulator. MAME can emulate a wide range of arcade hardware and thus can run many different games. However for some types of arcade hardware, very specific emulators are created which may perform better. For example [[Supermodel]] is a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Sega_arcade_system_boards#Sega_Model_3 SEGA Model 3] emulator.

MAME is a major emulator in the arcade community, there are many different variants or "flavors" of MAME. These modified MAME variants often maintain the version numbering of the official (commonly referred to as "vanilla") MAME version to be clear what the base features and compatible ROM sets are. See [[MAME Variants]]. The most common variants are:

<center>
{|class="wikitable"
|MAME
|The "official" command line program that the other variants are based on.
|[http://www.mamedev.org/]
|-
|NoNag patched
|Suppresses error messages that are useful when troubleshooting.
|[http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,64298.0.html]
|-
|MAMEUI
|Built in frontend.
|[http://www.mameui.info/]
|-
|MAMEUIFX
|Built in frontend.
|[http://mame32fx.altervista.org/home.htm]
|-
|MAME Hub
|Added network play.
|[http://sites.google.com/site/mamehub/]
|-
|HB MAME
|Dedicated "homebrew" hacks.
|[http://hbmame.the-chronicles.org/index.html]
|-
|Groovy MAME
|Mainly aimed at CRT monitors and alleviating some annoyances associated with emulation on LCD displays.
|[http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?board=52.0]
|}
</center>

=== Should I upgrade my emulators to the latest version? ===
The answer is almost always '''NO'''. This is often a case of, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."

Only upgrade your emulators if you benefit from the upgrade -- for example the new version now supports a game you want to play. Keep in mind that upgrading your emulators probably means that your ROMs need updating as well. If the new release fixes something that makes it worth the time and effort to update your ROMs '''and''' will still run well on your system, consider the update.

== What is a Front end? ==
{{Main|Front-Ends}}
A front end is software used to launch games. With some emulators it can be quite a hassle to switch between games, as each game may require different settings. A front end can provide the end user with a seamless experience from selecting to playing games.
There are many front ends available, each with their own strengths and weaknesses.
Please check the table on the [[Front-Ends]] wiki page for features of various front ends.

== Other useful software ==
{{Main|Utilities}}
The community has produced many small tools and utilities to enhance the home arcade experience. Some utilities are used to overcome a shortcoming of an emulator or the operating system, others are created to support a specific piece of hardware.
Utilities may include [[Utilities#Input Mapping Software|input mapping software]] to redirect keystrokes to joystick buttons (or vice versa), tools to [[Utilities#Video Tools|manipulate the video display]] - for example switch between horizontal and vertical orientation of the display.

= Forum tips for asking questions that get good/faster answers: =
* Search first, somebody else has probably encountered this problem before -- don't ask people to retype the same old answers to the same old questions.
* Take your time editing the post so it is specific, clear, and easy to read.
* Whenever possible, include decent pics/screencaps/diagrams/part numbers/links.
* Include software/OS versions if applicable.
* Include your location when asking about parts/vendors or electrical wiring. (different countries use different wire colors and/or voltages)

'''DISCLAIMER:''' The authors of the document linked below ask that we remind you that they are not a help desk for your project.

More useful tips on asking smart questions [http://www.catb.org/esr/faqs/smart-questions.html here].

:''[[#top|Back to the top of this document]]''

=Help make this wiki even better=
You are welcome to contribute to this wiki. Take a look at the [[Community Portal]] for more information on how to help out. To contribute as an author or editor, you first need to create an account on the [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/ BYOAC forum] and then post in [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,136208.msg1407831.html#msg1407831 this thread] of the forum. One of the wiki moderators ([[User:Saint|Saint]], [[User:Felsir|Felsir]], or [[User:PL1|PL1]]) will help you get started.

=Resources and acknowledgments=
The inspiration for this FAQ is the MAME FAQ written in 2003 by CitznFish. It is available via the [http://web.archive.org/web/20081006130304/http://www.arcade-at-home.com/mame_faq.html Internet Wayback Machine]. 
The collective experience found on [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com the Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum]. 
Images used in the [[#Types_of_cabs|types of cabs]] section are based on the Sketchup models made by [http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/cldetails?clid=4ac3dc12784cb20bd06e6be4f8954ac Gozer]. 

[[Category:Index]]

FAQ

2016-06-16T14:11:49Z

PL1: /* What type of build meets my needs? */

This page is intended for those who want to build their own arcade machine or classic game controllers. If you're planning to restore an existing arcade cabinet, please take a look at the topic [[restoration]].

There are a dizzying variety of skills, disciplines, methods, materials, and resources involved in this hobby. This FAQ is intended to provide a a general overview of basic topics and common terms for newcomers to the arcade and emulation community. It is designed to be a starting point for choosing useful search terms and asking better/more effective questions in the BYOAC Forums.

= Cabinet Basics =
{{Main|Basics}}
Arcade cabinets (often shortened to 'cabs') are gaming machines that include the screen to display the game, controls to play the game and the computer hardware that runs the game.

== Types of cabs ==
{{Main|Arcade Cabinet}}
Arcade cabinets come in various shapes and sizes. Commercially build and operated cabinets are often build to play a single game and are therefore created to match the target audience or recreate the atmosphere of the game.

=== Standing ===
A standing cabinet is the most common cabinet in North America and Europe. Players stand in front of the machine while playing the game.

* '''Regular''', the iconic, archetype, arcade cabinet. The monitor is usually above waist height with the [[marquee]] overhanging.
* '''Cabaret''', a slightly smaller version of the regular cabinet. The [[marquee]] is often located between the control panel and coin door.
* '''Low-boy''', a standup cabinet where the [[marquee]] is in the same plane as the monitor making the cabinet much lower, hence the name.
* '''Pedestal''', a arcade where the screen is not part of the arcade setup. The monitor could be a TV or projection attached to a wall.
* '''Showcase''', a setup where the screen is in a separate housing as the [[control panel]] but still visually part of one setup. Setups like this usually feature a large screen positioned in such way that onlookers may view the action. The 'showcase' may both refer to the player being able to showcase his or her gaming skill as to the elaborate arcade setup itself.

[[File:StandingArcades.png|center]]
<center>Example standing cabinets next to an adult man for size comparison, from left to right: ''Regular'', ''Low-boy'' and ''Showcase''.</center>

=== Seated ===
Seated cabinets come in two distinct categories; arcade cabinets intended to sit at for easier long play sessions or themed cabinets that involve an activity where sitting down mimics the action of the game (such as driving a car).

* '''Candy''', the most common cabinet in Japan. The cabinets are often made of hard plastic - the shiny plastic appearance led to them being called 'candy cabinets'. These cabinets are quite similar to standup cabinets except that they are lower and often have a larger [[control panel]] surface. ''See also [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Japanese_arcade_cabinets List of Japanese cabinets on Wikipedia]].

* '''Cocktail''', the most common sit-down type in North America. An arcade that resembles a table with the screen embedded in the table surface. The surface is made of hardened glass so people can place their drinks on it.

*'''Cockpit''', an arcade that mimics the cockpit of a racecar, fighter plane or spacecraft. The controls are often matched to the type of vehicle portrayed, such as a [[Driving_Controls|steering wheel]], [[Driving_Controls#Pedals|pedals]], [[Driving_Controls#Shifters|gear shifter]] or [[Driving_Controls#Flight_Yokes|flight yoke]].

*'''Ride-on''', similar to the cockpit arcade, a ride-on often is build specific to the activity of the game(s) played. Ride-on cabinets may feature a motorbike or jet ski seat but also less obvious vehicles such as a minecart.

[[File:SitdownArcades.png|center]]
<center>Example sitdown cabinets next to an adult man for size comparison, from left to right ''cocktail'', ''candy'' and ''cockpit''.</center>

=== Small ===
Another category of cabinets are the small size cabinets.

*'''Mini''', a small version of a cabinet resized to suit play for children.

*'''Bartop''', a portable cabinet that can be placed on top of a table (or as the name suggests, on the bartop in a pub or diner).

*'''Barstick''', a bartop without a built-in display. It is usually connected to a TV.

*'''Micro''', micro cabinets are extremely scaled down cabinets. Building a functioning micro cabinet provides experiences cabinet builders a new challenge. Micro cabinets provide a eye catching model for display.

=== Other ===
Some arcade cabinets are built for a single gametype or purpose.

*'''Digital Pinball Table''', a digital pinball machine is designed to look and act like an actual pinball machine with the ball(s), lighting, playfield and backglass replaced by monitors and pinball simulation software. {{Also|Pinball}}

== Parts of a cabinet ==
{{Main|Arcade_Cabinet#Anatomy_of_a_cabinet}}
Arcade cabinets vary in size and complexity but they generally comprise the same basic features as shown on this diagram.
 
[[image:generic_with_numbers.png|left|400px]]

# '''Marquee'''. Back-lit artwork that displays the cabinet's name.
# '''Marquee retainers'''. A part to keep the marquee in place. Allows easy replacement of the marquee graphic.
# '''Speaker panel'''. The panel which holds the speakers.
# '''Monitor bezel'''. A part that surrounds and masks the monitor in the cabinet. In some arcades the bezel also features artwork.
# '''Control panel'''. Holds the joysticks, buttons and other controls needed to play the games.
# '''T-molding'''. T-molding is used to finish and protect the edges of the woodwork.
# '''Coin door'''. A coindoor to accept coins for play.

 

=Building your own Arcade=
{{Main|Building}}

== What type of build meets my needs? ==
One common pitfall of arcade building is trying to build a cab to "play everything" and ending up with a monster of a control panel often nicknamed a [[frankenpanel]] by the community. Consider what you want to achieve and what your limitations are before starting to build.

#'''Start by considering where you want to put/use the cab.''' Measure the doorways so you can actually move the arcade from the place of construction to the gameroom. Consider what type of cab (upright, sitdown, cocktail, bartop, etc.) will fit your circumstances. Consider possible reflections of windows/lamps on the monitor and power outlet availability.
#'''Make a list of the games, emulators, and front end you want to use.''' This list should include any "can't live without" games and will help you choose a suitable computer. Check the [http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Multi-Player_Games multi-player], [http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Joysticks#Games_with_Dual_Joysticks dual joystick], [http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Joysticks#Mechanical_Rotary_Joystick_Games_.28LS-30.2C_Happ_Mechanical_Rotary_Sticks.29 rotary joystick], [http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Joysticks#Analog_Joysticks analog joystick/yoke], [http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Light_Guns#Lightgun_Games_List lightgun], and [http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Spinners_and_Dials#Which_games_originally_used_a_spinner spinner] gamelists to see if there are enough "can't live without" games in each list to justify including these specialized controls in your build. Also check out BadMouth's "All Killer, No Filler" game lists [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,149708.0.html here].
#'''Consider the number of simultaneous players you want to support.''' Keep in mind that more players means adapting your [[control panel]]; the more controls the more room you'll need (space might be an issue). If you plan to support more than 2 players, make sure all players have a good view of the screen. Also more players probably means a bigger budget- keep in mind that there are alternatives like using USB joypads for letting other players join in or using a 2-player version of a 4-player game like Gauntlet, TMNT, or X-Men.
#'''Figure out what kind/quantity of controls you'll need to support the games and emulators on your list.''' Go through the list to determine what controls you will need. [[Joysticks]] come in many variants such as 4-way, 8-way, and analog. Some games or consoles require analog controls. Keep in mind that some controls can be used as alternative: for example a [[Trackballs|trackball]] might also work as a [[spinner]] or mouse. A spinner might also work as a [[Driving_Controls#Optical_.28360_degree_wheels.29|steering wheel]]. Note that reusing controls is also subject to personal preference and is an often discussed subject within the community.
#'''What computer do you want/need to use.''' Newer games means a newer computer. If you already have a computer you plan to use, try some [[emulators]] on it to see what games it is capable of running - cross check this with the games you want to play.
#'''That will lead you to what [[emulators]] and other [[software]] like [[Front-Ends|front-ends]] you want/need.''' [[Emulators]] are programs that can make the computer act as a (retro)gaming system such as an [[Arcade_Emulators|arcade machine]] or [[Game_Consoles|game consoles]]. Do you want the players to be able to switch games? There are many programs where players can select and start games (this kind of software programs are known as [[Front-Ends|front-ends]]. Configuring the computer to run old games is also part of the hobby!
#'''Choose your encoder'''. The [[encoders|encoder]] is a specialized piece of electronics that connects the controls to the computer. There are several vendors that sell encoders, it is also possible to create your own by hacking a keyboard or gamepad. It is usually much easier to buy an encoder from a vendor instead. A few things to keep in mind when selecting an encoder such as the number of supported inputs (how many buttons can you connect) support for analogue devices (trackball, spinner etc.).
#'''What is the artwork/theme/design you want to use?''' [[Overview_%26_Options_to_Consider|Picking the artwork or theme]] early may help you selecting the colors of the [[Pushbuttons|buttons]] or [[T-Molding|t-molding]]. It may also affect the way you want to arrange the buttons on the controlpanel or the size of the marquee.
#'''Arrange the controls on the control panel.''' It is highly encouraged to create a mockup panel out of cardboard, hardboard, or even MDF to test the layout. This enables you to "feel" if the controls are in the right place and the control panel is comfortable to play. [http://slagcoin.com/joystick/layout.html Slagcoin] has many printable button layouts.
#'''Select a monitor.''' What kind of monitor do you plan to use? Consider that the size may affect the dimensions of the cabinet. Keep in mind that many arcade games have the monitor in portrait mode (while these are still playable on a landscape oriented monitor, the games will often be scaled down). Some emulators can use special effects (shaders) to simulate the appearance of an old CRT monitor on LCD (flat panel) monitors, this usually requires a decent videocard.
#'''Design the rest of the cab around the monitor and control panel.''' The control panel and monitor often dictate the required dimensions for the rest of the cabinet. Keep also in mind the considerations at point 1 in this list!

There are many more topics to explore such as [[Rotating_Monitor|rotating monitors]], swappable control panels, and [[Modular_Control_Panels|modular control panels]]. This list is by no means complete but it should provide a solid foundation for you to start designing your own cab!

== What is the difference between an original arcade cab and a MAME cab? ==
An original arcade cabinet refers to a cabinet designed for commecial operation. These cabinets are often crafted for a specific game or specific type of dedicated arcade (computer) hardware.
A MAME cabinet is the collective name for a cabinet intended to simulate the arcade experience. These cabinets are usually configured to allow users to play many different games.

Some original arcade cabinets have electronic components like Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) or monitors that are missing or damaged beyond restoration. Sometimes replacement parts are impossible to find or outrageously expensive. Sometimes the artwork or body of the cabinet is badly damaged. Problems like these can make restoring a commonly-available cabinet so difficult or expensive that it '''clearly''' isn't worth preserving. Cabs like those are possible candidates to convert to a MAME cabinet. Remember to preserve as much as possible and, as the saying goes, "Please don't maim for MAME."

Also note that the name MAME cabinet refers to the [[Emulators|emulator]] [[MAME]], but in many cases several other emulators are used to play games. MAME is the most common emulator to play arcade games.

== What is JAMMA/JAMMA+? ==
{{Main|JAMMA}}
[[Image:Jamma.png|thumbnail|300px|JAMMA connector]]JAMMA is a wiring standard developed in 1985 by Japan Amusement Machine and Marketing Association, Inc. It allows you to easily change between JAMMA compatible game boards without re-wiring the cabinet.
If you plan to build your own arcade from scratch with your own PC, the JAMMA standard does not apply; it is an industry standard.

The JAMMA standard uses a 56-pin edge connector on the board with inputs and outputs common to most video games.
JAMMA Games that have more than 3 action buttons, more than 2 players, or different control types use the JAMMA+ standard.

The JAMMA standard enables you to hook an original arcade cabinet to a PC using a [[Keyboard_Encoders#J-PAC|J-PAC]] encoder. This allows you to use the existing controls to play emulated games.
{{Also|Connecting a PC to an Arcade Cabinet}}

If you have JAMMA compatible game circuit boards, you will need JAMMA compatible arcade hardware to be able to play them.

The Real Bob Roberts™ JAMMA links:
*[http://homearcade.org/BBBB/newjam.html JAMMA pinout]
*[http://homearcade.org/BBBB/jh.html JAMMA harness bundling]
*[http://homearcade.org/BBBB/plus.html JAMMA+ wiring]

= Controls =
{{Main|Controls}}
Authentic controls and [[Control panel|control panels]] give you that original arcade feel.

== Joystick Types ==
{{Main|Joysticks}}
A Joystick is a device to let you manually control direction of movement in an arcade game. When selecting the correct joystick for your setup, keep in mind the games you wish to play. Note that there are also [[Joysticks#Games_with_Dual_Joysticks|games that use dual joysticks]].

===2-way===
2-way joysticks register movement along either the X-axis '''or''' Y-axis. These joysticks are operated by triggering [[Working with Microswitches|microswitches]] or leaf switches which means these are absolute -- either movement in a direction is triggered or not. 4-way or 8-way joysticks can be used as physically-restricted 2-way joysticks by using a slot-shaped restrictor plate.

===4/8-way===
4-way and 8-way joysticks register movement along the X-axis '''and''' Y-axis. These joysticks are operated by triggering [[Working with Microswitches|microswitches]] or leaf switches which means these are absolute -- either movement in a direction is triggered or not. Both 4-way and 8-way joysticks have 4 microswitches or leaf switches. The difference between 4-way and 8-way joysticks is that a 4-way stick can only activate one switch (up, down, left, or right) at a time, but an 8-way stick can register up to two switches (up+right, etc.) at a time. Some joysticks have a restrictor plate that limits/defines the joystick's range of motion, allowing you to select 4/8-way operation. There are also models that can automatically switch between physical 4-way and 8-way restriction using a motor/actuator controlled by software.

===Analog===
Analog joystics can discern how far the handle has been pushed from the center position. This type of joystick is often used where the player must be able to control the movement in a smooth way, for example pushing the joystick further also makes the game character move faster in the chosen direction.

===Speciality joysticks===
Speciality joysticks include [[Joysticks#49-Way_Joysticks|49-way joysticks]], [[Joysticks#Rotary_Joysticks|rotary joysticks]], [[Joysticks#TRON_joysticks|TRON joysticks]] and joysticks with a trigger and/or one or more buttons.

== Buttons ==
{{Main|Pushbuttons}}
{{Also|Working with Microswitches}}
{{Also|Wiring Push Buttons and Conventional Digital Joysticks}}

Pushbuttons are the simplest and most common form of control consisting of a momentary switch that makes contact when pressed.
Buttons come in various colors, shapes and sizes. Round buttons are usually used on control panels.

Pushuttons with 3 tabs have Common (Com), Normally Open (NO), and Normally Closed (NC) connections in a SPDT configuration.

Pushbuttons with 2 tabs are in a SPST configuration.

===Layout===
The placement of buttons (and joysticks) is often influenced by personal preference. It is wise to consider using one of the common layouts used in the arcade industry, as these were designed to allow players to reach and rest their fingers on buttons with minimal hand strain. The [http://www.slagcoin.com/joystick/layout.html Slagcoin] website has a list of descriptions and printable layouts that are '''highly''' recommended reference material.

Before constructing a control panel, a cardboard mockup often gives you a good impression if the controls are comfortable to use.

===Number of player buttons===
The number of player buttons (buttons used during gameplay) to put on your panel is determined by the the games you plan to play. Most fighting games used 6 buttons in a 2 rows of 3 buttons configuration. The [[Neo-Geo]] used 4 buttons in a single row. Some people combine these two layouts in a 2 row layout with 3 buttons on one row and four on the other.

Note that no arcade machine uses more than 4 buttons for players three and four.

If you are making a dedicated cab for 4-way joystick games, you will only need 2 player buttons unless you want to include:

'''4-way joystick 3 button games'''
* Iron Horse
* Punch Out!!
'''4-way joystick 4 button games'''
* Mouse Trap
* Super Punch-Out!!

===Number of admin buttons===
Commonly used admin buttons/function include P1/P2 Start (1/2), P1/P2 Coin (5/6), Pause (P) and Exit. (ESC)

To keep guests or children from accidently messing up their cab configuration, many individuals choose to not include a Menu (Tab) button and disable the shifted function for Menu. (P1 Start + joystick right on I-Pac)

There are several schools of thought concerning admin buttons -- some people prefer dedicated admin buttons, while others prefer using "shifted functions".

'''Dedicated admin buttons:'''
*'''PRO +''' Button functions can be clearly labeled on the panel art or using inserts in translucent buttons.
*'''CON -''' Too many buttons can be confusing and make a panel look cluttered.

Commonly used dedicated admin buttons include P1/P2 Start, P1/P2 Coin, ESC (exit), Pause, and others. Some console emulators may also require additional functions so be sure to install and configure desired emulators '''before''' building your panel.

'''"Shifted functions":'''
*'''PRO +''' Can make the panel look less cluttered.
*'''CON -''' When the "shift" button is pressed, any button pressed at the same time will output the associated shifted function. This may trigger an unintended function (exit, pause, menu, etc.) during a multi-player co-op game when one player performs a shifted function and the other player continues playing.

"Shifted functions" require a button/input to act as the "shift" button -- P1 Start on the IPac, HWB on the KADE, and Shazaaam! on the KeyWiz.

Pressing P1 Start and P2 Start will cause an IPac to output ESC. (exit)

Include an instruction card on the control panel overlay or screen bezel so family members and guests can figure out how to operate the cab.

===Illuminated buttons===
{{Main|Lighting}}
Many vendors sell illuminted single-color buttons and/or RGB (Red/Green/Blue) LED lighting kits for pushbuttons.

Illuminated buttons can be wired directly to a power source for constant single-color illumination '''or''' you can change brightness (single-color or RGB) or color (RGB) using software and a USB LED controller board like the LED-Wiz or the PacLED64.

== Trackballs ==
{{Main|Trackballs}}
A Trackball is a large ball that can be pushed in any direction to control an arcade game. Trackballs provide precise analog control, much like a mouse.

== Spinners ==
{{Main|Spinners}}
A Spinner is a knob that can be spun rapidly in either direction to move an on-screen paddle or character. Spinners provide precise analog control like a mouse, but act only along one axis.

== Other specialized controls ==
{{Also|:Category:Controls}}

Yokes, steering wheels, trigger stick, rotary joysticks, light guns, etc.

== USB gamepads/controllers ==
One way to expand the number of games that you can play (without turning your control panel into a "Frankenpanel") is to use gamepads or controllers plugged into external USB ports.

USB gamepads allow you to add Players 3+4 to a 2-player cab or play console games that use "shoulder buttons" or two analogue joysticks per player (''twin stick shooters'').

You can also add controllers with specialized controls like an analog flightstick for Afterburner or rotary joysticks for Ikari Warriors. Another option is to add controllers with specialized layouts for Defender or Asteroids.

=Construction=
{{Main|Building}}
Building your own arcade cabinet or controller can be a rewarding experience. The construction itself involves various disciplines from woodworking, electronics and design. While some people in the community have produced exceptional cabinets, everyone with some practice and dedication can build a cabinet.
The wiki has an [[Build an OND designed cab Metropolis|example project]] with images to give an impression of how a cabinet is built.

== What tools do I need? ==
{{Main|Hand Tools}}
{{Main|Power Tools}}
Building your own arcade machine is no simple task and requires the correct tools as well as the knowledge of how to use each one correctly and safely.
Keep the safety guidelines in mind for each tool in when using them!
[[File:Ond_tools.jpg|center]]

== Design ==
{{Main|Technical design software}}
Planning is everything is this hobby. To make sure your design fits together as you had in mind it is wise to sketch out your designs first. Regular paper sketches with measurements might suit your needs. There is also software (some available for free) to help design your cabinet. Often community members share their designs in digital files. [http://www.sketchup.com Sketchup] is quite popular, but other software such as Microsoft Visio works as well.

== What type of wood to use? ==
{{Main|Wood products}}
In building an arcade cabinet, several types of materials are available to you. Each has its strengths and weaknesses. The most common used materials are [[Wood_products#MDF|MDF]], [[Wood_products#Plywood|Plywood]] and [[Wood_products#MDO|MDO]].

== What thickness and materials to use for the Control Panel? ==
Many people use [[Wood_products#MDF|MDF]], [[Wood_products#Plywood|Plywood]] or [[Wood_products#MDO|MDO]] since they are easy to work with.

Some use metal.

Some control panel artwork comes with a thin polycarbonate lamination that protects the artwork from wear and tear, but artwork without it needs to be protected using 1/8" plexiglass, polycarbonate, or acrylic.

Plexiglass is usually held down by the pushbuttons/nuts.

If you are using [[T-Molding|T-Molding]], the combined thickness of all the layers needs to add up to the width of the T-Molding.

For example, 5/8" MDF + artwork + 1/8" plexiglass = 3/4" T-Molding.

If you aren't able to find T-molding that matches the thickness of the layers, you can use a chamfer or roundover router bit to angle the lower edge of the control panel.

[[File:T-molding regular and offset 2.jpg|center]]

== Mounting controls in the control panel==
Part of planning is reviewing the mounting options. Some controls require clearance on either side for mounting. When in doubt, tt is advised to use a cardboard mockup to verify the clearances of the controls.

===Hardware===
There are three types of hardware commonly used to mount joysticks.

This hardware is purchased separately from the joystick due to the variety of mounting options and methods.

'''Carriage Bolts:'''
Carriage bolts have a rounded top and a square base slightly larger than the threads.
*'''PRO +''' Strongest mounting method.
*'''CON -''' Visible bolt heads can distract from artwork.

'''Tee Nuts/T-Nuts:'''
The two common styles have either prongs or holes for small nails to keep the nuts from turning when screws are tightened/loosened. The kind with the nails is usually a better choice than the kind with prongs because it's much easier to drill tiny pilot holes for nails than it is to drive prongs into dense MDF.
*'''PRO +''' Almost as strong as carriage bolts.
*'''PRO +''' Can be hidden in a shallow countersink.
*'''CON -''' Requires more work to prepare a smooth surface for paint or vinyl artwork.
*'''PRO/CON''' Use a piece of tape to ensure that wood putty does not get into the threads of the nut, otherwise the hardened putty may be pushed up when you tighten the screw and damage the smooth surface.
*'''PRO/CON''' Screws used must be long enough to engage the tee nut, but not so long that they break through the top of the control panel.

'''Threaded Inserts:'''
These are preferred over wood screws in materials such as MDF. Regardless of what kind of thread geometry the wood screw has, with MDF you can only tighten it reliably '''once'''. When you loosen and retighten a screw in MDF it pulps and strips it. Good threaded inserts for MDF have very wide/flat/thin outer threads that cut into the MDF and keep the insert from backing out when the machine screws are loosened. The negative example below has outer threads that are too narrow to work properly with MDF. Threads on the inside allow you to remove/replace the machine screws in the event you want to replace the joystick.
*'''PRO +''' Easiest way to leave a smooth surface for paint or vinyl artwork.
*'''PRO/CON''' Screws used must be long enough to engage the insert, but not so long that they break through the top of the control panel.

<center>
<gallery>
Image:CarriageBolt.jpg|Carriage bolt
Image:TeeNuts.jpg|Tee-nuts
image:GGGThreadedInserts.jpg|Threaded insert kit. Photo © IDVT Inc. / [http://groovygamegear.com/webstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=70&products_id=317 GroovyGameGear.com], Used with permission.
Image:UltimarcThreadedInserts.jpg|Threaded insert kit. Photo © [http://www.ultimarc.com/controls.html Ultimarc.com], Used with permission.
Image:BadThreadedInsert.jpg|Wrong inserts for MDF: the threads are too small on this type
</gallery>
</center>

===Push buttons===
Most push buttons mount in a round hole -- usually 1-1/8" (28mm) or 30mm. Most push buttons are (from a construction point of view) similar to a nut and bolt: the threaded end is below the control panel and held in place by a nut. Some push buttons have flexible tabs that lock in place under the panel. This type of button is usually used with metal control panels.
<center><gallery>
File:PushButtonThreaded.png|Threaded button
File:PushButtonLockingTab.png|Locking-tab button
</gallery></center>

===Joysticks===
There are several ways to mount a joystick in a control panel.
<center>
<gallery widths=180px heights=180px>
File:Joystickmount-top.png|Top mount
File:Joystickmount-under.png|Under mount (threaded inserts)
File:Joystickmount-undertnuts.png|Under mount (tee-nuts)
File:Joystickmount-underrecessed.png|Under mount (recessed, countersunk screws)
File:Joystickmount-supportblocks.png|Under mount (support blocks)
File:Joystickmount-toprecessed.png|Top mount (recessed)
</gallery>
</center>

* '''Top mount''' The joystick is mounted on top of the control panel; for this a larger hole must be cut in the panel to accomodate the base of the joystick. A top mounted joystick adds a raised plate on top of the panel which is generally undesired if any artwork is to be added to the control panel. Also screws cannot be countersunk using this method. Carriage bolts are commonly used for this mounting configuration.

* '''Under mount''' The joystick is mounted underneath the control panel. Countersunk fasteners or threaded inserts leave a flat surface for comfortable play and application of artwork. The downside to this method is either the loss of joystick height '''or''' an increase in the distance the stick must travel to actuate the switches. countersunk screws/bolts, tee-nuts or threaded inserts are commonly used for this mounting configuration.

* '''Under mount (recessed)''' The joystick is mounted underneath the control panel. An area is cleared using a router to sink the joystick into the wood; this gives the joystick more height for play. Tee-nuts/T-nuts, countersunk screws/bolts, or threaded inserts are commonly used for this mounting configuration.

* '''Under mount (support blocks)''' The joystick is securely supported inside a recessed gap using blocks held in place by a metal plate or flat metal bars secured to the control panel by threaded inserts or tee-nuts. [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,130690.msg1345990.html#msg1345990 This forum topic] has an excellent example of this method. The photos below are from the forum topic, used with permission from [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=profile;u=62783 EMDB].
<center>
<gallery>
File:emdb_1.jpg|1: Routed area
File:emdb_2.jpg|2: Fitting joystick
File:emdb_3.jpg|3: Added support blocks
File:emdb_4.jpg|4: Threaded inserts
File:emdb_5.jpg|5: Plate to secure the joystick
</gallery>
</center>
[[image:TopRecessed.jpg|right|thumb| Top mount (recessed) example]]
* '''Top mount (recessed)'''. If (1) the joystick shaft is ''very'' short, (2) you don't want the joystick mounting plate exposed, and (3) need the strongest shallow-mount option available, use a top mount (recessed) configuration. The cover piece can be secured using countersunk screws as shown or a cover piece the size of the whole control panel can be held in place by the push buttons. See [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,129964.msg1329715.html#msg1329715 this topic] with an example and explanation of this method. The down-side of using this method is that it is much more difficult to remove and replace joysticks than with the other methods.

 
====Orientation====
It is important to note that joysticks should ''always'' be mounted parallel to the screen since it is intuitive for a player to move the joystick in relation to the action on the screen. This might seem not obvious in 4-player designs, but experience has proved that this holds true even if the player is standing diagonal towards the screen. Therefore it is advised not to angle joysticks for players 3 and 4. P3, P1, and P2 joysticks are shown parallel, while P4 joystick is shown angled.[[Image:StraightAndAngledSticks.jpg|center|460px|P3=straight, P4=angled]]

The three notable exceptions to this rule are the [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,129696.msg1326815.html#msg1326815 diagonal games] Q*bert, Q*bert's Qubes, and Congo Bongo. The 4-way joystick is angled 45 degrees clockwise -- up relative to stick = up+right relative to the monitor. Since your on-screen character can ''only'' move in diagonals, this keeps the joystick up/down/left/right directions aligned with the on-screen action.

===Trackballs===
{{Also|Trackball Mounting}}

Mounting a trackball in a wood panel is often done with the aid of a mounting plate or kit.

If you aren't using a mounting plate, there are several tools that are good for cutting the large circular hole.
*Holesaw
*Dremel tool circle cutter attachment
*Router circle cutter attachment
*Adjustable circle cutter

There is further information and several useful links in [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,138552.msg1432066.html#msg1432066 this] post.

= Encoders =
{{Main|Encoders}}
An [[Encoders|encoder]] is a device that interfaces between the controls and the computer running the games. In the early days of the hobby, keyboard or gamepad encoders were often re-used/hacked by soldering wires to the connection points. Today [[vendors]] have different kinds of encoder circuit boards to make the process much easier and more reliable. Encoders usually connect to the PC using [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usb USB] or [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PS/2_port PS/2] connectors.

== What type of encoder(s) do I need? ==
There are four basic types of encoders presently available:
*[[Keyboard Encoders]] When using this, the computer will interpret the connected controls as if it was a keyboard.
:'''PRO +''' Most games are able to use the keyboard inputs.
:'''PRO +''' Most encoders come preconfigured with an arcade configuration.
:'''PRO +''' Keyboard encoders can support multiple players (see also ''[[#How_many_encoder_inputs_do_I_need_for_my_control_panel.3F|how many encoder inputs do I need]]'').
:'''CON -''' Can only handle digital (either 'key down' or 'key up') inputs.
:'''CON -''' Certain key combinations [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,149393.msg1559496.html#msg1559496 described here] can cause accidental loss of focus or other undesired functions.
:'''PRO/CON''' Most 4-player encoders have overlapping keys [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,133021.msg1368637.html#msg1368637 described here] that you may want to reprogram.

*[[Gamepad Encoders]] When using this, the computer will interpret the connected controls as if it was a gamepad.
:'''PRO +''' Usually plug-and-play.
:'''PRO +''' Gamepad Encoders that support analog (potentiometer) controls are called [[Analog_Encoders|Analog Encoders]].
:'''CON -''' Usually one player per encoder (as one gamepad per player).
:'''CON -''' Not all software supports gamepads.

*[[Rotary Encoders]] A rotary encoder is required to interface rotary mechanical joysticks like the ones used for Ikari Warriors.
:'''PRO +''' Most models have additional gamepad or keyboard inputs.

*[[Optical Encoders|Optical (Mouse) Encoders]] An optical encoder can connect devices such as trackballs, spinners, or rotary optical joysticks. The computer will interpret the connected controls as if it were a mouse.
:'''PRO +''' A trackball can act as a mouse.

Note that some vendors combine keyboard and optical encoders in one circuit board.

Choosing the right encoder depends on the types of software you plan to use. If, for example, you plan to play games that only support gamepads, it is wise to choose an encoder of the gamepad type. Identify the input capabilities of the software you plan to use and choose accordingly. Also certain types of controls (rotary joysticks, trackballs and spinners) require a specific encoder to be able to connect to the computer.

For some input types a software conversion is possible - for example the program "joy2key" is able to convert gamepad controls into keyboard strokes.

== How many encoder inputs do I need for my control panel? ==
The encoder(s) you choose must be able to support all the controls you plan to use. Check the vendor-supplied information to determine the quantity and type of inputs each encoder can handle.

'''Digital inputs (IPac, KADE, KeyWiz, Mini-Pac, UHID, etc.)'''

*4-way or 8-way joystick - 4 inputs
*Pushbutton - 1 input
*Coin-slot microswitch - 1 input
*Pedal (microswitch) - 1 input

'''Optical inputs - each axis uses 5v, ground, and two data lines (Mini-Pac, OptiWiz, UHID, etc.)'''
*Trackball - 2 axes (NOTE: Some come with a USB or PS/2 adapter)
*Spinner/360 degree wheel - 1 axis

'''Analog inputs - each axis uses 5v, ground and one wiper (A-Pac, KADESTICK, UHID, etc.)'''
*Analog joystick - 2 axes
*Paddle/270 degree wheel - 1 axis
*Pedal (potentiometer) - 1 axis

KADE extended mode (20 inputs ==> 26 functions + 20 shifted functions) or shifted functions can increase the number of controls connected to your encoder. Pros and cons to shifted functions are mentioned in the [[FAQ#Number_of_admin_buttons|Number of admin buttons]] section.

= Basic wiring =
{{Also|Wiring Push Buttons and Conventional Digital Joysticks}}

== Quick disconnect sizes ==
For easy connection/disconnection, many joysticks and switches use standard sized tabs. Compatible connectors are named "quick disconnect terminals". (QDs)

Most microswitches use 0.187" (4.8 mm) QDs and some use 0.250" (6 mm) QDs. Most two tab buttons (Sanwa, Seimitsu, Goldleaf, etc.) and leaf switches use 0.110" QDs. (2.8 mm). Check the product description or measure the tabs to ensure you get the the correct size.
<center>
<gallery widths=220px heights=220px>
File:QuickDisconnectsFemale.png|Female quick disconnect terminals
File:QuickDisconnectsMale.png|Male quick disconnect terminals
</gallery>
</center>
The color-coded plastic insulation sleeve indicates the size wire(s) that the terminal is designed for. Red is used for 18-22 AWG wire, blue is used for 14-16 AWG, and yellow is used for 10-12 AWG.

== Soldering ==
Soldering is another option for connecting wires to components. Soldering electronics is a specialist skill which requires practise.

Soldering is the process of joining two metal components by melting a filler (the solder) between them. Often the joining process is accelerated by the use of a flux liquid to clean/prepare the surfaces. A soldered joint is semi permanent - the joint can be broken by melting the solder again.

A good solder connection will have both good mechanical connection (physically strong) '''and''' good electrical connection. (low resistance)

After soldering, always clean the joint and surrounding area with a cotton swab dipped in isopropyl alcohol to remove any residual flux and solder.

See also: [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,129317.msg1322370.html#msg1322370 Soldering tutorial]

== Commonly used wire sizes ==
Most control panels use between 20AWG and 30AWG wire to connect controls. AWG stands for [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_wire_gauge American Wire Gauge].
22AWG stranded wire is a popular choice -- small enough to work with fairly easily, big enough for solid crimp connections and carrying current for many LED setups.

See Wikipedia for other wire gauges [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_wire_gauge British Standard Wire Gauge], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEC_60228 IEC 60228] and [http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/28/Gauge_Chart.pdf Gauge comparison chart].

== How do I wire microswitches to an encoder? ==
The illustration demonstrates a common way of connecting the microswitches. Please read the topic [[Working with Microswitches]] for a detailed description of the microswitch connectors.
<center>
[[Image:PushbuttonMicroswitchWire.png|300px]]
</center>
Wires 1 and 2 go to the Encoder input for the function you want the push button to activate. For example if the left button is the "Player 1 Start" button, the red wire labelled "1" goes to the corresponding input on the encoder. Note how the black wire labelled "3" is connected to the COM tab of both microswitches. The black daisy-chain ground wire goes to the ground connecter of the encoder.

<center>
[[Image:PushbuttonMicroswitchWire1a.png|620px]]
</center>
The first schematic shows the same switches and wires connected to encoder (gray) input 1, input 2, and ground.

With no buttons pressed, the encoder inputs and wires have 5v connected to them, but like a light switch that is off, there is no path for current flow through the inputs.

The other schematics show the encoder registering a button press when ground is connected to the input which allows current to flow through that part of the circuit like flipping a light switch to turn on a light.

== Power wiring ==
{{Template:DisclaimerElectricity}}
[[image:IECPowerSwitch.jpg|right|thumb|IEC power inlet with fuse and lighted switch]]
One popular choice for neatly bringing power into a cab is a power inlet with an IEC320 C14 socket.

Some of them have built-in switches and/or fuse holders.

A number of vendors carry similar products with several different types of switches.

See [[Wiring#IEC_Fused_Power_Inlet_with_a_Lighted_Switch]] for details.

 

=Illuminating your cabinet=
{{Main|Lighting}}
{{Also|Finishing}}

== LED Lighting ==
Most arcade LEDs are designed to run on either 5v or 12v circuits.

You can use 12v LEDs powered by 5v for extremely-low power consumption -- commonly used for standalone USB control panels to avoid the use of a second cable for LED power.

== Single color buttons ==
These are lit by a single-color LED.

== RGB buttons ==
Can be hard-wired to operate like single color buttons, but the most common way to use these LEDs is with a controller.

These LEDs have 4 wires: Operating voltage (yellow or black wire), red ground, green ground, and blue ground.

[http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,121965.msg1294271.html#msg1294271 This forum topic] has a comparison of various RGB lighting modules and push buttons.

== LED controllers ==
An LED controller allows the computer to switch LEDs on and off, change the brightness and (in the case of RGB LEDs) change the color. This allows you to illuminate buttons based on what game is being played or create animated light displays.

Several vendors sell LED controller boards for this purpose. Commonly used controllers are LED-Wiz, Pac-LED64, Pac-Drive, and U-HID.

The software [http://www.ledblinky.net/ledblinky.htm LEDBlinky] can be used to drive the controllers. The LEDBlinky software is compatible with various [[Front-Ends|Front end software]].

= Displays =
{{Main|Video}}
Displays come in two basic types: CRT and Flatscreen. Both have advantages and disadvantages.
CRT stands for [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathode_ray_tube Cathode Ray Tube] and works by sending beams of electrons to a fluorescent screen. CRT displays in the consumer markets are becomming less and less common in favor of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flatscreen flatscreen displays]. Flatscreen displays are available in LCD, LED, OLED, and plasma variants -- each with their own strengths and weaknesses but are generally categorised by availability and pricepoint.
A small number of arcade cabinets used speciality displays such as backscreen projection.

See also the [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,45137.0.html Monitor FAQ] topic on the forums.

== Differences: pros/cons ==
'''Arcade CRT monitor''' The arcade monitor offers the best arcade experience as these are the monitors used in the original cabinets. These monitors are hard to find. These monitors usually support low resolutions (which may or may not be a con, depending on the types of games you plan to play). {{Also|Arcade Monitors}}

*'''PRO +''' Offer a real arcade experience.
*'''CON -''' Hard to find.
*'''CON -''' Requires a special videocard to use with a PC.

'''CRT television''' The CRT television can be used as a display. {{Also|Televisions}}

*'''PRO +''' Close to an arcade monitor.
*'''PRO +''' Cheap and easy to find 2nd hand market.
*'''PRO +''' Common in the 4:3 aspect ratio (most common ratio for arcade games).
*'''PRO +''' Europe only: Most European TVs have the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scart SCART] connector for easier RGB connection. This makes the TV work exactly like an arcade monitor. See also [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,77370.0.html this forum topic].
*'''CON -''' Generally very heavy (especially those larger than 19 inches).

'''CRT monitor''' The CRT monitor is a regular CRT PC monitor. Some types of CRT monitors ([[MultiSync Monitors]]) can display arcade hardware natively. {{Also|PC Monitors}}

*'''PRO +''' Close to an arcade monitor (but not as close as a CRT television).
*'''PRO +''' Cheap and easy to find for sizes up to and including 19 inch on 2nd hand market.
*'''PRO +''' Common in the 4:3 aspect ratio (most common ratio for arcade games).
*'''CON -''' Harder to find in sizes of 21 inch and above (even in the 2nd hand market).
*'''CON -''' Generally very heavy (especially ones larger than 19 inches).

'''LCD Flatpanel''' The flatpanel computer monitors are the most common computer displays at the moment.

*'''PRO +''' Lightweight.
*'''PRO +''' Easy to mount inside a cabinet (due to the VESA [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flat_Display_Mounting_Interface mounting standard]).
*'''PRO +''' Cheap and commonly available.
*'''CON -''' Sizes above 19" are usually in the 16:9 (widescreen) aspect ratio (4:3 is more common in arcade games).
*'''CON -''' Lack the authentic look ("too clean"). Some emulators provide graphic filters to simulate the look of a CRT monitor.
*'''CON -''' The viewing angle might be a problem (depends on the model and make- but it is something to keep in mind).
*'''PRO/CON''' Has a "native" resolution, which means it will look the best in a specific setting. Most emulators and software can be set to use this resolution.

'''LED Flatpanel''' LED display technology is an improvement over LCD technology and is currently common used in flatpanel televisions. If you plan to use a television model for your arcade, it is advised to verify if the connection options for the display are compatible to the computer you plan to use.

*'''PRO +''' Lightweight.
*'''PRO +''' Easy to mount inside a cabinet (due to the VESA [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flat_Display_Mounting_Interface mounting standard]).
*'''PRO +''' Available in large sizes.
*'''PRO +''' Wide viewing angle compared to LCD.
*'''CON -''' Generally more expensive than LCD monitors.
*'''CON -''' Nearly all LED displays are in the 16:9 (widescreen) aspect ratio (4:3 is more common in arcade games).
*'''CON -''' Lack the authentic look ("too clean"). Some emulators provide graphic filters to simulate the look of a CRT monitor.
*'''PRO/CON''' Has a "native" resolution, which means it will look the best in a specific setting. Most emulators and software can be set to use this resolution.

== Types of video connections ==
The type of connection depends on the display and the computer (or arcade hardware) used.

This is a list with common connection types and how to recognize them. Some connectors can be converted to another connector type by using a conversion cable; usually conversion is only backwards compatible (ie. Component can be converted to Composite, but not the other way around).

* '''Composite''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Composite_video composite connector] is commonly indicated by a single yellow [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RCA_connector RCA connector]. The signal (usually referred to as ''CVBS'' signal) is an analogue signal. This type of connector is often found on older TV sets.

*'''S-Video''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S-Video S-Video] connection (sometimes referred to as Y/C) is a (small) round with four pins. The quality is better than composite but the available color depth is not as good as component. The S-Video is connection available on some PC video cards (as secondary connector) due to it's small connector size. A S-Video signal can be converted to composite using a conversion cable.

* '''Component''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Component_video component video] (sometimes referred to as YCbCr or YPbPr) connection is indicated by three [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RCA_connector RCA connectors] color coded red, green and blue. The video signal is an [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YPbPr analogue signal]. It is often incorrect assumed that this is an RGB signal (the confusion often stems from the color code of the cables). This is the best available analogue signal, it is commonly found on large television sets. A native YCbCr can be converted to composite or S-video using a conversion cable.

* '''SCART''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SCART SCART connector] is common in Europe- almost all TVs sold are equipped with the connector (another name for SCART is ''EuroAV''). The SCART connector can carry a mix of signals including analogue and digital RGB. The SCART connector can be identified as a two row 21 pin connector. Standard arcade monitors use the 'RGB with sync' signal which is also available in SCART. Note that SCART is a connector standard- it does not automatically mean that a device with a SCART connector is capable displaying all modes the SCART connector can offer. In addition to video, the SCART connector can also carry stereo audio. There is no "native SCART" signal, but there are conversion cables available to connect Composite, S-Video and VGA signals to SCART.

* '''VGA connector''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VGA_connector VGA connector] (The connector itself is called a DE-15 connector) is a connector recognisable as a three row 15 pin connector- usually color coded blue. It is one of the most common video connectors found on computers (even though it is superceded by DVI and HDMI connectors). The signal it carries is analogue RGB and produces a sharp image. A VGA signal can be converted to the DVI, SCART-RGB, Component, S-Video and Composite with a conversion cable. Keep in mind that for some conversions the host must be able to output a specified

* '''DVI''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Visual_Interface DVI connector] is a rectangular (usually white) connector with a three row 24 pin and a two row 4 pin configuration. The DVI connector is a common connector on computers. The DVI standard can carry both analogue and digital video signals. A native DVI signal can be converted to VGA or HDMI with a conversion cable. Note that it is possible to convert VGA to DVI, it is however not possible to convert a native VGA signal via DVI to HDMI.

* '''HDMI''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HDMI HDMI connector] is a flat connector with a two row 19 pin configuration (the pins are usually joined by a plastic center). The HDMI connector is the current industry standard for high definition video and audio signal connections. A native HDMI signal may be converted to DVI with a conversion cable.

<gallery>
File:composite-jackplug.png|Composite
File:svideo-jackplug.png|S-Video
File:component-jackplug.png|Component
File:scart-jackplug.png|SCART
File:vga-jackplug.png|VGA
File:dvi-jackplug.png|DVI
File:hdmi-jackplug.png|HDMI
</gallery>

== Response time and input lag==
Response time is the time for a display to change a pixel from black to white and back to black. This should not be confused with '''input lag'''. Video response times are often listed in the specification sheet of LCD or LED monitors. CRT displays have very fast response time due the refresh rates of 50hz or 60hz.

Slow reponse times may result in blurred movement. See also [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Response_time_(technology)#Display_technologies the Wikipedia page] for more information on response times.

Input lag is the time it takes between an user action and the result being processed and displayed on the display. Input lag can be a problem in games where timing is essential such as rythm-action or fighting games. Since the processing of user input is also emulated, this may cause timing issues.

Input lag can come from software (emulators), firmware (some cheap encoders) or hardware (video converters or TV circuitry).
Modern TVs have additional features to enhance the picture quality, these features however may contribute to input lag- check if the TV you are using has a "game mode" setting which bypasses most of the features.
Some emulators offer options to sacrifice parts of the emulation for the benefit of speed. Another solution may be a faster computer to speed up emulation. The final option is to switch from emulation to simulation (for example use ''Step Mania'' to play ''Dance Dance Revolution'' style of games).

See also [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Input_lag Wikipedia] for more information on input lag.

= Software =
{{Main|Software}}
A variety of software, emulators, and simulators allow you to play a huge number of arcade, console, and PC games on a computer. The software used as a foundation of a home arcade machine generally consists of:
*Emulators to run specific game ROMs on a computer
*ROMs and related files such as MAME bios files (Marble Madness needs atarisy1.zip) and CHD files (Simpsons Bowling needs simpbowl.chd)
*A front-end menu system to easily select and launch games

== What is an emulator? What is a simulator? ==
An emulator is a software program that duplicates the operation of the computer hardware, firmware/software, and gameplay of an older game system. As the name implies it 'emulates' the system.
''See also: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emulator Wikipedia article on Emulators].''

Emulators are often confused with [[Simulators|simulators]]. A simulator does not try to re-create the operation of the original computer hardware/software/firmware but re-create the game itself. Therefore, an emulator provides an accurate re-creation of a game and a simulator provides a near-accurate rendition.

A simulator is often used when part or all of the game does not use fimware/software. Example: In Visual Pinball, the pinball playfield, lights, flippers and ball of Baby Pac-Man (the physical/mechanical parts) are simulated, while the videogame part is emulated using the original game ROMs.

=== What is a ROM? ===
{{Main|ROMs}}
For the original games - '''R'''ead '''O'''nly '''M'''emory chips on the game board/cartridge that hold the program code for a game/game system.
For emulators - .ZIP or .7z file(s) containing a copy ("dump") of the game/game system code.

=== Why do my ROMs not work? ===
It is not always guaranteed that a particular game ROM will work with a given emulator. The original memory chips may use encryption that is not yet decoded or a game may use a specific function that the chosen emulator does not currently support. Some games also require additional data such as a CD-Rom image or harddisk data - usually supplied as CHD ('''C'''ompressed '''H'''unks of '''D'''ata) files. Also, the data extraction method/format may not be compatible with the emulator (or emulator version) of choice.

When using MAME, one can use '''clrmamepro''' [http://mamedev.emulab.it/clrmamepro/] or your emulator's "Audit" function (if available) to check the version and filenames of ROMs compared to your MAME emulator program version. See also the [[Utilities#ROM_Managers.2C_Renamers_.26_Dats|rom manager]] section for other tools.

=== Commonly used emulators ===
{{Also|Arcade Emulators}}
{{Also|MAME Variants}}

The most common used emulator for arcade machines is [[MAME]], short for '''M'''ultiple '''A'''rcade '''M'''achine '''E'''mulator. MAME can emulate a wide range of arcade hardware and thus can run many different games. However for some types of arcade hardware, very specific emulators are created which may perform better. For example [[Supermodel]] is a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Sega_arcade_system_boards#Sega_Model_3 SEGA Model 3] emulator.

MAME is a major emulator in the arcade community, there are many different variants or "flavors" of MAME. These modified MAME variants often maintain the version numbering of the official (commonly referred to as "vanilla") MAME version to be clear what the base features and compatible ROM sets are. See [[MAME Variants]]. The most common variants are:

<center>
{|class="wikitable"
|MAME
|The "official" command line program that the other variants are based on.
|[http://www.mamedev.org/]
|-
|NoNag patched
|Suppresses error messages that are useful when troubleshooting.
|[http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,64298.0.html]
|-
|MAMEUI
|Built in frontend.
|[http://www.mameui.info/]
|-
|MAMEUIFX
|Built in frontend.
|[http://mame32fx.altervista.org/home.htm]
|-
|MAME Hub
|Added network play.
|[http://sites.google.com/site/mamehub/]
|-
|HB MAME
|Dedicated "homebrew" hacks.
|[http://hbmame.the-chronicles.org/index.html]
|-
|Groovy MAME
|Mainly aimed at CRT monitors and alleviating some annoyances associated with emulation on LCD displays.
|[http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?board=52.0]
|}
</center>

=== Should I upgrade my emulators to the latest version? ===
The answer is almost always '''NO'''. This is often a case of, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."

Only upgrade your emulators if you benefit from the upgrade -- for example the new version now supports a game you want to play. Keep in mind that upgrading your emulators probably means that your ROMs need updating as well. If the new release fixes something that makes it worth the time and effort to update your ROMs '''and''' will still run well on your system, consider the update.

== What is a Front end? ==
{{Main|Front-Ends}}
A front end is software used to launch games. With some emulators it can be quite a hassle to switch between games, as each game may require different settings. A front end can provide the end user with a seamless experience from selecting to playing games.
There are many front ends available, each with their own strengths and weaknesses.
Please check the table on the [[Front-Ends]] wiki page for features of various front ends.

== Other useful software ==
{{Main|Utilities}}
The community has produced many small tools and utilities to enhance the home arcade experience. Some utilities are used to overcome a shortcoming of an emulator or the operating system, others are created to support a specific piece of hardware.
Utilities may include [[Utilities#Input Mapping Software|input mapping software]] to redirect keystrokes to joystick buttons (or vice versa), tools to [[Utilities#Video Tools|manipulate the video display]] - for example switch between horizontal and vertical orientation of the display.

= Forum tips for asking questions that get good/faster answers: =
* Search first, somebody else has probably encountered this problem before -- don't ask people to retype the same old answers to the same old questions.
* Take your time editing the post so it is specific, clear, and easy to read.
* Whenever possible, include decent pics/screencaps/diagrams/part numbers/links.
* Include software/OS versions if applicable.
* Include your location when asking about parts/vendors or electrical wiring. (different countries use different wire colors and/or voltages)

'''DISCLAIMER:''' The authors of the document linked below ask that we remind you that they are not a help desk for your project.

More useful tips on asking smart questions [http://www.catb.org/esr/faqs/smart-questions.html here].

:''[[#top|Back to the top of this document]]''

=Help make this wiki even better=
You are welcome to contribute to this wiki. Take a look at the [[Community Portal]] for more information on how to help out. To contribute as an author or editor, you first need to create an account on the [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/ BYOAC forum] and then post in [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,136208.msg1407831.html#msg1407831 this thread] of the forum. One of the wiki moderators ([[User:Saint|Saint]], [[User:Felsir|Felsir]], or [[User:PL1|PL1]]) will help you get started.

=Resources and acknowledgments=
The inspiration for this FAQ is the MAME FAQ written in 2003 by CitznFish. It is available via the [http://web.archive.org/web/20081006130304/http://www.arcade-at-home.com/mame_faq.html Internet Wayback Machine]. 
The collective experience found on [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com the Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum]. 
Images used in the [[#Types_of_cabs|types of cabs]] section are based on the Sketchup models made by [http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/cldetails?clid=4ac3dc12784cb20bd06e6be4f8954ac Gozer]. 

[[Category:Index]]

File:StraightAndAngledSticks.jpg

2016-06-14T06:51:22Z

PL1: PL1 uploaded a new version of "File:StraightAndAngledSticks.jpg": Updated photo based on modified version of Maffewl's build with player positions added. http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,137424.msg1417752.html#msg1417752

FAQ

2016-06-14T06:49:14Z

PL1: /* Orientation */

This page is intended for those who want to build their own arcade machine or classic game controllers. If you're planning to restore an existing arcade cabinet, please take a look at the topic [[restoration]].

There are a dizzying variety of skills, disciplines, methods, materials, and resources involved in this hobby. This FAQ is intended to provide a a general overview of basic topics and common terms for newcomers to the arcade and emulation community. It is designed to be a starting point for choosing useful search terms and asking better/more effective questions in the BYOAC Forums.

= Cabinet Basics =
{{Main|Basics}}
Arcade cabinets (often shortened to 'cabs') are gaming machines that include the screen to display the game, controls to play the game and the computer hardware that runs the game.

== Types of cabs ==
{{Main|Arcade Cabinet}}
Arcade cabinets come in various shapes and sizes. Commercially build and operated cabinets are often build to play a single game and are therefore created to match the target audience or recreate the atmosphere of the game.

=== Standing ===
A standing cabinet is the most common cabinet in North America and Europe. Players stand in front of the machine while playing the game.

* '''Regular''', the iconic, archetype, arcade cabinet. The monitor is usually above waist height with the [[marquee]] overhanging.
* '''Cabaret''', a slightly smaller version of the regular cabinet. The [[marquee]] is often located between the control panel and coin door.
* '''Low-boy''', a standup cabinet where the [[marquee]] is in the same plane as the monitor making the cabinet much lower, hence the name.
* '''Pedestal''', a arcade where the screen is not part of the arcade setup. The monitor could be a TV or projection attached to a wall.
* '''Showcase''', a setup where the screen is in a separate housing as the [[control panel]] but still visually part of one setup. Setups like this usually feature a large screen positioned in such way that onlookers may view the action. The 'showcase' may both refer to the player being able to showcase his or her gaming skill as to the elaborate arcade setup itself.

[[File:StandingArcades.png|center]]
<center>Example standing cabinets next to an adult man for size comparison, from left to right: ''Regular'', ''Low-boy'' and ''Showcase''.</center>

=== Seated ===
Seated cabinets come in two distinct categories; arcade cabinets intended to sit at for easier long play sessions or themed cabinets that involve an activity where sitting down mimics the action of the game (such as driving a car).

* '''Candy''', the most common cabinet in Japan. The cabinets are often made of hard plastic - the shiny plastic appearance led to them being called 'candy cabinets'. These cabinets are quite similar to standup cabinets except that they are lower and often have a larger [[control panel]] surface. ''See also [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Japanese_arcade_cabinets List of Japanese cabinets on Wikipedia]].

* '''Cocktail''', the most common sit-down type in North America. An arcade that resembles a table with the screen embedded in the table surface. The surface is made of hardened glass so people can place their drinks on it.

*'''Cockpit''', an arcade that mimics the cockpit of a racecar, fighter plane or spacecraft. The controls are often matched to the type of vehicle portrayed, such as a [[Driving_Controls|steering wheel]], [[Driving_Controls#Pedals|pedals]], [[Driving_Controls#Shifters|gear shifter]] or [[Driving_Controls#Flight_Yokes|flight yoke]].

*'''Ride-on''', similar to the cockpit arcade, a ride-on often is build specific to the activity of the game(s) played. Ride-on cabinets may feature a motorbike or jet ski seat but also less obvious vehicles such as a minecart.

[[File:SitdownArcades.png|center]]
<center>Example sitdown cabinets next to an adult man for size comparison, from left to right ''cocktail'', ''candy'' and ''cockpit''.</center>

=== Small ===
Another category of cabinets are the small size cabinets.

*'''Mini''', a small version of a cabinet resized to suit play for children.

*'''Bartop''', a portable cabinet that can be placed on top of a table (or as the name suggests, on the bartop in a pub or diner).

*'''Barstick''', a bartop without a built-in display. It is usually connected to a TV.

*'''Micro''', micro cabinets are extremely scaled down cabinets. Building a functioning micro cabinet provides experiences cabinet builders a new challenge. Micro cabinets provide a eye catching model for display.

=== Other ===
Some arcade cabinets are built for a single gametype or purpose.

*'''Digital Pinball Table''', a digital pinball machine is designed to look and act like an actual pinball machine with the ball(s), lighting, playfield and backglass replaced by monitors and pinball simulation software. {{Also|Pinball}}

== Parts of a cabinet ==
{{Main|Arcade_Cabinet#Anatomy_of_a_cabinet}}
Arcade cabinets vary in size and complexity but they generally comprise the same basic features as shown on this diagram.
 
[[image:generic_with_numbers.png|left|400px]]

# '''Marquee'''. Back-lit artwork that displays the cabinet's name.
# '''Marquee retainers'''. A part to keep the marquee in place. Allows easy replacement of the marquee graphic.
# '''Speaker panel'''. The panel which holds the speakers.
# '''Monitor bezel'''. A part that surrounds and masks the monitor in the cabinet. In some arcades the bezel also features artwork.
# '''Control panel'''. Holds the joysticks, buttons and other controls needed to play the games.
# '''T-molding'''. T-molding is used to finish and protect the edges of the woodwork.
# '''Coin door'''. A coindoor to accept coins for play.

 

=Building your own Arcade=
{{Main|Building}}

== What type of build meets my needs? ==
One common pitfall of arcade building is trying to build a cab to "play everything" and ending up with a monster of a control panel often nicknamed a [[frankenpanel]] by the community. Consider what you want to achieve and what your limitations are before starting to build.

#'''Start by considering where you want to put/use the cab.''' Measure the doorways so you can actually move the arcade from the place of construction to the gameroom. Consider what type of cab (upright, sitdown, cocktail, bartop, etc.) will fit your circumstances. Consider possible reflections of windows/lamps on the monitor and power outlet availability.
#'''Make a list of the games, emulators, and front end you want to use.''' This list should include any "can't live without" games and will help you choose a suitable computer. Check the [http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Multi-Player_Games multi-player], [http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Joysticks#Games_with_Dual_Joysticks dual joystick], [http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Joysticks#Mechanical_Rotary_Joystick_Games_.28LS-30.2C_Happ_Mechanical_Rotary_Sticks.29 rotary joystick], [http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Joysticks#Analog_Joysticks analog joystick/yoke], [http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Light_Guns#Lightgun_Games_List lightgun], and [http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Spinners_and_Dials#Which_games_originally_used_a_spinner spinner] gamelists to see if there are enough "can't live without" games in each list to justify including these specialized controls in your build.
#'''Consider the number of simultaneous players you want to support.''' Keep in mind that more players means adapting your [[control panel]]; the more controls the more room you'll need (space might be an issue). If you plan to support more than 2 players, make sure all players have a good view of the screen. Also more players probably means a bigger budget- keep in mind that there are alternatives like using USB joypads for letting other players join in or using a 2-player version of a 4-player game like Gauntlet, TMNT, or X-Men.
#'''Figure out what kind/quantity of controls you'll need to support the games and emulators on your list.''' Go through the list to determine what controls you will need. [[Joysticks]] come in many variants such as 4-way, 8-way, and analog. Some games or consoles require analog controls. Keep in mind that some controls can be used as alternative: for example a [[Trackballs|trackball]] might also work as a [[spinner]] or mouse. A spinner might also work as a [[Driving_Controls#Optical_.28360_degree_wheels.29|steering wheel]]. Note that reusing controls is also subject to personal preference and is an often discussed subject within the community.
#'''What computer do you want/need to use.''' Newer games means a newer computer. If you already have a computer you plan to use, try some [[emulators]] on it to see what games it is capable of running - cross check this with the games you want to play.
#'''That will lead you to what [[emulators]] and other [[software]] like [[Front-Ends|front-ends]] you want/need.''' [[Emulators]] are programs that can make the computer act as a (retro)gaming system such as an [[Arcade_Emulators|arcade machine]] or [[Game_Consoles|game consoles]]. Do you want the players to be able to switch games? There are many programs where players can select and start games (this kind of software programs are known as [[Front-Ends|front-ends]]. Configuring the computer to run old games is also part of the hobby!
#'''Choose your encoder'''. The [[encoders|encoder]] is a specialized piece of electronics that connects the controls to the computer. There are several vendors that sell encoders, it is also possible to create your own by hacking a keyboard or gamepad. It is usually much easier to buy an encoder from a vendor instead. A few things to keep in mind when selecting an encoder such as the number of supported inputs (how many buttons can you connect) support for analogue devices (trackball, spinner etc.).
#'''What is the artwork/theme/design you want to use?''' [[Overview_%26_Options_to_Consider|Picking the artwork or theme]] early may help you selecting the colors of the [[Pushbuttons|buttons]] or [[T-Molding|t-molding]]. It may also affect the way you want to arrange the buttons on the controlpanel or the size of the marquee.
#'''Arrange the controls on the control panel.''' It is highly encouraged to create a mockup panel out of cardboard, hardboard, or even MDF to test the layout. This enables you to "feel" if the controls are in the right place and the control panel is comfortable to play. [http://slagcoin.com/joystick/layout.html Slagcoin] has many printable button layouts.
#'''Select a monitor.''' What kind of monitor do you plan to use? Consider that the size may affect the dimensions of the cabinet. Keep in mind that many arcade games have the monitor in portrait mode (while these are still playable on a landscape oriented monitor, the games will often be scaled down). Some emulators can use special effects (shaders) to simulate the appearance of an old CRT monitor on LCD (flat panel) monitors, this usually requires a decent videocard.
#'''Design the rest of the cab around the monitor and control panel.''' The control panel and monitor often dictate the required dimensions for the rest of the cabinet. Keep also in mind the considerations at point 1 in this list!

There are many more topics to explore such as [[Rotating_Monitor|rotating monitors]], swappable control panels, and [[Modular_Control_Panels|modular control panels]]. This list is by no means complete but it should provide a solid foundation for you to start designing your own cab!

== What is the difference between an original arcade cab and a MAME cab? ==
An original arcade cabinet refers to a cabinet designed for commecial operation. These cabinets are often crafted for a specific game or specific type of dedicated arcade (computer) hardware.
A MAME cabinet is the collective name for a cabinet intended to simulate the arcade experience. These cabinets are usually configured to allow users to play many different games.

Some original arcade cabinets have electronic components like Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) or monitors that are missing or damaged beyond restoration. Sometimes replacement parts are impossible to find or outrageously expensive. Sometimes the artwork or body of the cabinet is badly damaged. Problems like these can make restoring a commonly-available cabinet so difficult or expensive that it '''clearly''' isn't worth preserving. Cabs like those are possible candidates to convert to a MAME cabinet. Remember to preserve as much as possible and, as the saying goes, "Please don't maim for MAME."

Also note that the name MAME cabinet refers to the [[Emulators|emulator]] [[MAME]], but in many cases several other emulators are used to play games. MAME is the most common emulator to play arcade games.

== What is JAMMA/JAMMA+? ==
{{Main|JAMMA}}
[[Image:Jamma.png|thumbnail|300px|JAMMA connector]]JAMMA is a wiring standard developed in 1985 by Japan Amusement Machine and Marketing Association, Inc. It allows you to easily change between JAMMA compatible game boards without re-wiring the cabinet.
If you plan to build your own arcade from scratch with your own PC, the JAMMA standard does not apply; it is an industry standard.

The JAMMA standard uses a 56-pin edge connector on the board with inputs and outputs common to most video games.
JAMMA Games that have more than 3 action buttons, more than 2 players, or different control types use the JAMMA+ standard.

The JAMMA standard enables you to hook an original arcade cabinet to a PC using a [[Keyboard_Encoders#J-PAC|J-PAC]] encoder. This allows you to use the existing controls to play emulated games.
{{Also|Connecting a PC to an Arcade Cabinet}}

If you have JAMMA compatible game circuit boards, you will need JAMMA compatible arcade hardware to be able to play them.

The Real Bob Roberts™ JAMMA links:
*[http://homearcade.org/BBBB/newjam.html JAMMA pinout]
*[http://homearcade.org/BBBB/jh.html JAMMA harness bundling]
*[http://homearcade.org/BBBB/plus.html JAMMA+ wiring]

= Controls =
{{Main|Controls}}
Authentic controls and [[Control panel|control panels]] give you that original arcade feel.

== Joystick Types ==
{{Main|Joysticks}}
A Joystick is a device to let you manually control direction of movement in an arcade game. When selecting the correct joystick for your setup, keep in mind the games you wish to play. Note that there are also [[Joysticks#Games_with_Dual_Joysticks|games that use dual joysticks]].

===2-way===
2-way joysticks register movement along either the X-axis '''or''' Y-axis. These joysticks are operated by triggering [[Working with Microswitches|microswitches]] or leaf switches which means these are absolute -- either movement in a direction is triggered or not. 4-way or 8-way joysticks can be used as physically-restricted 2-way joysticks by using a slot-shaped restrictor plate.

===4/8-way===
4-way and 8-way joysticks register movement along the X-axis '''and''' Y-axis. These joysticks are operated by triggering [[Working with Microswitches|microswitches]] or leaf switches which means these are absolute -- either movement in a direction is triggered or not. Both 4-way and 8-way joysticks have 4 microswitches or leaf switches. The difference between 4-way and 8-way joysticks is that a 4-way stick can only activate one switch (up, down, left, or right) at a time, but an 8-way stick can register up to two switches (up+right, etc.) at a time. Some joysticks have a restrictor plate that limits/defines the joystick's range of motion, allowing you to select 4/8-way operation. There are also models that can automatically switch between physical 4-way and 8-way restriction using a motor/actuator controlled by software.

===Analog===
Analog joystics can discern how far the handle has been pushed from the center position. This type of joystick is often used where the player must be able to control the movement in a smooth way, for example pushing the joystick further also makes the game character move faster in the chosen direction.

===Speciality joysticks===
Speciality joysticks include [[Joysticks#49-Way_Joysticks|49-way joysticks]], [[Joysticks#Rotary_Joysticks|rotary joysticks]], [[Joysticks#TRON_joysticks|TRON joysticks]] and joysticks with a trigger and/or one or more buttons.

== Buttons ==
{{Main|Pushbuttons}}
{{Also|Working with Microswitches}}
{{Also|Wiring Push Buttons and Conventional Digital Joysticks}}

Pushbuttons are the simplest and most common form of control consisting of a momentary switch that makes contact when pressed.
Buttons come in various colors, shapes and sizes. Round buttons are usually used on control panels.

Pushuttons with 3 tabs have Common (Com), Normally Open (NO), and Normally Closed (NC) connections in a SPDT configuration.

Pushbuttons with 2 tabs are in a SPST configuration.

===Layout===
The placement of buttons (and joysticks) is often influenced by personal preference. It is wise to consider using one of the common layouts used in the arcade industry, as these were designed to allow players to reach and rest their fingers on buttons with minimal hand strain. The [http://www.slagcoin.com/joystick/layout.html Slagcoin] website has a list of descriptions and printable layouts that are '''highly''' recommended reference material.

Before constructing a control panel, a cardboard mockup often gives you a good impression if the controls are comfortable to use.

===Number of player buttons===
The number of player buttons (buttons used during gameplay) to put on your panel is determined by the the games you plan to play. Most fighting games used 6 buttons in a 2 rows of 3 buttons configuration. The [[Neo-Geo]] used 4 buttons in a single row. Some people combine these two layouts in a 2 row layout with 3 buttons on one row and four on the other.

Note that no arcade machine uses more than 4 buttons for players three and four.

If you are making a dedicated cab for 4-way joystick games, you will only need 2 player buttons unless you want to include:

'''4-way joystick 3 button games'''
* Iron Horse
* Punch Out!!
'''4-way joystick 4 button games'''
* Mouse Trap
* Super Punch-Out!!

===Number of admin buttons===
Commonly used admin buttons/function include P1/P2 Start (1/2), P1/P2 Coin (5/6), Pause (P) and Exit. (ESC)

To keep guests or children from accidently messing up their cab configuration, many individuals choose to not include a Menu (Tab) button and disable the shifted function for Menu. (P1 Start + joystick right on I-Pac)

There are several schools of thought concerning admin buttons -- some people prefer dedicated admin buttons, while others prefer using "shifted functions".

'''Dedicated admin buttons:'''
*'''PRO +''' Button functions can be clearly labeled on the panel art or using inserts in translucent buttons.
*'''CON -''' Too many buttons can be confusing and make a panel look cluttered.

Commonly used dedicated admin buttons include P1/P2 Start, P1/P2 Coin, ESC (exit), Pause, and others. Some console emulators may also require additional functions so be sure to install and configure desired emulators '''before''' building your panel.

'''"Shifted functions":'''
*'''PRO +''' Can make the panel look less cluttered.
*'''CON -''' When the "shift" button is pressed, any button pressed at the same time will output the associated shifted function. This may trigger an unintended function (exit, pause, menu, etc.) during a multi-player co-op game when one player performs a shifted function and the other player continues playing.

"Shifted functions" require a button/input to act as the "shift" button -- P1 Start on the IPac, HWB on the KADE, and Shazaaam! on the KeyWiz.

Pressing P1 Start and P2 Start will cause an IPac to output ESC. (exit)

Include an instruction card on the control panel overlay or screen bezel so family members and guests can figure out how to operate the cab.

===Illuminated buttons===
{{Main|Lighting}}
Many vendors sell illuminted single-color buttons and/or RGB (Red/Green/Blue) LED lighting kits for pushbuttons.

Illuminated buttons can be wired directly to a power source for constant single-color illumination '''or''' you can change brightness (single-color or RGB) or color (RGB) using software and a USB LED controller board like the LED-Wiz or the PacLED64.

== Trackballs ==
{{Main|Trackballs}}
A Trackball is a large ball that can be pushed in any direction to control an arcade game. Trackballs provide precise analog control, much like a mouse.

== Spinners ==
{{Main|Spinners}}
A Spinner is a knob that can be spun rapidly in either direction to move an on-screen paddle or character. Spinners provide precise analog control like a mouse, but act only along one axis.

== Other specialized controls ==
{{Also|:Category:Controls}}

Yokes, steering wheels, trigger stick, rotary joysticks, light guns, etc.

== USB gamepads/controllers ==
One way to expand the number of games that you can play (without turning your control panel into a "Frankenpanel") is to use gamepads or controllers plugged into external USB ports.

USB gamepads allow you to add Players 3+4 to a 2-player cab or play console games that use "shoulder buttons" or two analogue joysticks per player (''twin stick shooters'').

You can also add controllers with specialized controls like an analog flightstick for Afterburner or rotary joysticks for Ikari Warriors. Another option is to add controllers with specialized layouts for Defender or Asteroids.

=Construction=
{{Main|Building}}
Building your own arcade cabinet or controller can be a rewarding experience. The construction itself involves various disciplines from woodworking, electronics and design. While some people in the community have produced exceptional cabinets, everyone with some practice and dedication can build a cabinet.
The wiki has an [[Build an OND designed cab Metropolis|example project]] with images to give an impression of how a cabinet is built.

== What tools do I need? ==
{{Main|Hand Tools}}
{{Main|Power Tools}}
Building your own arcade machine is no simple task and requires the correct tools as well as the knowledge of how to use each one correctly and safely.
Keep the safety guidelines in mind for each tool in when using them!
[[File:Ond_tools.jpg|center]]

== Design ==
{{Main|Technical design software}}
Planning is everything is this hobby. To make sure your design fits together as you had in mind it is wise to sketch out your designs first. Regular paper sketches with measurements might suit your needs. There is also software (some available for free) to help design your cabinet. Often community members share their designs in digital files. [http://www.sketchup.com Sketchup] is quite popular, but other software such as Microsoft Visio works as well.

== What type of wood to use? ==
{{Main|Wood products}}
In building an arcade cabinet, several types of materials are available to you. Each has its strengths and weaknesses. The most common used materials are [[Wood_products#MDF|MDF]], [[Wood_products#Plywood|Plywood]] and [[Wood_products#MDO|MDO]].

== What thickness and materials to use for the Control Panel? ==
Many people use [[Wood_products#MDF|MDF]], [[Wood_products#Plywood|Plywood]] or [[Wood_products#MDO|MDO]] since they are easy to work with.

Some use metal.

Some control panel artwork comes with a thin polycarbonate lamination that protects the artwork from wear and tear, but artwork without it needs to be protected using 1/8" plexiglass, polycarbonate, or acrylic.

Plexiglass is usually held down by the pushbuttons/nuts.

If you are using [[T-Molding|T-Molding]], the combined thickness of all the layers needs to add up to the width of the T-Molding.

For example, 5/8" MDF + artwork + 1/8" plexiglass = 3/4" T-Molding.

If you aren't able to find T-molding that matches the thickness of the layers, you can use a chamfer or roundover router bit to angle the lower edge of the control panel.

[[File:T-molding regular and offset 2.jpg|center]]

== Mounting controls in the control panel==
Part of planning is reviewing the mounting options. Some controls require clearance on either side for mounting. When in doubt, tt is advised to use a cardboard mockup to verify the clearances of the controls.

===Hardware===
There are three types of hardware commonly used to mount joysticks.

This hardware is purchased separately from the joystick due to the variety of mounting options and methods.

'''Carriage Bolts:'''
Carriage bolts have a rounded top and a square base slightly larger than the threads.
*'''PRO +''' Strongest mounting method.
*'''CON -''' Visible bolt heads can distract from artwork.

'''Tee Nuts/T-Nuts:'''
The two common styles have either prongs or holes for small nails to keep the nuts from turning when screws are tightened/loosened. The kind with the nails is usually a better choice than the kind with prongs because it's much easier to drill tiny pilot holes for nails than it is to drive prongs into dense MDF.
*'''PRO +''' Almost as strong as carriage bolts.
*'''PRO +''' Can be hidden in a shallow countersink.
*'''CON -''' Requires more work to prepare a smooth surface for paint or vinyl artwork.
*'''PRO/CON''' Use a piece of tape to ensure that wood putty does not get into the threads of the nut, otherwise the hardened putty may be pushed up when you tighten the screw and damage the smooth surface.
*'''PRO/CON''' Screws used must be long enough to engage the tee nut, but not so long that they break through the top of the control panel.

'''Threaded Inserts:'''
These are preferred over wood screws in materials such as MDF. Regardless of what kind of thread geometry the wood screw has, with MDF you can only tighten it reliably '''once'''. When you loosen and retighten a screw in MDF it pulps and strips it. Good threaded inserts for MDF have very wide/flat/thin outer threads that cut into the MDF and keep the insert from backing out when the machine screws are loosened. The negative example below has outer threads that are too narrow to work properly with MDF. Threads on the inside allow you to remove/replace the machine screws in the event you want to replace the joystick.
*'''PRO +''' Easiest way to leave a smooth surface for paint or vinyl artwork.
*'''PRO/CON''' Screws used must be long enough to engage the insert, but not so long that they break through the top of the control panel.

<center>
<gallery>
Image:CarriageBolt.jpg|Carriage bolt
Image:TeeNuts.jpg|Tee-nuts
image:GGGThreadedInserts.jpg|Threaded insert kit. Photo © IDVT Inc. / [http://groovygamegear.com/webstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=70&products_id=317 GroovyGameGear.com], Used with permission.
Image:UltimarcThreadedInserts.jpg|Threaded insert kit. Photo © [http://www.ultimarc.com/controls.html Ultimarc.com], Used with permission.
Image:BadThreadedInsert.jpg|Wrong inserts for MDF: the threads are too small on this type
</gallery>
</center>

===Push buttons===
Most push buttons mount in a round hole -- usually 1-1/8" (28mm) or 30mm. Most push buttons are (from a construction point of view) similar to a nut and bolt: the threaded end is below the control panel and held in place by a nut. Some push buttons have flexible tabs that lock in place under the panel. This type of button is usually used with metal control panels.
<center><gallery>
File:PushButtonThreaded.png|Threaded button
File:PushButtonLockingTab.png|Locking-tab button
</gallery></center>

===Joysticks===
There are several ways to mount a joystick in a control panel.
<center>
<gallery widths=180px heights=180px>
File:Joystickmount-top.png|Top mount
File:Joystickmount-under.png|Under mount (threaded inserts)
File:Joystickmount-undertnuts.png|Under mount (tee-nuts)
File:Joystickmount-underrecessed.png|Under mount (recessed, countersunk screws)
File:Joystickmount-supportblocks.png|Under mount (support blocks)
File:Joystickmount-toprecessed.png|Top mount (recessed)
</gallery>
</center>

* '''Top mount''' The joystick is mounted on top of the control panel; for this a larger hole must be cut in the panel to accomodate the base of the joystick. A top mounted joystick adds a raised plate on top of the panel which is generally undesired if any artwork is to be added to the control panel. Also screws cannot be countersunk using this method. Carriage bolts are commonly used for this mounting configuration.

* '''Under mount''' The joystick is mounted underneath the control panel. Countersunk fasteners or threaded inserts leave a flat surface for comfortable play and application of artwork. The downside to this method is either the loss of joystick height '''or''' an increase in the distance the stick must travel to actuate the switches. countersunk screws/bolts, tee-nuts or threaded inserts are commonly used for this mounting configuration.

* '''Under mount (recessed)''' The joystick is mounted underneath the control panel. An area is cleared using a router to sink the joystick into the wood; this gives the joystick more height for play. Tee-nuts/T-nuts, countersunk screws/bolts, or threaded inserts are commonly used for this mounting configuration.

* '''Under mount (support blocks)''' The joystick is securely supported inside a recessed gap using blocks held in place by a metal plate or flat metal bars secured to the control panel by threaded inserts or tee-nuts. [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,130690.msg1345990.html#msg1345990 This forum topic] has an excellent example of this method. The photos below are from the forum topic, used with permission from [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=profile;u=62783 EMDB].
<center>
<gallery>
File:emdb_1.jpg|1: Routed area
File:emdb_2.jpg|2: Fitting joystick
File:emdb_3.jpg|3: Added support blocks
File:emdb_4.jpg|4: Threaded inserts
File:emdb_5.jpg|5: Plate to secure the joystick
</gallery>
</center>
[[image:TopRecessed.jpg|right|thumb| Top mount (recessed) example]]
* '''Top mount (recessed)'''. If (1) the joystick shaft is ''very'' short, (2) you don't want the joystick mounting plate exposed, and (3) need the strongest shallow-mount option available, use a top mount (recessed) configuration. The cover piece can be secured using countersunk screws as shown or a cover piece the size of the whole control panel can be held in place by the push buttons. See [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,129964.msg1329715.html#msg1329715 this topic] with an example and explanation of this method. The down-side of using this method is that it is much more difficult to remove and replace joysticks than with the other methods.

 
====Orientation====
It is important to note that joysticks should ''always'' be mounted parallel to the screen since it is intuitive for a player to move the joystick in relation to the action on the screen. This might seem not obvious in 4-player designs, but experience has proved that this holds true even if the player is standing diagonal towards the screen. Therefore it is advised not to angle joysticks for players 3 and 4. P3, P1, and P2 joysticks are shown parallel, while P4 joystick is shown angled.[[Image:StraightAndAngledSticks.jpg|center|460px|P3=straight, P4=angled]]

The three notable exceptions to this rule are the [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,129696.msg1326815.html#msg1326815 diagonal games] Q*bert, Q*bert's Qubes, and Congo Bongo. The 4-way joystick is angled 45 degrees clockwise -- up relative to stick = up+right relative to the monitor. Since your on-screen character can ''only'' move in diagonals, this keeps the joystick up/down/left/right directions aligned with the on-screen action.

===Trackballs===
{{Also|Trackball Mounting}}

Mounting a trackball in a wood panel is often done with the aid of a mounting plate or kit.

If you aren't using a mounting plate, there are several tools that are good for cutting the large circular hole.
*Holesaw
*Dremel tool circle cutter attachment
*Router circle cutter attachment
*Adjustable circle cutter

There is further information and several useful links in [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,138552.msg1432066.html#msg1432066 this] post.

= Encoders =
{{Main|Encoders}}
An [[Encoders|encoder]] is a device that interfaces between the controls and the computer running the games. In the early days of the hobby, keyboard or gamepad encoders were often re-used/hacked by soldering wires to the connection points. Today [[vendors]] have different kinds of encoder circuit boards to make the process much easier and more reliable. Encoders usually connect to the PC using [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usb USB] or [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PS/2_port PS/2] connectors.

== What type of encoder(s) do I need? ==
There are four basic types of encoders presently available:
*[[Keyboard Encoders]] When using this, the computer will interpret the connected controls as if it was a keyboard.
:'''PRO +''' Most games are able to use the keyboard inputs.
:'''PRO +''' Most encoders come preconfigured with an arcade configuration.
:'''PRO +''' Keyboard encoders can support multiple players (see also ''[[#How_many_encoder_inputs_do_I_need_for_my_control_panel.3F|how many encoder inputs do I need]]'').
:'''CON -''' Can only handle digital (either 'key down' or 'key up') inputs.
:'''CON -''' Certain key combinations [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,149393.msg1559496.html#msg1559496 described here] can cause accidental loss of focus or other undesired functions.
:'''PRO/CON''' Most 4-player encoders have overlapping keys [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,133021.msg1368637.html#msg1368637 described here] that you may want to reprogram.

*[[Gamepad Encoders]] When using this, the computer will interpret the connected controls as if it was a gamepad.
:'''PRO +''' Usually plug-and-play.
:'''PRO +''' Gamepad Encoders that support analog (potentiometer) controls are called [[Analog_Encoders|Analog Encoders]].
:'''CON -''' Usually one player per encoder (as one gamepad per player).
:'''CON -''' Not all software supports gamepads.

*[[Rotary Encoders]] A rotary encoder is required to interface rotary mechanical joysticks like the ones used for Ikari Warriors.
:'''PRO +''' Most models have additional gamepad or keyboard inputs.

*[[Optical Encoders|Optical (Mouse) Encoders]] An optical encoder can connect devices such as trackballs, spinners, or rotary optical joysticks. The computer will interpret the connected controls as if it were a mouse.
:'''PRO +''' A trackball can act as a mouse.

Note that some vendors combine keyboard and optical encoders in one circuit board.

Choosing the right encoder depends on the types of software you plan to use. If, for example, you plan to play games that only support gamepads, it is wise to choose an encoder of the gamepad type. Identify the input capabilities of the software you plan to use and choose accordingly. Also certain types of controls (rotary joysticks, trackballs and spinners) require a specific encoder to be able to connect to the computer.

For some input types a software conversion is possible - for example the program "joy2key" is able to convert gamepad controls into keyboard strokes.

== How many encoder inputs do I need for my control panel? ==
The encoder(s) you choose must be able to support all the controls you plan to use. Check the vendor-supplied information to determine the quantity and type of inputs each encoder can handle.

'''Digital inputs (IPac, KADE, KeyWiz, Mini-Pac, UHID, etc.)'''

*4-way or 8-way joystick - 4 inputs
*Pushbutton - 1 input
*Coin-slot microswitch - 1 input
*Pedal (microswitch) - 1 input

'''Optical inputs - each axis uses 5v, ground, and two data lines (Mini-Pac, OptiWiz, UHID, etc.)'''
*Trackball - 2 axes (NOTE: Some come with a USB or PS/2 adapter)
*Spinner/360 degree wheel - 1 axis

'''Analog inputs - each axis uses 5v, ground and one wiper (A-Pac, KADESTICK, UHID, etc.)'''
*Analog joystick - 2 axes
*Paddle/270 degree wheel - 1 axis
*Pedal (potentiometer) - 1 axis

KADE extended mode (20 inputs ==> 26 functions + 20 shifted functions) or shifted functions can increase the number of controls connected to your encoder. Pros and cons to shifted functions are mentioned in the [[FAQ#Number_of_admin_buttons|Number of admin buttons]] section.

= Basic wiring =
{{Also|Wiring Push Buttons and Conventional Digital Joysticks}}

== Quick disconnect sizes ==
For easy connection/disconnection, many joysticks and switches use standard sized tabs. Compatible connectors are named "quick disconnect terminals". (QDs)

Most microswitches use 0.187" (4.8 mm) QDs and some use 0.250" (6 mm) QDs. Most two tab buttons (Sanwa, Seimitsu, Goldleaf, etc.) and leaf switches use 0.110" QDs. (2.8 mm). Check the product description or measure the tabs to ensure you get the the correct size.
<center>
<gallery widths=220px heights=220px>
File:QuickDisconnectsFemale.png|Female quick disconnect terminals
File:QuickDisconnectsMale.png|Male quick disconnect terminals
</gallery>
</center>
The color-coded plastic insulation sleeve indicates the size wire(s) that the terminal is designed for. Red is used for 18-22 AWG wire, blue is used for 14-16 AWG, and yellow is used for 10-12 AWG.

== Soldering ==
Soldering is another option for connecting wires to components. Soldering electronics is a specialist skill which requires practise.

Soldering is the process of joining two metal components by melting a filler (the solder) between them. Often the joining process is accelerated by the use of a flux liquid to clean/prepare the surfaces. A soldered joint is semi permanent - the joint can be broken by melting the solder again.

A good solder connection will have both good mechanical connection (physically strong) '''and''' good electrical connection. (low resistance)

After soldering, always clean the joint and surrounding area with a cotton swab dipped in isopropyl alcohol to remove any residual flux and solder.

See also: [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,129317.msg1322370.html#msg1322370 Soldering tutorial]

== Commonly used wire sizes ==
Most control panels use between 20AWG and 30AWG wire to connect controls. AWG stands for [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_wire_gauge American Wire Gauge].
22AWG stranded wire is a popular choice -- small enough to work with fairly easily, big enough for solid crimp connections and carrying current for many LED setups.

See Wikipedia for other wire gauges [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_wire_gauge British Standard Wire Gauge], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEC_60228 IEC 60228] and [http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/28/Gauge_Chart.pdf Gauge comparison chart].

== How do I wire microswitches to an encoder? ==
The illustration demonstrates a common way of connecting the microswitches. Please read the topic [[Working with Microswitches]] for a detailed description of the microswitch connectors.
<center>
[[Image:PushbuttonMicroswitchWire.png|300px]]
</center>
Wires 1 and 2 go to the Encoder input for the function you want the push button to activate. For example if the left button is the "Player 1 Start" button, the red wire labelled "1" goes to the corresponding input on the encoder. Note how the black wire labelled "3" is connected to the COM tab of both microswitches. The black daisy-chain ground wire goes to the ground connecter of the encoder.

<center>
[[Image:PushbuttonMicroswitchWire1a.png|620px]]
</center>
The first schematic shows the same switches and wires connected to encoder (gray) input 1, input 2, and ground.

With no buttons pressed, the encoder inputs and wires have 5v connected to them, but like a light switch that is off, there is no path for current flow through the inputs.

The other schematics show the encoder registering a button press when ground is connected to the input which allows current to flow through that part of the circuit like flipping a light switch to turn on a light.

== Power wiring ==
{{Template:DisclaimerElectricity}}
[[image:IECPowerSwitch.jpg|right|thumb|IEC power inlet with fuse and lighted switch]]
One popular choice for neatly bringing power into a cab is a power inlet with an IEC320 C14 socket.

Some of them have built-in switches and/or fuse holders.

A number of vendors carry similar products with several different types of switches.

See [[Wiring#IEC_Fused_Power_Inlet_with_a_Lighted_Switch]] for details.

 

=Illuminating your cabinet=
{{Main|Lighting}}
{{Also|Finishing}}

== LED Lighting ==
Most arcade LEDs are designed to run on either 5v or 12v circuits.

You can use 12v LEDs powered by 5v for extremely-low power consumption -- commonly used for standalone USB control panels to avoid the use of a second cable for LED power.

== Single color buttons ==
These are lit by a single-color LED.

== RGB buttons ==
Can be hard-wired to operate like single color buttons, but the most common way to use these LEDs is with a controller.

These LEDs have 4 wires: Operating voltage (yellow or black wire), red ground, green ground, and blue ground.

[http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,121965.msg1294271.html#msg1294271 This forum topic] has a comparison of various RGB lighting modules and push buttons.

== LED controllers ==
An LED controller allows the computer to switch LEDs on and off, change the brightness and (in the case of RGB LEDs) change the color. This allows you to illuminate buttons based on what game is being played or create animated light displays.

Several vendors sell LED controller boards for this purpose. Commonly used controllers are LED-Wiz, Pac-LED64, Pac-Drive, and U-HID.

The software [http://www.ledblinky.net/ledblinky.htm LEDBlinky] can be used to drive the controllers. The LEDBlinky software is compatible with various [[Front-Ends|Front end software]].

= Displays =
{{Main|Video}}
Displays come in two basic types: CRT and Flatscreen. Both have advantages and disadvantages.
CRT stands for [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathode_ray_tube Cathode Ray Tube] and works by sending beams of electrons to a fluorescent screen. CRT displays in the consumer markets are becomming less and less common in favor of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flatscreen flatscreen displays]. Flatscreen displays are available in LCD, LED, OLED, and plasma variants -- each with their own strengths and weaknesses but are generally categorised by availability and pricepoint.
A small number of arcade cabinets used speciality displays such as backscreen projection.

See also the [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,45137.0.html Monitor FAQ] topic on the forums.

== Differences: pros/cons ==
'''Arcade CRT monitor''' The arcade monitor offers the best arcade experience as these are the monitors used in the original cabinets. These monitors are hard to find. These monitors usually support low resolutions (which may or may not be a con, depending on the types of games you plan to play). {{Also|Arcade Monitors}}

*'''PRO +''' Offer a real arcade experience.
*'''CON -''' Hard to find.
*'''CON -''' Requires a special videocard to use with a PC.

'''CRT television''' The CRT television can be used as a display. {{Also|Televisions}}

*'''PRO +''' Close to an arcade monitor.
*'''PRO +''' Cheap and easy to find 2nd hand market.
*'''PRO +''' Common in the 4:3 aspect ratio (most common ratio for arcade games).
*'''PRO +''' Europe only: Most European TVs have the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scart SCART] connector for easier RGB connection. This makes the TV work exactly like an arcade monitor. See also [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,77370.0.html this forum topic].
*'''CON -''' Generally very heavy (especially those larger than 19 inches).

'''CRT monitor''' The CRT monitor is a regular CRT PC monitor. Some types of CRT monitors ([[MultiSync Monitors]]) can display arcade hardware natively. {{Also|PC Monitors}}

*'''PRO +''' Close to an arcade monitor (but not as close as a CRT television).
*'''PRO +''' Cheap and easy to find for sizes up to and including 19 inch on 2nd hand market.
*'''PRO +''' Common in the 4:3 aspect ratio (most common ratio for arcade games).
*'''CON -''' Harder to find in sizes of 21 inch and above (even in the 2nd hand market).
*'''CON -''' Generally very heavy (especially ones larger than 19 inches).

'''LCD Flatpanel''' The flatpanel computer monitors are the most common computer displays at the moment.

*'''PRO +''' Lightweight.
*'''PRO +''' Easy to mount inside a cabinet (due to the VESA [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flat_Display_Mounting_Interface mounting standard]).
*'''PRO +''' Cheap and commonly available.
*'''CON -''' Sizes above 19" are usually in the 16:9 (widescreen) aspect ratio (4:3 is more common in arcade games).
*'''CON -''' Lack the authentic look ("too clean"). Some emulators provide graphic filters to simulate the look of a CRT monitor.
*'''CON -''' The viewing angle might be a problem (depends on the model and make- but it is something to keep in mind).
*'''PRO/CON''' Has a "native" resolution, which means it will look the best in a specific setting. Most emulators and software can be set to use this resolution.

'''LED Flatpanel''' LED display technology is an improvement over LCD technology and is currently common used in flatpanel televisions. If you plan to use a television model for your arcade, it is advised to verify if the connection options for the display are compatible to the computer you plan to use.

*'''PRO +''' Lightweight.
*'''PRO +''' Easy to mount inside a cabinet (due to the VESA [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flat_Display_Mounting_Interface mounting standard]).
*'''PRO +''' Available in large sizes.
*'''PRO +''' Wide viewing angle compared to LCD.
*'''CON -''' Generally more expensive than LCD monitors.
*'''CON -''' Nearly all LED displays are in the 16:9 (widescreen) aspect ratio (4:3 is more common in arcade games).
*'''CON -''' Lack the authentic look ("too clean"). Some emulators provide graphic filters to simulate the look of a CRT monitor.
*'''PRO/CON''' Has a "native" resolution, which means it will look the best in a specific setting. Most emulators and software can be set to use this resolution.

== Types of video connections ==
The type of connection depends on the display and the computer (or arcade hardware) used.

This is a list with common connection types and how to recognize them. Some connectors can be converted to another connector type by using a conversion cable; usually conversion is only backwards compatible (ie. Component can be converted to Composite, but not the other way around).

* '''Composite''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Composite_video composite connector] is commonly indicated by a single yellow [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RCA_connector RCA connector]. The signal (usually referred to as ''CVBS'' signal) is an analogue signal. This type of connector is often found on older TV sets.

*'''S-Video''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S-Video S-Video] connection (sometimes referred to as Y/C) is a (small) round with four pins. The quality is better than composite but the available color depth is not as good as component. The S-Video is connection available on some PC video cards (as secondary connector) due to it's small connector size. A S-Video signal can be converted to composite using a conversion cable.

* '''Component''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Component_video component video] (sometimes referred to as YCbCr or YPbPr) connection is indicated by three [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RCA_connector RCA connectors] color coded red, green and blue. The video signal is an [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YPbPr analogue signal]. It is often incorrect assumed that this is an RGB signal (the confusion often stems from the color code of the cables). This is the best available analogue signal, it is commonly found on large television sets. A native YCbCr can be converted to composite or S-video using a conversion cable.

* '''SCART''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SCART SCART connector] is common in Europe- almost all TVs sold are equipped with the connector (another name for SCART is ''EuroAV''). The SCART connector can carry a mix of signals including analogue and digital RGB. The SCART connector can be identified as a two row 21 pin connector. Standard arcade monitors use the 'RGB with sync' signal which is also available in SCART. Note that SCART is a connector standard- it does not automatically mean that a device with a SCART connector is capable displaying all modes the SCART connector can offer. In addition to video, the SCART connector can also carry stereo audio. There is no "native SCART" signal, but there are conversion cables available to connect Composite, S-Video and VGA signals to SCART.

* '''VGA connector''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VGA_connector VGA connector] (The connector itself is called a DE-15 connector) is a connector recognisable as a three row 15 pin connector- usually color coded blue. It is one of the most common video connectors found on computers (even though it is superceded by DVI and HDMI connectors). The signal it carries is analogue RGB and produces a sharp image. A VGA signal can be converted to the DVI, SCART-RGB, Component, S-Video and Composite with a conversion cable. Keep in mind that for some conversions the host must be able to output a specified

* '''DVI''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Visual_Interface DVI connector] is a rectangular (usually white) connector with a three row 24 pin and a two row 4 pin configuration. The DVI connector is a common connector on computers. The DVI standard can carry both analogue and digital video signals. A native DVI signal can be converted to VGA or HDMI with a conversion cable. Note that it is possible to convert VGA to DVI, it is however not possible to convert a native VGA signal via DVI to HDMI.

* '''HDMI''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HDMI HDMI connector] is a flat connector with a two row 19 pin configuration (the pins are usually joined by a plastic center). The HDMI connector is the current industry standard for high definition video and audio signal connections. A native HDMI signal may be converted to DVI with a conversion cable.

<gallery>
File:composite-jackplug.png|Composite
File:svideo-jackplug.png|S-Video
File:component-jackplug.png|Component
File:scart-jackplug.png|SCART
File:vga-jackplug.png|VGA
File:dvi-jackplug.png|DVI
File:hdmi-jackplug.png|HDMI
</gallery>

== Response time and input lag==
Response time is the time for a display to change a pixel from black to white and back to black. This should not be confused with '''input lag'''. Video response times are often listed in the specification sheet of LCD or LED monitors. CRT displays have very fast response time due the refresh rates of 50hz or 60hz.

Slow reponse times may result in blurred movement. See also [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Response_time_(technology)#Display_technologies the Wikipedia page] for more information on response times.

Input lag is the time it takes between an user action and the result being processed and displayed on the display. Input lag can be a problem in games where timing is essential such as rythm-action or fighting games. Since the processing of user input is also emulated, this may cause timing issues.

Input lag can come from software (emulators), firmware (some cheap encoders) or hardware (video converters or TV circuitry).
Modern TVs have additional features to enhance the picture quality, these features however may contribute to input lag- check if the TV you are using has a "game mode" setting which bypasses most of the features.
Some emulators offer options to sacrifice parts of the emulation for the benefit of speed. Another solution may be a faster computer to speed up emulation. The final option is to switch from emulation to simulation (for example use ''Step Mania'' to play ''Dance Dance Revolution'' style of games).

See also [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Input_lag Wikipedia] for more information on input lag.

= Software =
{{Main|Software}}
A variety of software, emulators, and simulators allow you to play a huge number of arcade, console, and PC games on a computer. The software used as a foundation of a home arcade machine generally consists of:
*Emulators to run specific game ROMs on a computer
*ROMs and related files such as MAME bios files (Marble Madness needs atarisy1.zip) and CHD files (Simpsons Bowling needs simpbowl.chd)
*A front-end menu system to easily select and launch games

== What is an emulator? What is a simulator? ==
An emulator is a software program that duplicates the operation of the computer hardware, firmware/software, and gameplay of an older game system. As the name implies it 'emulates' the system.
''See also: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emulator Wikipedia article on Emulators].''

Emulators are often confused with [[Simulators|simulators]]. A simulator does not try to re-create the operation of the original computer hardware/software/firmware but re-create the game itself. Therefore, an emulator provides an accurate re-creation of a game and a simulator provides a near-accurate rendition.

A simulator is often used when part or all of the game does not use fimware/software. Example: In Visual Pinball, the pinball playfield, lights, flippers and ball of Baby Pac-Man (the physical/mechanical parts) are simulated, while the videogame part is emulated using the original game ROMs.

=== What is a ROM? ===
{{Main|ROMs}}
For the original games - '''R'''ead '''O'''nly '''M'''emory chips on the game board/cartridge that hold the program code for a game/game system.
For emulators - .ZIP or .7z file(s) containing a copy ("dump") of the game/game system code.

=== Why do my ROMs not work? ===
It is not always guaranteed that a particular game ROM will work with a given emulator. The original memory chips may use encryption that is not yet decoded or a game may use a specific function that the chosen emulator does not currently support. Some games also require additional data such as a CD-Rom image or harddisk data - usually supplied as CHD ('''C'''ompressed '''H'''unks of '''D'''ata) files. Also, the data extraction method/format may not be compatible with the emulator (or emulator version) of choice.

When using MAME, one can use '''clrmamepro''' [http://mamedev.emulab.it/clrmamepro/] or your emulator's "Audit" function (if available) to check the version and filenames of ROMs compared to your MAME emulator program version. See also the [[Utilities#ROM_Managers.2C_Renamers_.26_Dats|rom manager]] section for other tools.

=== Commonly used emulators ===
{{Also|Arcade Emulators}}
{{Also|MAME Variants}}

The most common used emulator for arcade machines is [[MAME]], short for '''M'''ultiple '''A'''rcade '''M'''achine '''E'''mulator. MAME can emulate a wide range of arcade hardware and thus can run many different games. However for some types of arcade hardware, very specific emulators are created which may perform better. For example [[Supermodel]] is a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Sega_arcade_system_boards#Sega_Model_3 SEGA Model 3] emulator.

MAME is a major emulator in the arcade community, there are many different variants or "flavors" of MAME. These modified MAME variants often maintain the version numbering of the official (commonly referred to as "vanilla") MAME version to be clear what the base features and compatible ROM sets are. See [[MAME Variants]]. The most common variants are:

<center>
{|class="wikitable"
|MAME
|The "official" command line program that the other variants are based on.
|[http://www.mamedev.org/]
|-
|NoNag patched
|Suppresses error messages that are useful when troubleshooting.
|[http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,64298.0.html]
|-
|MAMEUI
|Built in frontend.
|[http://www.mameui.info/]
|-
|MAMEUIFX
|Built in frontend.
|[http://mame32fx.altervista.org/home.htm]
|-
|MAME Hub
|Added network play.
|[http://sites.google.com/site/mamehub/]
|-
|HB MAME
|Dedicated "homebrew" hacks.
|[http://hbmame.the-chronicles.org/index.html]
|-
|Groovy MAME
|Mainly aimed at CRT monitors and alleviating some annoyances associated with emulation on LCD displays.
|[http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?board=52.0]
|}
</center>

=== Should I upgrade my emulators to the latest version? ===
The answer is almost always '''NO'''. This is often a case of, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."

Only upgrade your emulators if you benefit from the upgrade -- for example the new version now supports a game you want to play. Keep in mind that upgrading your emulators probably means that your ROMs need updating as well. If the new release fixes something that makes it worth the time and effort to update your ROMs '''and''' will still run well on your system, consider the update.

== What is a Front end? ==
{{Main|Front-Ends}}
A front end is software used to launch games. With some emulators it can be quite a hassle to switch between games, as each game may require different settings. A front end can provide the end user with a seamless experience from selecting to playing games.
There are many front ends available, each with their own strengths and weaknesses.
Please check the table on the [[Front-Ends]] wiki page for features of various front ends.

== Other useful software ==
{{Main|Utilities}}
The community has produced many small tools and utilities to enhance the home arcade experience. Some utilities are used to overcome a shortcoming of an emulator or the operating system, others are created to support a specific piece of hardware.
Utilities may include [[Utilities#Input Mapping Software|input mapping software]] to redirect keystrokes to joystick buttons (or vice versa), tools to [[Utilities#Video Tools|manipulate the video display]] - for example switch between horizontal and vertical orientation of the display.

= Forum tips for asking questions that get good/faster answers: =
* Search first, somebody else has probably encountered this problem before -- don't ask people to retype the same old answers to the same old questions.
* Take your time editing the post so it is specific, clear, and easy to read.
* Whenever possible, include decent pics/screencaps/diagrams/part numbers/links.
* Include software/OS versions if applicable.
* Include your location when asking about parts/vendors or electrical wiring. (different countries use different wire colors and/or voltages)

'''DISCLAIMER:''' The authors of the document linked below ask that we remind you that they are not a help desk for your project.

More useful tips on asking smart questions [http://www.catb.org/esr/faqs/smart-questions.html here].

:''[[#top|Back to the top of this document]]''

=Help make this wiki even better=
You are welcome to contribute to this wiki. Take a look at the [[Community Portal]] for more information on how to help out. To contribute as an author or editor, you first need to create an account on the [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/ BYOAC forum] and then post in [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,136208.msg1407831.html#msg1407831 this thread] of the forum. One of the wiki moderators ([[User:Saint|Saint]], [[User:Felsir|Felsir]], or [[User:PL1|PL1]]) will help you get started.

=Resources and acknowledgments=
The inspiration for this FAQ is the MAME FAQ written in 2003 by CitznFish. It is available via the [http://web.archive.org/web/20081006130304/http://www.arcade-at-home.com/mame_faq.html Internet Wayback Machine]. 
The collective experience found on [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com the Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum]. 
Images used in the [[#Types_of_cabs|types of cabs]] section are based on the Sketchup models made by [http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/cldetails?clid=4ac3dc12784cb20bd06e6be4f8954ac Gozer]. 

[[Category:Index]]

FAQ

2016-06-14T06:37:21Z

PL1: /* Orientation */

This page is intended for those who want to build their own arcade machine or classic game controllers. If you're planning to restore an existing arcade cabinet, please take a look at the topic [[restoration]].

There are a dizzying variety of skills, disciplines, methods, materials, and resources involved in this hobby. This FAQ is intended to provide a a general overview of basic topics and common terms for newcomers to the arcade and emulation community. It is designed to be a starting point for choosing useful search terms and asking better/more effective questions in the BYOAC Forums.

= Cabinet Basics =
{{Main|Basics}}
Arcade cabinets (often shortened to 'cabs') are gaming machines that include the screen to display the game, controls to play the game and the computer hardware that runs the game.

== Types of cabs ==
{{Main|Arcade Cabinet}}
Arcade cabinets come in various shapes and sizes. Commercially build and operated cabinets are often build to play a single game and are therefore created to match the target audience or recreate the atmosphere of the game.

=== Standing ===
A standing cabinet is the most common cabinet in North America and Europe. Players stand in front of the machine while playing the game.

* '''Regular''', the iconic, archetype, arcade cabinet. The monitor is usually above waist height with the [[marquee]] overhanging.
* '''Cabaret''', a slightly smaller version of the regular cabinet. The [[marquee]] is often located between the control panel and coin door.
* '''Low-boy''', a standup cabinet where the [[marquee]] is in the same plane as the monitor making the cabinet much lower, hence the name.
* '''Pedestal''', a arcade where the screen is not part of the arcade setup. The monitor could be a TV or projection attached to a wall.
* '''Showcase''', a setup where the screen is in a separate housing as the [[control panel]] but still visually part of one setup. Setups like this usually feature a large screen positioned in such way that onlookers may view the action. The 'showcase' may both refer to the player being able to showcase his or her gaming skill as to the elaborate arcade setup itself.

[[File:StandingArcades.png|center]]
<center>Example standing cabinets next to an adult man for size comparison, from left to right: ''Regular'', ''Low-boy'' and ''Showcase''.</center>

=== Seated ===
Seated cabinets come in two distinct categories; arcade cabinets intended to sit at for easier long play sessions or themed cabinets that involve an activity where sitting down mimics the action of the game (such as driving a car).

* '''Candy''', the most common cabinet in Japan. The cabinets are often made of hard plastic - the shiny plastic appearance led to them being called 'candy cabinets'. These cabinets are quite similar to standup cabinets except that they are lower and often have a larger [[control panel]] surface. ''See also [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Japanese_arcade_cabinets List of Japanese cabinets on Wikipedia]].

* '''Cocktail''', the most common sit-down type in North America. An arcade that resembles a table with the screen embedded in the table surface. The surface is made of hardened glass so people can place their drinks on it.

*'''Cockpit''', an arcade that mimics the cockpit of a racecar, fighter plane or spacecraft. The controls are often matched to the type of vehicle portrayed, such as a [[Driving_Controls|steering wheel]], [[Driving_Controls#Pedals|pedals]], [[Driving_Controls#Shifters|gear shifter]] or [[Driving_Controls#Flight_Yokes|flight yoke]].

*'''Ride-on''', similar to the cockpit arcade, a ride-on often is build specific to the activity of the game(s) played. Ride-on cabinets may feature a motorbike or jet ski seat but also less obvious vehicles such as a minecart.

[[File:SitdownArcades.png|center]]
<center>Example sitdown cabinets next to an adult man for size comparison, from left to right ''cocktail'', ''candy'' and ''cockpit''.</center>

=== Small ===
Another category of cabinets are the small size cabinets.

*'''Mini''', a small version of a cabinet resized to suit play for children.

*'''Bartop''', a portable cabinet that can be placed on top of a table (or as the name suggests, on the bartop in a pub or diner).

*'''Barstick''', a bartop without a built-in display. It is usually connected to a TV.

*'''Micro''', micro cabinets are extremely scaled down cabinets. Building a functioning micro cabinet provides experiences cabinet builders a new challenge. Micro cabinets provide a eye catching model for display.

=== Other ===
Some arcade cabinets are built for a single gametype or purpose.

*'''Digital Pinball Table''', a digital pinball machine is designed to look and act like an actual pinball machine with the ball(s), lighting, playfield and backglass replaced by monitors and pinball simulation software. {{Also|Pinball}}

== Parts of a cabinet ==
{{Main|Arcade_Cabinet#Anatomy_of_a_cabinet}}
Arcade cabinets vary in size and complexity but they generally comprise the same basic features as shown on this diagram.
 
[[image:generic_with_numbers.png|left|400px]]

# '''Marquee'''. Back-lit artwork that displays the cabinet's name.
# '''Marquee retainers'''. A part to keep the marquee in place. Allows easy replacement of the marquee graphic.
# '''Speaker panel'''. The panel which holds the speakers.
# '''Monitor bezel'''. A part that surrounds and masks the monitor in the cabinet. In some arcades the bezel also features artwork.
# '''Control panel'''. Holds the joysticks, buttons and other controls needed to play the games.
# '''T-molding'''. T-molding is used to finish and protect the edges of the woodwork.
# '''Coin door'''. A coindoor to accept coins for play.

 

=Building your own Arcade=
{{Main|Building}}

== What type of build meets my needs? ==
One common pitfall of arcade building is trying to build a cab to "play everything" and ending up with a monster of a control panel often nicknamed a [[frankenpanel]] by the community. Consider what you want to achieve and what your limitations are before starting to build.

#'''Start by considering where you want to put/use the cab.''' Measure the doorways so you can actually move the arcade from the place of construction to the gameroom. Consider what type of cab (upright, sitdown, cocktail, bartop, etc.) will fit your circumstances. Consider possible reflections of windows/lamps on the monitor and power outlet availability.
#'''Make a list of the games, emulators, and front end you want to use.''' This list should include any "can't live without" games and will help you choose a suitable computer. Check the [http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Multi-Player_Games multi-player], [http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Joysticks#Games_with_Dual_Joysticks dual joystick], [http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Joysticks#Mechanical_Rotary_Joystick_Games_.28LS-30.2C_Happ_Mechanical_Rotary_Sticks.29 rotary joystick], [http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Joysticks#Analog_Joysticks analog joystick/yoke], [http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Light_Guns#Lightgun_Games_List lightgun], and [http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Spinners_and_Dials#Which_games_originally_used_a_spinner spinner] gamelists to see if there are enough "can't live without" games in each list to justify including these specialized controls in your build.
#'''Consider the number of simultaneous players you want to support.''' Keep in mind that more players means adapting your [[control panel]]; the more controls the more room you'll need (space might be an issue). If you plan to support more than 2 players, make sure all players have a good view of the screen. Also more players probably means a bigger budget- keep in mind that there are alternatives like using USB joypads for letting other players join in or using a 2-player version of a 4-player game like Gauntlet, TMNT, or X-Men.
#'''Figure out what kind/quantity of controls you'll need to support the games and emulators on your list.''' Go through the list to determine what controls you will need. [[Joysticks]] come in many variants such as 4-way, 8-way, and analog. Some games or consoles require analog controls. Keep in mind that some controls can be used as alternative: for example a [[Trackballs|trackball]] might also work as a [[spinner]] or mouse. A spinner might also work as a [[Driving_Controls#Optical_.28360_degree_wheels.29|steering wheel]]. Note that reusing controls is also subject to personal preference and is an often discussed subject within the community.
#'''What computer do you want/need to use.''' Newer games means a newer computer. If you already have a computer you plan to use, try some [[emulators]] on it to see what games it is capable of running - cross check this with the games you want to play.
#'''That will lead you to what [[emulators]] and other [[software]] like [[Front-Ends|front-ends]] you want/need.''' [[Emulators]] are programs that can make the computer act as a (retro)gaming system such as an [[Arcade_Emulators|arcade machine]] or [[Game_Consoles|game consoles]]. Do you want the players to be able to switch games? There are many programs where players can select and start games (this kind of software programs are known as [[Front-Ends|front-ends]]. Configuring the computer to run old games is also part of the hobby!
#'''Choose your encoder'''. The [[encoders|encoder]] is a specialized piece of electronics that connects the controls to the computer. There are several vendors that sell encoders, it is also possible to create your own by hacking a keyboard or gamepad. It is usually much easier to buy an encoder from a vendor instead. A few things to keep in mind when selecting an encoder such as the number of supported inputs (how many buttons can you connect) support for analogue devices (trackball, spinner etc.).
#'''What is the artwork/theme/design you want to use?''' [[Overview_%26_Options_to_Consider|Picking the artwork or theme]] early may help you selecting the colors of the [[Pushbuttons|buttons]] or [[T-Molding|t-molding]]. It may also affect the way you want to arrange the buttons on the controlpanel or the size of the marquee.
#'''Arrange the controls on the control panel.''' It is highly encouraged to create a mockup panel out of cardboard, hardboard, or even MDF to test the layout. This enables you to "feel" if the controls are in the right place and the control panel is comfortable to play. [http://slagcoin.com/joystick/layout.html Slagcoin] has many printable button layouts.
#'''Select a monitor.''' What kind of monitor do you plan to use? Consider that the size may affect the dimensions of the cabinet. Keep in mind that many arcade games have the monitor in portrait mode (while these are still playable on a landscape oriented monitor, the games will often be scaled down). Some emulators can use special effects (shaders) to simulate the appearance of an old CRT monitor on LCD (flat panel) monitors, this usually requires a decent videocard.
#'''Design the rest of the cab around the monitor and control panel.''' The control panel and monitor often dictate the required dimensions for the rest of the cabinet. Keep also in mind the considerations at point 1 in this list!

There are many more topics to explore such as [[Rotating_Monitor|rotating monitors]], swappable control panels, and [[Modular_Control_Panels|modular control panels]]. This list is by no means complete but it should provide a solid foundation for you to start designing your own cab!

== What is the difference between an original arcade cab and a MAME cab? ==
An original arcade cabinet refers to a cabinet designed for commecial operation. These cabinets are often crafted for a specific game or specific type of dedicated arcade (computer) hardware.
A MAME cabinet is the collective name for a cabinet intended to simulate the arcade experience. These cabinets are usually configured to allow users to play many different games.

Some original arcade cabinets have electronic components like Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) or monitors that are missing or damaged beyond restoration. Sometimes replacement parts are impossible to find or outrageously expensive. Sometimes the artwork or body of the cabinet is badly damaged. Problems like these can make restoring a commonly-available cabinet so difficult or expensive that it '''clearly''' isn't worth preserving. Cabs like those are possible candidates to convert to a MAME cabinet. Remember to preserve as much as possible and, as the saying goes, "Please don't maim for MAME."

Also note that the name MAME cabinet refers to the [[Emulators|emulator]] [[MAME]], but in many cases several other emulators are used to play games. MAME is the most common emulator to play arcade games.

== What is JAMMA/JAMMA+? ==
{{Main|JAMMA}}
[[Image:Jamma.png|thumbnail|300px|JAMMA connector]]JAMMA is a wiring standard developed in 1985 by Japan Amusement Machine and Marketing Association, Inc. It allows you to easily change between JAMMA compatible game boards without re-wiring the cabinet.
If you plan to build your own arcade from scratch with your own PC, the JAMMA standard does not apply; it is an industry standard.

The JAMMA standard uses a 56-pin edge connector on the board with inputs and outputs common to most video games.
JAMMA Games that have more than 3 action buttons, more than 2 players, or different control types use the JAMMA+ standard.

The JAMMA standard enables you to hook an original arcade cabinet to a PC using a [[Keyboard_Encoders#J-PAC|J-PAC]] encoder. This allows you to use the existing controls to play emulated games.
{{Also|Connecting a PC to an Arcade Cabinet}}

If you have JAMMA compatible game circuit boards, you will need JAMMA compatible arcade hardware to be able to play them.

The Real Bob Roberts™ JAMMA links:
*[http://homearcade.org/BBBB/newjam.html JAMMA pinout]
*[http://homearcade.org/BBBB/jh.html JAMMA harness bundling]
*[http://homearcade.org/BBBB/plus.html JAMMA+ wiring]

= Controls =
{{Main|Controls}}
Authentic controls and [[Control panel|control panels]] give you that original arcade feel.

== Joystick Types ==
{{Main|Joysticks}}
A Joystick is a device to let you manually control direction of movement in an arcade game. When selecting the correct joystick for your setup, keep in mind the games you wish to play. Note that there are also [[Joysticks#Games_with_Dual_Joysticks|games that use dual joysticks]].

===2-way===
2-way joysticks register movement along either the X-axis '''or''' Y-axis. These joysticks are operated by triggering [[Working with Microswitches|microswitches]] or leaf switches which means these are absolute -- either movement in a direction is triggered or not. 4-way or 8-way joysticks can be used as physically-restricted 2-way joysticks by using a slot-shaped restrictor plate.

===4/8-way===
4-way and 8-way joysticks register movement along the X-axis '''and''' Y-axis. These joysticks are operated by triggering [[Working with Microswitches|microswitches]] or leaf switches which means these are absolute -- either movement in a direction is triggered or not. Both 4-way and 8-way joysticks have 4 microswitches or leaf switches. The difference between 4-way and 8-way joysticks is that a 4-way stick can only activate one switch (up, down, left, or right) at a time, but an 8-way stick can register up to two switches (up+right, etc.) at a time. Some joysticks have a restrictor plate that limits/defines the joystick's range of motion, allowing you to select 4/8-way operation. There are also models that can automatically switch between physical 4-way and 8-way restriction using a motor/actuator controlled by software.

===Analog===
Analog joystics can discern how far the handle has been pushed from the center position. This type of joystick is often used where the player must be able to control the movement in a smooth way, for example pushing the joystick further also makes the game character move faster in the chosen direction.

===Speciality joysticks===
Speciality joysticks include [[Joysticks#49-Way_Joysticks|49-way joysticks]], [[Joysticks#Rotary_Joysticks|rotary joysticks]], [[Joysticks#TRON_joysticks|TRON joysticks]] and joysticks with a trigger and/or one or more buttons.

== Buttons ==
{{Main|Pushbuttons}}
{{Also|Working with Microswitches}}
{{Also|Wiring Push Buttons and Conventional Digital Joysticks}}

Pushbuttons are the simplest and most common form of control consisting of a momentary switch that makes contact when pressed.
Buttons come in various colors, shapes and sizes. Round buttons are usually used on control panels.

Pushuttons with 3 tabs have Common (Com), Normally Open (NO), and Normally Closed (NC) connections in a SPDT configuration.

Pushbuttons with 2 tabs are in a SPST configuration.

===Layout===
The placement of buttons (and joysticks) is often influenced by personal preference. It is wise to consider using one of the common layouts used in the arcade industry, as these were designed to allow players to reach and rest their fingers on buttons with minimal hand strain. The [http://www.slagcoin.com/joystick/layout.html Slagcoin] website has a list of descriptions and printable layouts that are '''highly''' recommended reference material.

Before constructing a control panel, a cardboard mockup often gives you a good impression if the controls are comfortable to use.

===Number of player buttons===
The number of player buttons (buttons used during gameplay) to put on your panel is determined by the the games you plan to play. Most fighting games used 6 buttons in a 2 rows of 3 buttons configuration. The [[Neo-Geo]] used 4 buttons in a single row. Some people combine these two layouts in a 2 row layout with 3 buttons on one row and four on the other.

Note that no arcade machine uses more than 4 buttons for players three and four.

If you are making a dedicated cab for 4-way joystick games, you will only need 2 player buttons unless you want to include:

'''4-way joystick 3 button games'''
* Iron Horse
* Punch Out!!
'''4-way joystick 4 button games'''
* Mouse Trap
* Super Punch-Out!!

===Number of admin buttons===
Commonly used admin buttons/function include P1/P2 Start (1/2), P1/P2 Coin (5/6), Pause (P) and Exit. (ESC)

To keep guests or children from accidently messing up their cab configuration, many individuals choose to not include a Menu (Tab) button and disable the shifted function for Menu. (P1 Start + joystick right on I-Pac)

There are several schools of thought concerning admin buttons -- some people prefer dedicated admin buttons, while others prefer using "shifted functions".

'''Dedicated admin buttons:'''
*'''PRO +''' Button functions can be clearly labeled on the panel art or using inserts in translucent buttons.
*'''CON -''' Too many buttons can be confusing and make a panel look cluttered.

Commonly used dedicated admin buttons include P1/P2 Start, P1/P2 Coin, ESC (exit), Pause, and others. Some console emulators may also require additional functions so be sure to install and configure desired emulators '''before''' building your panel.

'''"Shifted functions":'''
*'''PRO +''' Can make the panel look less cluttered.
*'''CON -''' When the "shift" button is pressed, any button pressed at the same time will output the associated shifted function. This may trigger an unintended function (exit, pause, menu, etc.) during a multi-player co-op game when one player performs a shifted function and the other player continues playing.

"Shifted functions" require a button/input to act as the "shift" button -- P1 Start on the IPac, HWB on the KADE, and Shazaaam! on the KeyWiz.

Pressing P1 Start and P2 Start will cause an IPac to output ESC. (exit)

Include an instruction card on the control panel overlay or screen bezel so family members and guests can figure out how to operate the cab.

===Illuminated buttons===
{{Main|Lighting}}
Many vendors sell illuminted single-color buttons and/or RGB (Red/Green/Blue) LED lighting kits for pushbuttons.

Illuminated buttons can be wired directly to a power source for constant single-color illumination '''or''' you can change brightness (single-color or RGB) or color (RGB) using software and a USB LED controller board like the LED-Wiz or the PacLED64.

== Trackballs ==
{{Main|Trackballs}}
A Trackball is a large ball that can be pushed in any direction to control an arcade game. Trackballs provide precise analog control, much like a mouse.

== Spinners ==
{{Main|Spinners}}
A Spinner is a knob that can be spun rapidly in either direction to move an on-screen paddle or character. Spinners provide precise analog control like a mouse, but act only along one axis.

== Other specialized controls ==
{{Also|:Category:Controls}}

Yokes, steering wheels, trigger stick, rotary joysticks, light guns, etc.

== USB gamepads/controllers ==
One way to expand the number of games that you can play (without turning your control panel into a "Frankenpanel") is to use gamepads or controllers plugged into external USB ports.

USB gamepads allow you to add Players 3+4 to a 2-player cab or play console games that use "shoulder buttons" or two analogue joysticks per player (''twin stick shooters'').

You can also add controllers with specialized controls like an analog flightstick for Afterburner or rotary joysticks for Ikari Warriors. Another option is to add controllers with specialized layouts for Defender or Asteroids.

=Construction=
{{Main|Building}}
Building your own arcade cabinet or controller can be a rewarding experience. The construction itself involves various disciplines from woodworking, electronics and design. While some people in the community have produced exceptional cabinets, everyone with some practice and dedication can build a cabinet.
The wiki has an [[Build an OND designed cab Metropolis|example project]] with images to give an impression of how a cabinet is built.

== What tools do I need? ==
{{Main|Hand Tools}}
{{Main|Power Tools}}
Building your own arcade machine is no simple task and requires the correct tools as well as the knowledge of how to use each one correctly and safely.
Keep the safety guidelines in mind for each tool in when using them!
[[File:Ond_tools.jpg|center]]

== Design ==
{{Main|Technical design software}}
Planning is everything is this hobby. To make sure your design fits together as you had in mind it is wise to sketch out your designs first. Regular paper sketches with measurements might suit your needs. There is also software (some available for free) to help design your cabinet. Often community members share their designs in digital files. [http://www.sketchup.com Sketchup] is quite popular, but other software such as Microsoft Visio works as well.

== What type of wood to use? ==
{{Main|Wood products}}
In building an arcade cabinet, several types of materials are available to you. Each has its strengths and weaknesses. The most common used materials are [[Wood_products#MDF|MDF]], [[Wood_products#Plywood|Plywood]] and [[Wood_products#MDO|MDO]].

== What thickness and materials to use for the Control Panel? ==
Many people use [[Wood_products#MDF|MDF]], [[Wood_products#Plywood|Plywood]] or [[Wood_products#MDO|MDO]] since they are easy to work with.

Some use metal.

Some control panel artwork comes with a thin polycarbonate lamination that protects the artwork from wear and tear, but artwork without it needs to be protected using 1/8" plexiglass, polycarbonate, or acrylic.

Plexiglass is usually held down by the pushbuttons/nuts.

If you are using [[T-Molding|T-Molding]], the combined thickness of all the layers needs to add up to the width of the T-Molding.

For example, 5/8" MDF + artwork + 1/8" plexiglass = 3/4" T-Molding.

If you aren't able to find T-molding that matches the thickness of the layers, you can use a chamfer or roundover router bit to angle the lower edge of the control panel.

[[File:T-molding regular and offset 2.jpg|center]]

== Mounting controls in the control panel==
Part of planning is reviewing the mounting options. Some controls require clearance on either side for mounting. When in doubt, tt is advised to use a cardboard mockup to verify the clearances of the controls.

===Hardware===
There are three types of hardware commonly used to mount joysticks.

This hardware is purchased separately from the joystick due to the variety of mounting options and methods.

'''Carriage Bolts:'''
Carriage bolts have a rounded top and a square base slightly larger than the threads.
*'''PRO +''' Strongest mounting method.
*'''CON -''' Visible bolt heads can distract from artwork.

'''Tee Nuts/T-Nuts:'''
The two common styles have either prongs or holes for small nails to keep the nuts from turning when screws are tightened/loosened. The kind with the nails is usually a better choice than the kind with prongs because it's much easier to drill tiny pilot holes for nails than it is to drive prongs into dense MDF.
*'''PRO +''' Almost as strong as carriage bolts.
*'''PRO +''' Can be hidden in a shallow countersink.
*'''CON -''' Requires more work to prepare a smooth surface for paint or vinyl artwork.
*'''PRO/CON''' Use a piece of tape to ensure that wood putty does not get into the threads of the nut, otherwise the hardened putty may be pushed up when you tighten the screw and damage the smooth surface.
*'''PRO/CON''' Screws used must be long enough to engage the tee nut, but not so long that they break through the top of the control panel.

'''Threaded Inserts:'''
These are preferred over wood screws in materials such as MDF. Regardless of what kind of thread geometry the wood screw has, with MDF you can only tighten it reliably '''once'''. When you loosen and retighten a screw in MDF it pulps and strips it. Good threaded inserts for MDF have very wide/flat/thin outer threads that cut into the MDF and keep the insert from backing out when the machine screws are loosened. The negative example below has outer threads that are too narrow to work properly with MDF. Threads on the inside allow you to remove/replace the machine screws in the event you want to replace the joystick.
*'''PRO +''' Easiest way to leave a smooth surface for paint or vinyl artwork.
*'''PRO/CON''' Screws used must be long enough to engage the insert, but not so long that they break through the top of the control panel.

<center>
<gallery>
Image:CarriageBolt.jpg|Carriage bolt
Image:TeeNuts.jpg|Tee-nuts
image:GGGThreadedInserts.jpg|Threaded insert kit. Photo © IDVT Inc. / [http://groovygamegear.com/webstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=70&products_id=317 GroovyGameGear.com], Used with permission.
Image:UltimarcThreadedInserts.jpg|Threaded insert kit. Photo © [http://www.ultimarc.com/controls.html Ultimarc.com], Used with permission.
Image:BadThreadedInsert.jpg|Wrong inserts for MDF: the threads are too small on this type
</gallery>
</center>

===Push buttons===
Most push buttons mount in a round hole -- usually 1-1/8" (28mm) or 30mm. Most push buttons are (from a construction point of view) similar to a nut and bolt: the threaded end is below the control panel and held in place by a nut. Some push buttons have flexible tabs that lock in place under the panel. This type of button is usually used with metal control panels.
<center><gallery>
File:PushButtonThreaded.png|Threaded button
File:PushButtonLockingTab.png|Locking-tab button
</gallery></center>

===Joysticks===
There are several ways to mount a joystick in a control panel.
<center>
<gallery widths=180px heights=180px>
File:Joystickmount-top.png|Top mount
File:Joystickmount-under.png|Under mount (threaded inserts)
File:Joystickmount-undertnuts.png|Under mount (tee-nuts)
File:Joystickmount-underrecessed.png|Under mount (recessed, countersunk screws)
File:Joystickmount-supportblocks.png|Under mount (support blocks)
File:Joystickmount-toprecessed.png|Top mount (recessed)
</gallery>
</center>

* '''Top mount''' The joystick is mounted on top of the control panel; for this a larger hole must be cut in the panel to accomodate the base of the joystick. A top mounted joystick adds a raised plate on top of the panel which is generally undesired if any artwork is to be added to the control panel. Also screws cannot be countersunk using this method. Carriage bolts are commonly used for this mounting configuration.

* '''Under mount''' The joystick is mounted underneath the control panel. Countersunk fasteners or threaded inserts leave a flat surface for comfortable play and application of artwork. The downside to this method is either the loss of joystick height '''or''' an increase in the distance the stick must travel to actuate the switches. countersunk screws/bolts, tee-nuts or threaded inserts are commonly used for this mounting configuration.

* '''Under mount (recessed)''' The joystick is mounted underneath the control panel. An area is cleared using a router to sink the joystick into the wood; this gives the joystick more height for play. Tee-nuts/T-nuts, countersunk screws/bolts, or threaded inserts are commonly used for this mounting configuration.

* '''Under mount (support blocks)''' The joystick is securely supported inside a recessed gap using blocks held in place by a metal plate or flat metal bars secured to the control panel by threaded inserts or tee-nuts. [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,130690.msg1345990.html#msg1345990 This forum topic] has an excellent example of this method. The photos below are from the forum topic, used with permission from [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=profile;u=62783 EMDB].
<center>
<gallery>
File:emdb_1.jpg|1: Routed area
File:emdb_2.jpg|2: Fitting joystick
File:emdb_3.jpg|3: Added support blocks
File:emdb_4.jpg|4: Threaded inserts
File:emdb_5.jpg|5: Plate to secure the joystick
</gallery>
</center>
[[image:TopRecessed.jpg|right|thumb| Top mount (recessed) example]]
* '''Top mount (recessed)'''. If (1) the joystick shaft is ''very'' short, (2) you don't want the joystick mounting plate exposed, and (3) need the strongest shallow-mount option available, use a top mount (recessed) configuration. The cover piece can be secured using countersunk screws as shown or a cover piece the size of the whole control panel can be held in place by the push buttons. See [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,129964.msg1329715.html#msg1329715 this topic] with an example and explanation of this method. The down-side of using this method is that it is much more difficult to remove and replace joysticks than with the other methods.

 
====Orientation====
It is important to note that joysticks should ''always'' be mounted parallel to the screen since it is intuitive for a player to move the joystick in relation to the action on the screen. This might seem not obvious in 4-player designs, but experience has proved that this holds true even if the player is standing diagonal towards the screen. Therefore it is advised not to angle joysticks for players 3 and 4. P3, P1, and P2 joysticks (left, center-left, and center-right) are shown parallel, while P4 joystick is shown angled.[[Image:StraightAndAngledSticks.jpg|center|460px|P3=straight, P4=angled]]

The three notable exceptions to this rule are the [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,129696.msg1326815.html#msg1326815 diagonal games] Q*bert, Q*bert's Qubes, and Congo Bongo. The 4-way joystick is angled 45 degrees clockwise -- up relative to stick = up+right relative to the monitor. Since your on-screen character can ''only'' move in diagonals, this keeps the joystick up/down/left/right directions aligned with the on-screen action.

===Trackballs===
{{Also|Trackball Mounting}}

Mounting a trackball in a wood panel is often done with the aid of a mounting plate or kit.

If you aren't using a mounting plate, there are several tools that are good for cutting the large circular hole.
*Holesaw
*Dremel tool circle cutter attachment
*Router circle cutter attachment
*Adjustable circle cutter

There is further information and several useful links in [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,138552.msg1432066.html#msg1432066 this] post.

= Encoders =
{{Main|Encoders}}
An [[Encoders|encoder]] is a device that interfaces between the controls and the computer running the games. In the early days of the hobby, keyboard or gamepad encoders were often re-used/hacked by soldering wires to the connection points. Today [[vendors]] have different kinds of encoder circuit boards to make the process much easier and more reliable. Encoders usually connect to the PC using [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usb USB] or [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PS/2_port PS/2] connectors.

== What type of encoder(s) do I need? ==
There are four basic types of encoders presently available:
*[[Keyboard Encoders]] When using this, the computer will interpret the connected controls as if it was a keyboard.
:'''PRO +''' Most games are able to use the keyboard inputs.
:'''PRO +''' Most encoders come preconfigured with an arcade configuration.
:'''PRO +''' Keyboard encoders can support multiple players (see also ''[[#How_many_encoder_inputs_do_I_need_for_my_control_panel.3F|how many encoder inputs do I need]]'').
:'''CON -''' Can only handle digital (either 'key down' or 'key up') inputs.
:'''CON -''' Certain key combinations [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,149393.msg1559496.html#msg1559496 described here] can cause accidental loss of focus or other undesired functions.
:'''PRO/CON''' Most 4-player encoders have overlapping keys [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,133021.msg1368637.html#msg1368637 described here] that you may want to reprogram.

*[[Gamepad Encoders]] When using this, the computer will interpret the connected controls as if it was a gamepad.
:'''PRO +''' Usually plug-and-play.
:'''PRO +''' Gamepad Encoders that support analog (potentiometer) controls are called [[Analog_Encoders|Analog Encoders]].
:'''CON -''' Usually one player per encoder (as one gamepad per player).
:'''CON -''' Not all software supports gamepads.

*[[Rotary Encoders]] A rotary encoder is required to interface rotary mechanical joysticks like the ones used for Ikari Warriors.
:'''PRO +''' Most models have additional gamepad or keyboard inputs.

*[[Optical Encoders|Optical (Mouse) Encoders]] An optical encoder can connect devices such as trackballs, spinners, or rotary optical joysticks. The computer will interpret the connected controls as if it were a mouse.
:'''PRO +''' A trackball can act as a mouse.

Note that some vendors combine keyboard and optical encoders in one circuit board.

Choosing the right encoder depends on the types of software you plan to use. If, for example, you plan to play games that only support gamepads, it is wise to choose an encoder of the gamepad type. Identify the input capabilities of the software you plan to use and choose accordingly. Also certain types of controls (rotary joysticks, trackballs and spinners) require a specific encoder to be able to connect to the computer.

For some input types a software conversion is possible - for example the program "joy2key" is able to convert gamepad controls into keyboard strokes.

== How many encoder inputs do I need for my control panel? ==
The encoder(s) you choose must be able to support all the controls you plan to use. Check the vendor-supplied information to determine the quantity and type of inputs each encoder can handle.

'''Digital inputs (IPac, KADE, KeyWiz, Mini-Pac, UHID, etc.)'''

*4-way or 8-way joystick - 4 inputs
*Pushbutton - 1 input
*Coin-slot microswitch - 1 input
*Pedal (microswitch) - 1 input

'''Optical inputs - each axis uses 5v, ground, and two data lines (Mini-Pac, OptiWiz, UHID, etc.)'''
*Trackball - 2 axes (NOTE: Some come with a USB or PS/2 adapter)
*Spinner/360 degree wheel - 1 axis

'''Analog inputs - each axis uses 5v, ground and one wiper (A-Pac, KADESTICK, UHID, etc.)'''
*Analog joystick - 2 axes
*Paddle/270 degree wheel - 1 axis
*Pedal (potentiometer) - 1 axis

KADE extended mode (20 inputs ==> 26 functions + 20 shifted functions) or shifted functions can increase the number of controls connected to your encoder. Pros and cons to shifted functions are mentioned in the [[FAQ#Number_of_admin_buttons|Number of admin buttons]] section.

= Basic wiring =
{{Also|Wiring Push Buttons and Conventional Digital Joysticks}}

== Quick disconnect sizes ==
For easy connection/disconnection, many joysticks and switches use standard sized tabs. Compatible connectors are named "quick disconnect terminals". (QDs)

Most microswitches use 0.187" (4.8 mm) QDs and some use 0.250" (6 mm) QDs. Most two tab buttons (Sanwa, Seimitsu, Goldleaf, etc.) and leaf switches use 0.110" QDs. (2.8 mm). Check the product description or measure the tabs to ensure you get the the correct size.
<center>
<gallery widths=220px heights=220px>
File:QuickDisconnectsFemale.png|Female quick disconnect terminals
File:QuickDisconnectsMale.png|Male quick disconnect terminals
</gallery>
</center>
The color-coded plastic insulation sleeve indicates the size wire(s) that the terminal is designed for. Red is used for 18-22 AWG wire, blue is used for 14-16 AWG, and yellow is used for 10-12 AWG.

== Soldering ==
Soldering is another option for connecting wires to components. Soldering electronics is a specialist skill which requires practise.

Soldering is the process of joining two metal components by melting a filler (the solder) between them. Often the joining process is accelerated by the use of a flux liquid to clean/prepare the surfaces. A soldered joint is semi permanent - the joint can be broken by melting the solder again.

A good solder connection will have both good mechanical connection (physically strong) '''and''' good electrical connection. (low resistance)

After soldering, always clean the joint and surrounding area with a cotton swab dipped in isopropyl alcohol to remove any residual flux and solder.

See also: [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,129317.msg1322370.html#msg1322370 Soldering tutorial]

== Commonly used wire sizes ==
Most control panels use between 20AWG and 30AWG wire to connect controls. AWG stands for [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_wire_gauge American Wire Gauge].
22AWG stranded wire is a popular choice -- small enough to work with fairly easily, big enough for solid crimp connections and carrying current for many LED setups.

See Wikipedia for other wire gauges [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_wire_gauge British Standard Wire Gauge], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEC_60228 IEC 60228] and [http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/28/Gauge_Chart.pdf Gauge comparison chart].

== How do I wire microswitches to an encoder? ==
The illustration demonstrates a common way of connecting the microswitches. Please read the topic [[Working with Microswitches]] for a detailed description of the microswitch connectors.
<center>
[[Image:PushbuttonMicroswitchWire.png|300px]]
</center>
Wires 1 and 2 go to the Encoder input for the function you want the push button to activate. For example if the left button is the "Player 1 Start" button, the red wire labelled "1" goes to the corresponding input on the encoder. Note how the black wire labelled "3" is connected to the COM tab of both microswitches. The black daisy-chain ground wire goes to the ground connecter of the encoder.

<center>
[[Image:PushbuttonMicroswitchWire1a.png|620px]]
</center>
The first schematic shows the same switches and wires connected to encoder (gray) input 1, input 2, and ground.

With no buttons pressed, the encoder inputs and wires have 5v connected to them, but like a light switch that is off, there is no path for current flow through the inputs.

The other schematics show the encoder registering a button press when ground is connected to the input which allows current to flow through that part of the circuit like flipping a light switch to turn on a light.

== Power wiring ==
{{Template:DisclaimerElectricity}}
[[image:IECPowerSwitch.jpg|right|thumb|IEC power inlet with fuse and lighted switch]]
One popular choice for neatly bringing power into a cab is a power inlet with an IEC320 C14 socket.

Some of them have built-in switches and/or fuse holders.

A number of vendors carry similar products with several different types of switches.

See [[Wiring#IEC_Fused_Power_Inlet_with_a_Lighted_Switch]] for details.

 

=Illuminating your cabinet=
{{Main|Lighting}}
{{Also|Finishing}}

== LED Lighting ==
Most arcade LEDs are designed to run on either 5v or 12v circuits.

You can use 12v LEDs powered by 5v for extremely-low power consumption -- commonly used for standalone USB control panels to avoid the use of a second cable for LED power.

== Single color buttons ==
These are lit by a single-color LED.

== RGB buttons ==
Can be hard-wired to operate like single color buttons, but the most common way to use these LEDs is with a controller.

These LEDs have 4 wires: Operating voltage (yellow or black wire), red ground, green ground, and blue ground.

[http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,121965.msg1294271.html#msg1294271 This forum topic] has a comparison of various RGB lighting modules and push buttons.

== LED controllers ==
An LED controller allows the computer to switch LEDs on and off, change the brightness and (in the case of RGB LEDs) change the color. This allows you to illuminate buttons based on what game is being played or create animated light displays.

Several vendors sell LED controller boards for this purpose. Commonly used controllers are LED-Wiz, Pac-LED64, Pac-Drive, and U-HID.

The software [http://www.ledblinky.net/ledblinky.htm LEDBlinky] can be used to drive the controllers. The LEDBlinky software is compatible with various [[Front-Ends|Front end software]].

= Displays =
{{Main|Video}}
Displays come in two basic types: CRT and Flatscreen. Both have advantages and disadvantages.
CRT stands for [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathode_ray_tube Cathode Ray Tube] and works by sending beams of electrons to a fluorescent screen. CRT displays in the consumer markets are becomming less and less common in favor of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flatscreen flatscreen displays]. Flatscreen displays are available in LCD, LED, OLED, and plasma variants -- each with their own strengths and weaknesses but are generally categorised by availability and pricepoint.
A small number of arcade cabinets used speciality displays such as backscreen projection.

See also the [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,45137.0.html Monitor FAQ] topic on the forums.

== Differences: pros/cons ==
'''Arcade CRT monitor''' The arcade monitor offers the best arcade experience as these are the monitors used in the original cabinets. These monitors are hard to find. These monitors usually support low resolutions (which may or may not be a con, depending on the types of games you plan to play). {{Also|Arcade Monitors}}

*'''PRO +''' Offer a real arcade experience.
*'''CON -''' Hard to find.
*'''CON -''' Requires a special videocard to use with a PC.

'''CRT television''' The CRT television can be used as a display. {{Also|Televisions}}

*'''PRO +''' Close to an arcade monitor.
*'''PRO +''' Cheap and easy to find 2nd hand market.
*'''PRO +''' Common in the 4:3 aspect ratio (most common ratio for arcade games).
*'''PRO +''' Europe only: Most European TVs have the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scart SCART] connector for easier RGB connection. This makes the TV work exactly like an arcade monitor. See also [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,77370.0.html this forum topic].
*'''CON -''' Generally very heavy (especially those larger than 19 inches).

'''CRT monitor''' The CRT monitor is a regular CRT PC monitor. Some types of CRT monitors ([[MultiSync Monitors]]) can display arcade hardware natively. {{Also|PC Monitors}}

*'''PRO +''' Close to an arcade monitor (but not as close as a CRT television).
*'''PRO +''' Cheap and easy to find for sizes up to and including 19 inch on 2nd hand market.
*'''PRO +''' Common in the 4:3 aspect ratio (most common ratio for arcade games).
*'''CON -''' Harder to find in sizes of 21 inch and above (even in the 2nd hand market).
*'''CON -''' Generally very heavy (especially ones larger than 19 inches).

'''LCD Flatpanel''' The flatpanel computer monitors are the most common computer displays at the moment.

*'''PRO +''' Lightweight.
*'''PRO +''' Easy to mount inside a cabinet (due to the VESA [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flat_Display_Mounting_Interface mounting standard]).
*'''PRO +''' Cheap and commonly available.
*'''CON -''' Sizes above 19" are usually in the 16:9 (widescreen) aspect ratio (4:3 is more common in arcade games).
*'''CON -''' Lack the authentic look ("too clean"). Some emulators provide graphic filters to simulate the look of a CRT monitor.
*'''CON -''' The viewing angle might be a problem (depends on the model and make- but it is something to keep in mind).
*'''PRO/CON''' Has a "native" resolution, which means it will look the best in a specific setting. Most emulators and software can be set to use this resolution.

'''LED Flatpanel''' LED display technology is an improvement over LCD technology and is currently common used in flatpanel televisions. If you plan to use a television model for your arcade, it is advised to verify if the connection options for the display are compatible to the computer you plan to use.

*'''PRO +''' Lightweight.
*'''PRO +''' Easy to mount inside a cabinet (due to the VESA [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flat_Display_Mounting_Interface mounting standard]).
*'''PRO +''' Available in large sizes.
*'''PRO +''' Wide viewing angle compared to LCD.
*'''CON -''' Generally more expensive than LCD monitors.
*'''CON -''' Nearly all LED displays are in the 16:9 (widescreen) aspect ratio (4:3 is more common in arcade games).
*'''CON -''' Lack the authentic look ("too clean"). Some emulators provide graphic filters to simulate the look of a CRT monitor.
*'''PRO/CON''' Has a "native" resolution, which means it will look the best in a specific setting. Most emulators and software can be set to use this resolution.

== Types of video connections ==
The type of connection depends on the display and the computer (or arcade hardware) used.

This is a list with common connection types and how to recognize them. Some connectors can be converted to another connector type by using a conversion cable; usually conversion is only backwards compatible (ie. Component can be converted to Composite, but not the other way around).

* '''Composite''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Composite_video composite connector] is commonly indicated by a single yellow [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RCA_connector RCA connector]. The signal (usually referred to as ''CVBS'' signal) is an analogue signal. This type of connector is often found on older TV sets.

*'''S-Video''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S-Video S-Video] connection (sometimes referred to as Y/C) is a (small) round with four pins. The quality is better than composite but the available color depth is not as good as component. The S-Video is connection available on some PC video cards (as secondary connector) due to it's small connector size. A S-Video signal can be converted to composite using a conversion cable.

* '''Component''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Component_video component video] (sometimes referred to as YCbCr or YPbPr) connection is indicated by three [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RCA_connector RCA connectors] color coded red, green and blue. The video signal is an [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YPbPr analogue signal]. It is often incorrect assumed that this is an RGB signal (the confusion often stems from the color code of the cables). This is the best available analogue signal, it is commonly found on large television sets. A native YCbCr can be converted to composite or S-video using a conversion cable.

* '''SCART''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SCART SCART connector] is common in Europe- almost all TVs sold are equipped with the connector (another name for SCART is ''EuroAV''). The SCART connector can carry a mix of signals including analogue and digital RGB. The SCART connector can be identified as a two row 21 pin connector. Standard arcade monitors use the 'RGB with sync' signal which is also available in SCART. Note that SCART is a connector standard- it does not automatically mean that a device with a SCART connector is capable displaying all modes the SCART connector can offer. In addition to video, the SCART connector can also carry stereo audio. There is no "native SCART" signal, but there are conversion cables available to connect Composite, S-Video and VGA signals to SCART.

* '''VGA connector''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VGA_connector VGA connector] (The connector itself is called a DE-15 connector) is a connector recognisable as a three row 15 pin connector- usually color coded blue. It is one of the most common video connectors found on computers (even though it is superceded by DVI and HDMI connectors). The signal it carries is analogue RGB and produces a sharp image. A VGA signal can be converted to the DVI, SCART-RGB, Component, S-Video and Composite with a conversion cable. Keep in mind that for some conversions the host must be able to output a specified

* '''DVI''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Visual_Interface DVI connector] is a rectangular (usually white) connector with a three row 24 pin and a two row 4 pin configuration. The DVI connector is a common connector on computers. The DVI standard can carry both analogue and digital video signals. A native DVI signal can be converted to VGA or HDMI with a conversion cable. Note that it is possible to convert VGA to DVI, it is however not possible to convert a native VGA signal via DVI to HDMI.

* '''HDMI''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HDMI HDMI connector] is a flat connector with a two row 19 pin configuration (the pins are usually joined by a plastic center). The HDMI connector is the current industry standard for high definition video and audio signal connections. A native HDMI signal may be converted to DVI with a conversion cable.

<gallery>
File:composite-jackplug.png|Composite
File:svideo-jackplug.png|S-Video
File:component-jackplug.png|Component
File:scart-jackplug.png|SCART
File:vga-jackplug.png|VGA
File:dvi-jackplug.png|DVI
File:hdmi-jackplug.png|HDMI
</gallery>

== Response time and input lag==
Response time is the time for a display to change a pixel from black to white and back to black. This should not be confused with '''input lag'''. Video response times are often listed in the specification sheet of LCD or LED monitors. CRT displays have very fast response time due the refresh rates of 50hz or 60hz.

Slow reponse times may result in blurred movement. See also [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Response_time_(technology)#Display_technologies the Wikipedia page] for more information on response times.

Input lag is the time it takes between an user action and the result being processed and displayed on the display. Input lag can be a problem in games where timing is essential such as rythm-action or fighting games. Since the processing of user input is also emulated, this may cause timing issues.

Input lag can come from software (emulators), firmware (some cheap encoders) or hardware (video converters or TV circuitry).
Modern TVs have additional features to enhance the picture quality, these features however may contribute to input lag- check if the TV you are using has a "game mode" setting which bypasses most of the features.
Some emulators offer options to sacrifice parts of the emulation for the benefit of speed. Another solution may be a faster computer to speed up emulation. The final option is to switch from emulation to simulation (for example use ''Step Mania'' to play ''Dance Dance Revolution'' style of games).

See also [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Input_lag Wikipedia] for more information on input lag.

= Software =
{{Main|Software}}
A variety of software, emulators, and simulators allow you to play a huge number of arcade, console, and PC games on a computer. The software used as a foundation of a home arcade machine generally consists of:
*Emulators to run specific game ROMs on a computer
*ROMs and related files such as MAME bios files (Marble Madness needs atarisy1.zip) and CHD files (Simpsons Bowling needs simpbowl.chd)
*A front-end menu system to easily select and launch games

== What is an emulator? What is a simulator? ==
An emulator is a software program that duplicates the operation of the computer hardware, firmware/software, and gameplay of an older game system. As the name implies it 'emulates' the system.
''See also: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emulator Wikipedia article on Emulators].''

Emulators are often confused with [[Simulators|simulators]]. A simulator does not try to re-create the operation of the original computer hardware/software/firmware but re-create the game itself. Therefore, an emulator provides an accurate re-creation of a game and a simulator provides a near-accurate rendition.

A simulator is often used when part or all of the game does not use fimware/software. Example: In Visual Pinball, the pinball playfield, lights, flippers and ball of Baby Pac-Man (the physical/mechanical parts) are simulated, while the videogame part is emulated using the original game ROMs.

=== What is a ROM? ===
{{Main|ROMs}}
For the original games - '''R'''ead '''O'''nly '''M'''emory chips on the game board/cartridge that hold the program code for a game/game system.
For emulators - .ZIP or .7z file(s) containing a copy ("dump") of the game/game system code.

=== Why do my ROMs not work? ===
It is not always guaranteed that a particular game ROM will work with a given emulator. The original memory chips may use encryption that is not yet decoded or a game may use a specific function that the chosen emulator does not currently support. Some games also require additional data such as a CD-Rom image or harddisk data - usually supplied as CHD ('''C'''ompressed '''H'''unks of '''D'''ata) files. Also, the data extraction method/format may not be compatible with the emulator (or emulator version) of choice.

When using MAME, one can use '''clrmamepro''' [http://mamedev.emulab.it/clrmamepro/] or your emulator's "Audit" function (if available) to check the version and filenames of ROMs compared to your MAME emulator program version. See also the [[Utilities#ROM_Managers.2C_Renamers_.26_Dats|rom manager]] section for other tools.

=== Commonly used emulators ===
{{Also|Arcade Emulators}}
{{Also|MAME Variants}}

The most common used emulator for arcade machines is [[MAME]], short for '''M'''ultiple '''A'''rcade '''M'''achine '''E'''mulator. MAME can emulate a wide range of arcade hardware and thus can run many different games. However for some types of arcade hardware, very specific emulators are created which may perform better. For example [[Supermodel]] is a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Sega_arcade_system_boards#Sega_Model_3 SEGA Model 3] emulator.

MAME is a major emulator in the arcade community, there are many different variants or "flavors" of MAME. These modified MAME variants often maintain the version numbering of the official (commonly referred to as "vanilla") MAME version to be clear what the base features and compatible ROM sets are. See [[MAME Variants]]. The most common variants are:

<center>
{|class="wikitable"
|MAME
|The "official" command line program that the other variants are based on.
|[http://www.mamedev.org/]
|-
|NoNag patched
|Suppresses error messages that are useful when troubleshooting.
|[http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,64298.0.html]
|-
|MAMEUI
|Built in frontend.
|[http://www.mameui.info/]
|-
|MAMEUIFX
|Built in frontend.
|[http://mame32fx.altervista.org/home.htm]
|-
|MAME Hub
|Added network play.
|[http://sites.google.com/site/mamehub/]
|-
|HB MAME
|Dedicated "homebrew" hacks.
|[http://hbmame.the-chronicles.org/index.html]
|-
|Groovy MAME
|Mainly aimed at CRT monitors and alleviating some annoyances associated with emulation on LCD displays.
|[http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?board=52.0]
|}
</center>

=== Should I upgrade my emulators to the latest version? ===
The answer is almost always '''NO'''. This is often a case of, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."

Only upgrade your emulators if you benefit from the upgrade -- for example the new version now supports a game you want to play. Keep in mind that upgrading your emulators probably means that your ROMs need updating as well. If the new release fixes something that makes it worth the time and effort to update your ROMs '''and''' will still run well on your system, consider the update.

== What is a Front end? ==
{{Main|Front-Ends}}
A front end is software used to launch games. With some emulators it can be quite a hassle to switch between games, as each game may require different settings. A front end can provide the end user with a seamless experience from selecting to playing games.
There are many front ends available, each with their own strengths and weaknesses.
Please check the table on the [[Front-Ends]] wiki page for features of various front ends.

== Other useful software ==
{{Main|Utilities}}
The community has produced many small tools and utilities to enhance the home arcade experience. Some utilities are used to overcome a shortcoming of an emulator or the operating system, others are created to support a specific piece of hardware.
Utilities may include [[Utilities#Input Mapping Software|input mapping software]] to redirect keystrokes to joystick buttons (or vice versa), tools to [[Utilities#Video Tools|manipulate the video display]] - for example switch between horizontal and vertical orientation of the display.

= Forum tips for asking questions that get good/faster answers: =
* Search first, somebody else has probably encountered this problem before -- don't ask people to retype the same old answers to the same old questions.
* Take your time editing the post so it is specific, clear, and easy to read.
* Whenever possible, include decent pics/screencaps/diagrams/part numbers/links.
* Include software/OS versions if applicable.
* Include your location when asking about parts/vendors or electrical wiring. (different countries use different wire colors and/or voltages)

'''DISCLAIMER:''' The authors of the document linked below ask that we remind you that they are not a help desk for your project.

More useful tips on asking smart questions [http://www.catb.org/esr/faqs/smart-questions.html here].

:''[[#top|Back to the top of this document]]''

=Help make this wiki even better=
You are welcome to contribute to this wiki. Take a look at the [[Community Portal]] for more information on how to help out. To contribute as an author or editor, you first need to create an account on the [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/ BYOAC forum] and then post in [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,136208.msg1407831.html#msg1407831 this thread] of the forum. One of the wiki moderators ([[User:Saint|Saint]], [[User:Felsir|Felsir]], or [[User:PL1|PL1]]) will help you get started.

=Resources and acknowledgments=
The inspiration for this FAQ is the MAME FAQ written in 2003 by CitznFish. It is available via the [http://web.archive.org/web/20081006130304/http://www.arcade-at-home.com/mame_faq.html Internet Wayback Machine]. 
The collective experience found on [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com the Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum]. 
Images used in the [[#Types_of_cabs|types of cabs]] section are based on the Sketchup models made by [http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/cldetails?clid=4ac3dc12784cb20bd06e6be4f8954ac Gozer]. 

[[Category:Index]]

FAQ

2016-06-06T02:16:20Z

PL1: /* What type of encoder(s) do I need? */

This page is intended for those who want to build their own arcade machine or classic game controllers. If you're planning to restore an existing arcade cabinet, please take a look at the topic [[restoration]].

There are a dizzying variety of skills, disciplines, methods, materials, and resources involved in this hobby. This FAQ is intended to provide a a general overview of basic topics and common terms for newcomers to the arcade and emulation community. It is designed to be a starting point for choosing useful search terms and asking better/more effective questions in the BYOAC Forums.

= Cabinet Basics =
{{Main|Basics}}
Arcade cabinets (often shortened to 'cabs') are gaming machines that include the screen to display the game, controls to play the game and the computer hardware that runs the game.

== Types of cabs ==
{{Main|Arcade Cabinet}}
Arcade cabinets come in various shapes and sizes. Commercially build and operated cabinets are often build to play a single game and are therefore created to match the target audience or recreate the atmosphere of the game.

=== Standing ===
A standing cabinet is the most common cabinet in North America and Europe. Players stand in front of the machine while playing the game.

* '''Regular''', the iconic, archetype, arcade cabinet. The monitor is usually above waist height with the [[marquee]] overhanging.
* '''Cabaret''', a slightly smaller version of the regular cabinet. The [[marquee]] is often located between the control panel and coin door.
* '''Low-boy''', a standup cabinet where the [[marquee]] is in the same plane as the monitor making the cabinet much lower, hence the name.
* '''Pedestal''', a arcade where the screen is not part of the arcade setup. The monitor could be a TV or projection attached to a wall.
* '''Showcase''', a setup where the screen is in a separate housing as the [[control panel]] but still visually part of one setup. Setups like this usually feature a large screen positioned in such way that onlookers may view the action. The 'showcase' may both refer to the player being able to showcase his or her gaming skill as to the elaborate arcade setup itself.

[[File:StandingArcades.png|center]]
<center>Example standing cabinets next to an adult man for size comparison, from left to right: ''Regular'', ''Low-boy'' and ''Showcase''.</center>

=== Seated ===
Seated cabinets come in two distinct categories; arcade cabinets intended to sit at for easier long play sessions or themed cabinets that involve an activity where sitting down mimics the action of the game (such as driving a car).

* '''Candy''', the most common cabinet in Japan. The cabinets are often made of hard plastic - the shiny plastic appearance led to them being called 'candy cabinets'. These cabinets are quite similar to standup cabinets except that they are lower and often have a larger [[control panel]] surface. ''See also [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Japanese_arcade_cabinets List of Japanese cabinets on Wikipedia]].

* '''Cocktail''', the most common sit-down type in North America. An arcade that resembles a table with the screen embedded in the table surface. The surface is made of hardened glass so people can place their drinks on it.

*'''Cockpit''', an arcade that mimics the cockpit of a racecar, fighter plane or spacecraft. The controls are often matched to the type of vehicle portrayed, such as a [[Driving_Controls|steering wheel]], [[Driving_Controls#Pedals|pedals]], [[Driving_Controls#Shifters|gear shifter]] or [[Driving_Controls#Flight_Yokes|flight yoke]].

*'''Ride-on''', similar to the cockpit arcade, a ride-on often is build specific to the activity of the game(s) played. Ride-on cabinets may feature a motorbike or jet ski seat but also less obvious vehicles such as a minecart.

[[File:SitdownArcades.png|center]]
<center>Example sitdown cabinets next to an adult man for size comparison, from left to right ''cocktail'', ''candy'' and ''cockpit''.</center>

=== Small ===
Another category of cabinets are the small size cabinets.

*'''Mini''', a small version of a cabinet resized to suit play for children.

*'''Bartop''', a portable cabinet that can be placed on top of a table (or as the name suggests, on the bartop in a pub or diner).

*'''Barstick''', a bartop without a built-in display. It is usually connected to a TV.

*'''Micro''', micro cabinets are extremely scaled down cabinets. Building a functioning micro cabinet provides experiences cabinet builders a new challenge. Micro cabinets provide a eye catching model for display.

=== Other ===
Some arcade cabinets are built for a single gametype or purpose.

*'''Digital Pinball Table''', a digital pinball machine is designed to look and act like an actual pinball machine with the ball(s), lighting, playfield and backglass replaced by monitors and pinball simulation software. {{Also|Pinball}}

== Parts of a cabinet ==
{{Main|Arcade_Cabinet#Anatomy_of_a_cabinet}}
Arcade cabinets vary in size and complexity but they generally comprise the same basic features as shown on this diagram.
 
[[image:generic_with_numbers.png|left|400px]]

# '''Marquee'''. Back-lit artwork that displays the cabinet's name.
# '''Marquee retainers'''. A part to keep the marquee in place. Allows easy replacement of the marquee graphic.
# '''Speaker panel'''. The panel which holds the speakers.
# '''Monitor bezel'''. A part that surrounds and masks the monitor in the cabinet. In some arcades the bezel also features artwork.
# '''Control panel'''. Holds the joysticks, buttons and other controls needed to play the games.
# '''T-molding'''. T-molding is used to finish and protect the edges of the woodwork.
# '''Coin door'''. A coindoor to accept coins for play.

 

=Building your own Arcade=
{{Main|Building}}

== What type of build meets my needs? ==
One common pitfall of arcade building is trying to build a cab to "play everything" and ending up with a monster of a control panel often nicknamed a [[frankenpanel]] by the community. Consider what you want to achieve and what your limitations are before starting to build.

#'''Start by considering where you want to put/use the cab.''' Measure the doorways so you can actually move the arcade from the place of construction to the gameroom. Consider what type of cab (upright, sitdown, cocktail, bartop, etc.) will fit your circumstances. Consider possible reflections of windows/lamps on the monitor and power outlet availability.
#'''Make a list of the games, emulators, and front end you want to use.''' This list should include any "can't live without" games and will help you choose a suitable computer. Check the [http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Multi-Player_Games multi-player], [http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Joysticks#Games_with_Dual_Joysticks dual joystick], [http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Joysticks#Mechanical_Rotary_Joystick_Games_.28LS-30.2C_Happ_Mechanical_Rotary_Sticks.29 rotary joystick], [http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Joysticks#Analog_Joysticks analog joystick/yoke], [http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Light_Guns#Lightgun_Games_List lightgun], and [http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Spinners_and_Dials#Which_games_originally_used_a_spinner spinner] gamelists to see if there are enough "can't live without" games in each list to justify including these specialized controls in your build.
#'''Consider the number of simultaneous players you want to support.''' Keep in mind that more players means adapting your [[control panel]]; the more controls the more room you'll need (space might be an issue). If you plan to support more than 2 players, make sure all players have a good view of the screen. Also more players probably means a bigger budget- keep in mind that there are alternatives like using USB joypads for letting other players join in or using a 2-player version of a 4-player game like Gauntlet, TMNT, or X-Men.
#'''Figure out what kind/quantity of controls you'll need to support the games and emulators on your list.''' Go through the list to determine what controls you will need. [[Joysticks]] come in many variants such as 4-way, 8-way, and analog. Some games or consoles require analog controls. Keep in mind that some controls can be used as alternative: for example a [[Trackballs|trackball]] might also work as a [[spinner]] or mouse. A spinner might also work as a [[Driving_Controls#Optical_.28360_degree_wheels.29|steering wheel]]. Note that reusing controls is also subject to personal preference and is an often discussed subject within the community.
#'''What computer do you want/need to use.''' Newer games means a newer computer. If you already have a computer you plan to use, try some [[emulators]] on it to see what games it is capable of running - cross check this with the games you want to play.
#'''That will lead you to what [[emulators]] and other [[software]] like [[Front-Ends|front-ends]] you want/need.''' [[Emulators]] are programs that can make the computer act as a (retro)gaming system such as an [[Arcade_Emulators|arcade machine]] or [[Game_Consoles|game consoles]]. Do you want the players to be able to switch games? There are many programs where players can select and start games (this kind of software programs are known as [[Front-Ends|front-ends]]. Configuring the computer to run old games is also part of the hobby!
#'''Choose your encoder'''. The [[encoders|encoder]] is a specialized piece of electronics that connects the controls to the computer. There are several vendors that sell encoders, it is also possible to create your own by hacking a keyboard or gamepad. It is usually much easier to buy an encoder from a vendor instead. A few things to keep in mind when selecting an encoder such as the number of supported inputs (how many buttons can you connect) support for analogue devices (trackball, spinner etc.).
#'''What is the artwork/theme/design you want to use?''' [[Overview_%26_Options_to_Consider|Picking the artwork or theme]] early may help you selecting the colors of the [[Pushbuttons|buttons]] or [[T-Molding|t-molding]]. It may also affect the way you want to arrange the buttons on the controlpanel or the size of the marquee.
#'''Arrange the controls on the control panel.''' It is highly encouraged to create a mockup panel out of cardboard, hardboard, or even MDF to test the layout. This enables you to "feel" if the controls are in the right place and the control panel is comfortable to play. [http://slagcoin.com/joystick/layout.html Slagcoin] has many printable button layouts.
#'''Select a monitor.''' What kind of monitor do you plan to use? Consider that the size may affect the dimensions of the cabinet. Keep in mind that many arcade games have the monitor in portrait mode (while these are still playable on a landscape oriented monitor, the games will often be scaled down). Some emulators can use special effects (shaders) to simulate the appearance of an old CRT monitor on LCD (flat panel) monitors, this usually requires a decent videocard.
#'''Design the rest of the cab around the monitor and control panel.''' The control panel and monitor often dictate the required dimensions for the rest of the cabinet. Keep also in mind the considerations at point 1 in this list!

There are many more topics to explore such as [[Rotating_Monitor|rotating monitors]], swappable control panels, and [[Modular_Control_Panels|modular control panels]]. This list is by no means complete but it should provide a solid foundation for you to start designing your own cab!

== What is the difference between an original arcade cab and a MAME cab? ==
An original arcade cabinet refers to a cabinet designed for commecial operation. These cabinets are often crafted for a specific game or specific type of dedicated arcade (computer) hardware.
A MAME cabinet is the collective name for a cabinet intended to simulate the arcade experience. These cabinets are usually configured to allow users to play many different games.

Some original arcade cabinets have electronic components like Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) or monitors that are missing or damaged beyond restoration. Sometimes replacement parts are impossible to find or outrageously expensive. Sometimes the artwork or body of the cabinet is badly damaged. Problems like these can make restoring a commonly-available cabinet so difficult or expensive that it '''clearly''' isn't worth preserving. Cabs like those are possible candidates to convert to a MAME cabinet. Remember to preserve as much as possible and, as the saying goes, "Please don't maim for MAME."

Also note that the name MAME cabinet refers to the [[Emulators|emulator]] [[MAME]], but in many cases several other emulators are used to play games. MAME is the most common emulator to play arcade games.

== What is JAMMA/JAMMA+? ==
{{Main|JAMMA}}
[[Image:Jamma.png|thumbnail|300px|JAMMA connector]]JAMMA is a wiring standard developed in 1985 by Japan Amusement Machine and Marketing Association, Inc. It allows you to easily change between JAMMA compatible game boards without re-wiring the cabinet.
If you plan to build your own arcade from scratch with your own PC, the JAMMA standard does not apply; it is an industry standard.

The JAMMA standard uses a 56-pin edge connector on the board with inputs and outputs common to most video games.
JAMMA Games that have more than 3 action buttons, more than 2 players, or different control types use the JAMMA+ standard.

The JAMMA standard enables you to hook an original arcade cabinet to a PC using a [[Keyboard_Encoders#J-PAC|J-PAC]] encoder. This allows you to use the existing controls to play emulated games.
{{Also|Connecting a PC to an Arcade Cabinet}}

If you have JAMMA compatible game circuit boards, you will need JAMMA compatible arcade hardware to be able to play them.

The Real Bob Roberts™ JAMMA links:
*[http://homearcade.org/BBBB/newjam.html JAMMA pinout]
*[http://homearcade.org/BBBB/jh.html JAMMA harness bundling]
*[http://homearcade.org/BBBB/plus.html JAMMA+ wiring]

= Controls =
{{Main|Controls}}
Authentic controls and [[Control panel|control panels]] give you that original arcade feel.

== Joystick Types ==
{{Main|Joysticks}}
A Joystick is a device to let you manually control direction of movement in an arcade game. When selecting the correct joystick for your setup, keep in mind the games you wish to play. Note that there are also [[Joysticks#Games_with_Dual_Joysticks|games that use dual joysticks]].

===2-way===
2-way joysticks register movement along either the X-axis '''or''' Y-axis. These joysticks are operated by triggering [[Working with Microswitches|microswitches]] or leaf switches which means these are absolute -- either movement in a direction is triggered or not. 4-way or 8-way joysticks can be used as physically-restricted 2-way joysticks by using a slot-shaped restrictor plate.

===4/8-way===
4-way and 8-way joysticks register movement along the X-axis '''and''' Y-axis. These joysticks are operated by triggering [[Working with Microswitches|microswitches]] or leaf switches which means these are absolute -- either movement in a direction is triggered or not. Both 4-way and 8-way joysticks have 4 microswitches or leaf switches. The difference between 4-way and 8-way joysticks is that a 4-way stick can only activate one switch (up, down, left, or right) at a time, but an 8-way stick can register up to two switches (up+right, etc.) at a time. Some joysticks have a restrictor plate that limits/defines the joystick's range of motion, allowing you to select 4/8-way operation. There are also models that can automatically switch between physical 4-way and 8-way restriction using a motor/actuator controlled by software.

===Analog===
Analog joystics can discern how far the handle has been pushed from the center position. This type of joystick is often used where the player must be able to control the movement in a smooth way, for example pushing the joystick further also makes the game character move faster in the chosen direction.

===Speciality joysticks===
Speciality joysticks include [[Joysticks#49-Way_Joysticks|49-way joysticks]], [[Joysticks#Rotary_Joysticks|rotary joysticks]], [[Joysticks#TRON_joysticks|TRON joysticks]] and joysticks with a trigger and/or one or more buttons.

== Buttons ==
{{Main|Pushbuttons}}
{{Also|Working with Microswitches}}
{{Also|Wiring Push Buttons and Conventional Digital Joysticks}}

Pushbuttons are the simplest and most common form of control consisting of a momentary switch that makes contact when pressed.
Buttons come in various colors, shapes and sizes. Round buttons are usually used on control panels.

Pushuttons with 3 tabs have Common (Com), Normally Open (NO), and Normally Closed (NC) connections in a SPDT configuration.

Pushbuttons with 2 tabs are in a SPST configuration.

===Layout===
The placement of buttons (and joysticks) is often influenced by personal preference. It is wise to consider using one of the common layouts used in the arcade industry, as these were designed to allow players to reach and rest their fingers on buttons with minimal hand strain. The [http://www.slagcoin.com/joystick/layout.html Slagcoin] website has a list of descriptions and printable layouts that are '''highly''' recommended reference material.

Before constructing a control panel, a cardboard mockup often gives you a good impression if the controls are comfortable to use.

===Number of player buttons===
The number of player buttons (buttons used during gameplay) to put on your panel is determined by the the games you plan to play. Most fighting games used 6 buttons in a 2 rows of 3 buttons configuration. The [[Neo-Geo]] used 4 buttons in a single row. Some people combine these two layouts in a 2 row layout with 3 buttons on one row and four on the other.

Note that no arcade machine uses more than 4 buttons for players three and four.

If you are making a dedicated cab for 4-way joystick games, you will only need 2 player buttons unless you want to include:

'''4-way joystick 3 button games'''
* Iron Horse
* Punch Out!!
'''4-way joystick 4 button games'''
* Mouse Trap
* Super Punch-Out!!

===Number of admin buttons===
Commonly used admin buttons/function include P1/P2 Start (1/2), P1/P2 Coin (5/6), Pause (P) and Exit. (ESC)

To keep guests or children from accidently messing up their cab configuration, many individuals choose to not include a Menu (Tab) button and disable the shifted function for Menu. (P1 Start + joystick right on I-Pac)

There are several schools of thought concerning admin buttons -- some people prefer dedicated admin buttons, while others prefer using "shifted functions".

'''Dedicated admin buttons:'''
*'''PRO +''' Button functions can be clearly labeled on the panel art or using inserts in translucent buttons.
*'''CON -''' Too many buttons can be confusing and make a panel look cluttered.

Commonly used dedicated admin buttons include P1/P2 Start, P1/P2 Coin, ESC (exit), Pause, and others. Some console emulators may also require additional functions so be sure to install and configure desired emulators '''before''' building your panel.

'''"Shifted functions":'''
*'''PRO +''' Can make the panel look less cluttered.
*'''CON -''' When the "shift" button is pressed, any button pressed at the same time will output the associated shifted function. This may trigger an unintended function (exit, pause, menu, etc.) during a multi-player co-op game when one player performs a shifted function and the other player continues playing.

"Shifted functions" require a button/input to act as the "shift" button -- P1 Start on the IPac, HWB on the KADE, and Shazaaam! on the KeyWiz.

Pressing P1 Start and P2 Start will cause an IPac to output ESC. (exit)

Include an instruction card on the control panel overlay or screen bezel so family members and guests can figure out how to operate the cab.

===Illuminated buttons===
{{Main|Lighting}}
Many vendors sell illuminted single-color buttons and/or RGB (Red/Green/Blue) LED lighting kits for pushbuttons.

Illuminated buttons can be wired directly to a power source for constant single-color illumination '''or''' you can change brightness (single-color or RGB) or color (RGB) using software and a USB LED controller board like the LED-Wiz or the PacLED64.

== Trackballs ==
{{Main|Trackballs}}
A Trackball is a large ball that can be pushed in any direction to control an arcade game. Trackballs provide precise analog control, much like a mouse.

== Spinners ==
{{Main|Spinners}}
A Spinner is a knob that can be spun rapidly in either direction to move an on-screen paddle or character. Spinners provide precise analog control like a mouse, but act only along one axis.

== Other specialized controls ==
{{Also|:Category:Controls}}

Yokes, steering wheels, trigger stick, rotary joysticks, light guns, etc.

== USB gamepads/controllers ==
One way to expand the number of games that you can play (without turning your control panel into a "Frankenpanel") is to use gamepads or controllers plugged into external USB ports.

USB gamepads allow you to add Players 3+4 to a 2-player cab or play console games that use "shoulder buttons" or two analogue joysticks per player (''twin stick shooters'').

You can also add controllers with specialized controls like an analog flightstick for Afterburner or rotary joysticks for Ikari Warriors. Another option is to add controllers with specialized layouts for Defender or Asteroids.

=Construction=
{{Main|Building}}
Building your own arcade cabinet or controller can be a rewarding experience. The construction itself involves various disciplines from woodworking, electronics and design. While some people in the community have produced exceptional cabinets, everyone with some practice and dedication can build a cabinet.
The wiki has an [[Build an OND designed cab Metropolis|example project]] with images to give an impression of how a cabinet is built.

== What tools do I need? ==
{{Main|Hand Tools}}
{{Main|Power Tools}}
Building your own arcade machine is no simple task and requires the correct tools as well as the knowledge of how to use each one correctly and safely.
Keep the safety guidelines in mind for each tool in when using them!
[[File:Ond_tools.jpg|center]]

== Design ==
{{Main|Technical design software}}
Planning is everything is this hobby. To make sure your design fits together as you had in mind it is wise to sketch out your designs first. Regular paper sketches with measurements might suit your needs. There is also software (some available for free) to help design your cabinet. Often community members share their designs in digital files. [http://www.sketchup.com Sketchup] is quite popular, but other software such as Microsoft Visio works as well.

== What type of wood to use? ==
{{Main|Wood products}}
In building an arcade cabinet, several types of materials are available to you. Each has its strengths and weaknesses. The most common used materials are [[Wood_products#MDF|MDF]], [[Wood_products#Plywood|Plywood]] and [[Wood_products#MDO|MDO]].

== What thickness and materials to use for the Control Panel? ==
Many people use [[Wood_products#MDF|MDF]], [[Wood_products#Plywood|Plywood]] or [[Wood_products#MDO|MDO]] since they are easy to work with.

Some use metal.

Some control panel artwork comes with a thin polycarbonate lamination that protects the artwork from wear and tear, but artwork without it needs to be protected using 1/8" plexiglass, polycarbonate, or acrylic.

Plexiglass is usually held down by the pushbuttons/nuts.

If you are using [[T-Molding|T-Molding]], the combined thickness of all the layers needs to add up to the width of the T-Molding.

For example, 5/8" MDF + artwork + 1/8" plexiglass = 3/4" T-Molding.

If you aren't able to find T-molding that matches the thickness of the layers, you can use a chamfer or roundover router bit to angle the lower edge of the control panel.

[[File:T-molding regular and offset 2.jpg|center]]

== Mounting controls in the control panel==
Part of planning is reviewing the mounting options. Some controls require clearance on either side for mounting. When in doubt, tt is advised to use a cardboard mockup to verify the clearances of the controls.

===Hardware===
There are three types of hardware commonly used to mount joysticks.

This hardware is purchased separately from the joystick due to the variety of mounting options and methods.

'''Carriage Bolts:'''
Carriage bolts have a rounded top and a square base slightly larger than the threads.
*'''PRO +''' Strongest mounting method.
*'''CON -''' Visible bolt heads can distract from artwork.

'''Tee Nuts/T-Nuts:'''
The two common styles have either prongs or holes for small nails to keep the nuts from turning when screws are tightened/loosened. The kind with the nails is usually a better choice than the kind with prongs because it's much easier to drill tiny pilot holes for nails than it is to drive prongs into dense MDF.
*'''PRO +''' Almost as strong as carriage bolts.
*'''PRO +''' Can be hidden in a shallow countersink.
*'''CON -''' Requires more work to prepare a smooth surface for paint or vinyl artwork.
*'''PRO/CON''' Use a piece of tape to ensure that wood putty does not get into the threads of the nut, otherwise the hardened putty may be pushed up when you tighten the screw and damage the smooth surface.
*'''PRO/CON''' Screws used must be long enough to engage the tee nut, but not so long that they break through the top of the control panel.

'''Threaded Inserts:'''
These are preferred over wood screws in materials such as MDF. Regardless of what kind of thread geometry the wood screw has, with MDF you can only tighten it reliably '''once'''. When you loosen and retighten a screw in MDF it pulps and strips it. Good threaded inserts for MDF have very wide/flat/thin outer threads that cut into the MDF and keep the insert from backing out when the machine screws are loosened. The negative example below has outer threads that are too narrow to work properly with MDF. Threads on the inside allow you to remove/replace the machine screws in the event you want to replace the joystick.
*'''PRO +''' Easiest way to leave a smooth surface for paint or vinyl artwork.
*'''PRO/CON''' Screws used must be long enough to engage the insert, but not so long that they break through the top of the control panel.

<center>
<gallery>
Image:CarriageBolt.jpg|Carriage bolt
Image:TeeNuts.jpg|Tee-nuts
image:GGGThreadedInserts.jpg|Threaded insert kit. Photo © IDVT Inc. / [http://groovygamegear.com/webstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=70&products_id=317 GroovyGameGear.com], Used with permission.
Image:UltimarcThreadedInserts.jpg|Threaded insert kit. Photo © [http://www.ultimarc.com/controls.html Ultimarc.com], Used with permission.
Image:BadThreadedInsert.jpg|Wrong inserts for MDF: the threads are too small on this type
</gallery>
</center>

===Push buttons===
Most push buttons mount in a round hole -- usually 1-1/8" (28mm) or 30mm. Most push buttons are (from a construction point of view) similar to a nut and bolt: the threaded end is below the control panel and held in place by a nut. Some push buttons have flexible tabs that lock in place under the panel. This type of button is usually used with metal control panels.
<center><gallery>
File:PushButtonThreaded.png|Threaded button
File:PushButtonLockingTab.png|Locking-tab button
</gallery></center>

===Joysticks===
There are several ways to mount a joystick in a control panel.
<center>
<gallery widths=180px heights=180px>
File:Joystickmount-top.png|Top mount
File:Joystickmount-under.png|Under mount (threaded inserts)
File:Joystickmount-undertnuts.png|Under mount (tee-nuts)
File:Joystickmount-underrecessed.png|Under mount (recessed, countersunk screws)
File:Joystickmount-supportblocks.png|Under mount (support blocks)
File:Joystickmount-toprecessed.png|Top mount (recessed)
</gallery>
</center>

* '''Top mount''' The joystick is mounted on top of the control panel; for this a larger hole must be cut in the panel to accomodate the base of the joystick. A top mounted joystick adds a raised plate on top of the panel which is generally undesired if any artwork is to be added to the control panel. Also screws cannot be countersunk using this method. Carriage bolts are commonly used for this mounting configuration.

* '''Under mount''' The joystick is mounted underneath the control panel. Countersunk fasteners or threaded inserts leave a flat surface for comfortable play and application of artwork. The downside to this method is either the loss of joystick height '''or''' an increase in the distance the stick must travel to actuate the switches. countersunk screws/bolts, tee-nuts or threaded inserts are commonly used for this mounting configuration.

* '''Under mount (recessed)''' The joystick is mounted underneath the control panel. An area is cleared using a router to sink the joystick into the wood; this gives the joystick more height for play. Tee-nuts/T-nuts, countersunk screws/bolts, or threaded inserts are commonly used for this mounting configuration.

* '''Under mount (support blocks)''' The joystick is securely supported inside a recessed gap using blocks held in place by a metal plate or flat metal bars secured to the control panel by threaded inserts or tee-nuts. [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,130690.msg1345990.html#msg1345990 This forum topic] has an excellent example of this method. The photos below are from the forum topic, used with permission from [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=profile;u=62783 EMDB].
<center>
<gallery>
File:emdb_1.jpg|1: Routed area
File:emdb_2.jpg|2: Fitting joystick
File:emdb_3.jpg|3: Added support blocks
File:emdb_4.jpg|4: Threaded inserts
File:emdb_5.jpg|5: Plate to secure the joystick
</gallery>
</center>
[[image:TopRecessed.jpg|right|thumb| Top mount (recessed) example]]
* '''Top mount (recessed)'''. If (1) the joystick shaft is ''very'' short, (2) you don't want the joystick mounting plate exposed, and (3) need the strongest shallow-mount option available, use a top mount (recessed) configuration. The cover piece can be secured using countersunk screws as shown or a cover piece the size of the whole control panel can be held in place by the push buttons. See [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,129964.msg1329715.html#msg1329715 this topic] with an example and explanation of this method. The down-side of using this method is that it is much more difficult to remove and replace joysticks than with the other methods.

 
====Orientation====
It is important to note that joysticks should ''always'' be mounted parallel to the screen since it is intuitive for a player to move the joystick in relation to the action on the screen. This might seem not obvious in 4-player designs, but experience has proved that this holds true even if the player is standing diagonal towards the screen. Therefore it is advised not to angle joysticks for players 3 and 4. P3 joystick is shown parallel, while P4 joystick is shown angled.[[Image:StraightAndAngledSticks.jpg|center|460px|P3=straight, P4=angled]]

The three notable exceptions to this rule are the [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,129696.msg1326815.html#msg1326815 diagonal games] Q*bert, Q*bert's Qubes, and Congo Bongo. The 4-way joystick is angled 45 degrees clockwise -- up relative to stick = up+right relative to the monitor. Since your on-screen character can ''only'' move in diagonals, this keeps the joystick up/down/left/right directions aligned with the on-screen action.

===Trackballs===
{{Also|Trackball Mounting}}

Mounting a trackball in a wood panel is often done with the aid of a mounting plate or kit.

If you aren't using a mounting plate, there are several tools that are good for cutting the large circular hole.
*Holesaw
*Dremel tool circle cutter attachment
*Router circle cutter attachment
*Adjustable circle cutter

There is further information and several useful links in [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,138552.msg1432066.html#msg1432066 this] post.

= Encoders =
{{Main|Encoders}}
An [[Encoders|encoder]] is a device that interfaces between the controls and the computer running the games. In the early days of the hobby, keyboard or gamepad encoders were often re-used/hacked by soldering wires to the connection points. Today [[vendors]] have different kinds of encoder circuit boards to make the process much easier and more reliable. Encoders usually connect to the PC using [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usb USB] or [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PS/2_port PS/2] connectors.

== What type of encoder(s) do I need? ==
There are four basic types of encoders presently available:
*[[Keyboard Encoders]] When using this, the computer will interpret the connected controls as if it was a keyboard.
:'''PRO +''' Most games are able to use the keyboard inputs.
:'''PRO +''' Most encoders come preconfigured with an arcade configuration.
:'''PRO +''' Keyboard encoders can support multiple players (see also ''[[#How_many_encoder_inputs_do_I_need_for_my_control_panel.3F|how many encoder inputs do I need]]'').
:'''CON -''' Can only handle digital (either 'key down' or 'key up') inputs.
:'''CON -''' Certain key combinations [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,149393.msg1559496.html#msg1559496 described here] can cause accidental loss of focus or other undesired functions.
:'''PRO/CON''' Most 4-player encoders have overlapping keys [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,133021.msg1368637.html#msg1368637 described here] that you may want to reprogram.

*[[Gamepad Encoders]] When using this, the computer will interpret the connected controls as if it was a gamepad.
:'''PRO +''' Usually plug-and-play.
:'''PRO +''' Gamepad Encoders that support analog (potentiometer) controls are called [[Analog_Encoders|Analog Encoders]].
:'''CON -''' Usually one player per encoder (as one gamepad per player).
:'''CON -''' Not all software supports gamepads.

*[[Rotary Encoders]] A rotary encoder is required to interface rotary mechanical joysticks like the ones used for Ikari Warriors.
:'''PRO +''' Most models have additional gamepad or keyboard inputs.

*[[Optical Encoders|Optical (Mouse) Encoders]] An optical encoder can connect devices such as trackballs, spinners, or rotary optical joysticks. The computer will interpret the connected controls as if it were a mouse.
:'''PRO +''' A trackball can act as a mouse.

Note that some vendors combine keyboard and optical encoders in one circuit board.

Choosing the right encoder depends on the types of software you plan to use. If, for example, you plan to play games that only support gamepads, it is wise to choose an encoder of the gamepad type. Identify the input capabilities of the software you plan to use and choose accordingly. Also certain types of controls (rotary joysticks, trackballs and spinners) require a specific encoder to be able to connect to the computer.

For some input types a software conversion is possible - for example the program "joy2key" is able to convert gamepad controls into keyboard strokes.

== How many encoder inputs do I need for my control panel? ==
The encoder(s) you choose must be able to support all the controls you plan to use. Check the vendor-supplied information to determine the quantity and type of inputs each encoder can handle.

'''Digital inputs (IPac, KADE, KeyWiz, Mini-Pac, UHID, etc.)'''

*4-way or 8-way joystick - 4 inputs
*Pushbutton - 1 input
*Coin-slot microswitch - 1 input
*Pedal (microswitch) - 1 input

'''Optical inputs - each axis uses 5v, ground, and two data lines (Mini-Pac, OptiWiz, UHID, etc.)'''
*Trackball - 2 axes (NOTE: Some come with a USB or PS/2 adapter)
*Spinner/360 degree wheel - 1 axis

'''Analog inputs - each axis uses 5v, ground and one wiper (A-Pac, KADESTICK, UHID, etc.)'''
*Analog joystick - 2 axes
*Paddle/270 degree wheel - 1 axis
*Pedal (potentiometer) - 1 axis

KADE extended mode (20 inputs ==> 26 functions + 20 shifted functions) or shifted functions can increase the number of controls connected to your encoder. Pros and cons to shifted functions are mentioned in the [[FAQ#Number_of_admin_buttons|Number of admin buttons]] section.

= Basic wiring =
{{Also|Wiring Push Buttons and Conventional Digital Joysticks}}

== Quick disconnect sizes ==
For easy connection/disconnection, many joysticks and switches use standard sized tabs. Compatible connectors are named "quick disconnect terminals". (QDs)

Most microswitches use 0.187" (4.8 mm) QDs and some use 0.250" (6 mm) QDs. Most two tab buttons (Sanwa, Seimitsu, Goldleaf, etc.) and leaf switches use 0.110" QDs. (2.8 mm). Check the product description or measure the tabs to ensure you get the the correct size.
<center>
<gallery widths=220px heights=220px>
File:QuickDisconnectsFemale.png|Female quick disconnect terminals
File:QuickDisconnectsMale.png|Male quick disconnect terminals
</gallery>
</center>
The color-coded plastic insulation sleeve indicates the size wire(s) that the terminal is designed for. Red is used for 18-22 AWG wire, blue is used for 14-16 AWG, and yellow is used for 10-12 AWG.

== Soldering ==
Soldering is another option for connecting wires to components. Soldering electronics is a specialist skill which requires practise.

Soldering is the process of joining two metal components by melting a filler (the solder) between them. Often the joining process is accelerated by the use of a flux liquid to clean/prepare the surfaces. A soldered joint is semi permanent - the joint can be broken by melting the solder again.

A good solder connection will have both good mechanical connection (physically strong) '''and''' good electrical connection. (low resistance)

After soldering, always clean the joint and surrounding area with a cotton swab dipped in isopropyl alcohol to remove any residual flux and solder.

See also: [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,129317.msg1322370.html#msg1322370 Soldering tutorial]

== Commonly used wire sizes ==
Most control panels use between 20AWG and 30AWG wire to connect controls. AWG stands for [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_wire_gauge American Wire Gauge].
22AWG stranded wire is a popular choice -- small enough to work with fairly easily, big enough for solid crimp connections and carrying current for many LED setups.

See Wikipedia for other wire gauges [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_wire_gauge British Standard Wire Gauge], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEC_60228 IEC 60228] and [http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/28/Gauge_Chart.pdf Gauge comparison chart].

== How do I wire microswitches to an encoder? ==
The illustration demonstrates a common way of connecting the microswitches. Please read the topic [[Working with Microswitches]] for a detailed description of the microswitch connectors.
<center>
[[Image:PushbuttonMicroswitchWire.png|300px]]
</center>
Wires 1 and 2 go to the Encoder input for the function you want the push button to activate. For example if the left button is the "Player 1 Start" button, the red wire labelled "1" goes to the corresponding input on the encoder. Note how the black wire labelled "3" is connected to the COM tab of both microswitches. The black daisy-chain ground wire goes to the ground connecter of the encoder.

<center>
[[Image:PushbuttonMicroswitchWire1a.png|620px]]
</center>
The first schematic shows the same switches and wires connected to encoder (gray) input 1, input 2, and ground.

With no buttons pressed, the encoder inputs and wires have 5v connected to them, but like a light switch that is off, there is no path for current flow through the inputs.

The other schematics show the encoder registering a button press when ground is connected to the input which allows current to flow through that part of the circuit like flipping a light switch to turn on a light.

== Power wiring ==
{{Template:DisclaimerElectricity}}
[[image:IECPowerSwitch.jpg|right|thumb|IEC power inlet with fuse and lighted switch]]
One popular choice for neatly bringing power into a cab is a power inlet with an IEC320 C14 socket.

Some of them have built-in switches and/or fuse holders.

A number of vendors carry similar products with several different types of switches.

See [[Wiring#IEC_Fused_Power_Inlet_with_a_Lighted_Switch]] for details.

 

=Illuminating your cabinet=
{{Main|Lighting}}
{{Also|Finishing}}

== LED Lighting ==
Most arcade LEDs are designed to run on either 5v or 12v circuits.

You can use 12v LEDs powered by 5v for extremely-low power consumption -- commonly used for standalone USB control panels to avoid the use of a second cable for LED power.

== Single color buttons ==
These are lit by a single-color LED.

== RGB buttons ==
Can be hard-wired to operate like single color buttons, but the most common way to use these LEDs is with a controller.

These LEDs have 4 wires: Operating voltage (yellow or black wire), red ground, green ground, and blue ground.

[http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,121965.msg1294271.html#msg1294271 This forum topic] has a comparison of various RGB lighting modules and push buttons.

== LED controllers ==
An LED controller allows the computer to switch LEDs on and off, change the brightness and (in the case of RGB LEDs) change the color. This allows you to illuminate buttons based on what game is being played or create animated light displays.

Several vendors sell LED controller boards for this purpose. Commonly used controllers are LED-Wiz, Pac-LED64, Pac-Drive, and U-HID.

The software [http://www.ledblinky.net/ledblinky.htm LEDBlinky] can be used to drive the controllers. The LEDBlinky software is compatible with various [[Front-Ends|Front end software]].

= Displays =
{{Main|Video}}
Displays come in two basic types: CRT and Flatscreen. Both have advantages and disadvantages.
CRT stands for [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathode_ray_tube Cathode Ray Tube] and works by sending beams of electrons to a fluorescent screen. CRT displays in the consumer markets are becomming less and less common in favor of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flatscreen flatscreen displays]. Flatscreen displays are available in LCD, LED, OLED, and plasma variants -- each with their own strengths and weaknesses but are generally categorised by availability and pricepoint.
A small number of arcade cabinets used speciality displays such as backscreen projection.

See also the [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,45137.0.html Monitor FAQ] topic on the forums.

== Differences: pros/cons ==
'''Arcade CRT monitor''' The arcade monitor offers the best arcade experience as these are the monitors used in the original cabinets. These monitors are hard to find. These monitors usually support low resolutions (which may or may not be a con, depending on the types of games you plan to play). {{Also|Arcade Monitors}}

*'''PRO +''' Offer a real arcade experience.
*'''CON -''' Hard to find.
*'''CON -''' Requires a special videocard to use with a PC.

'''CRT television''' The CRT television can be used as a display. {{Also|Televisions}}

*'''PRO +''' Close to an arcade monitor.
*'''PRO +''' Cheap and easy to find 2nd hand market.
*'''PRO +''' Common in the 4:3 aspect ratio (most common ratio for arcade games).
*'''PRO +''' Europe only: Most European TVs have the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scart SCART] connector for easier RGB connection. This makes the TV work exactly like an arcade monitor. See also [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,77370.0.html this forum topic].
*'''CON -''' Generally very heavy (especially those larger than 19 inches).

'''CRT monitor''' The CRT monitor is a regular CRT PC monitor. Some types of CRT monitors ([[MultiSync Monitors]]) can display arcade hardware natively. {{Also|PC Monitors}}

*'''PRO +''' Close to an arcade monitor (but not as close as a CRT television).
*'''PRO +''' Cheap and easy to find for sizes up to and including 19 inch on 2nd hand market.
*'''PRO +''' Common in the 4:3 aspect ratio (most common ratio for arcade games).
*'''CON -''' Harder to find in sizes of 21 inch and above (even in the 2nd hand market).
*'''CON -''' Generally very heavy (especially ones larger than 19 inches).

'''LCD Flatpanel''' The flatpanel computer monitors are the most common computer displays at the moment.

*'''PRO +''' Lightweight.
*'''PRO +''' Easy to mount inside a cabinet (due to the VESA [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flat_Display_Mounting_Interface mounting standard]).
*'''PRO +''' Cheap and commonly available.
*'''CON -''' Sizes above 19" are usually in the 16:9 (widescreen) aspect ratio (4:3 is more common in arcade games).
*'''CON -''' Lack the authentic look ("too clean"). Some emulators provide graphic filters to simulate the look of a CRT monitor.
*'''CON -''' The viewing angle might be a problem (depends on the model and make- but it is something to keep in mind).
*'''PRO/CON''' Has a "native" resolution, which means it will look the best in a specific setting. Most emulators and software can be set to use this resolution.

'''LED Flatpanel''' LED display technology is an improvement over LCD technology and is currently common used in flatpanel televisions. If you plan to use a television model for your arcade, it is advised to verify if the connection options for the display are compatible to the computer you plan to use.

*'''PRO +''' Lightweight.
*'''PRO +''' Easy to mount inside a cabinet (due to the VESA [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flat_Display_Mounting_Interface mounting standard]).
*'''PRO +''' Available in large sizes.
*'''PRO +''' Wide viewing angle compared to LCD.
*'''CON -''' Generally more expensive than LCD monitors.
*'''CON -''' Nearly all LED displays are in the 16:9 (widescreen) aspect ratio (4:3 is more common in arcade games).
*'''CON -''' Lack the authentic look ("too clean"). Some emulators provide graphic filters to simulate the look of a CRT monitor.
*'''PRO/CON''' Has a "native" resolution, which means it will look the best in a specific setting. Most emulators and software can be set to use this resolution.

== Types of video connections ==
The type of connection depends on the display and the computer (or arcade hardware) used.

This is a list with common connection types and how to recognize them. Some connectors can be converted to another connector type by using a conversion cable; usually conversion is only backwards compatible (ie. Component can be converted to Composite, but not the other way around).

* '''Composite''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Composite_video composite connector] is commonly indicated by a single yellow [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RCA_connector RCA connector]. The signal (usually referred to as ''CVBS'' signal) is an analogue signal. This type of connector is often found on older TV sets.

*'''S-Video''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S-Video S-Video] connection (sometimes referred to as Y/C) is a (small) round with four pins. The quality is better than composite but the available color depth is not as good as component. The S-Video is connection available on some PC video cards (as secondary connector) due to it's small connector size. A S-Video signal can be converted to composite using a conversion cable.

* '''Component''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Component_video component video] (sometimes referred to as YCbCr or YPbPr) connection is indicated by three [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RCA_connector RCA connectors] color coded red, green and blue. The video signal is an [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YPbPr analogue signal]. It is often incorrect assumed that this is an RGB signal (the confusion often stems from the color code of the cables). This is the best available analogue signal, it is commonly found on large television sets. A native YCbCr can be converted to composite or S-video using a conversion cable.

* '''SCART''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SCART SCART connector] is common in Europe- almost all TVs sold are equipped with the connector (another name for SCART is ''EuroAV''). The SCART connector can carry a mix of signals including analogue and digital RGB. The SCART connector can be identified as a two row 21 pin connector. Standard arcade monitors use the 'RGB with sync' signal which is also available in SCART. Note that SCART is a connector standard- it does not automatically mean that a device with a SCART connector is capable displaying all modes the SCART connector can offer. In addition to video, the SCART connector can also carry stereo audio. There is no "native SCART" signal, but there are conversion cables available to connect Composite, S-Video and VGA signals to SCART.

* '''VGA connector''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VGA_connector VGA connector] (The connector itself is called a DE-15 connector) is a connector recognisable as a three row 15 pin connector- usually color coded blue. It is one of the most common video connectors found on computers (even though it is superceded by DVI and HDMI connectors). The signal it carries is analogue RGB and produces a sharp image. A VGA signal can be converted to the DVI, SCART-RGB, Component, S-Video and Composite with a conversion cable. Keep in mind that for some conversions the host must be able to output a specified

* '''DVI''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Visual_Interface DVI connector] is a rectangular (usually white) connector with a three row 24 pin and a two row 4 pin configuration. The DVI connector is a common connector on computers. The DVI standard can carry both analogue and digital video signals. A native DVI signal can be converted to VGA or HDMI with a conversion cable. Note that it is possible to convert VGA to DVI, it is however not possible to convert a native VGA signal via DVI to HDMI.

* '''HDMI''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HDMI HDMI connector] is a flat connector with a two row 19 pin configuration (the pins are usually joined by a plastic center). The HDMI connector is the current industry standard for high definition video and audio signal connections. A native HDMI signal may be converted to DVI with a conversion cable.

<gallery>
File:composite-jackplug.png|Composite
File:svideo-jackplug.png|S-Video
File:component-jackplug.png|Component
File:scart-jackplug.png|SCART
File:vga-jackplug.png|VGA
File:dvi-jackplug.png|DVI
File:hdmi-jackplug.png|HDMI
</gallery>

== Response time and input lag==
Response time is the time for a display to change a pixel from black to white and back to black. This should not be confused with '''input lag'''. Video response times are often listed in the specification sheet of LCD or LED monitors. CRT displays have very fast response time due the refresh rates of 50hz or 60hz.

Slow reponse times may result in blurred movement. See also [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Response_time_(technology)#Display_technologies the Wikipedia page] for more information on response times.

Input lag is the time it takes between an user action and the result being processed and displayed on the display. Input lag can be a problem in games where timing is essential such as rythm-action or fighting games. Since the processing of user input is also emulated, this may cause timing issues.

Input lag can come from software (emulators), firmware (some cheap encoders) or hardware (video converters or TV circuitry).
Modern TVs have additional features to enhance the picture quality, these features however may contribute to input lag- check if the TV you are using has a "game mode" setting which bypasses most of the features.
Some emulators offer options to sacrifice parts of the emulation for the benefit of speed. Another solution may be a faster computer to speed up emulation. The final option is to switch from emulation to simulation (for example use ''Step Mania'' to play ''Dance Dance Revolution'' style of games).

See also [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Input_lag Wikipedia] for more information on input lag.

= Software =
{{Main|Software}}
A variety of software, emulators, and simulators allow you to play a huge number of arcade, console, and PC games on a computer. The software used as a foundation of a home arcade machine generally consists of:
*Emulators to run specific game ROMs on a computer
*ROMs and related files such as MAME bios files (Marble Madness needs atarisy1.zip) and CHD files (Simpsons Bowling needs simpbowl.chd)
*A front-end menu system to easily select and launch games

== What is an emulator? What is a simulator? ==
An emulator is a software program that duplicates the operation of the computer hardware, firmware/software, and gameplay of an older game system. As the name implies it 'emulates' the system.
''See also: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emulator Wikipedia article on Emulators].''

Emulators are often confused with [[Simulators|simulators]]. A simulator does not try to re-create the operation of the original computer hardware/software/firmware but re-create the game itself. Therefore, an emulator provides an accurate re-creation of a game and a simulator provides a near-accurate rendition.

A simulator is often used when part or all of the game does not use fimware/software. Example: In Visual Pinball, the pinball playfield, lights, flippers and ball of Baby Pac-Man (the physical/mechanical parts) are simulated, while the videogame part is emulated using the original game ROMs.

=== What is a ROM? ===
{{Main|ROMs}}
For the original games - '''R'''ead '''O'''nly '''M'''emory chips on the game board/cartridge that hold the program code for a game/game system.
For emulators - .ZIP or .7z file(s) containing a copy ("dump") of the game/game system code.

=== Why do my ROMs not work? ===
It is not always guaranteed that a particular game ROM will work with a given emulator. The original memory chips may use encryption that is not yet decoded or a game may use a specific function that the chosen emulator does not currently support. Some games also require additional data such as a CD-Rom image or harddisk data - usually supplied as CHD ('''C'''ompressed '''H'''unks of '''D'''ata) files. Also, the data extraction method/format may not be compatible with the emulator (or emulator version) of choice.

When using MAME, one can use '''clrmamepro''' [http://mamedev.emulab.it/clrmamepro/] or your emulator's "Audit" function (if available) to check the version and filenames of ROMs compared to your MAME emulator program version. See also the [[Utilities#ROM_Managers.2C_Renamers_.26_Dats|rom manager]] section for other tools.

=== Commonly used emulators ===
{{Also|Arcade Emulators}}
{{Also|MAME Variants}}

The most common used emulator for arcade machines is [[MAME]], short for '''M'''ultiple '''A'''rcade '''M'''achine '''E'''mulator. MAME can emulate a wide range of arcade hardware and thus can run many different games. However for some types of arcade hardware, very specific emulators are created which may perform better. For example [[Supermodel]] is a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Sega_arcade_system_boards#Sega_Model_3 SEGA Model 3] emulator.

MAME is a major emulator in the arcade community, there are many different variants or "flavors" of MAME. These modified MAME variants often maintain the version numbering of the official (commonly referred to as "vanilla") MAME version to be clear what the base features and compatible ROM sets are. See [[MAME Variants]]. The most common variants are:

<center>
{|class="wikitable"
|MAME
|The "official" command line program that the other variants are based on.
|[http://www.mamedev.org/]
|-
|NoNag patched
|Suppresses error messages that are useful when troubleshooting.
|[http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,64298.0.html]
|-
|MAMEUI
|Built in frontend.
|[http://www.mameui.info/]
|-
|MAMEUIFX
|Built in frontend.
|[http://mame32fx.altervista.org/home.htm]
|-
|MAME Hub
|Added network play.
|[http://sites.google.com/site/mamehub/]
|-
|HB MAME
|Dedicated "homebrew" hacks.
|[http://hbmame.the-chronicles.org/index.html]
|-
|Groovy MAME
|Mainly aimed at CRT monitors and alleviating some annoyances associated with emulation on LCD displays.
|[http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?board=52.0]
|}
</center>

=== Should I upgrade my emulators to the latest version? ===
The answer is almost always '''NO'''. This is often a case of, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."

Only upgrade your emulators if you benefit from the upgrade -- for example the new version now supports a game you want to play. Keep in mind that upgrading your emulators probably means that your ROMs need updating as well. If the new release fixes something that makes it worth the time and effort to update your ROMs '''and''' will still run well on your system, consider the update.

== What is a Front end? ==
{{Main|Front-Ends}}
A front end is software used to launch games. With some emulators it can be quite a hassle to switch between games, as each game may require different settings. A front end can provide the end user with a seamless experience from selecting to playing games.
There are many front ends available, each with their own strengths and weaknesses.
Please check the table on the [[Front-Ends]] wiki page for features of various front ends.

== Other useful software ==
{{Main|Utilities}}
The community has produced many small tools and utilities to enhance the home arcade experience. Some utilities are used to overcome a shortcoming of an emulator or the operating system, others are created to support a specific piece of hardware.
Utilities may include [[Utilities#Input Mapping Software|input mapping software]] to redirect keystrokes to joystick buttons (or vice versa), tools to [[Utilities#Video Tools|manipulate the video display]] - for example switch between horizontal and vertical orientation of the display.

= Forum tips for asking questions that get good/faster answers: =
* Search first, somebody else has probably encountered this problem before -- don't ask people to retype the same old answers to the same old questions.
* Take your time editing the post so it is specific, clear, and easy to read.
* Whenever possible, include decent pics/screencaps/diagrams/part numbers/links.
* Include software/OS versions if applicable.
* Include your location when asking about parts/vendors or electrical wiring. (different countries use different wire colors and/or voltages)

'''DISCLAIMER:''' The authors of the document linked below ask that we remind you that they are not a help desk for your project.

More useful tips on asking smart questions [http://www.catb.org/esr/faqs/smart-questions.html here].

:''[[#top|Back to the top of this document]]''

=Help make this wiki even better=
You are welcome to contribute to this wiki. Take a look at the [[Community Portal]] for more information on how to help out. To contribute as an author or editor, you first need to create an account on the [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/ BYOAC forum] and then post in [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,136208.msg1407831.html#msg1407831 this thread] of the forum. One of the wiki moderators ([[User:Saint|Saint]], [[User:Felsir|Felsir]], or [[User:PL1|PL1]]) will help you get started.

=Resources and acknowledgments=
The inspiration for this FAQ is the MAME FAQ written in 2003 by CitznFish. It is available via the [http://web.archive.org/web/20081006130304/http://www.arcade-at-home.com/mame_faq.html Internet Wayback Machine]. 
The collective experience found on [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com the Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum]. 
Images used in the [[#Types_of_cabs|types of cabs]] section are based on the Sketchup models made by [http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/cldetails?clid=4ac3dc12784cb20bd06e6be4f8954ac Gozer]. 

[[Category:Index]]

File:KADE Rotary Adapter Boards.jpg

2016-04-03T01:33:13Z

PL1: Photo © silverfox0786, Used with permission. Permission granted in KADE Forum post http://kadevice.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=49&t=4128#p7148

Photo © silverfox0786, Used with permission. Permission granted in KADE Forum post http://kadevice.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=49&t=4128#p7148

Rotary Encoders

2016-04-02T23:55:19Z

PL1: /* KADE */

A rotary encoder converts rotary switch movement to [[Keyboard Encoders|keyboard encoder]] outputs, [[Gamepad_Encoders|gamepad encoder]] outputs, or output pulses that can be interpreted by [[Keyboard Encoders|keyboard encoders]].

{{Also|Joysticks#Rotary Joysticks}}

==GP-Wiz40==
Offered by [[Groovy Game Gear]], this gamepad encoder has built-in rotary support (see [[Gamepad_Encoders#GP-Wiz40|gamepad encoders]] entry).

'''Relevant Link: [http://groovygamegear.com/webstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=76_81&products_id=235 GP-Wiz40 Max]'''
 

==KADE==
[[image:KADEminiArcade.jpg|right|thumb|KADE miniArcade. Photo © kadevice.com, Used with permission.]]
[[image:KADEmicroArcade.jpg|right|thumb|KADE microArcade. Photo © kadevice.com, Used with permission.]]
[[image:KADE Rotary Adapter Boards.jpg|right|thumb|KADE Rotary Adapter Boards. Photo © silverfox0786, Used with permission.]]
The [http://www.kadevice.com KADE] series of Open Source/Open Hardware encoders have a [[Joysticks#Rotary_Joysticks|Mechanical Rotary Joystick]] firmware that supports either one rotary stick with 6 player buttons + 7 admin buttons (either P1 or P2) '''or''' two rotary sticks with 3 player buttons each.

All of the KADE [[Keyboard Encoders|keyboard encoder-style]] outputs are customizable using the KADE Loader program.

Silverfox0786 has made two types of plug-and-play rotary joystick adapter boards for the miniArcade/minimus AVR.

One is a one-joystick, 6-button model (P1 or P2) the other is a two-joystick, 3-button model.

'''Relevant Links: [http://kadevice.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=426 KADE Forum Rotary Joystick Thread]'''

'''[http://kadevice.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=49&t=4128 KADE Rotary Adapter Boards Thread]'''
 

==Rotary Joystick Interface==
[[image:RotaryEncoderLS-30Harness.jpg|right|thumb|Rotary Joystick Interface to LS-30 harness]]
Offered by [[Ultimarc]], this unit is a stand alone unit. It can convert two [[Joysticks#Rotary_Joysticks|12-position mechanical rotaries]], and outputs a fixed set of keystrokes. It only encodes the rotary switch function on the joystick, not the up/down/left/right microswitch functions.

'''Relevant Link: [http://www.ultimarc.com/rotary.html Ultimarc's Rotary Page]'''

'''See also: [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,122755.msg1303804.html#msg1303804 LS-30 Harness Pinout]'''
 

==Rotary-5==
[[image:rotary5.jpg|right|thumb|Rotary5]]
Offered by [[Hagstrom Electronics|Hagstrom]], this unit is capable of operating as a stand alone device or may be used with a [[Keyboard Encoders|keyboard encoder]]. Its are suitable for driving direct inputs on a keyboard encoder to produce a keystroke or keystrokes for each change of position of the rotary switch.

'''Relevant Link: [http://www.hagstromelectronics.com/products/rotary5.html Hagstrom's Rotary5 Page]'''
 

==Druin's Rotary Interface==

'''No longer available.'''

Offered by Druin, this was one of the first rotary encoders for the BYOAC crowd. You could download the plans and build your own board. It can convert two [[Joysticks#Rotary_Joysticks|12-position mechanical rotaries]], and it needs to be connected to a separate [[Keyboard Encoders|keyboard encoder]] or [[Gamepad_Encoders|gamepad encoder]].

==See Also==
* [[Controls]]
* [http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Joysticks#Rotary_Joysticks Rotary Joysticks]
* [http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Joysticks#MAME_Settings_for_Mechanical_Rotary_Joysticks MAME Settings for Mechanical Rotary Joysticks]

[[Category:Controls]]

Yet Another MAME Machine!

2016-03-14T20:01:07Z

PL1:

* '''Project Type:''' Upright Arcade Cabinet
* '''Construction Method:''' Unclassified
* '''Monitor Type:''' Arcade Monitor
* '''Interface Type:''' Unclassified
* '''Special Controls:''' Spinner, Trackball
* '''OS:''' DOS
* '''Homepage:''' http://web.archive.org/web/20090801163444/http://www.robboweb.com/mamecab/

 
== Additional Details ==
A slick upright, designed to look as much like a commercial product as possible.

 
== Pictures ==
[[Image:Yetanothermamerobo.jpg]]

 

[[Upright_cabinets|Back to Upright Cabinet Examples]]

[[Category:Examples]]

File:JAMMA Pinout.jpg

2016-03-12T10:24:13Z

PL1: PL1 uploaded a new version of "File:JAMMA Pinout.jpg": Corrected an error on Pin 5. (-5 V, not +12 V)

A printable version is available at [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,149933.msg1565996.html#msg1565996] on the forums.

JAMMA

2016-03-11T11:07:02Z

PL1:

[[image:Brjammaharness.jpg|100px|left]]
[[image:JAMMA Pinout.jpg|right|JAMMA Pinout Label]]
JAMMA (Japan Arcade Machine Manufacturers' Association) is a standard 56-way connector used on many arcade boards to simplify conversion of cabinets from one game to another. The majority of newer games use a subset of this pinout. Some games (i.e., Street Fighter) which need extra buttons have extra connectors for these additional controls. The JAMMA connector has a .156" pin spacing edge connector (male on the game board). The JAMMA standard was invented in 1985; any game older than this will not be JAMMA.

 
To connect older non-JAMMA games to a standard JAMMA cabinet a custom wiring harness is needed. In some cases a pre-made convertor harness could be used (the Namco2Jamma convertor shown is available from mikesarcade.com).
[[image:Namco2Jamma.jpg|left|thumb|100px|Namco to JAMMA harness]]

 
The easiest way to connect a PC to an arcade cabinet that is JAMMA ready is to use a [[Keyboard_Encoders#J-PAC|J-PAC]] keyboard encoder (by Ultimarc).
 

A printable JAMMA pinout label is available [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,149933.msg1565996.html#msg1565996 here] on the forums.
==External links==
*[http://homearcade.org/BBBB/jh.html What To Do With Your JAMMA Harness by Bob Roberts]
*[http://www.arcaderepairtips.com/2010/03/24/getting-familiar-with-the-jamma-standard Getting Familiar With The JAMMA Standard] Basic primer, including video, for JAMMA
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JAMMA JAMMA at Wikipedia]

==See Also==
* [[Basics]]
* [[Controls]]

[[Category:Basics]]
[[Category:Controls]]
[[Category:Index]]

File:JAMMA Pinout.jpg

2016-03-11T11:02:37Z

PL1: A printable version is available at [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,149933.msg1565996.html#msg1565996] on the forums.

A printable version is available at [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,149933.msg1565996.html#msg1565996] on the forums.

Multi-Player Games

2016-02-24T04:13:07Z

PL1: /* Other game lists */

These gamelists include many of the multi-player (simultaneous) games in MAME.

You may want to check for games like Hard Dunk, a 6-player game that works well on a 4-player panel.

2-player games are not included here because that list would be ''way'' too long.

= 3-player games =
* Most use an 8-way joystick and 2 buttons, except as noted below.

Alien Storm (8-way joystick and 3 buttons per player)

Alien vs. Predator (8-way joystick and 3 buttons per player)

Armored Warriors (8-way joystick and 3 buttons per player)

Battle Toads

Brute Force

Cadillacs and Dinosaurs

Combatribes, The

Dark Adventure (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

Double Dragon 3 - The Rosetta Stone (8-way joystick and 3 buttons per player)

Judge Dredd -- 1993 prototype (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

Knights of the Round

Mercs

Michael Jackson's Moonwalker

Pig Out: Dine Like a Swine

Pit Fighter (8-way joystick and 3 buttons per player)

Power Drive (4 buttons per player)

Powered Gear: Strategic Variant Armor Equipment (8-way joystick and 3 buttons per player)

Rampage

Rampage World Tour (8-way joystick and 3 buttons per player)

Senjou no Ookami II

Star Guards (two 8-way joysticks per player)

Undercover Cops

Violent Storm

Wheel Of Fortune (1 button per player and a shared spinner -- can be played with joystick)
'''NOTE:''' The original game used a spinner, but if you use your joystick to select "spin wheel" and wait 5 seconds, the game will spin the wheel for you.

Xenophobe (8-way joystick and 3 buttons per player)

== 3-player games with specialized controls ==
Crypt Killer (light gun and 2 buttons per player)

Danny Sullivan's Indy Heat (Steering wheel and 2 buttons per player)

Hot Rod (Steering wheel and Pedal per player)

Ironman Ivan Stewart's Super Off-Road (Steering wheel and Pedal per player)

Ironman Ivan Stewart's Super Off-Road Track-Pak (Steering wheel and Pedal per player)

Rampart (trackball and 2 buttons per player)

Super Sprint (Steering wheel and Pedal per player)

Wheel Of Fortune (1 button per player and a shared spinner -- can be played with joystick -- see above)

= 4-Player games =
* Most use 8-way joysticks and 3 pushbuttons, except as noted below.

2 On 2 Open Ice Challenge a.k.a. NHL Open Ice

Arabian Fight (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Arabian Magic

Barricade (4 buttons '''or''' 1 joystick per player)

Battle Circuit (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Blazing Tornado (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

Bomber Man World (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Bucky O'Hare

Captain America and the Avengers (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Captain Commando (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Checkmate (8-way joystick per player)

Comotion (4-way joystick per player)

Cops'n Robbers (2-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Crime Fighters (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Desert Assault (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Dungeons and Dragons: Shadow Over Mystara (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

Dungeons and Dragons: Tower of Doom (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

Dunk Mania

Dynablaster (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Euro Champ '92 (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Escape Kids (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Exvania

Face Off (8-way joystick and 1 button per player)

Football Champ (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Gauntlet (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Gauntlet II (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

GI Joe

Gladiator, The (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

Golden Axe: The Revenge of Death Adder

Growl

Hat Trick Hero (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Hat Trick Hero '93 (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

Hat Trick Hero '94 (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

Hat Trick Hero '95 (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

Heated Barrel (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

High Impact Football (8-way joystick and 1 button per player)

Hit Me (3 buttons per player)

Hit the Ice (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Hook (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Hyper Sports Special (3 buttons per player)

John Elway's Team Quarterback (8-way joystick and 1 button per player, 2 analog joysticks for passing plays)

Karate Blazers (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

Knights of Valour (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

Knights of Valor 2 (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

Knuckle Heads

Main Event, The (8-way joystick and 1 button per player)

Metamorphic Force (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Muscle Bomber Duo

Mystic Warriors

NBA Hangtime/NBA Maximum Hangtime

NBA Jam

NBA Jam Extreme (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

NBA Jam Tournament Edition

NBA Play By Play

NBA Showtime/NFL Blitz 2000

NBA Showtime: NBA on NBC (49-way joystick and 3 buttons per player)

NBA Showtime - NBA on NBC [Gold Edition] (49-way joystick and 3 buttons per player)
'''NOTE:''' This is both a standalone game and part of Midway's Sportstation upgrade from NBA on NBC Gold (which just adds Blitz 2000 Gold to the cab making it a 2 in 1 cabinet.) Not available in MAME at this time.

NFL Blitz

NFL Blitz '99

NFL Blitz 2000 Gold edition

Ninja Baseball Batman (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Ninja Kids, The (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Numan Athletics

Oriental Legend (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

Punk Shot (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Quartet (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Rim Rockin' Basketball (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Ring Rage

Run and Gun

Run and Gun 2

Runark (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Rushing Heroes

Sangokushi II -- Asia region version of "Warriors of Fate"

Saturday Night Slam Masters a.k.a. Muscle Bomber: The Body Explosion

Silent Dragon

Slam Dunk

Slam Dunk 2

Snow Bros. 2 - With New Elves (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Spider-man: The Videogame (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Sunset Riders (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Super Cup Finals (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

Super High Impact (8-way joystick and 1 button per player)

Tecmo Bowl (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Turtles in Time (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Tournament Cyberball 2072 (8-way joystick and 1 button per player)

Trog (8-way joystick and 1 button per player)

U.S. Championship V'ball (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Vendetta (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Vs. Tennis (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Warriors of Fate

Wayne Gretzky's 3D Hockey (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

World Soccer Finals (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

WWF Wrestlefest (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

X-Men (There are also 2-player and 6-player ROM versions)

== 4-player games with specialized controls ==
Atari Football (Trackball per player)

Atari Soccer (Trackball and 2 buttons per player)

Car Polo (Spinner and 3 buttons per player)

John Elway's Team Quarterback (8-way joystick and 1 button per player, 2 analog joysticks for passing plays)

Racin' Force (270 degree steering wheel/potentiometer and 3 buttons per player)

Sprint 4 (Steering wheel, 5 buttons)

TouchDown Fever (8-way [[Joysticks#Rotary_Joysticks|optical rotary]] joystick and 2 buttons per player)

TouchDown Fever 2 (8-way [[Joysticks#Rotary_Joysticks|optical rotary]] joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Tournament Table (Paddle/potentiometer and 1 pushbutton per player)

Warlords (Paddle/potentiometer and 1 pushbutton per player)

= 6-player games =
Hard Dunk (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

X-Men (There are also 2-player and 4-player ROM versions)

== 6-player games with specialized controls ==

= 8-player games =
Tank 8 (Double 2-way joysticks per player)

== 8-player games with specialized controls ==
Sprint 8 (Steering wheel, 2 buttons)

= Other game lists =
*[http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Spinners_and_Dials#Which_games_originally_used_a_spinner.2Fpaddle.3F Spinner and Dial Games]

*[http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Joysticks#Mechanical_Rotary_Joystick_Games_.28LS-30.2C_Happ_Mechanical_Rotary_Sticks.29 Rotary Joystick Games]

*[http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Joysticks#Games_with_Dual_Joysticks Dual Joystick Games]

*[http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Joysticks#Analog_Joysticks Analog Joystick and Yoke Games]

*[http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Light_Guns#Lightgun_Games_List Lightgun Games]

*2-player game list -- dgame compiled an excellent list of 200 games [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,129295.msg1327639.html#msg1327639 here].

*"All Killer, No Filler" game lists -- BadMouth compiled these excellent collections [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,149708.0.html here] -- 1. SHMUPS, 2. VS FIGHTERS, 3. SPORTS, 4. PUZZLE, 5. RUN 'N GUN, 6. BEAT 'EM UP/HACK 'N SLASH, 7. PLATFORM, and 8. CLASSICS.

[[Category:Index]]

Spinners and Dials

2016-02-24T04:12:59Z

PL1: /* Other game lists: */

A '''Spinner''' is a knob that can be spun rapidly in either direction to move an on-screen paddle or character. Spinners provide precise analog control like a mouse, but act only along one axis. Spinners were used for many popular early arcade games such as Pong, Tempest, Arkanoid, and Tron.
{{Cleanup}}

=What is a Spinner?=

You might remember the spinner from games like Tempest and Arkanoid. The player turns a knob to move the on-screen character. But what's going on behind the scenes; what's that knob attached to?

Underneath the control panel, the shaft comes down from the knob above. Mounted on the shaft, is an optical encoder wheel- a flat disk with notches cut around the outside edge. These notches pass though a set of infra-red optics, that detect the notches as they spin by. There are two sets of optics, spaced such that they see the notches spin by just a little bit out of sync. The combined signal from both of these optics tells the game which direction the disk is turning, and how fast. This is also how a trackball works, as well as a ball-type PC mouse.

If you are buying or building a working spinner for your cabinet, you will need the Spinner (the mechanical part,) the optics(the part that watches the spinning,) and the optical encoder (the part that sends info to the computer.) If a manufacturer advertises "USB Connectivity" that generally means that it is an all in one solution, and no additional parts are required. Otherwise, you'll find that optics are generally included, but an encoder is not. In the rare occurence that your spinner does not have optics included, they can be built with parts from your local electronic store, or you can build them based off of a [[Optical_Encoders#Mouse_Hack|mouse hack.]] If the unit does not ship with an optical encoder, you can purchase one from an aftermarket seller. You can find out more about [[Optical_Encoders|optical encoders here.]]

Note: Paddles, while similar to spinners in that they rotate and have knobs, are usually based on potentiometers (like a volume knob on an old TV or radio), rather than the optics in a spinner. Spinners, as the name suggests, spin. There is no end to how many times the knob can fully rotate in any direction. They often move things in a game in a circular fashion, as in Tempest or TRON. Paddles are the precursor to the spinner. The paddles found on early arcade games (like pong) rotated a full 360 degrees but used a 360 potentiometer (or pot) rather than an optical encoder. Since a pot requires physical contact, they tend to spin less freely than a true spinner. MAME adds to confusion by classifying 270 degree steering wheels as paddles. This is false as most, if not all arcade games that actually used paddles used 360 degree paddles and 270 degree wheels used a regular linear potentiometer (like a radio knob, which can only turn so far). There is such a thing as a 270 degree paddle though, just to make things even more confusing. As a matter of fact, many pong clones used the 270 degree paddles as they were cheaper. Most of your home versions of pong also used the 270 degree paddles. Most emulators will let you play paddle games with a spinner, but spinner games are generally not playable with paddles, mostly due to the fact that paddles just don't spin that well.

=Spinner Varieties=

#Tempest- Fast spinning lightweight spinner, which is very popular with arcade enthusiassts. It has 72 teeth on the encoder wheel, with nylon upper and lower bearings on the shaft. This was the model for the Oscar Vortex aftermarket spinner.
#Arkanoid- The "geared" spinner. Rather than mounting the encoder wheel directly to the shaft, the Arkanoid spinner used two sets of gears between the knob and the encoder wheel, to make the spinner extremely sensitive. While the encoder wheel only has 24 notches, the gearing causes 486 notches to pass through the optics for every turn of the knob! Due to the lightweight and friction from the gearing, the Arkanoid spinner stops the instant you take your hand off the knob.
#360° Steering Wheels - Games like the original Pole Position and Sprint 2 used steering wheels that were essentially giant spinners. The Pole Position steering wheel, for instance, was geared similarly to an Arkanoid spinner. However, the gear ratio was only 5:1 to a 24 notch encoder wheel (96 notches per wheel revolution). This and the mechanical advantage of the large steering wheel rather than a small knob, let the wheel spin freely. Sprint 2 (and Sprint 1, and probably Sprints 4 and 8)used an ungeared 38 notch encoder cup, and spun freely.
#Discs of Tron ''Push/Pull''- This spinner used a giant 128-notch encoder wheel with a push / pull switch feature built into the spindle shaft. When the player pulled up or down on the spinner, a leafswitch was activated. This was used to control the high / low aim of the disc in later levels of the game. Zwackery also used a Push/Pull spinner, and Forgotten Worlds used a push only (no pull) spinner. Oscar Controls marketed a Push/Pull spinner with a slightly different design, and a smaller 72 notch encoder wheel, but it is no longer available for purchase. The Oscar V2 had a Push option, and a Pull kit was rumored to be in the works before Oscar Controls closed down.

=Spinner Brands=

==[http://GroovyGameGear.com GroovyGameGear]==
[[Image:TurboTwist2.jpg|right|200px|thumb|GGG's TurboTwist 2 spinner Photo © IDVT Inc. / GroovyGameGear.com, Used with permission.]]
The successor to their original TurboTwist, the TurboTwist 2 is relatively new to the spinner scene. The most instantly noticeable feature of this spinner is its very small footprint; it is designed to fit a standard 1 1/8" pushbutton hole and occupies little more space inside the control panel. The TurboTwist 2 has a dual ball-bearing design with all components sealed inside its housing. The TurboTwist 2 has an extra-high resolution encoder wheel, and comes with it's own USB or PS/2 Opti-Wiz interface. The interface can be configured to put the spinner on the X, Y, or Z mouse axis, and will control other optic devices on the remaining two axes, such as a trackball, or additional spinners/steering wheels/optical rotary joysticks. Several optional extras are also available for the TurboTwist 2, such as a novel mini steering-wheel and a heavy 'energy storage cylinder'.

GroovyGameGear also sells the "TurboTwist High-Low" push/pull spinner, appropriate for games such as Discs of Tron and Forgotten Worlds.
 

==[http://www.ultimarc.com Ultimarc]==
[[Image:Spintrack1.jpg|right|120px|thumb|Ultimarc's SpinTrak spinner (older style) Photo © Ultimarc.com, Used with permission.]]
Ultimarc recently announced their own contribution to the spinner market. The SpinTrak uses a sealed-component design (the encoder wheel and other components are protected inside the spinners housing) and is compatible with SlikStik's custom spinner knobs.
 

=Defunct Spinner Brands=
==[http://oscarcontrols.com/ Oscar Controls]==
Oscar Controls was a popular manufacturer of spinners for the hobbyist market until recently. Several models were produced over the years, including the Model One, Pro, Vortex, Push/Pull, and V2. These spinners did not include an encoder and required connection to an [[Optical_Encoders#Opti-PAC|Opti-Pac]] or to a [[Optical_Encoders#Mouse_Hack|mouse hack]].
 

==[http://www.slikstik.com/spinfeat.htm SlikStik]==
[[Image:SlikStikTornadoSpinner.jpg|150px|right|thumb|SlikStik's Tornado spinner]]
The Tornado was billed as the "longest spinning" spinner on the market. With an extra-small footprint, and dual-bearing design, the Tornado was very well made. Plans to sell the Tornado with a plain-jane optic card were also announced.
 

==[http://www.apachecontrols.com/ Apache Controls]==
[[Image:ApacheControlsBlackhawkPushPullSPinner.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Apache Controls' Blackhawk spinner]]
Ever since the original Atari Discs Of Tron push-pull NOS spinners disappeared from the market and Oscar Controls stopped producing their push-pull spinners, they have been highly sought after by collectors and arcade restorers. For further details take a look at the [http://www.retroblast.com/reviews/apache-070106-01.html RetroBlast review] of this spinner.
 

==[http://ArcadeGames4U.com ArcadeGames4U]==
The Cyclone had a dual-bearing design, with a lower resolution encoder wheel. The Cyclone shipped with an optic card, but no interface.
 

=Build Your Own Spinner=

For those of us who would prefer to build their own spinner or cannot afford a retail unit, with a few spare parts that most likely are already lying around, can easily build your own. Here are some links to help you along your way:

'''[http://arcadecontrols.com/files/Miscellaneous/spinner.pdf Nathan Strum's Cheep Spinner]'''

'''[http://www.doughansen.net/arcade/spinner.htm DHansen's Arcade Stupidity Spinner]'''

'''[http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=17522.0 BYO "Nasty-Spinner" Thread]'''

'''List of compatible hard drives:'''

WD Caviar 1200 210 MB Drive

WD Caviar 11200 1.2 GB Drive

* Please feel free to add to the list of compatible drives if you have successfully built your own spinner with a drive that is not listed.

'''[http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=69812.0 BYO "Arkanoid (I) spinner from VCR parts" Thread]'''

=FAQs=
==Which games originally used a spinner/paddle?==
The lists below are incomplete, but can be used as a guide to find many games that used a spinner (optical) or paddle. (potentiometer)
===Standard spinner games===
*Arkanoid arkanoid
*Arkanoid - Revenge of Doh arknoid2
*Arkanoid Returns arkretrn
*Aztarac aztarac (spinner and trigger stick)
*Blasteroids (version 4) blstroid
*Boxing Bugs boxingb
*Cameltry (US) cameltry
*Cosmic Chasm (set 1) cchasm
*Crater Raider crater (spinner and trigger stick)
*Dark Planet darkplnt
*Free Kick freekick
*Ghox (spinner) ghox
*Gigas gigas
*Gigas Mark II gigasm2b
*Goindol (world) goindol
*Homo homo
*Mad Planets mplanets (spinner and trigger stick)
*Puzz Loop puzzloop
*Puzz Loop 2 pzloop2
*Quester quester
*Riddle of Pythagoras ridleofp
*Star Trek startrek
*Tac/Scan tacscan
*Tempest (rev 3) tempest
*Tempest Tubes temptube
*Tournament Arkanoid arkatour
*Tron tron (spinner and trigger stick)
*Victory victory
*Vs. Hot Smash hotsmash
*Wheel Of Fortune wfortune
*Wolf Pack (prototype) wolfpack

===Push/pull spinner games===
*Discs of Tron (Upright) dotron (push/pull spinner and trigger stick)
*Forgotten Worlds forgottn (push spinner and joystick)
*Kozmik Kroozr kroozr (push spinner and trigger stick)
*Zwackery zwackery (push/pull spinner and trigger stick)

===Roller (single axis trackball) games===
*Kick (upright) kick
*Kickman (upright) kickman
*Major Havoc (rev 3) mhavoc
*Moonwar moonwar

=== 360° steering wheel (optical) games===
*American Speedway (set 1) amspdwy
*APB - All Points Bulletin (set 1) apb
*Bad Lands badlands
*Buggy Challenge buggychl
*Championship Sprint csprint
*Change Lanes changela
*Chase H.Q. chasehq
*Cruis'n USA crusnusa
*Danny Sullivan's Indy Heat indyheat
*Demolition Derby demoderb
*Drag Race dragrace
*Final Lap 2 finalap2
*Fire Truck firetrk
*Grand Champion grchamp
*Great 1000 Miles Rally gtmrusa (NOTE: This game PCB can use either a 270° potentiometer or 360° optical steering wheel)
*Hot Rod (turbo 3 player) hotrod
*Ironman Ivan Stewart's Super Off-Road offroad
*Ironman Ivan Stewart's Super Off-Road Track-Pak offroadt
*Konami GT konamigt
*Mille Miglia 2: Great 1000 Miles Rally (95/05/24) gtmr2
*Monte Carlo montecar
*Off the Wall (Atari) offtwall (3 player)
*Off the Wall (Sente) otwalls (2 player)
*Over Drive overdriv
*Pole Position polepos
*Pole Position II polepos2
*Redline Racer (2 players) redlin2p
*Road Blasters (set 1) roadblst
*Special Criminal Investigation sci
*Speed Freak speedfrk
*Sprint 1 sprint1
*Sprint 2 sprint2
*Stocker stocker
*Subs subs
*Super Bug superbug
*Super Speed Race sspeedr
*Super Speed Race Junior ssrj
*Super Sprint ssprint
*Turbo turbo

===Paddle (potentiometer) games===
*Avalanche avalnche
*Beam Invader beaminv
*Bomb Bee bombbee
*Circus circus
*Clowns (rev. 2) clowns
*Cutie Q cutieq
*Field Goal fgoal
*Gee Bee geebee
*Gypsy Juggler gypsyjug
*Rip Cord ripcord
*Super Breakout sbrkout
*Warlords warlords (4 player)

===Steering wheel (potentiometer) games===
*California Speed calspeed
*Chequered Flag chqflag
*Cyber Cycles cybrcycc
*Daytona USA daytona
*Final Lap finallap
*Great 1000 Miles Rally gtmrusa (NOTE: This game PCB can use either a 270° potentiometer or 360° optical steering wheel)
*Hard Drivin' harddriv
*Out Run outrun
*Power Drift pdrift
*Ridge Racer ridgerac
*Ridge Racer 2 ridgera2
*Road Riot 4WD roadriot
*Spy Hunter spyhunt

===Non-standard spinner and paddle game controllers===
*720 Degrees (set 1) 720 (Optical 720 spinner/joy hybrid)
*Blue Shark blueshrk (Positional gun, potentiometer)
*Boot Hill boothill (Y-axis-only analog joystick used for aiming your gun)
*Destroyer destroyr (Y-axis control lever, potentiometer)
*Fire One fireone (Two periscope-handled player controls with thumb buttons, potentiometer)
*Hang-On hangon (Motorcycle handlebars, potentiometer)
*Lunar Lander (rev 2) llander (Spring-loaded thruster handle, potentiometer)
*Omega Race omegrace (Free-turning potentiometer with a built-in encoder that converts analog to 6-bit gray code)
*Panic Park panicprk (Lever arms, potentiometer)
*Sea Wolf seawolf (Periscope, potentiometer)
*Sea Wolf II seawolf2 (Two periscopes, potentiometer)
*Up Scope upscope (Periscope, potentiometer)

===Other game lists:===
*[http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Joysticks#Mechanical_Rotary_Joystick_Games_.28LS-30.2C_Happ_Mechanical_Rotary_Sticks.29 Rotary Joystick Games]
*[http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Joysticks#Games_with_Dual_Joysticks Dual Joystick Games]
*[http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Joysticks#Analog_Joysticks Analog Joystick and Yoke Games]
*[http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Light_Guns#Lightgun_Games_List Lightgun Games]
*[http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Multi-Player_Games Multi-Player Games]
*2-player game list -- dgame compiled an excellent list of 200 games [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,129295.msg1327639.html#msg1327639 here].
*"All Killer, No Filler" game lists -- BadMouth compiled these excellent collections [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,149708.0.html here] -- 1. SHMUPS, 2. VS FIGHTERS, 3. SPORTS, 4. PUZZLE, 5. RUN 'N GUN, 6. BEAT 'EM UP/HACK 'N SLASH, 7. PLATFORM, and 8. CLASSICS.

==Two Spinners on a control panel; is it worth it?==
The answer is an unequivocal ''maybe''. There are several factors to keep in mind when trying to determine whether you should buy and install 2 spinners on your control panel.
#Budget- Spinners are somewhat expensive. Buying 2 aftermarket spinners with optics will set you back about $80-$160.
#Software- Can your software support 2 mice at the same time. Make sure you have a version of mame that can support 2 spinners if they're both individual USB units. If you have them both plugged into an [[Optical_Encoders#Opti-PAC|Optipac]] this won't be a problem.
#Space- Depending on the model, spinners can take up a lot of room under the surface of a control panel. The Oscar Controls Push/Pull spinner was approximately 5.5x6" for instance. Also, the more spinners you have, the less room you may have for other features and joysticks.
#Games- Most importantly, do you like any games that use more than 1 spinner? Below is a (non-definitive) list of multi-spinner games
##Paddle Games
###Arkanoid Returns
###Off the Wall (Atari)
###Off the Wall (Bally Sente)
###Warlords (uses 4!)
###Pop'n Bounce
###Plump Pop
###VS Blok Breaker
##Flying
###Blasteroids
###Two Tigers
##Driving
###Super Off Road
### Super Sprint (uses 3!)
###Championship Super Sprint
###Bad Lands
###Ironman Ivan Stewart's Super Off-Road (uses 3!)
###Ironman Stewart's Super Off-Road Track Pack (uses 3!)
###Danny Sullivan's Indy Heat
## Other
###Atari 2 player games
###Puzzloop / Puzzloop 2
###Puzzle Bobble 2/3/4 (a.k.a. Bust a move)
###Forgotten Worlds

==If I can have only a spinner or a trackball... which should I choose?==
'''insert pro/con arguments here'''
relevant links in msg board. delete links once the info has been added.
* http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=25477.0
* http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=37876.0
* http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=36036.0

==See Also==
* [[Controls]]
* [[Spinner_Turn_Count]]

[[Category:Controls]]
[[Category:Index]]

Joysticks

2016-02-24T04:12:56Z

PL1: /* See Also */

A '''Joystick''' is a device to let you manually control direction of movement in an arcade game. This article describes the most common types of joysticks used in arcade cabinets and game systems.

==Conventional Digital Joysticks: 8-way, 4-way & 2-way==
[[image:Stick-principal.jpg|200px|thumb|right|Stick diagram by JoyMonkey]]
Conventional joysticks are fairly simple devices without which Pac-Man would be ghost-fodder. When the joystick shaft is moved in any direction, the lower end of the stick is levered in the opposite direction and makes contact with switches, these switches are what tells Pac-Man to move and in which direction.

[[image:Directions.png|left]]By using four switches at the base of the joystick, 8 directions can be achieved; Up, Down, Left and Right as well as the four corner positions which are triggered by two switches being activated simultaneously. When you press the joystick diagonally up and to the right, both the "up switch" and the "right switch" are triggered simultaneously, indicating your diagonal move. Joysticks like this are known as 8-way joysticks.

Some joysticks were designed to specifically prevent the player from moving diagonally. For example, joysticks used in Pac-Man and Donkey Kong both have physical restrictions preventing the joystick from moving to the diagonals. Since the joysticks only allow movement in 4 directions (Up, Down, Left and Right) they are known as 4-way joysticks. While it is possible to use an 8-way joystick when playing 4-way games, it's not recommended, as accidentally hitting a diagonal with the joystick can create problems during gameplay, such as causing Mario to stand still or Pac-Man to become confused between moving up or to the side.

Other games, such as Defender, Joust, Mario Brothers and Galaga, used a 2-way joystick since movement was only necessary from left to right or up to down. While it may not be historically accurate, it is generally not a problem to use either 4-way or 8-way joysticks for these games.

Standard 8-way only joysticks:
:* [http://www.happ.com/joysticks/competition_joy.htm Happ Competition]
:* [http://www.happ.com/joysticks/ultimate_joy.htm Happ Ultimate] ([http://www.retroblast.com/20041130273/Hardware/RetroBlast-Review-Happ-Controls-Ultimate-Joystick.php review]) (can be ordered 2, 4, or 8-way)
:* [http://retroblast.com/reviews/joysticks/wico.html Wico 8-way Leafswitch Joystick (discontinued)].

Standard 4-way only joysticks:
:* Happ Ms.Pac/Galaga Reunion
:* Betson Ms.Pac/Galaga Reunion
:* [http://www.happ.com/joysticks/ultimate_joy.htm Happ Ultimate] ([http://www.retroblast.com/20041130273/Hardware/RetroBlast-Review-Happ-Controls-Ultimate-Joystick.php review]) (can be ordered 2, 4, or 8-way)
:* [http://www.retroblast.com/reviews/joysticks/wico.html Wico 4-Way Leafswitch (discontinued)].

====8-Way to 4-Way Switchable Joysticks====
Many 8-way joysticks that are sold can also be set to work in 4-way mode. There are two basic methods to change modes:

1) Changing a restrictor plate that only allows the joystick handle to be pushed in certain directions; or:

2) Changing the actuator (that's the small piece on the bottom end of the joystick shaft that makes contact with the switches) to only allow contact with one switch at a time.

Restrictor plate changes convert the joystick to "true" 4-way operation, and will give the best play. Actuator changes do not keep the handle from moving into the diagonal positions, this method only keeps the switches from being activated. The result is a "dead spot" in the corners, where the stick can be pushed, but no switches are hit. This is not much better than playing in standard 8-way mode, and is not reccomended. Adjusting these joystick usually involves opening up your control panel so you can access the lower section of the joystick base. Some models using a restrictor plate can be easily changed by hand once the control panel is open, while some others require the use of basic tools, like a screwdriver.

Joysticks that can be set to 4-way or 8-way operation via an actuator swap include:
:* [http://retroblast.com/reviews/joysticks/happsuper.html Happ Super], [http://www.retroblast.com/reviews/joysticks/happsp360.html Happ Perfect 360], [http://www.retroblast.com/reviews/joysticks/xgaming.html X-Gaming Joystick (X-Arcade)].

Joysticks that can be set to 4-way or 8-way operation via the restrictor plate include:
:* Suzo 500 (aka [http://ultimarc.com/controls.html Euro-Stik] or [http://groovygamegear.com/webstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=65&products_id=197 Omni-Stik]), [http://retroblast.com/reviews/joysticks/ultimarc_tstik.html Ultimarc T-Stik], Ultimarc Mag-Stik, [http://retroblast.com/reviews/joysticks/ultimarc_jstik.html Ultimarc J-Stik], [http://www.himuragames.com/store_joysticks.php Sanwa JLF-TP-8YT], [http://www.himuragames.com/store_joysticks.php Seimitsu LS-32].

In the last few years, some companies have added to this feature to allow the joystick to be switchable from above the control panel in some way. This makes it simple for anyone to switch the joystick between 4-way to 8-way from game to game, without having to access 'the guts' of the control panel.

Conventional joysticks that can be switched from above the control panel like this include:
:* [http://retroblast.com/reviews/joysticks/ultimarc_tstik.html T-Stik Plus], [http://retroblast.com/reviews/joysticks/ultimarc_magstikplus_part1.html Mag-Stik Plus], [http://retroblast.com/reviews/joysticks/prodigy.html Omni-Stik Prodigy].

====[[TRON joystick]]s====
TRON arcade machines had 8-way trigger joysticks that were restricted to make it difficult to go diagonally. This was necessary because some of the four games in TRON were developed for 4-way sticks, while others were able to use 8-ways. [[TRON_joystick|More on TRON joysticks here.]]

Also see [[Wiring Push Buttons and Conventional Digital Joysticks]].

==Unconventional Digital Joysticks==
[[image:Inductivestickopen.jpg|right|thumb|Inside a Suzo Inductive Stick]]
====[http://www.suzo.com/suzo/product.asp?nP=4545 Suzo Inductive Joystick]====
Instead of using conventional microswitches, Suzo Inductive sticks employ the use of a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrite ferrite ring] at the base of the joystick shaft. An oscillating magnetic field is induced in the ferrite ring by the main coil in the centre of the PCB around the opening. This oscillating field within the ferrite ring induces a current in one or more of the eight smaller coils on the PCB. The exact position of the joystick is determined by the strength of the current in each coil. A potentiometer can be adjusted so that diagonal positions are ignored (resulting in 4-way output) or that diagonals are accepted (resulting in 8-way output.) The sensitivity of 8-way operation can be refined using the potentiometer. It is completely silent and is easily switchable between 4-way and 8-way using the aforementioned pot located on the bottom plate of the joystick.
[[Image:Suzo_Inductive_restrictor.JPG|right|thumb|Suzo Inductive Octagonal Restrictor]]
It has an octagonal restrictor to assist in locating the desired directions. There are 6 pins for the connection which are labeled on the bottom plate of the joystick: Ground/Earth; +5 VDC; Left; Right; Up; Down. It is a short throw joystick with a max travel of 5 degrees from centre. The joystick is designed to be undermounted without taking the joystick apart; this requires a hole in the panel approx 44 mm or 1 3/4". The joystick handle was produced in two sizes, a 32 mm ball handle (suitable for cocktail cabinets), and a 38 mm ball handle. This joystick is no longer produced but as of May 2006 some were still available from Groovy Game Gear and TNT Amusements.

====[http://retroblast.com/reviews/joysticks/happsp360.html Happ Perfect 360 (P360)]====

The Perfect 360 joystick is an optical joystick, which means that the position of the handle is read by optical switches, instead of conventional leaf switches or microswitches. This gives near-silent operation, as the handle & actuator never touch anything.

These sticks have a very smooth feel, largely due to the "no touch" action. P360 joysticks have a round restrictor, instead of the more common square restriction found on many other modern joysticks. This round restriction adds to the smoothness factor, because there are no corners to feel.

Connection- P360 joys require a little more effort to hook up- in addition to the Up, Down, Left, Right and Ground connections on standard joysticks, the P360 also needs a +5 volts connection. This is easy enough to get, as encoders such as the I-Pac and KeyWiz provide a +5v header. PC power supplies produce +5v on the red wire of the drive connectors. There is also +5v power available on USB & PS2 cables. +5 volt power is easy to find.

History- The Perfect 360 started out as an aftermarket add-on kit for Wico leafswitch joysticks. Models were later added to the product line to convert Happ Super, Competition, and Ultimate sticks, and possibly others as well. Happ eventually bought the rights to the P360 technology, and discontinued the kits. Happ began producing a complete stick instead, with the top half of a Wico joystick base (no longer sold by Wico by then) mated to a P360 bottom half.

Interchangability- P360 handles and Wico handles have been found to be interchangable. There are also replacement handles available from SlikStik. Wico Pear-top sticks used the same pivot cones and spacer sleeves.

====[http://www.retroblast.com/Hardware/Ultimarc-UltraStik-360-Review.php Ultimarc UltraStik 360 (U360)]====
[[Image:UltraStik1.jpg|right|thumb|Ultimarc's Ultrastik 360 Photo © Ultimarc.com, Used with permission.]]
This offering from Ultimarc operates on similar principals to an inductive joystick, but offers many more custom features. Using its USB interface and the provided software, it's possible to easily switch the joystick between 2-way, 4-way, 8-way, analog and even 4-way diagonal (Q*Bert) modes. User defineable custom modes are also available.

When used via USB, Windows thinks of this joystick as a gamepad and allows you to hook-up 8 buttons straight to the joystick; so no seperate encoder (IPac, Keywiz etc) is necessary.

==49-Way Joysticks==
Once used in a small handfull of Williams, Midway and Atari games, 49 way joysticks live in a no-man's land between digital and analog joysticks. 49-way joysticks do not, as the name might seem to imply, point in 49 different directions. The number 49 comes from the number of positions the stick can report to the game hardware, including positions somewhere ''between'' "dead center" and "pushed all the way". Imagine a 7x7 grid (that's 49 squares) and you've got it. Games that originally used this hardware benefited from the extra info the joystick could report by allowing the player to control the on-screen character with more precision- both in the form of better directional control (24 discrete directions possible, if you count dead center), and 3 levels of speed control, based on how far from center the stick was pushed. For example, in [http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?letter=&game_id=9553 SiniStar], the player can make the ship move faster or slower, by varying how hard they push the stick, and the ship's movement is not limited to just 8 directions. Attempting to play this game (or others that originally used 49-way sticks) with a standard 8-way digital joystick tends to be frustrating- SiniStar is a very difficult game in the first place; take away the speed control and limit yourself to 8 directions, and it's ''really, really'' hard. More info on 49-way joysticks can be found at [https://web.archive.org/web/20120614171216/http://urebelscum.speedhost.com/49waySticks.html What are 49-Way joysticks?] by URebelScum

Games that originally used 49-way joysticks include:

*Arch Rivals
*Blaster
*Blitz
*Blitz '99
*Blitz 2000
*Gauntlet: Dark Legacy
*Gauntlet: Legends
*NBA Showtime
*NFL Blitz 2000 Gold Edition
*Pigskin 621 A.D.
*SiniStar
*SportStation

For home gaming purposes, when paired with the [[Gamepad Encoders#GP Wiz49|GP Wiz49]] controller from [http://www.groovygamegear.com GroovyGameGear], these analog style joysticks have become a popular all-around stick. Using the GP-Wiz's various DRS modes, these joysticks can be easily switched between 8-way, 4-way, 2-way (vertical), 2-way (horizontal) and diagonal (Q*Bert style) modes without having to physically change the joystick hardware. This allows these sticks to be used to play any digital joystick games well. In addition, the two 49-way modes allow play for games that originally used 49-way sticks (and have emulator support that goes beyond 8-ways- not all 49-way games do), and also will play well for ''some'' games that originally used analog or Hall-Effect joysticks.

For those with a penchant for soldering here's a [http://www.arcadecollecting.com/info/49way_to_Hall.gif circuit on Arcadecollecting.com] that allows a 49-way to be connected with an an analog interface (Dualstrike hack etc).

There are three varieties of 49-way joystick: Williams, Midway, and Happ.

The Williams are easy to distinguish- they use a distinctive rubber centering "spider" on the bottom, and have balltop handles. Red balltops come from SiniStar; Orange come from Arch Rivals. There are also Williams optical sticks out there with Turquoise and Yellow balltops. These ''look'' like 49-ways, complete with centering spider. However, these sticks do not have as many optics, and the pin connector is different, with fewer pins. These sticks are 8-way only. Turquoise ones most likely come from Bubbles, however, some early Joust games shipped with Turquoise and Yellow optical sticks.

The Midway and Happ 49-ways are ''very'' similar, in fact the Happ is just the Midway stick with a minor re-design. (Happ bought the rights to a lot of Midway's parts business several years ago.) The Midway sticks have a smaller diameter shaft, and the centering grommet has a correspondingly smaller hole. Both have a black bat top handle. Replacement handles are available in a variety of colors (Happ variety only) at [http://www.groovygamegear.com GroovyGameGear].

==Analog Joysticks==

Analog joysticks are not bound by the limits digital joysticks face. Digital joysticks can only point in 8 (or fewer; see above) directions, or no direction at all (centered). Analog joysticks can point in (theoretically) an unlimited number of directions. Furthermore, Analog joystics can discern how far the handle has been pushed from the center position. Games take advantage of these properties to give the player a much greater level of control over their on-screen character. For example, the bird in [http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?letter=&game_id=9338 Road Runner] can run in more than just the 8 standard directions, and how far the player pushes the joystick from center determines how fast the Road Runner runs.

Most analog sticks use a pair of potentiometers, one to measure left-to-right movement (the X-axis), and one to measure forward-and-back movement (the Y-axis). A few games, however, used a "Hall Effect" stick. Hall effect sticks use Hall sensors and magnets to read the postion of the stick. The end result is the same, though- both types report to the game which direction and how far the stick is being pressed.

While the actual resolution of an analog joystick may be theoretically unlimited, the standard for analog joysticks connected to a PC is 256x256. Compare this to the 7x7 resolution of a 49-way joystick, or the 3x3 resolution of a standard 8-way joystick. This explains why it is difficult to play games that originally used analog controls with a standard 8-way stick; the stick simply can't control the on-screen character the way it was intended to be controlled. A 49-way stick is sufficient for ''some'' games that originally used analog controls, but not all of them. Road Runner, for example, can be adequately controlled with a 49-way joystick, as that stick would give the bird 24 directions to run in, and four speeds (including stopped)- which ought to be enough to outwit that dumb coyote. [http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?letter=&game_id=9773 Star Wars], on the other hand, cannot be played well with a 49-way, as that stick will only aim the X-Wing's blasters at 49 equally spaced spots on the screen, leaving Tie Fighters that are in-between those spots un-shootable. (Star Wars actually used an analog [[Flight Yoke]], rather than an analog joystick, but these controls are electrically identical, and actually interchangeable as far as the game is concerned.)

Games that used analog joysticks include:

{|
|
*After Burner
*Alpine Racer
*Alpine Racer 2
*Air Combat
*Air Combat 22
*Aqua Jet (3 analog axes -- stick + throttle)
*Cyber Commando ''(2 sticks per player; two players = 4 sticks)''
*Cyber Sled ''(2 sticks per player; two players = 4 sticks)''
*Cyber Tank ''(4 analog axes -- P1 steer/accelerate and P2 machine gun X/Y)''
*Food Fight
*G-LOC Air Battle
*Galaxy Force 2 (3 analog axes -- stick + pedal)
*Jurrasic Park
*Lock-On
*Maneater
*Metal Hawk
*Night Striker
*Poolshark
*Prop Cycle
*Pursuit
*Quarterback
*Rail Chase
*Rail Chase 2
*Red Baron
*Solar Assault
*Shrike Avenger
*Sky Raider
*Space Encounters
*Space Harrier
*Star Wars Trilogy
*Steel Talons (4 analog axes -- 2 cyclic, 1 collective, 1 pedals)
*Strike Fighter
|
*T-Mek ''(2 sticks per player; two players = 4 sticks)''
*Tail Gunner
*Tail Gunner II
*Thunder Ceptor (3 analog axes -- stick + pedal)
*Thunder Ceptor II (3 analog axes -- stick + pedal)
*Thunderblade
*Tomcat (prototype)
*Tunnel Hunt
*Turret Tower
*Warp Speed (prototype)
*World Series Baseball

*Alien 3: The Gun ''(positional gun)''
*Beast Busters ''(positional gun)''
*Beast Busters: Second Nightmare ''(positional gun)''
*Desert Gun ''(positional gun)''
*Dragon Gun ''(positional gun)''
*Laser Ghost ''(positional gun)''
*Line of Fire ''(positional gun)''
*Operation Thunderbolt ''(positional gun)''
*Operation Wolf 3 ''(positional gun)''
*Revolution X ''(positional gun)''
*Space Gun ''(positional gun)''
*Steel Gunner ''(positional gun)''
*Steel Gunner 2 ''(positional gun)''
*Terminator 2 ''(positional gun)''
*Triple Hunt ''(positional gun)''
*Wild Pilot ''(positional gun)''
|
*Escape From The Planet Of The Robot Monsters ''(Hall-Effect)''
*I, Robot ''(Hall-Effect)''
*Road Runner ''(Hall-Effect)''

*Enduro Racer (2 axis handlebars + gas + brake)
*Hang-On (handlebars + gas + brake)
*Super Hang-On (handlebars + gas + brake)

*Battle Shark ''(periscope)''

*Apache 3 ''(yoke)''
*FireFox ''(yoke)''
*Hydra ''(yoke + 1 pedal)''
*Hyperdrive ''(yoke + 2 pedals)''
*Lock-On ''(yoke)''
*Paperboy ''(yoke)''
*Return Of The Jedi ''(yoke)''
*Star Fire ''(yoke + throttle)''
*Star Wars ''(yoke)''
*Starblade ''(yoke)''
*S.T.U.N. Runner / STUN Runner ''(yoke)''
*The Empire Strikes Back ''(yoke)''
*Top Gunner - Exidy ''(yoke + throttle)''
*Turbo-Sub ''(yoke)''
*Two Tigers ''(yoke -- X-axis only)''
|}

===MAME Settings for Analog Joysticks===
"Input (this Game)" menu

:Set the AD Stick Analog axes. (press Enter then move that axis)

:Set the individual "INC" and "DEC" inputs to "none". (press Enter then ESC)

:-- INC and DEC are used to substitute key presses for analog input.

"Analog Controls" menu

:Adjust settings as needed.

==Rotary Joysticks==

There are two types of rotary joysticks that often get confused: Mechanical rotary sticks, and optical rotary sticks. Either can be interfaced with a PC.

[[image:LS 30 loop24.jpg|thumbnail|320px|Loop-24 and LS-30 joysticks]]
Mechanical rotary sticks are the type that most people remember from games like Ikari Warriors. They have a 12-position rotary switch attached to the bottom of the joystick, which is turned by rotating the handle. Each turn of the handle is accompanied by a clicking sound, and distinct tactile feedback that lets the player know that a turn has been registered.

The SNK games used a stick called the LS-30, with yellow octagonal tops. The Data East games used the same sticks, but with a yellow barrel shaped top. Wico used to make a rotary stick, with a yellow balltop These were basically standard Wico leaf sticks, with the rotary switch added to the bottom. Happ still sells a mechanical rotary stick, which is basically a Happ Super with a rotary switch added to the bottom.

[[image:Loop-24.jpg|thumbnail|320px|Loop-24 encoder wheel]]
Optical rotary sticks have an optical encoder wheel, similar to a spinner, instead of a rotary switch. Caliber .50 used a stick called the Loop-24, with green octagonal tops.

Most games that used rotary joysticks used the rotary function to determine which direction the on-screen character was aiming. This allowed the player to shoot in a different direction from the direction of motion, all with one hand.
 

===Mechanical Rotary Joystick Games (LS-30, Happ Mechanical Rotary Sticks)===
*Battle Field (Japanese verion of Time Soldiers)
*Bermuda Triangle
*Bermuda Triangle (Japan) (Japanese version of Bermuda Triangle)
*Bermuda Triangle (World Wars) (U.S. version of World Wars (World?))
*Dogou Souken a.k.a. Dogosoken (Japanese version of Victory Road)
*Downtown
*Gondomania
*Guerilla War
*Guevara (Japanese version of Guerrilla War)
*Heavy Barrel
*Ikari III - The Rescue (This is the only rotary game that uses three player buttons.)
*Ikari Warriors
*Jackal (Japanese version of Top Gunner)
*Last Survivor (Japan)
*Makyou Senshi (Japanese version of Gondomania)
*Midnight Resistance
*SAR - Search And Rescue
*T.A.N.K (Japanese version of T.N.K. III)
*T.N.K. III
*Time Soldiers
*Top Gunner (bootleg)
*Victory Road
*World Wars (World?)

===Optical Rotary Joystick Games (Loop-24 or Happ Optical Rotary Sticks)===
*Caliber .50
*Exterminator
*Touchdown Fever
*Touchdown Fever II

===Other "Rotary" Games===
These games did ''not'' use rotary joysticks,
but are sometimes confused with rotary games.

*720 (Optical 720 spinner/joy hybrid)
*Bandido (rotary switch, clone of Sheriff)
*Frontline (Taito Aim-n-Fire)
*Sheriff (rotary switch)
*The Tin Star (Taito Aim-n-Fire)
*Western Gun Part II (rotary switch, clone of Sheriff)
*Wild Western (Taito Aim-n-Fire)
*Xybots (Twist-to-Turn)

===MAME Settings for Mechanical Rotary Joysticks===
'''For mechanical rotary games:'''

"Input (this Game)" menu
:Positional Analog to none

"Analog Controls" menu
:Positional Digital Speed = 0
:Positional Sensitivity = 100

'''For optical rotary games:'''

"Input (this Game)" menu
:Dial Analog to none

"Analog Controls" menu
:Dial Digital Speed = double the default value
:Dial Sensitivity = default value

==Mounting Joysticks==
{{Also|FAQ#Joysticks}}

==European vs US vs Japanese Joysticks==

Common US joysticks include those produced by:

*Happ
*Wico
*Atari
*Midway

[Most of the Happ 8/4-way joysticks (including the Supers and Competitions) are actually manufactured by a Spanish company ([http://www.industrias-lorenzo.com Industrias-Lorenzo]) and are therefore technically European joysticks, while most of the Happ analog joysticks are based on Atari designs.]

Common European joysticks include those produced by:

*Suzo
*Industrias-Lorenzo

Common Japanese joysticks include those produced by:

*Sanwa
*Semitsu

==Games with Dual Joysticks==
List (not complete) of games that use dual 2-way, 4-way, or 8-way sticks. (Dual analog stick games are listed [http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Joysticks#Analog_Joysticks here])

Games marked "per player" support simultaneous play by more than one player.

*[http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=6888 Angel Kids]
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=6934 Assault] -- 2 buttons
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=7059 Battlezone] -- 1 button
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=7139 Black Widow]
*[http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=12798 Bullet]
*[http://www.arcade-history.com/?n=chan-bara&page=detail&id=24236 Chan Bara] -- 2 sticks per player
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=7353 Cloak & Dagger] -- 1 button
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=11015 Complex X] -- 1 button
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=7426 Crazy Climber]
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=7427 Crazy Climber 2]
*[http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=10341 Cyber Troopers: Virtual On] -- 4 buttons per player
*[http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=17846 Draco]
*[http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=7654 Dribbling] -- 2 buttons
*[http://www.arcade-history.com/?n=face-off&page=detail&id=799 Face Off] -- 2 buttons per player
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=7813 Fire Trap] -- 1 button
*[http://www.arcade-history.com/?n=gachaga-champ&page=detail&id=4195 Gachaga Champ]
*[http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=8187 Indoor Soccer] -- 2 buttons
*[http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=8191 Inferno (Williams)] -- 1 button per player
*[http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=8245 Joyful Road (Japan)]
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=8279 Karate Champ]
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=8280 Karate Champ Player Vs Player] -- 2 sticks per player
*[http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=8331 Knightmare] -- 2 buttons
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=8358 Krull]
*[http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=8423 Libble Rabble] -- 1 button per player
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=8456 Lost Tomb] -- 1 button
*[http://www.arcade-history.com/?n=main-event&page=detail&id=1539 Main Event (1984)] -- 4 buttons per player
*[http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=8628 Mars]
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=8700 Minefield] -- 1 button
*[http://www.arcade-history.com/?n=polygonet-commanders-model-gx305&page=detail&id=2005 Polygonet Commanders] -- 2 buttons
*[http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=9184 QB-3] -- 4 buttons? (MAME has inputs for buttons 1, 2, and 4, but not for button 3 -- related functions are unknown, buttons not used in game?)
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=9299 Rescue] -- 1 button
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=9300 Rescue Raider] -- 1 button
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=9347 Robotron: 2084]
*[http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=9350 Rock Climber]
*[http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=9433 Sarge] -- 2 buttons per player
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=9451 Screw Loose]
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=9591 Smash TV] -- 2 sticks per player
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=9648 Space Dungeon]
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=9727 Splat!] -- 2 sticks per player
*[http://www.arcade-history.com/?n=star-guards&page=detail&id=2617 Star Guards] -- 2 sticks per player
*[http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=10025 Tank 8] -- 1 button per player
*[http://www.arcade-history.com/?n=tank-battle&page=detail&id=2770 Tank Battle (prototype rev. 4/21/92)] -- 1 button per player
*[http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=9302 The Return of Ishtar] -- 2 buttons
*[http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=10129 Title Fight]
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=10167 Total Carnage] -- 2 sticks per player
*[http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=10261 Ultra Tank] -- 1 button per player
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=10319 Vindicators] -- 4 buttons per player
*[http://www.arcade-history.com/?n=vindicators-part-ii&page=detail&id=3075 Vindicators Part II] -- 4 buttons per player
*[http://www.arcade-history.com/?n=water-match&page=detail&id=3148 Water Match] -- 1 button

==Discontinued Joysticks and Reproductions==
[[LS-30_Switch_Service | LS-30 Rotary Switch disassembly and service]] 
[http://www.mikesarcade.com/arcade/njoysticks.html Nintendo joystick guide (Mike's Arcade)] 
[[Joystick_Database | Table with assorted stick info (wip)]]

==See Also==
* [[Controls]]
* [http://www.slagcoin.com/joystick/introduction.html slagcoin's Joystick Information Pages]

Game lists:
*[http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Spinners_and_Dials#Which_games_originally_used_a_spinner.2Fpaddle.3F Spinner and Dial Games]
*[http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Joysticks#Mechanical_Rotary_Joystick_Games_.28LS-30.2C_Happ_Mechanical_Rotary_Sticks.29 Rotary Joystick Games]
*[http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Joysticks#Games_with_Dual_Joysticks Dual Joystick Games]
*[http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Joysticks#Analog_Joysticks Analog Joystick and Yoke Games]
*[http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Light_Guns#Lightgun_Games_List Lightgun Games]
*[http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Multi-Player_Games Multi-Player Games]
*2-player game list -- dgame compiled an excellent list of 200 games [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,129295.msg1327639.html#msg1327639 here].
*"All Killer, No Filler" game lists -- BadMouth compiled these excellent collections [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,149708.0.html here] -- 1. SHMUPS, 2. VS FIGHTERS, 3. SPORTS, 4. PUZZLE, 5. RUN 'N GUN, 6. BEAT 'EM UP/HACK 'N SLASH, 7. PLATFORM, and 8. CLASSICS.

[[Category:Controls]]
[[Category:Index]]

Light Guns

2016-02-24T04:12:48Z

PL1: /* Lightgun Games List */

A '''light gun''' is a gun that you can point and shoot at an arcade game screen to shoot objects in the game. Light guns of different size and shape are popular in almost all shooting games.

'''Editors Note''' - This page should contain brief descriptions of various lightguns available, and details of their setup. If any one portion of the page starts getting a little too long, a seperate page may be started for that topic.

==Act-Labs Lightgun==
'''Pros:'''
* These have been around for a while - so they have been more thoroughly tested/supported.

'''Cons:'''
* Only works on either a TV or a CRT Monitor - not both (corresponds to which model you buy)
* Does not allow continuous tracking
* Expensive

'''Related Links:''' [http://www.act-labs.com/products/gun1.htm Act-Labs Webpage] - [http://www.retroblast.com/reviews/actlabs.html Retroblast! Review]

==[[LCDTopGun]]==
'''Pros:'''
* Allows for Continuous tracking
* Works on ALL display types.

'''Cons:'''
* Relative newcomer, still working out kinks - shouldn't be long before these are the standard.
* Requires you to stand far away from the monitor.

'''Related Links:''' [http://www.lik-sang.com/info.php?category=266&products_id=8565& Lik-Sang Webpage] - [http://www.wizardsworks.org/chod/gun/topgun.htm Unofficial FAQ] - [http://www.silverfoxy.f2s.com/Topgun.html Unofficial Setup Info (Out of Date with recent Mame changes)] - [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=48982.0 BYOAC Forum Thread]

==GunCon2==

'''Pros:'''
* Cheap - You might already have these sitting around your house.

'''Cons:'''
* Requires hardware to work with CRT Monitors.*

*With one exception being the Guncon2 compatible:
RGT:G1, which works independently with any display.

'''Related Links:''' [http://xoomer.alice.it/guncon2/ GunCon2PC Driver Webpage] - [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=37872.0 BYOAC Forum Thread]

==AimTrak==
'''Pros:'''
*Ease of Use - Simple set up and calibration.
*Works on all TVs - LCDs, CRTs, it all works.
*Distance - Shoot from almost anywhere.
*Cost - A low price considering all of the perks.

'''Cons:'''
*Gun Shell - Requires the usage of homemade gun shell or a gutted gun peripheral.
*Newcomer to the market, but support is strong.

'''Related Links:''' [http://www.ultimarc.com/aimtrak.html Ultimarc Information Page]

== Lightgun Games List ==
This is an incomplete list of lightgun games.

*Born To Fight
*Catch-22
*Cheyenne
*Chiller
*Clay Pigeon
*Combat
*Crackshot
*Crossbow
*Gunbuster (light or positional?)
*Hit 'n Miss
*Mechanized Attack
*Mobil Suit Gundam Final Shooting (light or positional?)
*Operation Wolf
*Shooting Gallery
*Showdown
*Turkey Shoot (light or optical positional? -- no potentiometers)
*Who Dunit

Because of MAME's flexibility in handling inputs, a lightgun game like Operation Wolf will run pretty much the same as a positional gun game like Operation Wolf 3 using an analog joystick or trackball. (see the Analog Joystick game list for more positional gun games)

Other game lists:
*[http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Spinners_and_Dials#Which_games_originally_used_a_spinner.2Fpaddle.3F Spinner and Dial Games]
*[http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Joysticks#Mechanical_Rotary_Joystick_Games_.28LS-30.2C_Happ_Mechanical_Rotary_Sticks.29 Rotary Joystick Games]
*[http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Joysticks#Games_with_Dual_Joysticks Dual Joystick Games]
*[http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Joysticks#Analog_Joysticks Analog Joystick and Yoke Games]
*[http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Multi-Player_Games Multi-Player Games]
*2-player game list -- dgame compiled an excellent list of 200 games [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,129295.msg1327639.html#msg1327639 here].
*"All Killer, No Filler" game lists -- BadMouth compiled these excellent collections [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,149708.0.html here] -- 1. SHMUPS, 2. VS FIGHTERS, 3. SPORTS, 4. PUZZLE, 5. RUN 'N GUN, 6. BEAT 'EM UP/HACK 'N SLASH, 7. PLATFORM, and 8. CLASSICS.

== Software Settings ==
[[Mame Lightgun Setup]]

==See Also==
* [[Controls]]

[[Category:Controls]]
[[Category:Index]]

FAQ

2016-02-23T06:27:32Z

PL1: /* What thickness and materials to use for the Control Panel? */

This page is intended for those who want to build their own arcade machine or classic game controllers. If you're planning to restore an existing arcade cabinet, please take a look at the topic [[restoration]].

There are a dizzying variety of skills, disciplines, methods, materials, and resources involved in this hobby. This FAQ is intended to provide a a general overview of basic topics and common terms for newcomers to the arcade and emulation community. It is designed to be a starting point for choosing useful search terms and asking better/more effective questions in the BYOAC Forums.

= Cabinet Basics =
{{Main|Basics}}
Arcade cabinets (often shortened to 'cabs') are gaming machines that include the screen to display the game, controls to play the game and the computer hardware that runs the game.

== Types of cabs ==
{{Main|Arcade Cabinet}}
Arcade cabinets come in various shapes and sizes. Commercially build and operated cabinets are often build to play a single game and are therefore created to match the target audience or recreate the atmosphere of the game.

=== Standing ===
A standing cabinet is the most common cabinet in North America and Europe. Players stand in front of the machine while playing the game.

* '''Regular''', the iconic, archetype, arcade cabinet. The monitor is usually above waist height with the [[marquee]] overhanging.
* '''Cabaret''', a slightly smaller version of the regular cabinet. The [[marquee]] is often located between the control panel and coin door.
* '''Low-boy''', a standup cabinet where the [[marquee]] is in the same plane as the monitor making the cabinet much lower, hence the name.
* '''Pedestal''', a arcade where the screen is not part of the arcade setup. The monitor could be a TV or projection attached to a wall.
* '''Showcase''', a setup where the screen is in a separate housing as the [[control panel]] but still visually part of one setup. Setups like this usually feature a large screen positioned in such way that onlookers may view the action. The 'showcase' may both refer to the player being able to showcase his or her gaming skill as to the elaborate arcade setup itself.

[[File:StandingArcades.png|center]]
<center>Example standing cabinets next to an adult man for size comparison, from left to right: ''Regular'', ''Low-boy'' and ''Showcase''.</center>

=== Seated ===
Seated cabinets come in two distinct categories; arcade cabinets intended to sit at for easier long play sessions or themed cabinets that involve an activity where sitting down mimics the action of the game (such as driving a car).

* '''Candy''', the most common cabinet in Japan. The cabinets are often made of hard plastic - the shiny plastic appearance led to them being called 'candy cabinets'. These cabinets are quite similar to standup cabinets except that they are lower and often have a larger [[control panel]] surface. ''See also [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Japanese_arcade_cabinets List of Japanese cabinets on Wikipedia]].

* '''Cocktail''', the most common sit-down type in North America. An arcade that resembles a table with the screen embedded in the table surface. The surface is made of hardened glass so people can place their drinks on it.

*'''Cockpit''', an arcade that mimics the cockpit of a racecar, fighter plane or spacecraft. The controls are often matched to the type of vehicle portrayed, such as a [[Driving_Controls|steering wheel]], [[Driving_Controls#Pedals|pedals]], [[Driving_Controls#Shifters|gear shifter]] or [[Driving_Controls#Flight_Yokes|flight yoke]].

*'''Ride-on''', similar to the cockpit arcade, a ride-on often is build specific to the activity of the game(s) played. Ride-on cabinets may feature a motorbike or jet ski seat but also less obvious vehicles such as a minecart.

[[File:SitdownArcades.png|center]]
<center>Example sitdown cabinets next to an adult man for size comparison, from left to right ''cocktail'', ''candy'' and ''cockpit''.</center>

=== Small ===
Another category of cabinets are the small size cabinets.

*'''Mini''', a small version of a cabinet resized to suit play for children.

*'''Bartop''', a portable cabinet that can be placed on top of a table (or as the name suggests, on the bartop in a pub or diner).

*'''Barstick''', a bartop without a built-in display. It is usually connected to a TV.

*'''Micro''', micro cabinets are extremely scaled down cabinets. Building a functioning micro cabinet provides experiences cabinet builders a new challenge. Micro cabinets provide a eye catching model for display.

=== Other ===
Some arcade cabinets are built for a single gametype or purpose.

*'''Digital Pinball Table''', a digital pinball machine is designed to look and act like an actual pinball machine with the ball(s), lighting, playfield and backglass replaced by monitors and pinball simulation software. {{Also|Pinball}}

== Parts of a cabinet ==
{{Main|Arcade_Cabinet#Anatomy_of_a_cabinet}}
Arcade cabinets vary in size and complexity but they generally comprise the same basic features as shown on this diagram.
 
[[image:generic_with_numbers.png|left|400px]]

# '''Marquee'''. Back-lit artwork that displays the cabinet's name.
# '''Marquee retainers'''. A part to keep the marquee in place. Allows easy replacement of the marquee graphic.
# '''Speaker panel'''. The panel which holds the speakers.
# '''Monitor bezel'''. A part that surrounds and masks the monitor in the cabinet. In some arcades the bezel also features artwork.
# '''Control panel'''. Holds the joysticks, buttons and other controls needed to play the games.
# '''T-molding'''. T-molding is used to finish and protect the edges of the woodwork.
# '''Coin door'''. A coindoor to accept coins for play.

 

=Building your own Arcade=
{{Main|Building}}

== What type of build meets my needs? ==
One common pitfall of arcade building is trying to build a cab to "play everything" and ending up with a monster of a control panel often nicknamed a [[frankenpanel]] by the community. Consider what you want to achieve and what your limitations are before starting to build.

#'''Start by considering where you want to put/use the cab.''' Measure the doorways so you can actually move the arcade from the place of construction to the gameroom. Consider what type of cab (upright, sitdown, cocktail, bartop, etc.) will fit your circumstances. Consider possible reflections of windows/lamps on the monitor and power outlet availability.
#'''Make a list of the games, emulators, and front end you want to use.''' This list should include any "can't live without" games and will help you choose a suitable computer. Check the [http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Multi-Player_Games multi-player], [http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Joysticks#Games_with_Dual_Joysticks dual joystick], [http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Joysticks#Mechanical_Rotary_Joystick_Games_.28LS-30.2C_Happ_Mechanical_Rotary_Sticks.29 rotary joystick], [http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Joysticks#Analog_Joysticks analog joystick/yoke], [http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Light_Guns#Lightgun_Games_List lightgun], and [http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Spinners_and_Dials#Which_games_originally_used_a_spinner spinner] gamelists to see if there are enough "can't live without" games in each list to justify including these specialized controls in your build.
#'''Consider the number of simultaneous players you want to support.''' Keep in mind that more players means adapting your [[control panel]]; the more controls the more room you'll need (space might be an issue). If you plan to support more than 2 players, make sure all players have a good view of the screen. Also more players probably means a bigger budget- keep in mind that there are alternatives like using USB joypads for letting other players join in or using a 2-player version of a 4-player game like Gauntlet, TMNT, or X-Men.
#'''Figure out what kind/quantity of controls you'll need to support the games and emulators on your list.''' Go through the list to determine what controls you will need. [[Joysticks]] come in many variants such as 4-way, 8-way, and analog. Some games or consoles require analog controls. Keep in mind that some controls can be used as alternative: for example a [[Trackballs|trackball]] might also work as a [[spinner]] or mouse. A spinner might also work as a [[Driving_Controls#Optical_.28360_degree_wheels.29|steering wheel]]. Note that reusing controls is also subject to personal preference and is an often discussed subject within the community.
#'''What computer do you want/need to use.''' Newer games means a newer computer. If you already have a computer you plan to use, try some [[emulators]] on it to see what games it is capable of running - cross check this with the games you want to play.
#'''That will lead you to what [[emulators]] and other [[software]] like [[Front-Ends|front-ends]] you want/need.''' [[Emulators]] are programs that can make the computer act as a (retro)gaming system such as an [[Arcade_Emulators|arcade machine]] or [[Game_Consoles|game consoles]]. Do you want the players to be able to switch games? There are many programs where players can select and start games (this kind of software programs are known as [[Front-Ends|front-ends]]. Configuring the computer to run old games is also part of the hobby!
#'''Choose your encoder'''. The [[encoders|encoder]] is a specialized piece of electronics that connects the controls to the computer. There are several vendors that sell encoders, it is also possible to create your own by hacking a keyboard or gamepad. It is usually much easier to buy an encoder from a vendor instead. A few things to keep in mind when selecting an encoder such as the number of supported inputs (how many buttons can you connect) support for analogue devices (trackball, spinner etc.).
#'''What is the artwork/theme/design you want to use?''' [[Overview_%26_Options_to_Consider|Picking the artwork or theme]] early may help you selecting the colors of the [[Pushbuttons|buttons]] or [[T-Molding|t-molding]]. It may also affect the way you want to arrange the buttons on the controlpanel or the size of the marquee.
#'''Arrange the controls on the control panel.''' It is highly encouraged to create a mockup panel out of cardboard, hardboard, or even MDF to test the layout. This enables you to "feel" if the controls are in the right place and the control panel is comfortable to play. [http://slagcoin.com/joystick/layout.html Slagcoin] has many printable button layouts.
#'''Select a monitor.''' What kind of monitor do you plan to use? Consider that the size may affect the dimensions of the cabinet. Keep in mind that many arcade games have the monitor in portrait mode (while these are still playable on a landscape oriented monitor, the games will often be scaled down). Some emulators can use special effects (shaders) to simulate the appearance of an old CRT monitor on LCD (flat panel) monitors, this usually requires a decent videocard.
#'''Design the rest of the cab around the monitor and control panel.''' The control panel and monitor often dictate the required dimensions for the rest of the cabinet. Keep also in mind the considerations at point 1 in this list!

There are many more topics to explore such as [[Rotating_Monitor|rotating monitors]], swappable control panels, and [[Modular_Control_Panels|modular control panels]]. This list is by no means complete but it should provide a solid foundation for you to start designing your own cab!

== What is the difference between an original arcade cab and a MAME cab? ==
An original arcade cabinet refers to a cabinet designed for commecial operation. These cabinets are often crafted for a specific game or specific type of dedicated arcade (computer) hardware.
A MAME cabinet is the collective name for a cabinet intended to simulate the arcade experience. These cabinets are usually configured to allow users to play many different games.

Some original arcade cabinets have electronic components like Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) or monitors that are missing or damaged beyond restoration. Sometimes replacement parts are impossible to find or outrageously expensive. Sometimes the artwork or body of the cabinet is badly damaged. Problems like these can make restoring a commonly-available cabinet so difficult or expensive that it '''clearly''' isn't worth preserving. Cabs like those are possible candidates to convert to a MAME cabinet. Remember to preserve as much as possible and, as the saying goes, "Please don't maim for MAME."

Also note that the name MAME cabinet refers to the [[Emulators|emulator]] [[MAME]], but in many cases several other emulators are used to play games. MAME is the most common emulator to play arcade games.

== What is JAMMA/JAMMA+? ==
{{Main|JAMMA}}
[[Image:Jamma.png|thumbnail|300px|JAMMA connector]]JAMMA is a wiring standard developed in 1985 by Japan Amusement Machine and Marketing Association, Inc. It allows you to easily change between JAMMA compatible game boards without re-wiring the cabinet.
If you plan to build your own arcade from scratch with your own PC, the JAMMA standard does not apply; it is an industry standard.

The JAMMA standard uses a 56-pin edge connector on the board with inputs and outputs common to most video games.
JAMMA Games that have more than 3 action buttons, more than 2 players, or different control types use the JAMMA+ standard.

The JAMMA standard enables you to hook an original arcade cabinet to a PC using a [[Keyboard_Encoders#J-PAC|J-PAC]] encoder. This allows you to use the existing controls to play emulated games.
{{Also|Connecting a PC to an Arcade Cabinet}}

If you have JAMMA compatible game circuit boards, you will need JAMMA compatible arcade hardware to be able to play them.

The Real Bob Roberts™ JAMMA links:
*[http://homearcade.org/BBBB/newjam.html JAMMA pinout]
*[http://homearcade.org/BBBB/jh.html JAMMA harness bundling]
*[http://homearcade.org/BBBB/plus.html JAMMA+ wiring]

= Controls =
{{Main|Controls}}
Authentic controls and [[Control panel|control panels]] give you that original arcade feel.

== Joystick Types ==
{{Main|Joysticks}}
A Joystick is a device to let you manually control direction of movement in an arcade game. When selecting the correct joystick for your setup, keep in mind the games you wish to play. Note that there are also [[Joysticks#Games_with_Dual_Joysticks|games that use dual joysticks]].

===2-way===
2-way joysticks register movement along either the X-axis '''or''' Y-axis. These joysticks are operated by triggering [[Working with Microswitches|microswitches]] or leaf switches which means these are absolute -- either movement in a direction is triggered or not. 4-way or 8-way joysticks can be used as physically-restricted 2-way joysticks by using a slot-shaped restrictor plate.

===4/8-way===
4-way and 8-way joysticks register movement along the X-axis '''and''' Y-axis. These joysticks are operated by triggering [[Working with Microswitches|microswitches]] or leaf switches which means these are absolute -- either movement in a direction is triggered or not. Both 4-way and 8-way joysticks have 4 microswitches or leaf switches. The difference between 4-way and 8-way joysticks is that a 4-way stick can only activate one switch (up, down, left, or right) at a time, but an 8-way stick can register up to two switches (up+right, etc.) at a time. Some joysticks have a restrictor plate that limits/defines the joystick's range of motion, allowing you to select 4/8-way operation. There are also models that can automatically switch between physical 4-way and 8-way restriction using a motor/actuator controlled by software.

===Analog===
Analog joystics can discern how far the handle has been pushed from the center position. This type of joystick is often used where the player must be able to control the movement in a smooth way, for example pushing the joystick further also makes the game character move faster in the chosen direction.

===Speciality joysticks===
Speciality joysticks include [[Joysticks#49-Way_Joysticks|49-way joysticks]], [[Joysticks#Rotary_Joysticks|rotary joysticks]], [[Joysticks#TRON_joysticks|TRON joysticks]] and joysticks with a trigger and/or one or more buttons.

== Buttons ==
{{Main|Pushbuttons}}
{{Also|Working with Microswitches}}
{{Also|Wiring Push Buttons and Conventional Digital Joysticks}}

Pushbuttons are the simplest and most common form of control consisting of a momentary switch that makes contact when pressed.
Buttons come in various colors, shapes and sizes. Round buttons are usually used on control panels.

Pushuttons with 3 tabs have Common (Com), Normally Open (NO), and Normally Closed (NC) connections in a SPDT configuration.

Pushbuttons with 2 tabs are in a SPST configuration.

===Layout===
The placement of buttons (and joysticks) is often influenced by personal preference. It is wise to consider using one of the common layouts used in the arcade industry, as these were designed to allow players to reach and rest their fingers on buttons with minimal hand strain. The [http://www.slagcoin.com/joystick/layout.html Slagcoin] website has a list of descriptions and printable layouts that are '''highly''' recommended reference material.

Before constructing a control panel, a cardboard mockup often gives you a good impression if the controls are comfortable to use.

===Number of player buttons===
The number of player buttons (buttons used during gameplay) to put on your panel is determined by the the games you plan to play. Most fighting games used 6 buttons in a 2 rows of 3 buttons configuration. The [[Neo-Geo]] used 4 buttons in a single row. Some people combine these two layouts in a 2 row layout with 3 buttons on one row and four on the other.

Note that no arcade machine uses more than 4 buttons for players three and four.

If you are making a dedicated cab for 4-way joystick games, you will only need 2 player buttons unless you want to include:

'''4-way joystick 3 button games'''
* Iron Horse
* Punch Out!!
'''4-way joystick 4 button games'''
* Mouse Trap
* Super Punch-Out!!

===Number of admin buttons===
Commonly used admin buttons/function include P1/P2 Start (1/2), P1/P2 Coin (5/6), Pause (P) and Exit. (ESC)

To keep guests or children from accidently messing up their cab configuration, many individuals choose to not include a Menu (Tab) button and disable the shifted function for Menu. (P1 Start + joystick right on I-Pac)

There are several schools of thought concerning admin buttons -- some people prefer dedicated admin buttons, while others prefer using "shifted functions".

'''Dedicated admin buttons:'''
*'''PRO +''' Button functions can be clearly labeled on the panel art or using inserts in translucent buttons.
*'''CON -''' Too many buttons can be confusing and make a panel look cluttered.

Commonly used dedicated admin buttons include P1/P2 Start, P1/P2 Coin, ESC (exit), Pause, and others. Some console emulators may also require additional functions so be sure to install and configure desired emulators '''before''' building your panel.

'''"Shifted functions":'''
*'''PRO +''' Can make the panel look less cluttered.
*'''CON -''' When the "shift" button is pressed, any button pressed at the same time will output the associated shifted function. This may trigger an unintended function (exit, pause, menu, etc.) during a multi-player co-op game when one player performs a shifted function and the other player continues playing.

"Shifted functions" require a button/input to act as the "shift" button -- P1 Start on the IPac, HWB on the KADE, and Shazaaam! on the KeyWiz.

Pressing P1 Start and P2 Start will cause an IPac to output ESC. (exit)

Include an instruction card on the control panel overlay or screen bezel so family members and guests can figure out how to operate the cab.

===Illuminated buttons===
{{Main|Lighting}}
Many vendors sell illuminted single-color buttons and/or RGB (Red/Green/Blue) LED lighting kits for pushbuttons.

Illuminated buttons can be wired directly to a power source for constant single-color illumination '''or''' you can change brightness (single-color or RGB) or color (RGB) using software and a USB LED controller board like the LED-Wiz or the PacLED64.

== Trackballs ==
{{Main|Trackballs}}
A Trackball is a large ball that can be pushed in any direction to control an arcade game. Trackballs provide precise analog control, much like a mouse.

== Spinners ==
{{Main|Spinners}}
A Spinner is a knob that can be spun rapidly in either direction to move an on-screen paddle or character. Spinners provide precise analog control like a mouse, but act only along one axis.

== Other specialized controls ==
{{Also|:Category:Controls}}

Yokes, steering wheels, trigger stick, rotary joysticks, light guns, etc.

== USB gamepads/controllers ==
One way to expand the number of games that you can play (without turning your control panel into a "Frankenpanel") is to use gamepads or controllers plugged into external USB ports.

USB gamepads allow you to add Players 3+4 to a 2-player cab or play console games that use "shoulder buttons" or two analogue joysticks per player (''twin stick shooters'').

You can also add controllers with specialized controls like an analog flightstick for Afterburner or rotary joysticks for Ikari Warriors. Another option is to add controllers with specialized layouts for Defender or Asteroids.

=Construction=
{{Main|Building}}
Building your own arcade cabinet or controller can be a rewarding experience. The construction itself involves various disciplines from woodworking, electronics and design. While some people in the community have produced exceptional cabinets, everyone with some practice and dedication can build a cabinet.
The wiki has an [[Build an OND designed cab Metropolis|example project]] with images to give an impression of how a cabinet is built.

== What tools do I need? ==
{{Main|Hand Tools}}
{{Main|Power Tools}}
Building your own arcade machine is no simple task and requires the correct tools as well as the knowledge of how to use each one correctly and safely.
Keep the safety guidelines in mind for each tool in when using them!
[[File:Ond_tools.jpg|center]]

== Design ==
{{Main|Technical design software}}
Planning is everything is this hobby. To make sure your design fits together as you had in mind it is wise to sketch out your designs first. Regular paper sketches with measurements might suit your needs. There is also software (some available for free) to help design your cabinet. Often community members share their designs in digital files. [http://www.sketchup.com Sketchup] is quite popular, but other software such as Microsoft Visio works as well.

== What type of wood to use? ==
{{Main|Wood products}}
In building an arcade cabinet, several types of materials are available to you. Each has its strengths and weaknesses. The most common used materials are [[Wood_products#MDF|MDF]], [[Wood_products#Plywood|Plywood]] and [[Wood_products#MDO|MDO]].

== What thickness and materials to use for the Control Panel? ==
Many people use [[Wood_products#MDF|MDF]], [[Wood_products#Plywood|Plywood]] or [[Wood_products#MDO|MDO]] since they are easy to work with.

Some use metal.

Some control panel artwork comes with a thin polycarbonate lamination that protects the artwork from wear and tear, but artwork without it needs to be protected using 1/8" plexiglass, polycarbonate, or acrylic.

Plexiglass is usually held down by the pushbuttons/nuts.

If you are using [[T-Molding|T-Molding]], the combined thickness of all the layers needs to add up to the width of the T-Molding.

For example, 5/8" MDF + artwork + 1/8" plexiglass = 3/4" T-Molding.

If you aren't able to find T-molding that matches the thickness of the layers, you can use a chamfer or roundover router bit to angle the lower edge of the control panel.

[[File:T-molding regular and offset 2.jpg|center]]

== Mounting controls in the control panel==
Part of planning is reviewing the mounting options. Some controls require clearance on either side for mounting. When in doubt, tt is advised to use a cardboard mockup to verify the clearances of the controls.

===Hardware===
There are three types of hardware commonly used to mount joysticks.

This hardware is purchased separately from the joystick due to the variety of mounting options and methods.

'''Carriage Bolts:'''
Carriage bolts have a rounded top and a square base slightly larger than the threads.
*'''PRO +''' Strongest mounting method.
*'''CON -''' Visible bolt heads can distract from artwork.

'''Tee Nuts/T-Nuts:'''
The two common styles have either prongs or holes for small nails to keep the nuts from turning when screws are tightened/loosened. The kind with the nails is usually a better choice than the kind with prongs because it's much easier to drill tiny pilot holes for nails than it is to drive prongs into dense MDF.
*'''PRO +''' Almost as strong as carriage bolts.
*'''PRO +''' Can be hidden in a shallow countersink.
*'''CON -''' Requires more work to prepare a smooth surface for paint or vinyl artwork.
*'''PRO/CON''' Use a piece of tape to ensure that wood putty does not get into the threads of the nut, otherwise the hardened putty may be pushed up when you tighten the screw and damage the smooth surface.
*'''PRO/CON''' Screws used must be long enough to engage the tee nut, but not so long that they break through the top of the control panel.

'''Threaded Inserts:'''
These are preferred over wood screws in materials such as MDF. Regardless of what kind of thread geometry the wood screw has, with MDF you can only tighten it reliably '''once'''. When you loosen and retighten a screw in MDF it pulps and strips it. Good threaded inserts for MDF have very wide/flat/thin outer threads that cut into the MDF and keep the insert from backing out when the machine screws are loosened. The negative example below has outer threads that are too narrow to work properly with MDF. Threads on the inside allow you to remove/replace the machine screws in the event you want to replace the joystick.
*'''PRO +''' Easiest way to leave a smooth surface for paint or vinyl artwork.
*'''PRO/CON''' Screws used must be long enough to engage the insert, but not so long that they break through the top of the control panel.

<center>
<gallery>
Image:CarriageBolt.jpg|Carriage bolt
Image:TeeNuts.jpg|Tee-nuts
image:GGGThreadedInserts.jpg|Threaded insert kit. Photo © IDVT Inc. / [http://groovygamegear.com/webstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=70&products_id=317 GroovyGameGear.com], Used with permission.
Image:UltimarcThreadedInserts.jpg|Threaded insert kit. Photo © [http://www.ultimarc.com/controls.html Ultimarc.com], Used with permission.
Image:BadThreadedInsert.jpg|Wrong inserts for MDF: the threads are too small on this type
</gallery>
</center>

===Push buttons===
Most push buttons mount in a round hole -- usually 1-1/8" (28mm) or 30mm. Most push buttons are (from a construction point of view) similar to a nut and bolt: the threaded end is below the control panel and held in place by a nut. Some push buttons have flexible tabs that lock in place under the panel. This type of button is usually used with metal control panels.
<center><gallery>
File:PushButtonThreaded.png|Threaded button
File:PushButtonLockingTab.png|Locking-tab button
</gallery></center>

===Joysticks===
There are several ways to mount a joystick in a control panel.
<center>
<gallery widths=180px heights=180px>
File:Joystickmount-top.png|Top mount
File:Joystickmount-under.png|Under mount (threaded inserts)
File:Joystickmount-undertnuts.png|Under mount (tee-nuts)
File:Joystickmount-underrecessed.png|Under mount (recessed, countersunk screws)
File:Joystickmount-supportblocks.png|Under mount (support blocks)
File:Joystickmount-toprecessed.png|Top mount (recessed)
</gallery>
</center>

* '''Top mount''' The joystick is mounted on top of the control panel; for this a larger hole must be cut in the panel to accomodate the base of the joystick. A top mounted joystick adds a raised plate on top of the panel which is generally undesired if any artwork is to be added to the control panel. Also screws cannot be countersunk using this method. Carriage bolts are commonly used for this mounting configuration.

* '''Under mount''' The joystick is mounted underneath the control panel. Countersunk fasteners or threaded inserts leave a flat surface for comfortable play and application of artwork. The downside to this method is either the loss of joystick height '''or''' an increase in the distance the stick must travel to actuate the switches. countersunk screws/bolts, tee-nuts or threaded inserts are commonly used for this mounting configuration.

* '''Under mount (recessed)''' The joystick is mounted underneath the control panel. An area is cleared using a router to sink the joystick into the wood; this gives the joystick more height for play. Tee-nuts/T-nuts, countersunk screws/bolts, or threaded inserts are commonly used for this mounting configuration.

* '''Under mount (support blocks)''' The joystick is securely supported inside a recessed gap using blocks held in place by a metal plate or flat metal bars secured to the control panel by threaded inserts or tee-nuts. [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,130690.msg1345990.html#msg1345990 This forum topic] has an excellent example of this method. The photos below are from the forum topic, used with permission from [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=profile;u=62783 EMDB].
<center>
<gallery>
File:emdb_1.jpg|1: Routed area
File:emdb_2.jpg|2: Fitting joystick
File:emdb_3.jpg|3: Added support blocks
File:emdb_4.jpg|4: Threaded inserts
File:emdb_5.jpg|5: Plate to secure the joystick
</gallery>
</center>
[[image:TopRecessed.jpg|right|thumb| Top mount (recessed) example]]
* '''Top mount (recessed)'''. If (1) the joystick shaft is ''very'' short, (2) you don't want the joystick mounting plate exposed, and (3) need the strongest shallow-mount option available, use a top mount (recessed) configuration. The cover piece can be secured using countersunk screws as shown or a cover piece the size of the whole control panel can be held in place by the push buttons. See [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,129964.msg1329715.html#msg1329715 this topic] with an example and explanation of this method. The down-side of using this method is that it is much more difficult to remove and replace joysticks than with the other methods.

 
====Orientation====
It is important to note that joysticks should ''always'' be mounted parallel to the screen since it is intuitive for a player to move the joystick in relation to the action on the screen. This might seem not obvious in 4-player designs, but experience has proved that this holds true even if the player is standing diagonal towards the screen. Therefore it is advised not to angle joysticks for players 3 and 4. P3 joystick is shown parallel, while P4 joystick is shown angled.[[Image:StraightAndAngledSticks.jpg|center|460px|P3=straight, P4=angled]]

The three notable exceptions to this rule are the [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,129696.msg1326815.html#msg1326815 diagonal games] Q*bert, Q*bert's Qubes, and Congo Bongo. The 4-way joystick is angled 45 degrees clockwise -- up relative to stick = up+right relative to the monitor. Since your on-screen character can ''only'' move in diagonals, this keeps the joystick up/down/left/right directions aligned with the on-screen action.

===Trackballs===
{{Also|Trackball Mounting}}

Mounting a trackball in a wood panel is often done with the aid of a mounting plate or kit.

If you aren't using a mounting plate, there are several tools that are good for cutting the large circular hole.
*Holesaw
*Dremel tool circle cutter attachment
*Router circle cutter attachment
*Adjustable circle cutter

There is further information and several useful links in [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,138552.msg1432066.html#msg1432066 this] post.

= Encoders =
{{Main|Encoders}}
An [[Encoders|encoder]] is a device that interfaces between the controls and the computer running the games. In the early days of the hobby, keyboard or gamepad encoders were often re-used/hacked by soldering wires to the connection points. Today [[vendors]] have different kinds of encoder circuit boards to make the process much easier and more reliable. Encoders usually connect to the PC using [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usb USB] or [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PS/2_port PS/2] connectors.

== What type of encoder(s) do I need? ==
There are four basic types of encoders presently available:
*[[Keyboard Encoders]] When using this, the computer will interpret the connected controls as if it was a keyboard.
:'''PRO +''' Most games are able to use the keyboard inputs.
:'''PRO +''' Most encoders come preconfigured with an arcade configuration.
:'''PRO +''' Keyboard encoders can support multiple players (see also ''[[#How_many_encoder_inputs_do_I_need_for_my_control_panel.3F|how many encoder inputs do I need]]'').
:'''CON -''' Can only handle digital (either 'key down' or 'key up') inputs.
:'''CON -''' Certain key combinations can cause accidental loss of focus or other undesired functions.

*[[Gamepad Encoders]] When using this, the computer will interpret the connected controls as if it was a gamepad.
:'''PRO +''' Usually plug-and-play.
:'''PRO +''' Gamepad Encoders that support analog (potentiometer) controls are called [[Analog_Encoders|Analog Encoders]].
:'''CON -''' Usually one player per encoder (as one gamepad per player).
:'''CON -''' Not all software supports gamepads.

*[[Rotary Encoders]] A rotary encoder is required to interface rotary mechanical joysticks like the ones used for Ikari Warriors.
:'''PRO +''' Most models have additional gamepad or keyboard inputs.

*[[Optical Encoders|Optical (Mouse) Encoders]] An optical encoder can connect devices such as trackballs, spinners, or rotary optical joysticks. The computer will interpret the connected controls as if it were a mouse.
:'''PRO +''' A trackball can act as a mouse.

Note that some vendors combine keyboard and optical encoders in one circuit board.

Choosing the right encoder depends on the types of software you plan to use. If, for example, you plan to play games that only support gamepads, it is wise to choose an encoder of the gamepad type. Identify the input capabilities of the software you plan to use and choose accordingly. Also certain types of controls (rotary joysticks, trackballs and spinners) require a specific encoder to be able to connect to the computer.

For some input types a software conversion is possible - for example the program "joy2key" is able to convert gamepad controls into keyboard strokes.

== How many encoder inputs do I need for my control panel? ==
The encoder(s) you choose must be able to support all the controls you plan to use. Check the vendor-supplied information to determine the quantity and type of inputs each encoder can handle.

'''Digital inputs (IPac, KADE, KeyWiz, Mini-Pac, UHID, etc.)'''

*4-way or 8-way joystick - 4 inputs
*Pushbutton - 1 input
*Coin-slot microswitch - 1 input
*Pedal (microswitch) - 1 input

'''Optical inputs - each axis uses 5v, ground, and two data lines (Mini-Pac, OptiWiz, UHID, etc.)'''
*Trackball - 2 axes (NOTE: Some come with a USB or PS/2 adapter)
*Spinner/360 degree wheel - 1 axis

'''Analog inputs - each axis uses 5v, ground and one wiper (A-Pac, KADESTICK, UHID, etc.)'''
*Analog joystick - 2 axes
*Paddle/270 degree wheel - 1 axis
*Pedal (potentiometer) - 1 axis

KADE extended mode (20 inputs ==> 26 functions + 20 shifted functions) or shifted functions can increase the number of controls connected to your encoder. Pros and cons to shifted functions are mentioned in the [[FAQ#Number_of_admin_buttons|Number of admin buttons]] section.

= Basic wiring =
{{Also|Wiring Push Buttons and Conventional Digital Joysticks}}

== Quick disconnect sizes ==
For easy connection/disconnection, many joysticks and switches use standard sized tabs. Compatible connectors are named "quick disconnect terminals". (QDs)

Most microswitches use 0.187" (4.8 mm) QDs and some use 0.250" (6 mm) QDs. Most two tab buttons (Sanwa, Seimitsu, Goldleaf, etc.) and leaf switches use 0.110" QDs. (2.8 mm). Check the product description or measure the tabs to ensure you get the the correct size.
<center>
<gallery widths=220px heights=220px>
File:QuickDisconnectsFemale.png|Female quick disconnect terminals
File:QuickDisconnectsMale.png|Male quick disconnect terminals
</gallery>
</center>
The color-coded plastic insulation sleeve indicates the size wire(s) that the terminal is designed for. Red is used for 18-22 AWG wire, blue is used for 14-16 AWG, and yellow is used for 10-12 AWG.

== Soldering ==
Soldering is another option for connecting wires to components. Soldering electronics is a specialist skill which requires practise.

Soldering is the process of joining two metal components by melting a filler (the solder) between them. Often the joining process is accelerated by the use of a flux liquid to clean/prepare the surfaces. A soldered joint is semi permanent - the joint can be broken by melting the solder again.

A good solder connection will have both good mechanical connection (physically strong) '''and''' good electrical connection. (low resistance)

After soldering, always clean the joint and surrounding area with a cotton swab dipped in isopropyl alcohol to remove any residual flux and solder.

See also: [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,129317.msg1322370.html#msg1322370 Soldering tutorial]

== Commonly used wire sizes ==
Most control panels use between 20AWG and 30AWG wire to connect controls. AWG stands for [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_wire_gauge American Wire Gauge].
22AWG stranded wire is a popular choice -- small enough to work with fairly easily, big enough for solid crimp connections and carrying current for many LED setups.

See Wikipedia for other wire gauges [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_wire_gauge British Standard Wire Gauge], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEC_60228 IEC 60228] and [http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/28/Gauge_Chart.pdf Gauge comparison chart].

== How do I wire microswitches to an encoder? ==
The illustration demonstrates a common way of connecting the microswitches. Please read the topic [[Working with Microswitches]] for a detailed description of the microswitch connectors.
<center>
[[Image:PushbuttonMicroswitchWire.png|300px]]
</center>
Wires 1 and 2 go to the Encoder input for the function you want the push button to activate. For example if the left button is the "Player 1 Start" button, the red wire labelled "1" goes to the corresponding input on the encoder. Note how the black wire labelled "3" is connected to the COM tab of both microswitches. The black daisy-chain ground wire goes to the ground connecter of the encoder.

<center>
[[Image:PushbuttonMicroswitchWire1a.png|620px]]
</center>
The first schematic shows the same switches and wires connected to encoder (gray) input 1, input 2, and ground.

With no buttons pressed, the encoder inputs and wires have 5v connected to them, but like a light switch that is off, there is no path for current flow through the inputs.

The other schematics show the encoder registering a button press when ground is connected to the input which allows current to flow through that part of the circuit like flipping a light switch to turn on a light.

== Power wiring ==
{{Template:DisclaimerElectricity}}
[[image:IECPowerSwitch.jpg|right|thumb|IEC power inlet with fuse and lighted switch]]
One popular choice for neatly bringing power into a cab is a power inlet with an IEC320 C14 socket.

Some of them have built-in switches and/or fuse holders.

A number of vendors carry similar products with several different types of switches.

See [[Wiring#IEC_Fused_Power_Inlet_with_a_Lighted_Switch]] for details.

 

=Illuminating your cabinet=
{{Main|Lighting}}
{{Also|Finishing}}

== LED Lighting ==
Most arcade LEDs are designed to run on either 5v or 12v circuits.

You can use 12v LEDs powered by 5v for extremely-low power consumption -- commonly used for standalone USB control panels to avoid the use of a second cable for LED power.

== Single color buttons ==
These are lit by a single-color LED.

== RGB buttons ==
Can be hard-wired to operate like single color buttons, but the most common way to use these LEDs is with a controller.

These LEDs have 4 wires: Operating voltage (yellow or black wire), red ground, green ground, and blue ground.

[http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,121965.msg1294271.html#msg1294271 This forum topic] has a comparison of various RGB lighting modules and push buttons.

== LED controllers ==
An LED controller allows the computer to switch LEDs on and off, change the brightness and (in the case of RGB LEDs) change the color. This allows you to illuminate buttons based on what game is being played or create animated light displays.

Several vendors sell LED controller boards for this purpose. Commonly used controllers are LED-Wiz, Pac-LED64, Pac-Drive, and U-HID.

The software [http://www.ledblinky.net/ledblinky.htm LEDBlinky] can be used to drive the controllers. The LEDBlinky software is compatible with various [[Front-Ends|Front end software]].

= Displays =
{{Main|Video}}
Displays come in two basic types: CRT and Flatscreen. Both have advantages and disadvantages.
CRT stands for [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathode_ray_tube Cathode Ray Tube] and works by sending beams of electrons to a fluorescent screen. CRT displays in the consumer markets are becomming less and less common in favor of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flatscreen flatscreen displays]. Flatscreen displays are available in LCD, LED, OLED, and plasma variants -- each with their own strengths and weaknesses but are generally categorised by availability and pricepoint.
A small number of arcade cabinets used speciality displays such as backscreen projection.

See also the [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,45137.0.html Monitor FAQ] topic on the forums.

== Differences: pros/cons ==
'''Arcade CRT monitor''' The arcade monitor offers the best arcade experience as these are the monitors used in the original cabinets. These monitors are hard to find. These monitors usually support low resolutions (which may or may not be a con, depending on the types of games you plan to play). {{Also|Arcade Monitors}}

*'''PRO +''' Offer a real arcade experience.
*'''CON -''' Hard to find.
*'''CON -''' Requires a special videocard to use with a PC.

'''CRT television''' The CRT television can be used as a display. {{Also|Televisions}}

*'''PRO +''' Close to an arcade monitor.
*'''PRO +''' Cheap and easy to find 2nd hand market.
*'''PRO +''' Common in the 4:3 aspect ratio (most common ratio for arcade games).
*'''PRO +''' Europe only: Most European TVs have the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scart SCART] connector for easier RGB connection. This makes the TV work exactly like an arcade monitor. See also [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,77370.0.html this forum topic].
*'''CON -''' Generally very heavy (especially those larger than 19 inches).

'''CRT monitor''' The CRT monitor is a regular CRT PC monitor. Some types of CRT monitors ([[MultiSync Monitors]]) can display arcade hardware natively. {{Also|PC Monitors}}

*'''PRO +''' Close to an arcade monitor (but not as close as a CRT television).
*'''PRO +''' Cheap and easy to find for sizes up to and including 19 inch on 2nd hand market.
*'''PRO +''' Common in the 4:3 aspect ratio (most common ratio for arcade games).
*'''CON -''' Harder to find in sizes of 21 inch and above (even in the 2nd hand market).
*'''CON -''' Generally very heavy (especially ones larger than 19 inches).

'''LCD Flatpanel''' The flatpanel computer monitors are the most common computer displays at the moment.

*'''PRO +''' Lightweight.
*'''PRO +''' Easy to mount inside a cabinet (due to the VESA [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flat_Display_Mounting_Interface mounting standard]).
*'''PRO +''' Cheap and commonly available.
*'''CON -''' Sizes above 19" are usually in the 16:9 (widescreen) aspect ratio (4:3 is more common in arcade games).
*'''CON -''' Lack the authentic look ("too clean"). Some emulators provide graphic filters to simulate the look of a CRT monitor.
*'''CON -''' The viewing angle might be a problem (depends on the model and make- but it is something to keep in mind).
*'''PRO/CON''' Has a "native" resolution, which means it will look the best in a specific setting. Most emulators and software can be set to use this resolution.

'''LED Flatpanel''' LED display technology is an improvement over LCD technology and is currently common used in flatpanel televisions. If you plan to use a television model for your arcade, it is advised to verify if the connection options for the display are compatible to the computer you plan to use.

*'''PRO +''' Lightweight.
*'''PRO +''' Easy to mount inside a cabinet (due to the VESA [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flat_Display_Mounting_Interface mounting standard]).
*'''PRO +''' Available in large sizes.
*'''PRO +''' Wide viewing angle compared to LCD.
*'''CON -''' Generally more expensive than LCD monitors.
*'''CON -''' Nearly all LED displays are in the 16:9 (widescreen) aspect ratio (4:3 is more common in arcade games).
*'''CON -''' Lack the authentic look ("too clean"). Some emulators provide graphic filters to simulate the look of a CRT monitor.
*'''PRO/CON''' Has a "native" resolution, which means it will look the best in a specific setting. Most emulators and software can be set to use this resolution.

== Types of video connections ==
The type of connection depends on the display and the computer (or arcade hardware) used.

This is a list with common connection types and how to recognize them. Some connectors can be converted to another connector type by using a conversion cable; usually conversion is only backwards compatible (ie. Component can be converted to Composite, but not the other way around).

* '''Composite''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Composite_video composite connector] is commonly indicated by a single yellow [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RCA_connector RCA connector]. The signal (usually referred to as ''CVBS'' signal) is an analogue signal. This type of connector is often found on older TV sets.

*'''S-Video''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S-Video S-Video] connection (sometimes referred to as Y/C) is a (small) round with four pins. The quality is better than composite but the available color depth is not as good as component. The S-Video is connection available on some PC video cards (as secondary connector) due to it's small connector size. A S-Video signal can be converted to composite using a conversion cable.

* '''Component''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Component_video component video] (sometimes referred to as YCbCr or YPbPr) connection is indicated by three [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RCA_connector RCA connectors] color coded red, green and blue. The video signal is an [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YPbPr analogue signal]. It is often incorrect assumed that this is an RGB signal (the confusion often stems from the color code of the cables). This is the best available analogue signal, it is commonly found on large television sets. A native YCbCr can be converted to composite or S-video using a conversion cable.

* '''SCART''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SCART SCART connector] is common in Europe- almost all TVs sold are equipped with the connector (another name for SCART is ''EuroAV''). The SCART connector can carry a mix of signals including analogue and digital RGB. The SCART connector can be identified as a two row 21 pin connector. Standard arcade monitors use the 'RGB with sync' signal which is also available in SCART. Note that SCART is a connector standard- it does not automatically mean that a device with a SCART connector is capable displaying all modes the SCART connector can offer. In addition to video, the SCART connector can also carry stereo audio. There is no "native SCART" signal, but there are conversion cables available to connect Composite, S-Video and VGA signals to SCART.

* '''VGA connector''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VGA_connector VGA connector] (The connector itself is called a DE-15 connector) is a connector recognisable as a three row 15 pin connector- usually color coded blue. It is one of the most common video connectors found on computers (even though it is superceded by DVI and HDMI connectors). The signal it carries is analogue RGB and produces a sharp image. A VGA signal can be converted to the DVI, SCART-RGB, Component, S-Video and Composite with a conversion cable. Keep in mind that for some conversions the host must be able to output a specified

* '''DVI''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Visual_Interface DVI connector] is a rectangular (usually white) connector with a three row 24 pin and a two row 4 pin configuration. The DVI connector is a common connector on computers. The DVI standard can carry both analogue and digital video signals. A native DVI signal can be converted to VGA or HDMI with a conversion cable. Note that it is possible to convert VGA to DVI, it is however not possible to convert a native VGA signal via DVI to HDMI.

* '''HDMI''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HDMI HDMI connector] is a flat connector with a two row 19 pin configuration (the pins are usually joined by a plastic center). The HDMI connector is the current industry standard for high definition video and audio signal connections. A native HDMI signal may be converted to DVI with a conversion cable.

<gallery>
File:composite-jackplug.png|Composite
File:svideo-jackplug.png|S-Video
File:component-jackplug.png|Component
File:scart-jackplug.png|SCART
File:vga-jackplug.png|VGA
File:dvi-jackplug.png|DVI
File:hdmi-jackplug.png|HDMI
</gallery>

== Response time and input lag==
Response time is the time for a display to change a pixel from black to white and back to black. This should not be confused with '''input lag'''. Video response times are often listed in the specification sheet of LCD or LED monitors. CRT displays have very fast response time due the refresh rates of 50hz or 60hz.

Slow reponse times may result in blurred movement. See also [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Response_time_(technology)#Display_technologies the Wikipedia page] for more information on response times.

Input lag is the time it takes between an user action and the result being processed and displayed on the display. Input lag can be a problem in games where timing is essential such as rythm-action or fighting games. Since the processing of user input is also emulated, this may cause timing issues.

Input lag can come from software (emulators), firmware (some cheap encoders) or hardware (video converters or TV circuitry).
Modern TVs have additional features to enhance the picture quality, these features however may contribute to input lag- check if the TV you are using has a "game mode" setting which bypasses most of the features.
Some emulators offer options to sacrifice parts of the emulation for the benefit of speed. Another solution may be a faster computer to speed up emulation. The final option is to switch from emulation to simulation (for example use ''Step Mania'' to play ''Dance Dance Revolution'' style of games).

See also [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Input_lag Wikipedia] for more information on input lag.

= Software =
{{Main|Software}}
A variety of software, emulators, and simulators allow you to play a huge number of arcade, console, and PC games on a computer. The software used as a foundation of a home arcade machine generally consists of:
*Emulators to run specific game ROMs on a computer
*ROMs and related files such as MAME bios files (Marble Madness needs atarisy1.zip) and CHD files (Simpsons Bowling needs simpbowl.chd)
*A front-end menu system to easily select and launch games

== What is an emulator? What is a simulator? ==
An emulator is a software program that duplicates the operation of the computer hardware, firmware/software, and gameplay of an older game system. As the name implies it 'emulates' the system.
''See also: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emulator Wikipedia article on Emulators].''

Emulators are often confused with [[Simulators|simulators]]. A simulator does not try to re-create the operation of the original computer hardware/software/firmware but re-create the game itself. Therefore, an emulator provides an accurate re-creation of a game and a simulator provides a near-accurate rendition.

A simulator is often used when part or all of the game does not use fimware/software. Example: In Visual Pinball, the pinball playfield, lights, flippers and ball of Baby Pac-Man (the physical/mechanical parts) are simulated, while the videogame part is emulated using the original game ROMs.

=== What is a ROM? ===
{{Main|ROMs}}
For the original games - '''R'''ead '''O'''nly '''M'''emory chips on the game board/cartridge that hold the program code for a game/game system.
For emulators - .ZIP or .7z file(s) containing a copy ("dump") of the game/game system code.

=== Why do my ROMs not work? ===
It is not always guaranteed that a particular game ROM will work with a given emulator. The original memory chips may use encryption that is not yet decoded or a game may use a specific function that the chosen emulator does not currently support. Some games also require additional data such as a CD-Rom image or harddisk data - usually supplied as CHD ('''C'''ompressed '''H'''unks of '''D'''ata) files. Also, the data extraction method/format may not be compatible with the emulator (or emulator version) of choice.

When using MAME, one can use '''clrmamepro''' [http://mamedev.emulab.it/clrmamepro/] or your emulator's "Audit" function (if available) to check the version and filenames of ROMs compared to your MAME emulator program version. See also the [[Utilities#ROM_Managers.2C_Renamers_.26_Dats|rom manager]] section for other tools.

=== Commonly used emulators ===
{{Also|Arcade Emulators}}
{{Also|MAME Variants}}

The most common used emulator for arcade machines is [[MAME]], short for '''M'''ultiple '''A'''rcade '''M'''achine '''E'''mulator. MAME can emulate a wide range of arcade hardware and thus can run many different games. However for some types of arcade hardware, very specific emulators are created which may perform better. For example [[Supermodel]] is a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Sega_arcade_system_boards#Sega_Model_3 SEGA Model 3] emulator.

MAME is a major emulator in the arcade community, there are many different variants or "flavors" of MAME. These modified MAME variants often maintain the version numbering of the official (commonly referred to as "vanilla") MAME version to be clear what the base features and compatible ROM sets are. See [[MAME Variants]]. The most common variants are:

<center>
{|class="wikitable"
|MAME
|The "official" command line program that the other variants are based on.
|[http://www.mamedev.org/]
|-
|NoNag patched
|Suppresses error messages that are useful when troubleshooting.
|[http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,64298.0.html]
|-
|MAMEUI
|Built in frontend.
|[http://www.mameui.info/]
|-
|MAMEUIFX
|Built in frontend.
|[http://mame32fx.altervista.org/home.htm]
|-
|MAME Hub
|Added network play.
|[http://sites.google.com/site/mamehub/]
|-
|HB MAME
|Dedicated "homebrew" hacks.
|[http://hbmame.the-chronicles.org/index.html]
|-
|Groovy MAME
|Mainly aimed at CRT monitors and alleviating some annoyances associated with emulation on LCD displays.
|[http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?board=52.0]
|}
</center>

=== Should I upgrade my emulators to the latest version? ===
The answer is almost always '''NO'''. This is often a case of, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."

Only upgrade your emulators if you benefit from the upgrade -- for example the new version now supports a game you want to play. Keep in mind that upgrading your emulators probably means that your ROMs need updating as well. If the new release fixes something that makes it worth the time and effort to update your ROMs '''and''' will still run well on your system, consider the update.

== What is a Front end? ==
{{Main|Front-Ends}}
A front end is software used to launch games. With some emulators it can be quite a hassle to switch between games, as each game may require different settings. A front end can provide the end user with a seamless experience from selecting to playing games.
There are many front ends available, each with their own strengths and weaknesses.
Please check the table on the [[Front-Ends]] wiki page for features of various front ends.

== Other useful software ==
{{Main|Utilities}}
The community has produced many small tools and utilities to enhance the home arcade experience. Some utilities are used to overcome a shortcoming of an emulator or the operating system, others are created to support a specific piece of hardware.
Utilities may include [[Utilities#Input Mapping Software|input mapping software]] to redirect keystrokes to joystick buttons (or vice versa), tools to [[Utilities#Video Tools|manipulate the video display]] - for example switch between horizontal and vertical orientation of the display.

= Forum tips for asking questions that get good/faster answers: =
* Search first, somebody else has probably encountered this problem before -- don't ask people to retype the same old answers to the same old questions.
* Take your time editing the post so it is specific, clear, and easy to read.
* Whenever possible, include decent pics/screencaps/diagrams/part numbers/links.
* Include software/OS versions if applicable.
* Include your location when asking about parts/vendors or electrical wiring. (different countries use different wire colors and/or voltages)

'''DISCLAIMER:''' The authors of the document linked below ask that we remind you that they are not a help desk for your project.

More useful tips on asking smart questions [http://www.catb.org/esr/faqs/smart-questions.html here].

:''[[#top|Back to the top of this document]]''

=Help make this wiki even better=
You are welcome to contribute to this wiki. Take a look at the [[Community Portal]] for more information on how to help out. To contribute as an author or editor, you first need to create an account on the [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/ BYOAC forum] and then post in [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,136208.msg1407831.html#msg1407831 this thread] of the forum. One of the wiki moderators ([[User:Saint|Saint]], [[User:Felsir|Felsir]], or [[User:PL1|PL1]]) will help you get started.

=Resources and acknowledgments=
The inspiration for this FAQ is the MAME FAQ written in 2003 by CitznFish. It is available via the [http://web.archive.org/web/20081006130304/http://www.arcade-at-home.com/mame_faq.html Internet Wayback Machine]. 
The collective experience found on [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com the Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum]. 
Images used in the [[#Types_of_cabs|types of cabs]] section are based on the Sketchup models made by [http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/cldetails?clid=4ac3dc12784cb20bd06e6be4f8954ac Gozer]. 

[[Category:Index]]

Light Guns

2016-02-23T06:17:26Z

PL1: /* Lightgun Games List */

A '''light gun''' is a gun that you can point and shoot at an arcade game screen to shoot objects in the game. Light guns of different size and shape are popular in almost all shooting games.

'''Editors Note''' - This page should contain brief descriptions of various lightguns available, and details of their setup. If any one portion of the page starts getting a little too long, a seperate page may be started for that topic.

==Act-Labs Lightgun==
'''Pros:'''
* These have been around for a while - so they have been more thoroughly tested/supported.

'''Cons:'''
* Only works on either a TV or a CRT Monitor - not both (corresponds to which model you buy)
* Does not allow continuous tracking
* Expensive

'''Related Links:''' [http://www.act-labs.com/products/gun1.htm Act-Labs Webpage] - [http://www.retroblast.com/reviews/actlabs.html Retroblast! Review]

==[[LCDTopGun]]==
'''Pros:'''
* Allows for Continuous tracking
* Works on ALL display types.

'''Cons:'''
* Relative newcomer, still working out kinks - shouldn't be long before these are the standard.
* Requires you to stand far away from the monitor.

'''Related Links:''' [http://www.lik-sang.com/info.php?category=266&products_id=8565& Lik-Sang Webpage] - [http://www.wizardsworks.org/chod/gun/topgun.htm Unofficial FAQ] - [http://www.silverfoxy.f2s.com/Topgun.html Unofficial Setup Info (Out of Date with recent Mame changes)] - [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=48982.0 BYOAC Forum Thread]

==GunCon2==

'''Pros:'''
* Cheap - You might already have these sitting around your house.

'''Cons:'''
* Requires hardware to work with CRT Monitors.*

*With one exception being the Guncon2 compatible:
RGT:G1, which works independently with any display.

'''Related Links:''' [http://xoomer.alice.it/guncon2/ GunCon2PC Driver Webpage] - [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=37872.0 BYOAC Forum Thread]

==AimTrak==
'''Pros:'''
*Ease of Use - Simple set up and calibration.
*Works on all TVs - LCDs, CRTs, it all works.
*Distance - Shoot from almost anywhere.
*Cost - A low price considering all of the perks.

'''Cons:'''
*Gun Shell - Requires the usage of homemade gun shell or a gutted gun peripheral.
*Newcomer to the market, but support is strong.

'''Related Links:''' [http://www.ultimarc.com/aimtrak.html Ultimarc Information Page]

== Lightgun Games List ==
This is an incomplete list of lightgun games.

*Born To Fight
*Catch-22
*Cheyenne
*Chiller
*Clay Pigeon
*Combat
*Crackshot
*Crossbow
*Gunbuster (light or positional?)
*Hit 'n Miss
*Mechanized Attack
*Mobil Suit Gundam Final Shooting (light or positional?)
*Operation Wolf
*Shooting Gallery
*Showdown
*Turkey Shoot (light or optical positional? -- no potentiometers)
*Who Dunit

Because of MAME's flexibility in handling inputs, a lightgun game like Operation Wolf will run pretty much the same as a positional gun game like Operation Wolf 3 using an analog joystick or trackball. (see the Analog Joystick game list for more positional gun games)

Other game lists:
*[http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Spinners_and_Dials#Which_games_originally_used_a_spinner.2Fpaddle.3F Spinner and Dial Games]
*[http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Joysticks#Mechanical_Rotary_Joystick_Games_.28LS-30.2C_Happ_Mechanical_Rotary_Sticks.29 Rotary Joystick Games]
*[http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Joysticks#Games_with_Dual_Joysticks Dual Joystick Games]
*[http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Joysticks#Analog_Joysticks Analog Joystick and Yoke Games]
*[http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Multi-Player_Games Multi-Player Games]
*2-player game list -- dgame compiled an excellent list of 200 games [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,129295.msg1327639.html#msg1327639 here].
*"All Killer, No Filler" game lists -- BadMouth has compiled these excellent collections [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,149578.0.html 1. SHMUPS], [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,149619.0.html 2. VS FIGHTERS], [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,149640.0.html 3. SPORTS], and [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,149693.0.html 4. PUZZLE].

== Software Settings ==
[[Mame Lightgun Setup]]

==See Also==
* [[Controls]]

[[Category:Controls]]
[[Category:Index]]

Joysticks

2016-02-23T06:17:24Z

PL1: /* See Also */

A '''Joystick''' is a device to let you manually control direction of movement in an arcade game. This article describes the most common types of joysticks used in arcade cabinets and game systems.

==Conventional Digital Joysticks: 8-way, 4-way & 2-way==
[[image:Stick-principal.jpg|200px|thumb|right|Stick diagram by JoyMonkey]]
Conventional joysticks are fairly simple devices without which Pac-Man would be ghost-fodder. When the joystick shaft is moved in any direction, the lower end of the stick is levered in the opposite direction and makes contact with switches, these switches are what tells Pac-Man to move and in which direction.

[[image:Directions.png|left]]By using four switches at the base of the joystick, 8 directions can be achieved; Up, Down, Left and Right as well as the four corner positions which are triggered by two switches being activated simultaneously. When you press the joystick diagonally up and to the right, both the "up switch" and the "right switch" are triggered simultaneously, indicating your diagonal move. Joysticks like this are known as 8-way joysticks.

Some joysticks were designed to specifically prevent the player from moving diagonally. For example, joysticks used in Pac-Man and Donkey Kong both have physical restrictions preventing the joystick from moving to the diagonals. Since the joysticks only allow movement in 4 directions (Up, Down, Left and Right) they are known as 4-way joysticks. While it is possible to use an 8-way joystick when playing 4-way games, it's not recommended, as accidentally hitting a diagonal with the joystick can create problems during gameplay, such as causing Mario to stand still or Pac-Man to become confused between moving up or to the side.

Other games, such as Defender, Joust, Mario Brothers and Galaga, used a 2-way joystick since movement was only necessary from left to right or up to down. While it may not be historically accurate, it is generally not a problem to use either 4-way or 8-way joysticks for these games.

Standard 8-way only joysticks:
:* [http://www.happ.com/joysticks/competition_joy.htm Happ Competition]
:* [http://www.happ.com/joysticks/ultimate_joy.htm Happ Ultimate] ([http://www.retroblast.com/20041130273/Hardware/RetroBlast-Review-Happ-Controls-Ultimate-Joystick.php review]) (can be ordered 2, 4, or 8-way)
:* [http://retroblast.com/reviews/joysticks/wico.html Wico 8-way Leafswitch Joystick (discontinued)].

Standard 4-way only joysticks:
:* Happ Ms.Pac/Galaga Reunion
:* Betson Ms.Pac/Galaga Reunion
:* [http://www.happ.com/joysticks/ultimate_joy.htm Happ Ultimate] ([http://www.retroblast.com/20041130273/Hardware/RetroBlast-Review-Happ-Controls-Ultimate-Joystick.php review]) (can be ordered 2, 4, or 8-way)
:* [http://www.retroblast.com/reviews/joysticks/wico.html Wico 4-Way Leafswitch (discontinued)].

====8-Way to 4-Way Switchable Joysticks====
Many 8-way joysticks that are sold can also be set to work in 4-way mode. There are two basic methods to change modes:

1) Changing a restrictor plate that only allows the joystick handle to be pushed in certain directions; or:

2) Changing the actuator (that's the small piece on the bottom end of the joystick shaft that makes contact with the switches) to only allow contact with one switch at a time.

Restrictor plate changes convert the joystick to "true" 4-way operation, and will give the best play. Actuator changes do not keep the handle from moving into the diagonal positions, this method only keeps the switches from being activated. The result is a "dead spot" in the corners, where the stick can be pushed, but no switches are hit. This is not much better than playing in standard 8-way mode, and is not reccomended. Adjusting these joystick usually involves opening up your control panel so you can access the lower section of the joystick base. Some models using a restrictor plate can be easily changed by hand once the control panel is open, while some others require the use of basic tools, like a screwdriver.

Joysticks that can be set to 4-way or 8-way operation via an actuator swap include:
:* [http://retroblast.com/reviews/joysticks/happsuper.html Happ Super], [http://www.retroblast.com/reviews/joysticks/happsp360.html Happ Perfect 360], [http://www.retroblast.com/reviews/joysticks/xgaming.html X-Gaming Joystick (X-Arcade)].

Joysticks that can be set to 4-way or 8-way operation via the restrictor plate include:
:* Suzo 500 (aka [http://ultimarc.com/controls.html Euro-Stik] or [http://groovygamegear.com/webstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=65&products_id=197 Omni-Stik]), [http://retroblast.com/reviews/joysticks/ultimarc_tstik.html Ultimarc T-Stik], Ultimarc Mag-Stik, [http://retroblast.com/reviews/joysticks/ultimarc_jstik.html Ultimarc J-Stik], [http://www.himuragames.com/store_joysticks.php Sanwa JLF-TP-8YT], [http://www.himuragames.com/store_joysticks.php Seimitsu LS-32].

In the last few years, some companies have added to this feature to allow the joystick to be switchable from above the control panel in some way. This makes it simple for anyone to switch the joystick between 4-way to 8-way from game to game, without having to access 'the guts' of the control panel.

Conventional joysticks that can be switched from above the control panel like this include:
:* [http://retroblast.com/reviews/joysticks/ultimarc_tstik.html T-Stik Plus], [http://retroblast.com/reviews/joysticks/ultimarc_magstikplus_part1.html Mag-Stik Plus], [http://retroblast.com/reviews/joysticks/prodigy.html Omni-Stik Prodigy].

====[[TRON joystick]]s====
TRON arcade machines had 8-way trigger joysticks that were restricted to make it difficult to go diagonally. This was necessary because some of the four games in TRON were developed for 4-way sticks, while others were able to use 8-ways. [[TRON_joystick|More on TRON joysticks here.]]

Also see [[Wiring Push Buttons and Conventional Digital Joysticks]].

==Unconventional Digital Joysticks==
[[image:Inductivestickopen.jpg|right|thumb|Inside a Suzo Inductive Stick]]
====[http://www.suzo.com/suzo/product.asp?nP=4545 Suzo Inductive Joystick]====
Instead of using conventional microswitches, Suzo Inductive sticks employ the use of a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrite ferrite ring] at the base of the joystick shaft. An oscillating magnetic field is induced in the ferrite ring by the main coil in the centre of the PCB around the opening. This oscillating field within the ferrite ring induces a current in one or more of the eight smaller coils on the PCB. The exact position of the joystick is determined by the strength of the current in each coil. A potentiometer can be adjusted so that diagonal positions are ignored (resulting in 4-way output) or that diagonals are accepted (resulting in 8-way output.) The sensitivity of 8-way operation can be refined using the potentiometer. It is completely silent and is easily switchable between 4-way and 8-way using the aforementioned pot located on the bottom plate of the joystick.
[[Image:Suzo_Inductive_restrictor.JPG|right|thumb|Suzo Inductive Octagonal Restrictor]]
It has an octagonal restrictor to assist in locating the desired directions. There are 6 pins for the connection which are labeled on the bottom plate of the joystick: Ground/Earth; +5 VDC; Left; Right; Up; Down. It is a short throw joystick with a max travel of 5 degrees from centre. The joystick is designed to be undermounted without taking the joystick apart; this requires a hole in the panel approx 44 mm or 1 3/4". The joystick handle was produced in two sizes, a 32 mm ball handle (suitable for cocktail cabinets), and a 38 mm ball handle. This joystick is no longer produced but as of May 2006 some were still available from Groovy Game Gear and TNT Amusements.

====[http://retroblast.com/reviews/joysticks/happsp360.html Happ Perfect 360 (P360)]====

The Perfect 360 joystick is an optical joystick, which means that the position of the handle is read by optical switches, instead of conventional leaf switches or microswitches. This gives near-silent operation, as the handle & actuator never touch anything.

These sticks have a very smooth feel, largely due to the "no touch" action. P360 joysticks have a round restrictor, instead of the more common square restriction found on many other modern joysticks. This round restriction adds to the smoothness factor, because there are no corners to feel.

Connection- P360 joys require a little more effort to hook up- in addition to the Up, Down, Left, Right and Ground connections on standard joysticks, the P360 also needs a +5 volts connection. This is easy enough to get, as encoders such as the I-Pac and KeyWiz provide a +5v header. PC power supplies produce +5v on the red wire of the drive connectors. There is also +5v power available on USB & PS2 cables. +5 volt power is easy to find.

History- The Perfect 360 started out as an aftermarket add-on kit for Wico leafswitch joysticks. Models were later added to the product line to convert Happ Super, Competition, and Ultimate sticks, and possibly others as well. Happ eventually bought the rights to the P360 technology, and discontinued the kits. Happ began producing a complete stick instead, with the top half of a Wico joystick base (no longer sold by Wico by then) mated to a P360 bottom half.

Interchangability- P360 handles and Wico handles have been found to be interchangable. There are also replacement handles available from SlikStik. Wico Pear-top sticks used the same pivot cones and spacer sleeves.

====[http://www.retroblast.com/Hardware/Ultimarc-UltraStik-360-Review.php Ultimarc UltraStik 360 (U360)]====
[[Image:UltraStik1.jpg|right|thumb|Ultimarc's Ultrastik 360 Photo © Ultimarc.com, Used with permission.]]
This offering from Ultimarc operates on similar principals to an inductive joystick, but offers many more custom features. Using its USB interface and the provided software, it's possible to easily switch the joystick between 2-way, 4-way, 8-way, analog and even 4-way diagonal (Q*Bert) modes. User defineable custom modes are also available.

When used via USB, Windows thinks of this joystick as a gamepad and allows you to hook-up 8 buttons straight to the joystick; so no seperate encoder (IPac, Keywiz etc) is necessary.

==49-Way Joysticks==
Once used in a small handfull of Williams, Midway and Atari games, 49 way joysticks live in a no-man's land between digital and analog joysticks. 49-way joysticks do not, as the name might seem to imply, point in 49 different directions. The number 49 comes from the number of positions the stick can report to the game hardware, including positions somewhere ''between'' "dead center" and "pushed all the way". Imagine a 7x7 grid (that's 49 squares) and you've got it. Games that originally used this hardware benefited from the extra info the joystick could report by allowing the player to control the on-screen character with more precision- both in the form of better directional control (24 discrete directions possible, if you count dead center), and 3 levels of speed control, based on how far from center the stick was pushed. For example, in [http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?letter=&game_id=9553 SiniStar], the player can make the ship move faster or slower, by varying how hard they push the stick, and the ship's movement is not limited to just 8 directions. Attempting to play this game (or others that originally used 49-way sticks) with a standard 8-way digital joystick tends to be frustrating- SiniStar is a very difficult game in the first place; take away the speed control and limit yourself to 8 directions, and it's ''really, really'' hard. More info on 49-way joysticks can be found at [https://web.archive.org/web/20120614171216/http://urebelscum.speedhost.com/49waySticks.html What are 49-Way joysticks?] by URebelScum

Games that originally used 49-way joysticks include:

*Arch Rivals
*Blaster
*Blitz
*Blitz '99
*Blitz 2000
*Gauntlet: Dark Legacy
*Gauntlet: Legends
*NBA Showtime
*NFL Blitz 2000 Gold Edition
*Pigskin 621 A.D.
*SiniStar
*SportStation

For home gaming purposes, when paired with the [[Gamepad Encoders#GP Wiz49|GP Wiz49]] controller from [http://www.groovygamegear.com GroovyGameGear], these analog style joysticks have become a popular all-around stick. Using the GP-Wiz's various DRS modes, these joysticks can be easily switched between 8-way, 4-way, 2-way (vertical), 2-way (horizontal) and diagonal (Q*Bert style) modes without having to physically change the joystick hardware. This allows these sticks to be used to play any digital joystick games well. In addition, the two 49-way modes allow play for games that originally used 49-way sticks (and have emulator support that goes beyond 8-ways- not all 49-way games do), and also will play well for ''some'' games that originally used analog or Hall-Effect joysticks.

For those with a penchant for soldering here's a [http://www.arcadecollecting.com/info/49way_to_Hall.gif circuit on Arcadecollecting.com] that allows a 49-way to be connected with an an analog interface (Dualstrike hack etc).

There are three varieties of 49-way joystick: Williams, Midway, and Happ.

The Williams are easy to distinguish- they use a distinctive rubber centering "spider" on the bottom, and have balltop handles. Red balltops come from SiniStar; Orange come from Arch Rivals. There are also Williams optical sticks out there with Turquoise and Yellow balltops. These ''look'' like 49-ways, complete with centering spider. However, these sticks do not have as many optics, and the pin connector is different, with fewer pins. These sticks are 8-way only. Turquoise ones most likely come from Bubbles, however, some early Joust games shipped with Turquoise and Yellow optical sticks.

The Midway and Happ 49-ways are ''very'' similar, in fact the Happ is just the Midway stick with a minor re-design. (Happ bought the rights to a lot of Midway's parts business several years ago.) The Midway sticks have a smaller diameter shaft, and the centering grommet has a correspondingly smaller hole. Both have a black bat top handle. Replacement handles are available in a variety of colors (Happ variety only) at [http://www.groovygamegear.com GroovyGameGear].

==Analog Joysticks==

Analog joysticks are not bound by the limits digital joysticks face. Digital joysticks can only point in 8 (or fewer; see above) directions, or no direction at all (centered). Analog joysticks can point in (theoretically) an unlimited number of directions. Furthermore, Analog joystics can discern how far the handle has been pushed from the center position. Games take advantage of these properties to give the player a much greater level of control over their on-screen character. For example, the bird in [http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?letter=&game_id=9338 Road Runner] can run in more than just the 8 standard directions, and how far the player pushes the joystick from center determines how fast the Road Runner runs.

Most analog sticks use a pair of potentiometers, one to measure left-to-right movement (the X-axis), and one to measure forward-and-back movement (the Y-axis). A few games, however, used a "Hall Effect" stick. Hall effect sticks use Hall sensors and magnets to read the postion of the stick. The end result is the same, though- both types report to the game which direction and how far the stick is being pressed.

While the actual resolution of an analog joystick may be theoretically unlimited, the standard for analog joysticks connected to a PC is 256x256. Compare this to the 7x7 resolution of a 49-way joystick, or the 3x3 resolution of a standard 8-way joystick. This explains why it is difficult to play games that originally used analog controls with a standard 8-way stick; the stick simply can't control the on-screen character the way it was intended to be controlled. A 49-way stick is sufficient for ''some'' games that originally used analog controls, but not all of them. Road Runner, for example, can be adequately controlled with a 49-way joystick, as that stick would give the bird 24 directions to run in, and four speeds (including stopped)- which ought to be enough to outwit that dumb coyote. [http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?letter=&game_id=9773 Star Wars], on the other hand, cannot be played well with a 49-way, as that stick will only aim the X-Wing's blasters at 49 equally spaced spots on the screen, leaving Tie Fighters that are in-between those spots un-shootable. (Star Wars actually used an analog [[Flight Yoke]], rather than an analog joystick, but these controls are electrically identical, and actually interchangeable as far as the game is concerned.)

Games that used analog joysticks include:

{|
|
*After Burner
*Alpine Racer
*Alpine Racer 2
*Air Combat
*Air Combat 22
*Aqua Jet (3 analog axes -- stick + throttle)
*Cyber Commando ''(2 sticks per player; two players = 4 sticks)''
*Cyber Sled ''(2 sticks per player; two players = 4 sticks)''
*Cyber Tank ''(4 analog axes -- P1 steer/accelerate and P2 machine gun X/Y)''
*Food Fight
*G-LOC Air Battle
*Galaxy Force 2 (3 analog axes -- stick + pedal)
*Jurrasic Park
*Lock-On
*Maneater
*Metal Hawk
*Night Striker
*Poolshark
*Prop Cycle
*Pursuit
*Quarterback
*Rail Chase
*Rail Chase 2
*Red Baron
*Solar Assault
*Shrike Avenger
*Sky Raider
*Space Encounters
*Space Harrier
*Star Wars Trilogy
*Steel Talons (4 analog axes -- 2 cyclic, 1 collective, 1 pedals)
*Strike Fighter
|
*T-Mek ''(2 sticks per player; two players = 4 sticks)''
*Tail Gunner
*Tail Gunner II
*Thunder Ceptor (3 analog axes -- stick + pedal)
*Thunder Ceptor II (3 analog axes -- stick + pedal)
*Thunderblade
*Tomcat (prototype)
*Tunnel Hunt
*Turret Tower
*Warp Speed (prototype)
*World Series Baseball

*Alien 3: The Gun ''(positional gun)''
*Beast Busters ''(positional gun)''
*Beast Busters: Second Nightmare ''(positional gun)''
*Desert Gun ''(positional gun)''
*Dragon Gun ''(positional gun)''
*Laser Ghost ''(positional gun)''
*Line of Fire ''(positional gun)''
*Operation Thunderbolt ''(positional gun)''
*Operation Wolf 3 ''(positional gun)''
*Revolution X ''(positional gun)''
*Space Gun ''(positional gun)''
*Steel Gunner ''(positional gun)''
*Steel Gunner 2 ''(positional gun)''
*Terminator 2 ''(positional gun)''
*Triple Hunt ''(positional gun)''
*Wild Pilot ''(positional gun)''
|
*Escape From The Planet Of The Robot Monsters ''(Hall-Effect)''
*I, Robot ''(Hall-Effect)''
*Road Runner ''(Hall-Effect)''

*Enduro Racer (2 axis handlebars + gas + brake)
*Hang-On (handlebars + gas + brake)
*Super Hang-On (handlebars + gas + brake)

*Battle Shark ''(periscope)''

*Apache 3 ''(yoke)''
*FireFox ''(yoke)''
*Hydra ''(yoke + 1 pedal)''
*Hyperdrive ''(yoke + 2 pedals)''
*Lock-On ''(yoke)''
*Paperboy ''(yoke)''
*Return Of The Jedi ''(yoke)''
*Star Fire ''(yoke + throttle)''
*Star Wars ''(yoke)''
*Starblade ''(yoke)''
*S.T.U.N. Runner / STUN Runner ''(yoke)''
*The Empire Strikes Back ''(yoke)''
*Top Gunner - Exidy ''(yoke + throttle)''
*Turbo-Sub ''(yoke)''
*Two Tigers ''(yoke -- X-axis only)''
|}

===MAME Settings for Analog Joysticks===
"Input (this Game)" menu

:Set the AD Stick Analog axes. (press Enter then move that axis)

:Set the individual "INC" and "DEC" inputs to "none". (press Enter then ESC)

:-- INC and DEC are used to substitute key presses for analog input.

"Analog Controls" menu

:Adjust settings as needed.

==Rotary Joysticks==

There are two types of rotary joysticks that often get confused: Mechanical rotary sticks, and optical rotary sticks. Either can be interfaced with a PC.

[[image:LS 30 loop24.jpg|thumbnail|320px|Loop-24 and LS-30 joysticks]]
Mechanical rotary sticks are the type that most people remember from games like Ikari Warriors. They have a 12-position rotary switch attached to the bottom of the joystick, which is turned by rotating the handle. Each turn of the handle is accompanied by a clicking sound, and distinct tactile feedback that lets the player know that a turn has been registered.

The SNK games used a stick called the LS-30, with yellow octagonal tops. The Data East games used the same sticks, but with a yellow barrel shaped top. Wico used to make a rotary stick, with a yellow balltop These were basically standard Wico leaf sticks, with the rotary switch added to the bottom. Happ still sells a mechanical rotary stick, which is basically a Happ Super with a rotary switch added to the bottom.

[[image:Loop-24.jpg|thumbnail|320px|Loop-24 encoder wheel]]
Optical rotary sticks have an optical encoder wheel, similar to a spinner, instead of a rotary switch. Caliber .50 used a stick called the Loop-24, with green octagonal tops.

Most games that used rotary joysticks used the rotary function to determine which direction the on-screen character was aiming. This allowed the player to shoot in a different direction from the direction of motion, all with one hand.
 

===Mechanical Rotary Joystick Games (LS-30, Happ Mechanical Rotary Sticks)===
*Battle Field (Japanese verion of Time Soldiers)
*Bermuda Triangle
*Bermuda Triangle (Japan) (Japanese version of Bermuda Triangle)
*Bermuda Triangle (World Wars) (U.S. version of World Wars (World?))
*Dogou Souken a.k.a. Dogosoken (Japanese version of Victory Road)
*Downtown
*Gondomania
*Guerilla War
*Guevara (Japanese version of Guerrilla War)
*Heavy Barrel
*Ikari III - The Rescue (This is the only rotary game that uses three player buttons.)
*Ikari Warriors
*Jackal (Japanese version of Top Gunner)
*Last Survivor (Japan)
*Makyou Senshi (Japanese version of Gondomania)
*Midnight Resistance
*SAR - Search And Rescue
*T.A.N.K (Japanese version of T.N.K. III)
*T.N.K. III
*Time Soldiers
*Top Gunner (bootleg)
*Victory Road
*World Wars (World?)

===Optical Rotary Joystick Games (Loop-24 or Happ Optical Rotary Sticks)===
*Caliber .50
*Exterminator
*Touchdown Fever
*Touchdown Fever II

===Other "Rotary" Games===
These games did ''not'' use rotary joysticks,
but are sometimes confused with rotary games.

*720 (Optical 720 spinner/joy hybrid)
*Bandido (rotary switch, clone of Sheriff)
*Frontline (Taito Aim-n-Fire)
*Sheriff (rotary switch)
*The Tin Star (Taito Aim-n-Fire)
*Western Gun Part II (rotary switch, clone of Sheriff)
*Wild Western (Taito Aim-n-Fire)
*Xybots (Twist-to-Turn)

===MAME Settings for Mechanical Rotary Joysticks===
'''For mechanical rotary games:'''

"Input (this Game)" menu
:Positional Analog to none

"Analog Controls" menu
:Positional Digital Speed = 0
:Positional Sensitivity = 100

'''For optical rotary games:'''

"Input (this Game)" menu
:Dial Analog to none

"Analog Controls" menu
:Dial Digital Speed = double the default value
:Dial Sensitivity = default value

==Mounting Joysticks==
{{Also|FAQ#Joysticks}}

==European vs US vs Japanese Joysticks==

Common US joysticks include those produced by:

*Happ
*Wico
*Atari
*Midway

[Most of the Happ 8/4-way joysticks (including the Supers and Competitions) are actually manufactured by a Spanish company ([http://www.industrias-lorenzo.com Industrias-Lorenzo]) and are therefore technically European joysticks, while most of the Happ analog joysticks are based on Atari designs.]

Common European joysticks include those produced by:

*Suzo
*Industrias-Lorenzo

Common Japanese joysticks include those produced by:

*Sanwa
*Semitsu

==Games with Dual Joysticks==
List (not complete) of games that use dual 2-way, 4-way, or 8-way sticks. (Dual analog stick games are listed [http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Joysticks#Analog_Joysticks here])

Games marked "per player" support simultaneous play by more than one player.

*[http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=6888 Angel Kids]
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=6934 Assault] -- 2 buttons
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=7059 Battlezone] -- 1 button
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=7139 Black Widow]
*[http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=12798 Bullet]
*[http://www.arcade-history.com/?n=chan-bara&page=detail&id=24236 Chan Bara] -- 2 sticks per player
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=7353 Cloak & Dagger] -- 1 button
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=11015 Complex X] -- 1 button
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=7426 Crazy Climber]
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=7427 Crazy Climber 2]
*[http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=10341 Cyber Troopers: Virtual On] -- 4 buttons per player
*[http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=17846 Draco]
*[http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=7654 Dribbling] -- 2 buttons
*[http://www.arcade-history.com/?n=face-off&page=detail&id=799 Face Off] -- 2 buttons per player
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=7813 Fire Trap] -- 1 button
*[http://www.arcade-history.com/?n=gachaga-champ&page=detail&id=4195 Gachaga Champ]
*[http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=8187 Indoor Soccer] -- 2 buttons
*[http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=8191 Inferno (Williams)] -- 1 button per player
*[http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=8245 Joyful Road (Japan)]
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=8279 Karate Champ]
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=8280 Karate Champ Player Vs Player] -- 2 sticks per player
*[http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=8331 Knightmare] -- 2 buttons
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=8358 Krull]
*[http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=8423 Libble Rabble] -- 1 button per player
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=8456 Lost Tomb] -- 1 button
*[http://www.arcade-history.com/?n=main-event&page=detail&id=1539 Main Event (1984)] -- 4 buttons per player
*[http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=8628 Mars]
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=8700 Minefield] -- 1 button
*[http://www.arcade-history.com/?n=polygonet-commanders-model-gx305&page=detail&id=2005 Polygonet Commanders] -- 2 buttons
*[http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=9184 QB-3] -- 4 buttons? (MAME has inputs for buttons 1, 2, and 4, but not for button 3 -- related functions are unknown, buttons not used in game?)
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=9299 Rescue] -- 1 button
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=9300 Rescue Raider] -- 1 button
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=9347 Robotron: 2084]
*[http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=9350 Rock Climber]
*[http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=9433 Sarge] -- 2 buttons per player
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=9451 Screw Loose]
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=9591 Smash TV] -- 2 sticks per player
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=9648 Space Dungeon]
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=9727 Splat!] -- 2 sticks per player
*[http://www.arcade-history.com/?n=star-guards&page=detail&id=2617 Star Guards] -- 2 sticks per player
*[http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=10025 Tank 8] -- 1 button per player
*[http://www.arcade-history.com/?n=tank-battle&page=detail&id=2770 Tank Battle (prototype rev. 4/21/92)] -- 1 button per player
*[http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=9302 The Return of Ishtar] -- 2 buttons
*[http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=10129 Title Fight]
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=10167 Total Carnage] -- 2 sticks per player
*[http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=10261 Ultra Tank] -- 1 button per player
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=10319 Vindicators] -- 4 buttons per player
*[http://www.arcade-history.com/?n=vindicators-part-ii&page=detail&id=3075 Vindicators Part II] -- 4 buttons per player
*[http://www.arcade-history.com/?n=water-match&page=detail&id=3148 Water Match] -- 1 button

==Discontinued Joysticks and Reproductions==
[[LS-30_Switch_Service | LS-30 Rotary Switch disassembly and service]] 
[http://www.mikesarcade.com/arcade/njoysticks.html Nintendo joystick guide (Mike's Arcade)] 
[[Joystick_Database | Table with assorted stick info (wip)]]

==See Also==
* [[Controls]]
* [http://www.slagcoin.com/joystick/introduction.html slagcoin's Joystick Information Pages]

Game lists:
*[http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Spinners_and_Dials#Which_games_originally_used_a_spinner.2Fpaddle.3F Spinner and Dial Games]
*[http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Joysticks#Mechanical_Rotary_Joystick_Games_.28LS-30.2C_Happ_Mechanical_Rotary_Sticks.29 Rotary Joystick Games]
*[http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Joysticks#Games_with_Dual_Joysticks Dual Joystick Games]
*[http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Joysticks#Analog_Joysticks Analog Joystick and Yoke Games]
*[http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Light_Guns#Lightgun_Games_List Lightgun Games]
*[http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Multi-Player_Games Multi-Player Games]
*2-player game list -- dgame compiled an excellent list of 200 games [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,129295.msg1327639.html#msg1327639 here].
*"All Killer, No Filler" game lists -- BadMouth has compiled these excellent collections [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,149578.0.html 1. SHMUPS], [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,149619.0.html 2. VS FIGHTERS], [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,149640.0.html 3. SPORTS], and [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,149693.0.html 4. PUZZLE].

[[Category:Controls]]
[[Category:Index]]

Spinners and Dials

2016-02-23T06:17:22Z

PL1: /* Other game lists: */

A '''Spinner''' is a knob that can be spun rapidly in either direction to move an on-screen paddle or character. Spinners provide precise analog control like a mouse, but act only along one axis. Spinners were used for many popular early arcade games such as Pong, Tempest, Arkanoid, and Tron.
{{Cleanup}}

=What is a Spinner?=

You might remember the spinner from games like Tempest and Arkanoid. The player turns a knob to move the on-screen character. But what's going on behind the scenes; what's that knob attached to?

Underneath the control panel, the shaft comes down from the knob above. Mounted on the shaft, is an optical encoder wheel- a flat disk with notches cut around the outside edge. These notches pass though a set of infra-red optics, that detect the notches as they spin by. There are two sets of optics, spaced such that they see the notches spin by just a little bit out of sync. The combined signal from both of these optics tells the game which direction the disk is turning, and how fast. This is also how a trackball works, as well as a ball-type PC mouse.

If you are buying or building a working spinner for your cabinet, you will need the Spinner (the mechanical part,) the optics(the part that watches the spinning,) and the optical encoder (the part that sends info to the computer.) If a manufacturer advertises "USB Connectivity" that generally means that it is an all in one solution, and no additional parts are required. Otherwise, you'll find that optics are generally included, but an encoder is not. In the rare occurence that your spinner does not have optics included, they can be built with parts from your local electronic store, or you can build them based off of a [[Optical_Encoders#Mouse_Hack|mouse hack.]] If the unit does not ship with an optical encoder, you can purchase one from an aftermarket seller. You can find out more about [[Optical_Encoders|optical encoders here.]]

Note: Paddles, while similar to spinners in that they rotate and have knobs, are usually based on potentiometers (like a volume knob on an old TV or radio), rather than the optics in a spinner. Spinners, as the name suggests, spin. There is no end to how many times the knob can fully rotate in any direction. They often move things in a game in a circular fashion, as in Tempest or TRON. Paddles are the precursor to the spinner. The paddles found on early arcade games (like pong) rotated a full 360 degrees but used a 360 potentiometer (or pot) rather than an optical encoder. Since a pot requires physical contact, they tend to spin less freely than a true spinner. MAME adds to confusion by classifying 270 degree steering wheels as paddles. This is false as most, if not all arcade games that actually used paddles used 360 degree paddles and 270 degree wheels used a regular linear potentiometer (like a radio knob, which can only turn so far). There is such a thing as a 270 degree paddle though, just to make things even more confusing. As a matter of fact, many pong clones used the 270 degree paddles as they were cheaper. Most of your home versions of pong also used the 270 degree paddles. Most emulators will let you play paddle games with a spinner, but spinner games are generally not playable with paddles, mostly due to the fact that paddles just don't spin that well.

=Spinner Varieties=

#Tempest- Fast spinning lightweight spinner, which is very popular with arcade enthusiassts. It has 72 teeth on the encoder wheel, with nylon upper and lower bearings on the shaft. This was the model for the Oscar Vortex aftermarket spinner.
#Arkanoid- The "geared" spinner. Rather than mounting the encoder wheel directly to the shaft, the Arkanoid spinner used two sets of gears between the knob and the encoder wheel, to make the spinner extremely sensitive. While the encoder wheel only has 24 notches, the gearing causes 486 notches to pass through the optics for every turn of the knob! Due to the lightweight and friction from the gearing, the Arkanoid spinner stops the instant you take your hand off the knob.
#360° Steering Wheels - Games like the original Pole Position and Sprint 2 used steering wheels that were essentially giant spinners. The Pole Position steering wheel, for instance, was geared similarly to an Arkanoid spinner. However, the gear ratio was only 5:1 to a 24 notch encoder wheel (96 notches per wheel revolution). This and the mechanical advantage of the large steering wheel rather than a small knob, let the wheel spin freely. Sprint 2 (and Sprint 1, and probably Sprints 4 and 8)used an ungeared 38 notch encoder cup, and spun freely.
#Discs of Tron ''Push/Pull''- This spinner used a giant 128-notch encoder wheel with a push / pull switch feature built into the spindle shaft. When the player pulled up or down on the spinner, a leafswitch was activated. This was used to control the high / low aim of the disc in later levels of the game. Zwackery also used a Push/Pull spinner, and Forgotten Worlds used a push only (no pull) spinner. Oscar Controls marketed a Push/Pull spinner with a slightly different design, and a smaller 72 notch encoder wheel, but it is no longer available for purchase. The Oscar V2 had a Push option, and a Pull kit was rumored to be in the works before Oscar Controls closed down.

=Spinner Brands=

==[http://GroovyGameGear.com GroovyGameGear]==
[[Image:TurboTwist2.jpg|right|200px|thumb|GGG's TurboTwist 2 spinner Photo © IDVT Inc. / GroovyGameGear.com, Used with permission.]]
The successor to their original TurboTwist, the TurboTwist 2 is relatively new to the spinner scene. The most instantly noticeable feature of this spinner is its very small footprint; it is designed to fit a standard 1 1/8" pushbutton hole and occupies little more space inside the control panel. The TurboTwist 2 has a dual ball-bearing design with all components sealed inside its housing. The TurboTwist 2 has an extra-high resolution encoder wheel, and comes with it's own USB or PS/2 Opti-Wiz interface. The interface can be configured to put the spinner on the X, Y, or Z mouse axis, and will control other optic devices on the remaining two axes, such as a trackball, or additional spinners/steering wheels/optical rotary joysticks. Several optional extras are also available for the TurboTwist 2, such as a novel mini steering-wheel and a heavy 'energy storage cylinder'.

GroovyGameGear also sells the "TurboTwist High-Low" push/pull spinner, appropriate for games such as Discs of Tron and Forgotten Worlds.
 

==[http://www.ultimarc.com Ultimarc]==
[[Image:Spintrack1.jpg|right|120px|thumb|Ultimarc's SpinTrak spinner (older style) Photo © Ultimarc.com, Used with permission.]]
Ultimarc recently announced their own contribution to the spinner market. The SpinTrak uses a sealed-component design (the encoder wheel and other components are protected inside the spinners housing) and is compatible with SlikStik's custom spinner knobs.
 

=Defunct Spinner Brands=
==[http://oscarcontrols.com/ Oscar Controls]==
Oscar Controls was a popular manufacturer of spinners for the hobbyist market until recently. Several models were produced over the years, including the Model One, Pro, Vortex, Push/Pull, and V2. These spinners did not include an encoder and required connection to an [[Optical_Encoders#Opti-PAC|Opti-Pac]] or to a [[Optical_Encoders#Mouse_Hack|mouse hack]].
 

==[http://www.slikstik.com/spinfeat.htm SlikStik]==
[[Image:SlikStikTornadoSpinner.jpg|150px|right|thumb|SlikStik's Tornado spinner]]
The Tornado was billed as the "longest spinning" spinner on the market. With an extra-small footprint, and dual-bearing design, the Tornado was very well made. Plans to sell the Tornado with a plain-jane optic card were also announced.
 

==[http://www.apachecontrols.com/ Apache Controls]==
[[Image:ApacheControlsBlackhawkPushPullSPinner.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Apache Controls' Blackhawk spinner]]
Ever since the original Atari Discs Of Tron push-pull NOS spinners disappeared from the market and Oscar Controls stopped producing their push-pull spinners, they have been highly sought after by collectors and arcade restorers. For further details take a look at the [http://www.retroblast.com/reviews/apache-070106-01.html RetroBlast review] of this spinner.
 

==[http://ArcadeGames4U.com ArcadeGames4U]==
The Cyclone had a dual-bearing design, with a lower resolution encoder wheel. The Cyclone shipped with an optic card, but no interface.
 

=Build Your Own Spinner=

For those of us who would prefer to build their own spinner or cannot afford a retail unit, with a few spare parts that most likely are already lying around, can easily build your own. Here are some links to help you along your way:

'''[http://arcadecontrols.com/files/Miscellaneous/spinner.pdf Nathan Strum's Cheep Spinner]'''

'''[http://www.doughansen.net/arcade/spinner.htm DHansen's Arcade Stupidity Spinner]'''

'''[http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=17522.0 BYO "Nasty-Spinner" Thread]'''

'''List of compatible hard drives:'''

WD Caviar 1200 210 MB Drive

WD Caviar 11200 1.2 GB Drive

* Please feel free to add to the list of compatible drives if you have successfully built your own spinner with a drive that is not listed.

'''[http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=69812.0 BYO "Arkanoid (I) spinner from VCR parts" Thread]'''

=FAQs=
==Which games originally used a spinner/paddle?==
The lists below are incomplete, but can be used as a guide to find many games that used a spinner (optical) or paddle. (potentiometer)
===Standard spinner games===
*Arkanoid arkanoid
*Arkanoid - Revenge of Doh arknoid2
*Arkanoid Returns arkretrn
*Aztarac aztarac (spinner and trigger stick)
*Blasteroids (version 4) blstroid
*Boxing Bugs boxingb
*Cameltry (US) cameltry
*Cosmic Chasm (set 1) cchasm
*Crater Raider crater (spinner and trigger stick)
*Dark Planet darkplnt
*Free Kick freekick
*Ghox (spinner) ghox
*Gigas gigas
*Gigas Mark II gigasm2b
*Goindol (world) goindol
*Homo homo
*Mad Planets mplanets (spinner and trigger stick)
*Puzz Loop puzzloop
*Puzz Loop 2 pzloop2
*Quester quester
*Riddle of Pythagoras ridleofp
*Star Trek startrek
*Tac/Scan tacscan
*Tempest (rev 3) tempest
*Tempest Tubes temptube
*Tournament Arkanoid arkatour
*Tron tron (spinner and trigger stick)
*Victory victory
*Vs. Hot Smash hotsmash
*Wheel Of Fortune wfortune
*Wolf Pack (prototype) wolfpack

===Push/pull spinner games===
*Discs of Tron (Upright) dotron (push/pull spinner and trigger stick)
*Forgotten Worlds forgottn (push spinner and joystick)
*Kozmik Kroozr kroozr (push spinner and trigger stick)
*Zwackery zwackery (push/pull spinner and trigger stick)

===Roller (single axis trackball) games===
*Kick (upright) kick
*Kickman (upright) kickman
*Major Havoc (rev 3) mhavoc
*Moonwar moonwar

=== 360° steering wheel (optical) games===
*American Speedway (set 1) amspdwy
*APB - All Points Bulletin (set 1) apb
*Bad Lands badlands
*Buggy Challenge buggychl
*Championship Sprint csprint
*Change Lanes changela
*Chase H.Q. chasehq
*Cruis'n USA crusnusa
*Danny Sullivan's Indy Heat indyheat
*Demolition Derby demoderb
*Drag Race dragrace
*Final Lap 2 finalap2
*Fire Truck firetrk
*Grand Champion grchamp
*Great 1000 Miles Rally gtmrusa (NOTE: This game PCB can use either a 270° potentiometer or 360° optical steering wheel)
*Hot Rod (turbo 3 player) hotrod
*Ironman Ivan Stewart's Super Off-Road offroad
*Ironman Ivan Stewart's Super Off-Road Track-Pak offroadt
*Konami GT konamigt
*Mille Miglia 2: Great 1000 Miles Rally (95/05/24) gtmr2
*Monte Carlo montecar
*Off the Wall (Atari) offtwall (3 player)
*Off the Wall (Sente) otwalls (2 player)
*Over Drive overdriv
*Pole Position polepos
*Pole Position II polepos2
*Redline Racer (2 players) redlin2p
*Road Blasters (set 1) roadblst
*Special Criminal Investigation sci
*Speed Freak speedfrk
*Sprint 1 sprint1
*Sprint 2 sprint2
*Stocker stocker
*Subs subs
*Super Bug superbug
*Super Speed Race sspeedr
*Super Speed Race Junior ssrj
*Super Sprint ssprint
*Turbo turbo

===Paddle (potentiometer) games===
*Avalanche avalnche
*Beam Invader beaminv
*Bomb Bee bombbee
*Circus circus
*Clowns (rev. 2) clowns
*Cutie Q cutieq
*Field Goal fgoal
*Gee Bee geebee
*Gypsy Juggler gypsyjug
*Rip Cord ripcord
*Super Breakout sbrkout
*Warlords warlords (4 player)

===Steering wheel (potentiometer) games===
*California Speed calspeed
*Chequered Flag chqflag
*Cyber Cycles cybrcycc
*Daytona USA daytona
*Final Lap finallap
*Great 1000 Miles Rally gtmrusa (NOTE: This game PCB can use either a 270° potentiometer or 360° optical steering wheel)
*Hard Drivin' harddriv
*Out Run outrun
*Power Drift pdrift
*Ridge Racer ridgerac
*Ridge Racer 2 ridgera2
*Road Riot 4WD roadriot
*Spy Hunter spyhunt

===Non-standard spinner and paddle game controllers===
*720 Degrees (set 1) 720 (Optical 720 spinner/joy hybrid)
*Blue Shark blueshrk (Positional gun, potentiometer)
*Boot Hill boothill (Y-axis-only analog joystick used for aiming your gun)
*Destroyer destroyr (Y-axis control lever, potentiometer)
*Fire One fireone (Two periscope-handled player controls with thumb buttons, potentiometer)
*Hang-On hangon (Motorcycle handlebars, potentiometer)
*Lunar Lander (rev 2) llander (Spring-loaded thruster handle, potentiometer)
*Omega Race omegrace (Free-turning potentiometer with a built-in encoder that converts analog to 6-bit gray code)
*Panic Park panicprk (Lever arms, potentiometer)
*Sea Wolf seawolf (Periscope, potentiometer)
*Sea Wolf II seawolf2 (Two periscopes, potentiometer)
*Up Scope upscope (Periscope, potentiometer)

===Other game lists:===
*[http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Joysticks#Mechanical_Rotary_Joystick_Games_.28LS-30.2C_Happ_Mechanical_Rotary_Sticks.29 Rotary Joystick Games]
*[http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Joysticks#Games_with_Dual_Joysticks Dual Joystick Games]
*[http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Joysticks#Analog_Joysticks Analog Joystick and Yoke Games]
*[http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Light_Guns#Lightgun_Games_List Lightgun Games]
*[http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Multi-Player_Games Multi-Player Games]
*2-player game list -- dgame compiled an excellent list of 200 games [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,129295.msg1327639.html#msg1327639 here].
*"All Killer, No Filler" game lists -- BadMouth has compiled these excellent collections [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,149578.0.html 1. SHMUPS], [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,149619.0.html 2. VS FIGHTERS], [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,149640.0.html 3. SPORTS], and [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,149693.0.html 4. PUZZLE].

==Two Spinners on a control panel; is it worth it?==
The answer is an unequivocal ''maybe''. There are several factors to keep in mind when trying to determine whether you should buy and install 2 spinners on your control panel.
#Budget- Spinners are somewhat expensive. Buying 2 aftermarket spinners with optics will set you back about $80-$160.
#Software- Can your software support 2 mice at the same time. Make sure you have a version of mame that can support 2 spinners if they're both individual USB units. If you have them both plugged into an [[Optical_Encoders#Opti-PAC|Optipac]] this won't be a problem.
#Space- Depending on the model, spinners can take up a lot of room under the surface of a control panel. The Oscar Controls Push/Pull spinner was approximately 5.5x6" for instance. Also, the more spinners you have, the less room you may have for other features and joysticks.
#Games- Most importantly, do you like any games that use more than 1 spinner? Below is a (non-definitive) list of multi-spinner games
##Paddle Games
###Arkanoid Returns
###Off the Wall (Atari)
###Off the Wall (Bally Sente)
###Warlords (uses 4!)
###Pop'n Bounce
###Plump Pop
###VS Blok Breaker
##Flying
###Blasteroids
###Two Tigers
##Driving
###Super Off Road
### Super Sprint (uses 3!)
###Championship Super Sprint
###Bad Lands
###Ironman Ivan Stewart's Super Off-Road (uses 3!)
###Ironman Stewart's Super Off-Road Track Pack (uses 3!)
###Danny Sullivan's Indy Heat
## Other
###Atari 2 player games
###Puzzloop / Puzzloop 2
###Puzzle Bobble 2/3/4 (a.k.a. Bust a move)
###Forgotten Worlds

==If I can have only a spinner or a trackball... which should I choose?==
'''insert pro/con arguments here'''
relevant links in msg board. delete links once the info has been added.
* http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=25477.0
* http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=37876.0
* http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=36036.0

==See Also==
* [[Controls]]
* [[Spinner_Turn_Count]]

[[Category:Controls]]
[[Category:Index]]

Multi-Player Games

2016-02-23T06:17:19Z

PL1: /* Other game lists */

These gamelists include many of the multi-player (simultaneous) games in MAME.

You may want to check for games like Hard Dunk, a 6-player game that works well on a 4-player panel.

2-player games are not included here because that list would be ''way'' too long.

= 3-player games =
* Most use an 8-way joystick and 2 buttons, except as noted below.

Alien Storm (8-way joystick and 3 buttons per player)

Alien vs. Predator (8-way joystick and 3 buttons per player)

Armored Warriors (8-way joystick and 3 buttons per player)

Battle Toads

Brute Force

Cadillacs and Dinosaurs

Combatribes, The

Dark Adventure (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

Double Dragon 3 - The Rosetta Stone (8-way joystick and 3 buttons per player)

Judge Dredd -- 1993 prototype (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

Knights of the Round

Mercs

Michael Jackson's Moonwalker

Pig Out: Dine Like a Swine

Pit Fighter (8-way joystick and 3 buttons per player)

Power Drive (4 buttons per player)

Powered Gear: Strategic Variant Armor Equipment (8-way joystick and 3 buttons per player)

Rampage

Rampage World Tour (8-way joystick and 3 buttons per player)

Senjou no Ookami II

Star Guards (two 8-way joysticks per player)

Undercover Cops

Violent Storm

Wheel Of Fortune (1 button per player and a shared spinner -- can be played with joystick)
'''NOTE:''' The original game used a spinner, but if you use your joystick to select "spin wheel" and wait 5 seconds, the game will spin the wheel for you.

Xenophobe (8-way joystick and 3 buttons per player)

== 3-player games with specialized controls ==
Crypt Killer (light gun and 2 buttons per player)

Danny Sullivan's Indy Heat (Steering wheel and 2 buttons per player)

Hot Rod (Steering wheel and Pedal per player)

Ironman Ivan Stewart's Super Off-Road (Steering wheel and Pedal per player)

Ironman Ivan Stewart's Super Off-Road Track-Pak (Steering wheel and Pedal per player)

Rampart (trackball and 2 buttons per player)

Super Sprint (Steering wheel and Pedal per player)

Wheel Of Fortune (1 button per player and a shared spinner -- can be played with joystick -- see above)

= 4-Player games =
* Most use 8-way joysticks and 3 pushbuttons, except as noted below.

2 On 2 Open Ice Challenge a.k.a. NHL Open Ice

Arabian Fight (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Arabian Magic

Barricade (4 buttons '''or''' 1 joystick per player)

Battle Circuit (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Blazing Tornado (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

Bomber Man World (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Bucky O'Hare

Captain America and the Avengers (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Captain Commando (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Checkmate (8-way joystick per player)

Comotion (4-way joystick per player)

Cops'n Robbers (2-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Crime Fighters (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Desert Assault (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Dungeons and Dragons: Shadow Over Mystara (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

Dungeons and Dragons: Tower of Doom (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

Dunk Mania

Dynablaster (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Euro Champ '92 (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Escape Kids (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Exvania

Face Off (8-way joystick and 1 button per player)

Football Champ (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Gauntlet (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Gauntlet II (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

GI Joe

Gladiator, The (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

Golden Axe: The Revenge of Death Adder

Growl

Hat Trick Hero (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Hat Trick Hero '93 (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

Hat Trick Hero '94 (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

Hat Trick Hero '95 (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

Heated Barrel (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

High Impact Football (8-way joystick and 1 button per player)

Hit Me (3 buttons per player)

Hit the Ice (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Hook (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Hyper Sports Special (3 buttons per player)

John Elway's Team Quarterback (8-way joystick and 1 button per player, 2 analog joysticks for passing plays)

Karate Blazers (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

Knights of Valour (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

Knights of Valor 2 (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

Knuckle Heads

Main Event, The (8-way joystick and 1 button per player)

Metamorphic Force (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Muscle Bomber Duo

Mystic Warriors

NBA Hangtime/NBA Maximum Hangtime

NBA Jam

NBA Jam Extreme (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

NBA Jam Tournament Edition

NBA Play By Play

NBA Showtime/NFL Blitz 2000

NBA Showtime: NBA on NBC (49-way joystick and 3 buttons per player)

NBA Showtime - NBA on NBC [Gold Edition] (49-way joystick and 3 buttons per player)
'''NOTE:''' This is both a standalone game and part of Midway's Sportstation upgrade from NBA on NBC Gold (which just adds Blitz 2000 Gold to the cab making it a 2 in 1 cabinet.) Not available in MAME at this time.

NFL Blitz

NFL Blitz '99

NFL Blitz 2000 Gold edition

Ninja Baseball Batman (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Ninja Kids, The (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Numan Athletics

Oriental Legend (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

Punk Shot (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Quartet (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Rim Rockin' Basketball (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Ring Rage

Run and Gun

Run and Gun 2

Runark (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Rushing Heroes

Sangokushi II -- Asia region version of "Warriors of Fate"

Saturday Night Slam Masters a.k.a. Muscle Bomber: The Body Explosion

Silent Dragon

Slam Dunk

Slam Dunk 2

Snow Bros. 2 - With New Elves (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Spider-man: The Videogame (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Sunset Riders (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Super Cup Finals (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

Super High Impact (8-way joystick and 1 button per player)

Tecmo Bowl (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Turtles in Time (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Tournament Cyberball 2072 (8-way joystick and 1 button per player)

Trog (8-way joystick and 1 button per player)

U.S. Championship V'ball (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Vendetta (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Vs. Tennis (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Warriors of Fate

Wayne Gretzky's 3D Hockey (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

World Soccer Finals (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

WWF Wrestlefest (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

X-Men (There are also 2-player and 6-player ROM versions)

== 4-player games with specialized controls ==
Atari Football (Trackball per player)

Atari Soccer (Trackball and 2 buttons per player)

Car Polo (Spinner and 3 buttons per player)

John Elway's Team Quarterback (8-way joystick and 1 button per player, 2 analog joysticks for passing plays)

Racin' Force (270 degree steering wheel/potentiometer and 3 buttons per player)

Sprint 4 (Steering wheel, 5 buttons)

TouchDown Fever (8-way [[Joysticks#Rotary_Joysticks|optical rotary]] joystick and 2 buttons per player)

TouchDown Fever 2 (8-way [[Joysticks#Rotary_Joysticks|optical rotary]] joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Tournament Table (Paddle/potentiometer and 1 pushbutton per player)

Warlords (Paddle/potentiometer and 1 pushbutton per player)

= 6-player games =
Hard Dunk (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

X-Men (There are also 2-player and 4-player ROM versions)

== 6-player games with specialized controls ==

= 8-player games =
Tank 8 (Double 2-way joysticks per player)

== 8-player games with specialized controls ==
Sprint 8 (Steering wheel, 2 buttons)

= Other game lists =
*[http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Spinners_and_Dials#Which_games_originally_used_a_spinner.2Fpaddle.3F Spinner and Dial Games]

*[http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Joysticks#Mechanical_Rotary_Joystick_Games_.28LS-30.2C_Happ_Mechanical_Rotary_Sticks.29 Rotary Joystick Games]

*[http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Joysticks#Games_with_Dual_Joysticks Dual Joystick Games]

*[http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Joysticks#Analog_Joysticks Analog Joystick and Yoke Games]

*[http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Light_Guns#Lightgun_Games_List Lightgun Games]

*2-player game list -- dgame compiled an excellent list of 200 games [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,129295.msg1327639.html#msg1327639 here].

*"All Killer, No Filler" game lists -- BadMouth has compiled these excellent collections [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,149578.0.html 1. SHMUPS], [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,149619.0.html 2. VS FIGHTERS], [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,149640.0.html 3. SPORTS], and [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,149693.0.html 4. PUZZLE].

[[Category:Index]]

Multi-Player Games

2016-02-20T07:37:20Z

PL1: /* Other game lists */

These gamelists include many of the multi-player (simultaneous) games in MAME.

You may want to check for games like Hard Dunk, a 6-player game that works well on a 4-player panel.

2-player games are not included here because that list would be ''way'' too long.

= 3-player games =
* Most use an 8-way joystick and 2 buttons, except as noted below.

Alien Storm (8-way joystick and 3 buttons per player)

Alien vs. Predator (8-way joystick and 3 buttons per player)

Armored Warriors (8-way joystick and 3 buttons per player)

Battle Toads

Brute Force

Cadillacs and Dinosaurs

Combatribes, The

Dark Adventure (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

Double Dragon 3 - The Rosetta Stone (8-way joystick and 3 buttons per player)

Judge Dredd -- 1993 prototype (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

Knights of the Round

Mercs

Michael Jackson's Moonwalker

Pig Out: Dine Like a Swine

Pit Fighter (8-way joystick and 3 buttons per player)

Power Drive (4 buttons per player)

Powered Gear: Strategic Variant Armor Equipment (8-way joystick and 3 buttons per player)

Rampage

Rampage World Tour (8-way joystick and 3 buttons per player)

Senjou no Ookami II

Star Guards (two 8-way joysticks per player)

Undercover Cops

Violent Storm

Wheel Of Fortune (1 button per player and a shared spinner -- can be played with joystick)
'''NOTE:''' The original game used a spinner, but if you use your joystick to select "spin wheel" and wait 5 seconds, the game will spin the wheel for you.

Xenophobe (8-way joystick and 3 buttons per player)

== 3-player games with specialized controls ==
Crypt Killer (light gun and 2 buttons per player)

Danny Sullivan's Indy Heat (Steering wheel and 2 buttons per player)

Hot Rod (Steering wheel and Pedal per player)

Ironman Ivan Stewart's Super Off-Road (Steering wheel and Pedal per player)

Ironman Ivan Stewart's Super Off-Road Track-Pak (Steering wheel and Pedal per player)

Rampart (trackball and 2 buttons per player)

Super Sprint (Steering wheel and Pedal per player)

Wheel Of Fortune (1 button per player and a shared spinner -- can be played with joystick -- see above)

= 4-Player games =
* Most use 8-way joysticks and 3 pushbuttons, except as noted below.

2 On 2 Open Ice Challenge a.k.a. NHL Open Ice

Arabian Fight (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Arabian Magic

Barricade (4 buttons '''or''' 1 joystick per player)

Battle Circuit (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Blazing Tornado (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

Bomber Man World (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Bucky O'Hare

Captain America and the Avengers (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Captain Commando (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Checkmate (8-way joystick per player)

Comotion (4-way joystick per player)

Cops'n Robbers (2-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Crime Fighters (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Desert Assault (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Dungeons and Dragons: Shadow Over Mystara (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

Dungeons and Dragons: Tower of Doom (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

Dunk Mania

Dynablaster (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Euro Champ '92 (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Escape Kids (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Exvania

Face Off (8-way joystick and 1 button per player)

Football Champ (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Gauntlet (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Gauntlet II (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

GI Joe

Gladiator, The (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

Golden Axe: The Revenge of Death Adder

Growl

Hat Trick Hero (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Hat Trick Hero '93 (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

Hat Trick Hero '94 (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

Hat Trick Hero '95 (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

Heated Barrel (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

High Impact Football (8-way joystick and 1 button per player)

Hit Me (3 buttons per player)

Hit the Ice (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Hook (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Hyper Sports Special (3 buttons per player)

John Elway's Team Quarterback (8-way joystick and 1 button per player, 2 analog joysticks for passing plays)

Karate Blazers (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

Knights of Valour (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

Knights of Valor 2 (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

Knuckle Heads

Main Event, The (8-way joystick and 1 button per player)

Metamorphic Force (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Muscle Bomber Duo

Mystic Warriors

NBA Hangtime/NBA Maximum Hangtime

NBA Jam

NBA Jam Extreme (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

NBA Jam Tournament Edition

NBA Play By Play

NBA Showtime/NFL Blitz 2000

NBA Showtime: NBA on NBC (49-way joystick and 3 buttons per player)

NBA Showtime - NBA on NBC [Gold Edition] (49-way joystick and 3 buttons per player)
'''NOTE:''' This is both a standalone game and part of Midway's Sportstation upgrade from NBA on NBC Gold (which just adds Blitz 2000 Gold to the cab making it a 2 in 1 cabinet.) Not available in MAME at this time.

NFL Blitz

NFL Blitz '99

NFL Blitz 2000 Gold edition

Ninja Baseball Batman (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Ninja Kids, The (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Numan Athletics

Oriental Legend (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

Punk Shot (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Quartet (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Rim Rockin' Basketball (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Ring Rage

Run and Gun

Run and Gun 2

Runark (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Rushing Heroes

Sangokushi II -- Asia region version of "Warriors of Fate"

Saturday Night Slam Masters a.k.a. Muscle Bomber: The Body Explosion

Silent Dragon

Slam Dunk

Slam Dunk 2

Snow Bros. 2 - With New Elves (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Spider-man: The Videogame (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Sunset Riders (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Super Cup Finals (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

Super High Impact (8-way joystick and 1 button per player)

Tecmo Bowl (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Turtles in Time (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Tournament Cyberball 2072 (8-way joystick and 1 button per player)

Trog (8-way joystick and 1 button per player)

U.S. Championship V'ball (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Vendetta (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Vs. Tennis (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Warriors of Fate

Wayne Gretzky's 3D Hockey (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

World Soccer Finals (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

WWF Wrestlefest (8-way joystick and 2 buttons per player)

X-Men (There are also 2-player and 6-player ROM versions)

== 4-player games with specialized controls ==
Atari Football (Trackball per player)

Atari Soccer (Trackball and 2 buttons per player)

Car Polo (Spinner and 3 buttons per player)

John Elway's Team Quarterback (8-way joystick and 1 button per player, 2 analog joysticks for passing plays)

Racin' Force (270 degree steering wheel/potentiometer and 3 buttons per player)

Sprint 4 (Steering wheel, 5 buttons)

TouchDown Fever (8-way [[Joysticks#Rotary_Joysticks|optical rotary]] joystick and 2 buttons per player)

TouchDown Fever 2 (8-way [[Joysticks#Rotary_Joysticks|optical rotary]] joystick and 2 buttons per player)

Tournament Table (Paddle/potentiometer and 1 pushbutton per player)

Warlords (Paddle/potentiometer and 1 pushbutton per player)

= 6-player games =
Hard Dunk (8-way joystick and 4 buttons per player)

X-Men (There are also 2-player and 4-player ROM versions)

== 6-player games with specialized controls ==

= 8-player games =
Tank 8 (Double 2-way joysticks per player)

== 8-player games with specialized controls ==
Sprint 8 (Steering wheel, 2 buttons)

= Other game lists =
*[http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Spinners_and_Dials#Which_games_originally_used_a_spinner.2Fpaddle.3F Spinner and Dial Games]

*[http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Joysticks#Mechanical_Rotary_Joystick_Games_.28LS-30.2C_Happ_Mechanical_Rotary_Sticks.29 Rotary Joystick Games]

*[http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Joysticks#Games_with_Dual_Joysticks Dual Joystick Games]

*[http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Joysticks#Analog_Joysticks Analog Joystick and Yoke Games]

*[http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Light_Guns#Lightgun_Games_List Lightgun Games]

*2-player game list -- dgame compiled an excellent list of 200 games [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,129295.msg1327639.html#msg1327639 here].

*"All Killer, No Filler" game lists -- BadMouth has compiled these excellent collections [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,149578.0.html 1. SHMUPS], [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,149619.0.html 2. VS FIGHTERS], and [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,149640.0.html 3. SPORTS].

[[Category:Index]]