720 USB Portable Joystick for Mame use

hme53

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Over the last few months I have been working on a project with Mike Reezy, Jeff (720zone.com), and Ken Reed (carpenter)

The results were better than i anticipated

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOAOXvGNstQ

I intend to give the forum all the steps that were needed to complete this project.
 
This post shows the Before and After


The picture on the left shows the old 720 metal control panel

on the right you will notice the actual 720 usb portable unit I made
 

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Great looking project, but please don't give instructions. Those sticks are essentially unobtainable, everytime someone slaps one on a Mame control panel that is another dedicated machine denied a stick.

Over the last few months I have been working on a project with Mike Reezy, Jeff (720zone.com), and Ken Reed (carpenter)

The results were better than i anticipated

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOAOXvGNstQ

I intend to give the forum all the steps that were needed to complete this project.
 
Things needed to complete this project:

1) working 720 control panel w/ joystick (optional new CPO from http://www.phoenixarcade.com/art.htm#720)

2) Can of Semi Gloss black Krylon paint, can of Krylon primer, can of enamel, Paint Stripper, Wood Putty

3) TOOLS Sander 100 - 220 grade sheets, Jig Saw, Router (Dremel could work)Drill, (Jig or Dowel Method)

4) TIME!!!!



First thing I did was had Home Depot cut (4) 11" x 16" X 3/4" pieces of wood. (actual 720 cabinet uses particle wood)

Traced out the sides from actual 720 arcade machine
 

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@ tbbk

Great looking project, but please don't give instructions. Those sticks are essentially unobtainable, everytime someone slaps one on a Mame control panel that is another dedicated machine denied a stick.

You would think that but time and time again i have seen many people create "hellcades" and toss out the joysticks.

I seem to think this breathes new life into the controllers that would otherwise end up in a landfill. Don't get me wrong, i have also fully restored a full 720 machine and due to its extremely large footprint find it difficult to take it with me on the go (camping, shows, work parties..etc)

This project has in many ways made people realize how unique and great this game was and by making it portable allows me to share it to the world without lugging around the entire machine.
 
Great looking project, but please don't give instructions. Those sticks are essentially unobtainable, everytime someone slaps one on a Mame control panel that is another dedicated machine denied a stick.

In my opinion there are way more sticks in circulation than cabinets. Replacement sticks were sold to ops during the days that the game was in circulation, and often I'm sure the cabinet would scrapped and the stick kept in the warehous for parts. They're unused and Rob's project is a way to open authentic gameplay to those that only have access to MAME.

I've found several extras over the years, albeit ususally not cheap. Just a few weeks back two unused NOS sold for a little under $250 a piece; so they do come up:
720_Sticks.jpg


I know MAME is frowned upon by some in this circle, and I do understand the reasoning, but I view Rob's project as an awesome contribution to keeping 720 alive. That control box is a tribute to the original.
 
Wiring 720 joystick

Digging up this very old thread in hopes that some 720 experts will see. I bought a "new" 720 joystick off Ebay today. I am guessing it is a modern reproduction. Hoping it will be of good quality. There is no wiring included. It looks like 2- male 4 pin connectors coming off the joystick board. I am hoping to get my parts ordered and ready to go while I wait for it.. Would a standard 4 pin molex connector fit this. Sorry, it this is a very basic arcade build question. This 720 joystick will be my first project. Thanks.
 
720

hello,

welcome to the boards.

yes you need 4 pin molex connectors.

you can buy the all the parts you need from www.arcadepartsandrepair.com (fast shipping and a great seller)

if you need further help let me know.

thanks

chad
 
Thanks Chad, I think I have it figured out. I have read jstookeys 720 website and he has this picture on there (hoping the photo attached). It shows a 5 pin harness going to the Joystick board. I am guessing he just happened to have this handy and one of the pins is not connected. Can you verify the empty slot is on the right side of both harness'? My fear is putting power or ground to the wrong pin and screwing up the board.. maybe with only 5v it would not hurt, but I don't want to cook my new toy the first day. Thanks for your help.
 

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720

if you look close at the molex connectors they are 5 position not 4.

thanks

chad
 
720

FYI....those reproduction optical boards can be really flaky. I have dealt with a lot of them...if you get everything hooked up and nothing seems to be working there is a good chance that it's your optical board.

if you can I would try and get another one...if not when you get all hooked up and its not working I can test the board for you and fix it if need be.

good luck

chad
 
There are 5 in photo, but only 4 male pins on each side of the board..That is why I figured one was hanging off each end, not connected.
 
720

There are 5 in photo, but only 4 male pins on each side of the board..That is why I figured one was hanging off each end, not connected.

yes you are correct, that last one is just chillin.
 
OK, got all the parts. The joystick is wired to the optipac and I have 2 buttons wired to it also for left and right mouse buttons. I can crank the controller around and see my mouse move on the desktop and the buttons works, but in Mame I seem to be missing something. It does not seem to recognize the joystick as a controller. When I use the joystick I just see the mouse cursor moving around.. I have pressed tab and gone into the game configuration and changed the joystick type to "real", but not sure what I am missing?
 
it looks like i figured it out..lots of tinkering and Googleing. I put a front end on mame and it created some missing .ini files and I changed the mouse value from 0 to 1. Now Mame recognizes the mouse and the mouse buttons for kick and jump.
 
720

it looks like i figured it out..lots of tinkering and Googleing. I put a front end on mame and it created some missing .ini files and I changed the mouse value from 0 to 1. Now Mame recognizes the mouse and the mouse buttons for kick and jump.

glad you got it..i had a friend that spent a ton of time trying to get it to work. he finally got it going, also he was using a mac. I know it was a real challenge for him...

any input or instructions on this matter would be great.

nice job !!

thanks,



chad
 
Here is what I figured out over a couple days of playing around. First thing, parts needed..720 reproduction controller connected to Ultimarc Optipac, 2 arcade buttons that can connect up to the Optipac.

I wanted to get this to work with a Raspberry Pi 3 running Retropie. I spent a lot of time learning the basics of the Pi. I could not get Retropie to recognize the 720 joystick in the game. I could use it to move the mouse cursor and the 2 buttons worked on Pixel desktop.

I know that the version of Mame is important. After Mame version .142 (i think) the 720 controller is supported. When you press the tab key to bring up the menu the newer versions of Mame have a "game configuration" menu that older versions do not have. In that menu you can select Joystick, Spinner, Real.. Select "Real", obviously if you have the real thing..

I decided to move to my windows PC at this point and ignore the Pi for now. I downloaded an older 2013 version of Mame, beacause the old PC I am using is dated. I read about editing the mame.ini file to edit the control defaults, but my Mame version did not have a mame.ini file. I downloaded and ran MaLa (sp?) front end for Mame, it created the needed mame.ini file because it did not find one. In that file it shows keyboard and other input values. My understanding is if it had a 0 the device was not enabled and if it shows 1 after it that controller type is enabled. I changed the mouse value from 0 to 1. That is all I did..after launching mame and loading 720 I mapped the buttons for kick/jump and now it worked. You have to disconnect your regular mouse or else it screws up the calibration. So it seems like just allowing mame to recognize and use multiple mice was all that is needed..

Now time to build a box. If anyone know how to edit .ini files in Retropie I would appreciate it. I tried lr-mame2014, it runs 720 fine. I found some online posts about how to access the mame.ini file but I could not really understand it. Retropie and Raspberry Pi people are much more technical than I am. I will keep tinkering with it because I am using a huge full size PC tower to run 720 now..would be nice to use the tiny Pi.. I could mount that inside my joystick box and have a portable arcade system. Maybe people on this forum may not too interested in this, but I wanted to share it so it may help someone else. Lots of retro arcade info online but not too much specifically about 720 and the unique joystick
 
Here is what I figured out over a couple days of playing around. First thing, parts needed..720 reproduction controller connected to Ultimarc Optipac, 2 arcade buttons that can connect up to the Optipac.

I wanted to get this to work with a Raspberry Pi 3 running Retropie. I spent a lot of time learning the basics of the Pi. I could not get Retropie to recognize the 720 joystick in the game. I could use it to move the mouse cursor and the 2 buttons worked on Pixel desktop.

I know that the version of Mame is important. After Mame version .142 (i think) the 720 controller is supported. When you press the tab key to bring up the menu the newer versions of Mame have a "game configuration" menu that older versions do not have. In that menu you can select Joystick, Spinner, Real.. Select "Real", obviously if you have the real thing..

I decided to move to my windows PC at this point and ignore the Pi for now. I downloaded an older 2013 version of Mame, beacause the old PC I am using is dated. I read about editing the mame.ini file to edit the control defaults, but my Mame version did not have a mame.ini file. I downloaded and ran MaLa (sp?) front end for Mame, it created the needed mame.ini file because it did not find one. In that file it shows keyboard and other input values. My understanding is if it had a 0 the device was not enabled and if it shows 1 after it that controller type is enabled. I changed the mouse value from 0 to 1. That is all I did..after launching mame and loading 720 I mapped the buttons for kick/jump and now it worked. You have to disconnect your regular mouse or else it screws up the calibration. So it seems like just allowing mame to recognize and use multiple mice was all that is needed..

Now time to build a box. If anyone know how to edit .ini files in Retropie I would appreciate it. I tried lr-mame2014, it runs 720 fine. I found some online posts about how to access the mame.ini file but I could not really understand it. Retropie and Raspberry Pi people are much more technical than I am. I will keep tinkering with it because I am using a huge full size PC tower to run 720 now..would be nice to use the tiny Pi.. I could mount that inside my joystick box and have a portable arcade system. Maybe people on this forum may not too interested in this, but I wanted to share it so it may help someone else. Lots of retro arcade info online but not too much specifically about 720 and the unique joystick

thanks for this info, please post more updates as you go, if your willing.

thanks again

chad
 
Chad, I had a thought as I was looking at the Optipac. Have you used the Optipac before? Any idea if wiring the joystick as a trackball would work. I am using the spinner ports on the Optipac now.. I am working on the box now and want to finish that, just wanted to see if you know what is better. Thanks
 
no dice

no I have never wired one... that was why I was hopping you posted the info on your process.

thanks

chad
 
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