ID parts/originality from Neo-Geo control panel

lithy

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Looking to see if anyone has some info and insight. I have a Neo-Geo with a control panel in amazing shape, the coin counter is low (under 4k) on the cab and it was kept in home use set on free play for "a long time". I haven't exactly been able to discern how long yet, still trying, but based on the condition of the cab I'm inclined to believe it has been at least 20 years, probably more and has seen very minimal use (for example all four original EL panels are working nicely).

So for starters, the control panel appears untouched, not a mark or scratch on a single nut and nothing looks out of place. I know it is very possible it was restored, but I am thinking this is all the original stuff, but a few more sets of eyes are always helpful.

Can anyone ID these joysticks and buttons for me? The joystick housing is stamped iL so I believe these must be Happ joysticks (Supers?). I know the first Neo Geo cabs used Wico conicals, not sure for how long that was true. The buttons are all the same style with vertical micro switches, I don't see any molded marks, any way to tell them apart? What was interesting to me was the thin metal button nut.

Up top
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Underneath
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Player 1 closeup
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Player 2 closeup
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Still textured
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Some light surface degradation on the plating
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The joysticks are happ super joysticks. The original models are literally rebranded IL compact joysticks from Spain. As far as I can tell were not used on the Neo Geo.

The first run of Neo Geo cabinets used the WICO conical micro switch joysticks with the pyramid shaped actuator block. I've had two Neo geo cabinets in my lifetime and both of them had dust washers on these conical joysticks that had a larger inner diameter than your standard 3/8 WICO dust cover.

Later Neo Geo's appeared to have switched to either happ ultimate joysticks or Wico ultra sticks (there is a video online of a female SNK rep playing King of fighters at the snk headquarters with those sticks on the cabinet). Both of these joysticks are almost impossible to tell apart unless you open up the control panel as their shafts are virtually identical. The ultra joystick was made as a direct response to happs ultimate joystick.

The buttons on that control panel are WICO brand maxi vertical buttons.
 
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The joysticks are happ super joysticks. The original models are literally rebranded IL compact joysticks from Spain. As far as I can tell were not used on the Neo Geo.

The first run of Neo Geo cabinets used the WICO conical micro switch joysticks with the pyramid shaped actuator block. I've had two Neo geo cabinets in my lifetime and both of them had dust washers on these conical joysticks that had a larger inner diameter than your standard 3/8 WICO dust cover.

Later Neo Geo's appeared to have switched to either happ ultimate joysticks or Wico ultra sticks (there is a video online of a female SNK rep playing King of fighters at the s&k headquarters with those sticks on the cabinet). Both of these joysticks are almost impossible to tell apart unless you open up the control panel as their shafts are virtually identical. The ultra joystick was made as a direct response to happs ultimate joystick.

The buttons on that control panel are WICO brand maxi vertical buttons.

Thanks, figured you would have the answers but hate to ask specifically for your help every time I have a question!

Another cab I have that is in very rough shape does still have the original Wico sticks, tops worn smooth, it has one of the same style Wico buttons left although the rest are a mishmash of other parts.

There are some minor differences about this cab compared to the other two, different PSU with a different fuse location, Coin Controls brand coin mechs, coin reject buttons, and door locks while my other cabs have the Happ style coin reject buttons at least (they didn't come with locks).

I have three different operation manuals for the 4 slot. Each one seems to show the differences between my three cabs when comparing the PSU parts list and the credit/test panel layout.

Just rambling about stuff I think is interesting. Thanks again.
 
The power supply usage is something I've been trying to figure out for a long time. All of the Neo Geo cabinets I've had in my lifetime have used the LPX style box power supply with a large cutout in the rear. I have seen at least one in person that used your standard 15 w switching power supply and did not have the large cutout in the back. These share the same power supply, isolation transformer and fuse layout that is used on the data east cabinets, the 3-koam K-9 and their early dynamo clones (that's a story for another day).

I've always wondered if these units with the 15 w power supply and no cutout were made before or after the LPX units.
 
I have owned 3 MVS cabs and they all had the vertically oriented micro-switch buttons as pictured. Some have had some oddballs replaced, but the majority were like yours.
 
The power supply usage is something I've been trying to figure out for a long time. All of the Neo Geo cabinets I've had in my lifetime have used the LPX style box power supply with a large cutout in the rear. I have seen at least one in person that used your standard 15 w switching power supply and did not have the large cutout in the back. These share the same power supply, isolation transformer and fuse layout that is used on the data east cabinets, the 3-koam K-9 and their early dynamo clones (that's a story for another day).

I've always wondered if these units with the 15 w power supply and no cutout were made before or after the LPX units.

Just gonna dump this info in here in case it's useful so as not to start a new thread.

I believe the no-cutout ones are earliest.

Here is my old cab, no cut out just a spot for the cord to pass through

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Cab date 6/13/90 and transformer code 9017 is the 17th week of 1990 which was April 23-29

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Power supply brand and model
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Next cab is the middle dated cab 9/5/90, transformer sticker code 9027, July 2-8.

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It has the cutout and a fuse mounted there. EM Direct Power Play 150 which also has what could be a date code of 1990/09/01 on it.

PXL_20250205_013537695.jpgPXL_20250205_013524794.jpg
 
My newest one is pushed up against a wall right now so I can only use the photos I have, can't get to see if there is a sticker on the transformer.

Cabinet has a date of 5/19/91, has a cutout, but no fuse, instead the fuse is on the service panel.

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A-matic power supply. If I had to guess any of the three of mine weren't original power supplies it would be this one.

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Now some manuals info. I have 3, one with no date, a Version 1 June 1990, and a Version 2 July 1991.

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The no date manual shows the test panel with no fuse and a power supply assembly with the more complicated setup.

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The Version 1 shows the same test panel but then shows the revised power supply in a wiring diagram and a simplified parts list

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The Version 2 shows the revised test panel with the fuse even though it still shows the same power supply also with the fuse on it as the Version 1. Also the same parts list.

PXL_20250205_205735574.jpgPXL_20250205_205756896.jpg
 
Im really surprised no one is interested in reproducing those big box power supplies, guess happ figures there power pro covers it all. Got a few big box supplies non working im gonna try to rebuild think they are both peter chous. Wonder if one could simply gut the inside of a happ power pro and rig it up in the big box case…

Also never heard of the A-matic brand.

All the ones I remember seeing were peter chou, twin fly, mazzco, and happ brand ones.
 
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Im really surprised no one is interested in reproducing those big box power supplies, guess happ figures there power pro covers it all. Got a few big box supplies non working im gonna try to rebuild think they are both peter chous. Wonder if one could simply gut the inside of a happ power pro and rig it up in the big box case…

Also never heard of the A-matic brand.

All the ones I remember seeing were peter chou, twin fly, mazzco, and happ brand ones.

The good news is that I've been working on an adapter plate that will allow you to mount an 200 watt AT power supply to the XT/LPX power supply cutouts. So far i have a working prototype for Konami games (Simpsons, martial Champions cutout) and some later Dynamo cabinets. I more or less have one for the 3-KOAM cabinets except i need to fitment run on a real cabinet and i no longer have a Neo Geo or Z-Back to test on.

The bad news is that every cabinet manufacturer had their own cutout and it's impossible to have one adapter plate fit them all. Dynamo in particular also uses the side switch meaning I need to come up with a solution not just to fit the power supply but to have an external push button switch to turn your Dynamo cabinet on just like the original. I am also still missing a tracing of the cutout for the Dynamo Nintendo Super System, PT9 cabinet and a few others.
 
The good news is that I've been working on an adapter plate that will allow you to mount an 200 watt AT power supply to the XT/LPX power supply cutouts. So far i have a working prototype for Konami games (Simpsons, martial Champions cutout) and some later Dynamo cabinets. I more or less have one for the 3-KOAM cabinets except i need to fitment run on a real cabinet and i no longer have a Neo Geo or Z-Back to test on.

The bad news is that every cabinet manufacturer had their own cutout and it's impossible to have one adapter plate fit them all. Dynamo in particular also uses the side switch meaning I need to come up with a solution not just to fit the power supply but to have an external push button switch to turn your Dynamo cabinet on just like the original. I am also still missing a tracing of the cutout for the Dynamo Nintendo Super System, PT9 cabinet and a few others.
What ive done is build a wooden box for the happ power pro that i stole the plans from someone here on where it covers the games that have the side switch button hole and you can use the switch on the back of the happ powersupply and it covers the empty space the happ power supply dosent fill. Works great see if i can find the post
 
What ive done is build a wooden box for the happ power pro that i stole the plans from someone here on where it covers the games that have the side switch button hole and you can use the switch on the back of the happ powersupply and it covers the empty space the happ power supply dosent fill. Works great see if i can find the post

yeah, this is just about having a little more convenience and a cleaner look.
 
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