LightGun cross compatibility help

bimm25i

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I was wondering if I would be able to use a set of NAMCO light guns across different types of lightgun games, I understand they wont necessarily recoil but is a lightgun a lightgun a lightgun? If i simply wire the ground, trigger and lightgun sensor to the right pins on the PCB's will I be in business or are they just inherently too different for that to work?

in particular Im interested if i can use the namco guns (which by my understanding are the same setup as the HAPPs) on an Area 51.


I found this and the last post SEEMS to imply I can use my NAMCO lightguns on Area 51 but I wont get recoil (not a big deal)

http://www.neo-geo.com/forums/showthread.php?201562-Light-gun-JAMMA-games

Can anyone confirm im barking up the right tree?


there seems to be more info here but i feel like its still not enough for me to know the answer here
http://forums.arcade-museum.com/showthread.php?t=177207


more info found:
-HAPP .pdf of wire pinout - http://na.suzohapp.com/images/pdf/opticalgun.pdf
Basically a HAPP gun harness is the following
+5vdc - Red
Trigger Signal -White
Circuit Ground -Black
Optic Signal - Blue


Then i found
_NathanK_


hi Guys,
just got a pb2 board, but there is 0 wiring and i cant work out how to
hook it up. The manual is very confusing since it doesn't reference any
of jumpers on board directly, it only talks about the their own
internal wiring.

Does anyone have any diagrams on how to wire this up for a jamma cab?
i've seen:
http://www.ionpool.net/arcade/namco/pointblank_to_regular_happ_guns.pdf

but it doesnt show how to hook up the recoil solenoids etc.

Would be massivley appreciative if someone has this info.

-nat

4/16/06

Well, worked it out, i was stumped on how to hook up the triggers...
but got it running in the end... for the sake of some other poor
bugger having to work this out, i'll post it for people googling..
Look for J3 on the second board, (manual has this too, just not clear)
pin out is such:

1 Not used
2 Not used
3 Recoil Solenoid - Gun 1
4 Lamp 1
5 Sensor - Gun 1
6 GND
7 Recoil Solenoid - Gun 2
8 Lamp 2
9 Sensor - Gun 2
10 Not used

Then the triggers:

22 Parts Side Trigger - Gun1
22 Solder Side Trigger - Gun 2

hope this helps some people,

-nat

I also found this .pdf on converting Point Blank 2 to use HAPP guns - http://www.ionpool.net/arcade/namco/pointblank_to_regular_happ_guns.pdf


I just found this picture of the AREA 51 guns plugged in,
http://forums.arcade-museum.com/archive/index.php/t-142083.html
http://forums.arcade-museum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=40608&d=1279166531


it looks promising for what i want to do, because green and yellow are both bridged to white my only concern is the "grey/brown" wire in pin 5, what the heck is that for?is that actually the recoil? id hate to snd that much jusice where it shouldnt be


My suspicion is since PB2 CAN use HAPP guns, and AREA 51 CAN use HAPP guns, I should be able, through some riggery, to get Area 51 unning with NAMCO guns (sans-recoil). Any confirmations? Anyone know for a fact this cant be done? Anyone have this setup already and can say "yeah it works go for it"
 
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I work night shift but tomorrow when I get a chance I will take photos of the light gun connections. A couple of things to keep in mind when you are using HAPP guns whether for the first time connected into a new cabinet or after you have moved your cabinet around:
  1. ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS adjust the calibration on the guns.
  2. If your guns will not work take them apart and make sure that the optical board is connected.
  3. Make sure that the lense in the gun is clean and has not been lost or displaced in the gun.
 
Id really appreciate the pictures, especially the happ plugged into the board,

The more I Find out the more this seems viable. It seems like essentially the light gun signal is the same coming out of the gun's 4 operating wires (not counting the Yellow and Orange soleniod cables). it also seems like (except in the case of special monitor refresh rates and guns that use special sensors) that aiming control signal sends the same information across most manufacturers for the most part.


I hope im reight i would still really really appreciate someone jsut saying "yes I have a area 51 or other atari game that uses the same gun interface and i use PointBlank2 guns on it.


haha maybe ill just have to be the first
 
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Okay looks like PB2 is only setup to run on a 15khz monitor and Area 51 is setup is 25khz. Can anyone confrim or deny this - I'm thinking that makes a multi jamma PointBlank2/Area51 cabinet a total pipe dream, right?
 
I moved to another thread but the long and short of it is YESSSSSS ITS WORKEDDDDDED!!!!

you CAN use NAMCO RECOIL guns on AREA 51 without nay hardware changes, just need to make yourself a harness
 
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