PageAuthor: Dave_K
Lastpage update 09/08/02
Verymuch a work in progress!
(Sendcomments/updates to Dave_K.)
Ok, so you've donethe Mame thing: made this awesome cabinet or control panel, and tried playingevery obscure rom from the previous two decades. You now think to yourself"I'd love to also play MODERN arcade games on this thang!". One solutionis interfacing a home console to your cabinet or control panel. This sectionis an attempt to outline the common questions and new frontiers of interfacingmodern consoles to arcade controls. Of course not every console game wasmade to play correctly on an arcade control panel, but the ones that dorock big time!
ConsoleVideo
- Composite/S-Video
- RGB/SCART
- RGB to ArcadeMonitor
- Dreamcast to ArcadeMonitor
- Component/HDTV
- Transcoders, Upscanners,and VGA
ConsoleSoundConsoleControls
- Digital Pads
- Analog Pads
- Interfacing withanalog arcade controls
- Lightguns
ConsoleController Adapters for PCs--- saint's note - oldDreamcast hacking page here.
Most consoles haveseveral video output formats available aside from the standard composite/s-videoouts. Depending upon the monitor you are using, you will want the bestpossible resolution for that display device. Below are a list of the commonmonitors and matching video outputs. [For now, only info on the followingconsoles are listed: Playstation1/2, Dreamcast, Xbox, Gamecube.]
 | Composite/S-Video |
| Composite and S-Video are the basic videooutputs of all consoles (I'm not going to mention RF modulated video sincethat's pretty much outdated). Composite video is ok for displaying on older/cheaperTVs (which do not support S-Video). S-Video is a step above Composite,with a sharper image and slightly better color. No hacking required, justplug in and go. |
| RGB/SCART |
| RGB/SCART is a video format which is a stepabove S-Video. [A nice primer on RGB can be found hereon atarilabs.com (also known as gamesx.com).] Only used in Japan andEurope, SCART enabled TV's accept separated Red/Green/Blue and compositesync (15khz). It should be noted that JapaneseSCART and EuropeanSCART standards are slightly different even though the plugs look identical.[Its not to difficult to rewire the SCART connector pins if you buythe wrong version.] Why bother with RGB if you don't havea SCART enabled TV? Well, standard resolution Arcade Monitors (15khz) acceptRGB and sync. Most arcade monitors use separate Horizontal and Verticalsync, but some will also accept composite sync (Hor and Vert combined)on the Horizontal input alone. Its fairly straightforward to hack a RGB/SCARTcable to an arcade monitor. |
| RGB to Arcade Monitor |
Every console has an SCART/RGB cable available(you will have to order from an import company or just check ebay).
|
| Dreamcast to ArcadeMonitor |
| There is a simpler alternative for hackinga Dreamcast to an arcade monitor (other than the RGB/SCART method above).Its possible to hack a Dreamcast VGA Box to output at 15khz. If youstudied the DreamcastAV pinout you will notice a similar "jumper" method (to that of theXbox) is used for setting the sync rate. If pin 6 (or both 6 and 7) aregrounded the VGA box outputs a 31.5Khz VGA/RGB signal. But if ONLY pin7 is grounded, the box will output a 15khz signal. So all you have to dois disconnect pin 6 (so it never touches ground). To do this, open up theVGA box, and cut the pin 6 wire where it connects to the VGA box pcb. [Youcan optionally install a toggle switch if you still want it to functionas normal VGA box. You should also use a Multimeter on the Continuity Testsetting to trace pin 6 from the DC connector end to where is meets theVGA Box pcb. Also make sure when you cut the wire at the PCB, to leaveenough room to re-splice the wire back together if you cut the wrong one-- which is a common mistake by looking at the pinout of the cable backwards.]All that's left is cutting a 9-pin VGA monitor cable (VGApin out here) to splice the r/g/b/h/v/gnd to your arcade monitor. Ifyou are using a Jamma connector (which only has a connection for compositesync), then twist the Hor and Vert sync lines together and connect it tothe composite sync on the Jamma connector. |
| Component/HDTV |
| Component Video is identical (quality wise)to RGB/SCART (when viewed at 480i resolution). The only differencebetween the two is that Component uses a special way of combining the Syncwith R/G/B to save on signal bandwidth (resulting in just 3 wires Y,Pr,Pb). The Playstation2, XBox, and GameCube allsupport Component video out. The Playstation2 only supports 480i [althoughthe new Tekken 4 and some possible future titles will support 480p].All the XBox games natively support 480p. And about a little more thanhalf the GameCube games support 480p. If you are unfamiliar with HDTV outputresolutions (480i, 480p, 720p...).Through the use of a Transcoder (mentioned below)you can interface a 480i signal to an arcade monitor. You can also interfaceprogressive (non-interlaced) signals such as 480p and 720p to a computermonitor. |
Transcoders, Upscanners and VGA | Transcoders |
| Transcoders are circuits used to convertHDTV/Component signals to/from RGB. For example, a 480i Component signalcan be converted to standard 15khz RGB, while a 480p progressive signalcan be converted to 640x480 VGA. Unfortunately its a little too complicated/expensiveto build your own transcoder circuit. AudioAuthority makes a Component-to-VGA Transcoder for $189, and KeyDigital makes one for about $300. Make sure you don't get confusedwith transcoders which convert the other way (take a VGA signal and convertto component 480p). Ken Gasper over on the xboxhacker.netforum is making limited runs of his homemade transcoder for a verylow price $50-$75 (these are incredibly hard to make since it involvesvery small surface mount components). Ken makes a couple versionsfrom one fully integrated in an Xbox A/V cable, to just the circuit alone(which you can mount in your own enclosure for use on other consoles).[I happen to have bought Ken's $50 version, and mounted it in a radioshack enclosure with 9v ac power rectifier, and it works on both the Xboxand GameCube (and probably most progressive DVD players).] |
| Upscanners |
| Upscanners (or scan converters) can be usedto upscan 480i or 15khz RGB signals to 640x480/480p VGA. Upscanners rangefrom the very cheap $30 Redant boxes, to professional quality scannerscosting $500-$1000. Obviously upscanning a picture is never going to lookas good/sharp as a progressive signal converted to VGA (like with a transcoder).Depending upon the source input signal, upscanning can look terrible orfairly nice. The Redant boxes upscan a simple composite video signal. Thismeans the composite signal first has to be converted to RGB, and then upscanned.There is quite a bit of loss in the signal during these conversions. Thebest input signal to upscan is pure RGB (so basically all that's left isto double the scan lines). The X-RGB2 (no longer being made) and X-RGB2Plus are professional quality upscanners at a consumer price ($250).The difference between the "Plus" version and the older version is thatnow it accepts Component input as well as RGB (so a transcoder is builtinto the unit). The X-RGB units are made in Japan, and as such have a 21pinJapanese scart input for RGB and Component (special component to scartcable is included). So for upscanning something like a playstation2 fordisplay on a VGA monitor, nothing (quality wise) beats the X-RGB2 Plus.Of course if the Playstation2 starting making games at higher resolutionsthan 480i then you the X-RGB2 Plus is still good as a transcoder (so youget the best of both worlds). [I have the original X-RGB2 and play allmy playstation2 games on a VGA monitor and the results are excellent tosay the least. A review of the original X-RGB2 can be found here.] |
| VGA |
| Unfortunately, the only console manufacturerto actually have a CLUE was Sega, and their now defunct Dreamcast. Witharguably just as good graphics as the Playstation2, the Dreamcast has theadvantage of outputting native VGA. This means you don't need an upscanneror transcoder. You can either buy a $15 DC VGA box or buildyour own from plans on the gamesx site. The remaining modern consoleshave chosen Component video as their highest quality output. Thismeans you will need to either find a monitor/tv which accepts component,or use a transcoder (as mentioned above). |
Ok there isn't muchto console sound. Options range from simple mono/stereo to 5.1 dolbysurround. However, there are at least two ways of hooking up soundto an arcade cabinet. The first option is obvious: buy a set of poweredPC speakers and install them in your cab. It should be noted that you willNOT be able to use the existing 8 or 6 ohm speakers in your cabinet witha cheap PC speaker amp. [trust me it will sound horrible].This brings us to option number 2. If you wish to use the existing speakers,you will need to buy a real amp with 8 or 6 ohm speaker outputs. RadioShack makes a perfect small amp (SA-155)to use inside your cabinet (it puts out almost no heat and doesn't requirelots of ventilation). [you can get them for about $20-$25 usedon ebay]
In most cases, interfacingconsole controls to an arcade control panel is pretty much the same ashooking up PCjoysticks to an arcade control panel. But with new console controllersusing analog controls, things get a bit more complicated. Listed beloware the common hacks for digital pads, and some info/ideas for hackinganalog controls. Whether or not you wish to use analog controls as partof your arcade control panel is up to you. Also included is a small sectionon lightguns and other input controls. [One tip I suggest is to buya digital multimeter (and use the continuity test setting) to trace buttonand ground contacts along the PCB. A multimeter is also good for determiningthe voltages used across potentiometers (in analog controls).]
| Digital Pads |
| Hacking digital console pads is not unlikehacking digital PCJoysticks. I won't go into detail since its pretty much commonknowledge. CD_Vision has both examples of hacking a knockoff PSX pad and a DreamcastMadcatz pad. Another detailed example of hacking an originalPSX pad can be found here.Note: Original PSX pads are compatible with the PS2, but some games maynot function/start without analog support present on the controller. |
Analog Pads | Dreamcast |
| The Dreamcast controller contains an analogthumbstick and analog shoulder (trigger) buttons. On the originalSega pad, all analog controls are measured using HallEffect Sensors. Another detailed explanation of the Sega padwith hall effect thumbstick and trigger buttons is located here.Since these hall effect ic's basically regulate a voltage between +5 (or2.5v) and ground, its quite simple to hack them to digital controls.All you do is ground out the one pin of the Hall chip. DC-to-Jamma hasa picdescribing which points to hack for the trigger buttons [the same couldbe done for the thumbstick]. 3rd party manufacturers which makeDreamcast pads usually opt for the cheaper potentiometer approach to measuringanalog input. [I don't recommend hacking potentiometers to digital controlsunless you understand how they are used in the circuit. Most implementationsuse a centered voltage of +2.5v with +5v being the extreme to one side,and ground being the extreme to the other. Its still possible to wire adigital joystick to theses potentiometers, but you have to use a +2.5vsource on at least two of the microswitches of the digital joystick (ratherthan ground). Hope that makes sense.] |
| Playstation 1/2 |
| The original Dual Shock (now known as thePSOne controller) contains digital buttons, and analog thumbsticks.The Dual Shock2 has all analog buttons, thumbsticks, and an added L3 andR3 buttons (activated by pushing down on the analog thumbsticks). A niceprimer on the basics of the Dual Shock2 is available here.Gamesx also has a nice info page on howanalog pushbuttons work in the PS2. The PS2 controller is so advanced,that the analog button contacts and traces are embedded in a plastic ribbonconnector. So the only way to solder to these controls is either to createyour own ribbon connector (with real wire) or solder to the bottom of theconnector plug (which is way to small for normal soldering equipment).The PSone is easier to hack with its all digital button contacts. The samecaveats apply to hacking the dual analog thumbsticks as with the Dreamcaststick mentioned above (the DS and DS2 uses potentiometers). |
| XBox |
| Like the Dual Shock2, the XBox controlleruses all analog buttons. The original XBox controller is also very difficultto hack (as the traces and contact points are almost too small to solderto). But thankfully 3rd party manufacturers like Madcatz makes a cheapversion which has good places to solder connections to. The Madcatz padalso uses a non analog d-pad (to make things easier). [I havesuccessfully hacked the Madcatz pad, and am planning on putting up a pagesoon with how I wired an elegant 25-pin ribbon cable/connector to the padwithout destroying it.] *This part is still under construction* |
| GameCube |
| Basically the GameCube controller consistsof the same elements already found in the PS, PS2, and Dreamcast controllers.I have yet to find any solid information (or interest for that matter)on people how have hacked GameCube controllers, so its not known if thethumbstick (for example) uses potentiometers or hall effect sensors.However, you should be able to figure things out based on the above Playstationand Dreamcast controllers. If you have any suggestions for which GameCubepad is easiest to hack (or any other information for that matter), pleasesend it to me (Dave_K.). *This part is still under construction* |
| Interfacing with analogarcade controls |
| Hacking the analog buttons/sticks on a consolecontroller to a Happs digital 8-way arcade stick isn't exactly an elegantsolution (since you have no fine control over the analog movement).Another option then is to use some existing analog arcade joysticks (suchas the 49-waystick, or analogjoystick with ultimate handle). The 49-way sticks have been discontinued(and can be found at rather cheap prices on ebay). The Happs analogstick is the perfect solution, but costs $116 each! If anyone findsa cheap supplier of these please let me know! If you do happen toget your hands on a 49-way stick, Tim over at arcadecollecting.comhas developed a circuitto use the 49-way in place of an analog (or hall effect type) joystick.The circuit can also be modified slightly to pull double duty as an 8-waydigital stick (using just the first sets of led contacts). Otherconsole controls such as a driving wheel, or usb mouse (for the playstation2)can be hacked using the samespinner,and drivingwheel instructions for PC controls. *This part is still under construction* |
| Lightguns |
| Console lightgun games work very nicelyinside arcade cabinets (and look much better than anything Mame hasto offer IMHO). They work perfectly on Arcade monitors usingthe RGB/SCART or 480iTranscoder options mentioned above. Contrary to belief, consolelightgun games can also work on VGA monitors (even when upscanned) at 640x480@60hz.They will not work however on LCD monitors/projectors, or HDTVs with 100hzrefresh rates. In most cases, you will have to make sure to haveyour Brightness and Contrast controls cranked to their highest levels forthe gun to calibrate correctly. [I have confirmed the Dreamcast lightgunworks on a VGA monitor (via the DC VGA box), and that the Playstation2GunCon2 works when upscanned using the X-RGB2.] |
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