[SOLVED] Adding a speaker on/off switch in an MVS Cab

aclbandit · Nov 28, 2009

I have an MVS cab with an MV-1 motherboard. I recently purchased a memory card/headphone board that is quite convenient if someone is asleep.

Only trouble is that I have to unplug the four-prong speaker connection in order for sound to only come from headphones -- otherwise, it comes out of both. If I want speakers again, I have to plug it in again, thus causing quite some bit of wear & tear on the connector.

Is there:
1) some bios setting, dipswitch, or something else that would allow me to easily turn the speakers off without unplugging, or
2) some easy way to install a (single) "flip switch" (one like the power switch, for example) that would turn the speakers off/on?

Thanks.

NGT · Nov 28, 2009

aclbandit said:
I have an MVS cab with an MV-1 motherboard. I recently purchased a memory card/headphone board that is quite convenient if someone is asleep.

Only trouble is that I have to unplug the four-prong speaker connection in order for sound to only come from headphones -- otherwise, it comes out of both. If I want speakers again, I have to plug it in again, thus causing quite some bit of wear & tear on the connector.

Is there:
1) some bios setting, dipswitch, or something else that would allow me to easily turn the speakers off without unplugging, or
2) some easy way to install a (single) "flip switch" (one like the power switch, for example) that would turn the speakers off/on?

Thanks.

there are two sliding things for volume on the front end of your motherboard. One is headphones and one is speakers. Slide the speakers one to whatever direction makes the volume go off and you're set

aclbandit · Nov 28, 2009

NGT said:
there are two sliding things for volume on the front end of your motherboard. One is headphones and one is speakers. Slide the speakers one to whatever direction makes the volume go off and you're set

Well, sort-of. See, it only turns the volume down to "really quiet", but not totally off. In a silent room, you can still hear it. I'm looking for a way to turn it off completely with a switch.

I know this is likely a simple electronics thing -- I just dunno if there's a flipswitch that would disconnect 4 wires at once. (or maybe only 2 or 3? Some of them are probably ground. Dunno which one(s), though

)

Xian Xi · Nov 28, 2009

Is your cab mono, faux stereo or stereo?

NGT · Nov 28, 2009

aclbandit said:
Well, sort-of. See, it only turns the volume down to "really quiet", but not totally off. In a silent room, you can still hear it. I'm looking for a way to turn it off completely with a switch.

I know this is likely a simple electronics thing -- I just dunno if there's a flipswitch that would disconnect 4 wires at once. (or maybe only 2 or 3? Some of them are probably ground. Dunno which one(s), though )

Well, if you have a place to put the switch, you can always add on in for the speaker wires. I'm guessing you could get everything at radio shack. If you get one of the bigger switches (just an On/Off DPDT) because it will have pins that your speaker wire's quick connects will pop onto. Then wire the other sides up to your speakers with a new set of quick connects to hook to the speakers. No cutting, just some crimping and finding a place for the switch.

aclbandit · Nov 29, 2009

Xian Xi said:
Is your cab mono, faux stereo or stereo?

It's stereo. It's an unmodified MVS.

aclbandit · Nov 29, 2009

NGT said:
Well, if you have a place to put the switch, you can always add on in for the speaker wires. I'm guessing you could get everything at radio shack. If you get one of the bigger switches (just an On/Off DPDT) because it will have pins that your speaker wire's quick connects will pop onto. Then wire the other sides up to your speakers with a new set of quick connects to hook to the speakers. No cutting, just some crimping and finding a place for the switch.

Okay, great, I'll look for one of those. Do you have a pinout diagram for those four audio prongs? Wanna make sure I do it right.

But what do you mean "it will have pins that your speaker wire's quick connects will pop onto"? It's the four-prong molex connector thing?

[EDIT: unless you just mean unhooking the "far" end from the speakers, plugging those ends into the switch, and then running new wires to the speakers from the switch. That actually makes a good bit of sense (more sense than my plan of snipping the wires and adding a switch in the middle, probably), if it works like that -- I have never actually looked at the speakers themselves inside, just the connectors on the MoBo. Do they have the little plug things like the undersides of the buttons? (what are those "little plug things" really called? I don't know. I've bought them before... surely I should remember that...)]

I figured, as far as placement of the switch, that it would near the power switch and test buttons right over the coin box. That's a convenient spot for it, I think.

NGT · Nov 29, 2009

aclbandit said:
Okay, great, I'll look for one of those. Do you have a pinout diagram for those four audio prongs? Wanna make sure I do it right.

But what do you mean "it will have pins that your speaker wire's quick connects will pop onto"? It's the four-prong molex connector thing?

[EDIT: unless you just mean unhooking the "far" end from the speakers, plugging those ends into the switch, and then running new wires to the speakers from the switch. That actually makes a good bit of sense (more sense than my plan of snipping the wires and adding a switch in the middle, probably), if it works like that -- I have never actually looked at the speakers themselves inside, just the connectors on the MoBo. Do they have the little plug things like the undersides of the buttons? (what are those "little plug things" really called? I don't know. I've bought them before... surely I should remember that...)]

I figured, as far as placement of the switch, that it would near the power switch and test buttons right over the coin box. That's a convenient spot for it, I think.

yeah, you've got the idea I was thinking about. I have a cab where I snipped and cut adding switches and amps and all types of things. I wish I could take it back but it's way too late. The little connectors on your buttons should be the same as the ones on the speakers. Pop on and off.

I am pretty sure this should solve your problem. Not 100% on what wires to use from the harness. I haven't messed with the stereo audio on jamma/mvs harnesses in years, lol. Maybe wait until someone else chimes in and sees if this is a good way to go or not.

aclbandit · Nov 29, 2009

NGT said:
yeah, you've got the idea I was thinking about. I have a cab where I snipped and cut adding switches and amps and all types of things. I wish I could take it back but it's way too late. The little connectors on your buttons should be the same as the ones on the speakers. Pop on and off.

I am pretty sure this should solve your problem. Not 100% on what wires to use from the harness. I haven't messed with the stereo audio on jamma/mvs harnesses in years, lol. Maybe wait until someone else chimes in and sees if this is a good way to go or not.

Cool. Actually, there's no wires from the "harness" I'd be messing with-- the audio seems to be output directly from a separate four-prong thing from the MV-1 board. I think it's to dodge the mono sound problem of the JAMMA spec. Even if the speakers are not where those go (I'll check later), unplugging them turns off the speakers, so putting a switch on the end and then running from the switch to wherever those plug in will solve the problem, and without permanent damage.

Also, like you mentioned about modifications, my goal in working on this cab is to make it so that any changes I make are easily undone and returnable to the "unmodified" state. That is, no "permanent" modifications. Thus, your suggestion is great.

Off-topic: For example about keeping it "original," I'm looking at CPS2 stuff, and I'll likely buy a whole second control panel just so that I don't have to modify the original one to include 6 buttons.

norton9478 · Nov 29, 2009

I have never heard anything when the volume was turned all the way down..

Anyways, you only need a single DPST switch... Use it to break the two positive signals. No point in disconnecting the negatives/grounds.

aclbandit · Nov 29, 2009

norton9478 said:
I have never heard anything when the volume was turned all the way down..

Anyways, you only need a single DPST switch... Use it to break the two positive signals. No point in disconnecting the negatives/grounds.

Thanks! I figured some were ground, but I wasn't certain which ones. Anyone know the pinout on that connector?

aclbandit · Nov 29, 2009

Opened it up and looked at where the speaker wire thing goes. It... um... doesn't go nearly as far as I thought it would. Following is a picture of it.

So, it goes from the plug out to another molex plug with three connector things -- two are for the "positive", and obviously the two blacks that go the same plug are the ground.

Therefore, the best way to do this, I think, would be to find two molex connectors like those (one male, one female), a switch, some wire, and some solder -- I'll just add a switch "between" the two plugs, which could be removed by simply unplugging both ends then plugging the originals back into one another.

Since I know how I'm gonna do it now, anyone know where I can get molex connectors shaped like those? Would the local RadioShacks have them? (There's a little drawing I did of the connector next to where said connector is in the picture).

On a side note, just to be sure I'm not crazy, I turned the volume slider all the way down and listened again. It still has sound (quiet, but still quite audible).

NGT · Nov 29, 2009

aclbandit said:
Opened it up and looked at where the speaker wire thing goes. It... um... doesn't go nearly as far as I thought it would. Following is a picture of it.

So, it goes from the plug out to another molex plug with three connector things -- two are for the "positive", and obviously the two blacks that go the same plug are the ground.

Therefore, the best way to do this, I think, would be to find two molex connectors like those (one male, one female), a switch, some wire, and some solder -- I'll just add a switch "between" the two plugs, which could be removed by simply unplugging both ends then plugging the originals back into one another.

Since I know how I'm gonna do it now, anyone know where I can get molex connectors shaped like those? Would the local RadioShacks have them? (There's a little drawing I did of the connector next to where said connector is in the picture).

On a side note, just to be sure I'm not crazy, I turned the volume slider all the way down and listened again. It still has sound (quiet, but still quite audible).

Good plan. Once I saw the connector I thought the same thing. Do you have a local HSC? Or something like it? I could pick up the parts after work sometime this week if you can't find them.

aclbandit · Nov 29, 2009

NGT said:
Good plan. Once I saw the connector I thought the same thing. Do you have a local HSC? Or something like it? I could pick up the parts after work sometime this week if you can't find them.

There's a local specialty electronics store that I could check out. Didn't even think of that up to this point. I should go in there and check; maybe I will sometime this week.

What are the connectors I'm trying to find called? Can't find the info anywhere. It's those weird molex-like connectors that have three prongs and the pointed end.

NGT · Nov 29, 2009

aclbandit said:
There's a local specialty electronics store that I could check out. Didn't even think of that up to this point. I should go in there and check; maybe I will sometime this week.

What are the connectors I'm trying to find called? Can't find the info anywhere. It's those weird molex-like connectors that have three prongs and the pointed end.

I don't know what they are called, but I had a set of exactly what you need with crimp pins in my hand on Saturday and put them back. lol. I think the empty ends are $.15-$.30 each and the crimp pins are $.05 each. Let me know if you need them and I'll grab some.

aclbandit · Nov 29, 2009

NGT said:
I don't know what they are called, but I had a set of exactly what you need with crimp pins in my hand on Saturday and put them back. lol. I think the empty ends are $.15-$.30 each and the crimp pins are $.05 each. Let me know if you need them and I'll grab some.

I don't know enough about molex connectors to truly understand what you mean. The only dealings with molex-type connectors I have is in PC building, and that's just "plug 'em in", not "making" them.

With the tools I currently have (a pretty basic set - the only thing that I think might be useful for this is a soldering iron), could I do this? I don't have any crimpers at all. Would this require some sort of crimper, or is it something I could do with a soldering iron?

EDIT: I think that by "empty ends", you mean the plastic part, and by "crimp pins", you mean the metal parts. So, if I understand correctly, I need 3 male crimp pins, one female empty end, one male empty end, and 3 female crimp pins... right?

NGT · Nov 29, 2009

aclbandit said:
I don't know enough about molex connectors to truly understand what you mean. The only dealings with molex-type connectors I have is in PC building, and that's just "plug 'em in", not "making" them.

With the tools I currently have (a pretty basic set - the only thing that I think might be useful for this is a soldering iron), could I do this? I don't have any crimpers at all. Would this require some sort of crimper, or is it something I could do with a soldering iron?

EDIT: I think that by "empty ends", you mean the plastic part, and by "crimp pins", you mean the metal parts. So, if I understand correctly, I need 3 male crimp pins, one female empty end, one male empty end, and 3 female crimp pins... right?

That's what I would get. That, and a switch and a bit of wire to run in between the molex adapters. Make the wires whatever length you need to get the switch in a good spot. You could get a bigger switch and buy 4 quick connects (the things that attach the wires to the button under your CP.) Then you wouldn't have to solder anything. Also, crimp tools are cheap and I've used pliers just fine in the past.

aclbandit · Nov 29, 2009

NGT said:
That's what I would get. That, and a switch and a bit of wire to run in between the molex adapters. Make the wires whatever length you need to get the switch in a good spot. You could get a bigger switch and buy 4 quick connects (the things that attach the wires to the button under your CP.) Then you wouldn't have to solder anything. Also, crimp tools are cheap and I've used pliers just fine in the past.

Okay, quick connects are what I wanted to hook it all up with, just didn't know what they were called. Pretty new to this whole arcade thing.

Also, great news that you can get the molex thing done with pliers. I have those

But the crimping tools only appear to be $15ish, so I might just grab one of those or something. Found a tutorial with pictures about molex crimping (http://www.quekky.com/crimp.quekky). As I figured, it's not complicated. I just didn't have any of the parts in front of me -- I always like to know exactly what I'm doing before I get started.

I'll check out the electronics store sometime this week and see if they have what I need. If not, I'll be back in touch with you. Thanks a lot for all of your help.

Summary of final answer:
As far as the switch goes, I just need something with "four prongs" -- two in, two out, correct? I'd be breaking the "positive" flow via the switch, which is, specifically, the "not black" wires. The black wires I will run straight through without them touching the switch (though the wires will probably go to the switch then back, just for neatness' sake, but will not be plugged into anything save the molex on both ends, unbroken).

Thanks again.

NGT · Nov 30, 2009

aclbandit said:
Summary of final answer:
As far as the switch goes, I just need something with "four prongs" -- two in, two out, correct? I'd be breaking the "positive" flow via the switch, which is, specifically, the "not black" wires. The black wires I will run straight through without them touching the switch (though the wires will probably go to the switch then back, just for neatness' sake, but will not be plugged into anything save the molex on both ends, unbroken).

Thanks again.

I would do it like this. I wasn't sure about the wires coming off of the harness from the mobo (how many and exactly what pins they go to on the molex. But hopefully this gives you an idea of what it will look like. At least the one I am picturing

aclbandit · Nov 30, 2009

NGT said:
I would do it like this. I wasn't sure about the wires coming off of the harness from the mobo (how many and exactly what pins they go to on the molex. But hopefully this gives you an idea of what it will look like. At least the one I am picturing

That's just about exactly what I plan to do. Still deciding on whether to run the ground wire straight through or put it toward the switch and turn it back. *shrug* the circuit doesn't care either way, lol.

aclbandit · Dec 1, 2009

PM Sent about molex-ish connectors.

NGT · Dec 1, 2009

aclbandit said:
PM Sent about molex-ish connectors.

picked them up today, I'll drop them in the mail tomorrow. If only everyone had a local HSC

aclbandit · Dec 5, 2009

Parts received, switch inserted -- works perfectly!

thanks to all who helped, and especially NGT for finding the right connectors!

werejag · Dec 5, 2009

NGT said:
picked them up today, I'll drop them in the mail tomorrow. If only everyone had a local HSC

where is that place i think ive been there

NGT · Dec 5, 2009

werejag said:
where is that place i think ive been there

It's HSC, up in the North Bay Area. A store for Halted Electronics.

and glad I could help with the project.

[SOLVED] Adding a speaker on/off switch in an MVS Cab

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