Supergun project

mdm

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A long while ago, I managed to get in touch with Dean at multimods.com, and despite warning from you guys that he wouldn't deliver, I decided to wait on him to finish my supergun as agreed (and promised). Well, you guys were right, he disappeared on me and my e-mails were ignored, so...

I've decided to just build my own supergun that has all features his supergun has, and more.

Before I actually dive in and start buying parts, I just want to make sure my design is feasible, so I'm turning to you guys for your technical expertise.

I'm thinking of buying an arcade PSU and JAMMA harness from jammaboards.com and buying both Jrok and NeoBitz boards, as well as two sync cleaners.

Since NeoBitz has a better component output of the two, and Jrok has a better s-video and composite output of two, I'm thinking... is it possible to "split" the incoming video signal from JAMMA harness into both Jrok and NeoBitz boards and have Jrok connect to sync cleaner then to s-video and composite and NeoBitz connect to sync cleaner then to component?

The goal is, if you look at the supergun from outside, you will see a s-video, composite, and component, and not know that there are two video converters inside the supergun.

Is this possible?
 

xiao_haozi

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Why not just switch which one (encoder) is getting 5V.....

That way you aren't fixed into one encoder for one type of output.... maybe you will realize that your thinking was different or different on another tv and then you can switch which encoder is, say, outputting component on the fly rather than being fixed in because you only wired up one to that.

Then you can just choose your encoder by flipping the switch which will feed the jrok or the neobitz with 5V and turn it on, but not the other.

You could also (right?) just put in one sync cleaner and feed that sync into both encoders. Saves you 15-20 bucks. Just make sure you put a switch on the back to feed sync straight to the encoder or throught he cleaner... some boards won't like the sync cleaner while others will need it.
 

mdm

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I was hoping to make the supergun as simple as possible, externally. I'll go back to my "schematic" and rethink the ideas.
 

shadows

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Is it really worth it to spend an extra 80-100$ in parts just so you could have a very slight improvement with neo geo games?
 

Xian Xi

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Is it really worth it to spend an extra 80-100$ in parts just so you could have a very slight improvement with neo geo games?

The component circuit on the Neobitz is actually a nicer picture than the one on the JROK. The JROK in comparison is very saturated in color.

I'd prefer a Neobitz with JROK sync cleaner over the JROK with a sync cleaner.
 

Xian Xi

JammaNationX,
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I was hoping to make the supergun as simple as possible, externally. I'll go back to my "schematic" and rethink the ideas.

The solution is simple. The only thing you need is another SPST toggle switch to send the +5v to either encoder. And yes, 1 sync cleaner is all you need.
 

xiao_haozi

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I was hoping to make the supergun as simple as possible, externally. I'll go back to my "schematic" and rethink the ideas.

True but you also probably want versatility considering boards vary so much....
Like you'll probably want an audio attenuation switch, your encoder switch, power, rgb adjustments, test/hardware and coin switches, and so on....

Much easier and better to have those things all on the back and easily adjustable than to be stuck in one setup with the only way to adjust being to open the gun and rewire.

Put the switches on the back and you are fine... still clean on the front. Or even make a panel that is hidden that you can flip up to reveal all your switches and so forth.
 

shadows

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Sefer Halilović (Xian Xi --if you refuse to deal with him over a name change a mod will stab*;3048079 said:
The component circuit on the Neobitz is actually a nicer picture than the one on the JROK. The JROK in comparison is very saturated in color.

I'd prefer a Neobitz with JROK sync cleaner over the JROK with a sync cleaner.

Going to give a neobitz a go then, the colors are indeed very saturated with a jrok.
 

buaku

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Is this only going to be used with a Neo-Geo or are you going to hook up other boards?

In my experience the NeoBitz component out didn't work with some of my boards, whereas the JROK did. X-men being my prime example. My Tekken 3 board has similar issues where it worked better with one encoder vs the other, but I forget the details now.

So i think its nice to have the option to switch between different encoders. I like versatility

I was planning on doing something similar to mdm and having 2 encoders inside my new supergun I"m working on.
I was thinking of having 2 sets of outputs too, then I could have dual output!
I'm rethinking that idea after reading these posts. I like the idea of switching between the two.
Also I was going to have a sync cleaner for each too..never thought of just having one and running both inputs into it.
 

Xian Xi

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In my experience the NeoBitz component out didn't work with some of my boards, whereas the JROK did. X-men being my prime example. My Tekken 3 board has similar issues where it worked better with one encoder vs the other, but I forget the details now.

Did you have a JROK sync cleaner with the Neobitz? I'm asking because I played X-men on mine and worked perfectly.

Of course the best option for any supergun is the XRGB3. If I could afford it I'd use it hands down.
 

buaku

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Sefer Halilović (Xian Xi --if you refuse to deal with him over a name change a mod will stab*;3048258 said:
Did you have a JROK sync cleaner with the Neobitz? I'm asking because I played X-men on mine and worked perfectly.

Of course the best option for any supergun is the XRGB3. If I could afford it I'd use it hands down.

No, I have not yet tried the JROK Sync cleaner on the Neobitz.
It's in the plans for the supergun I'm working on now though. I'll have the JROK and Neobitz sitting in there and one sync cleaner to feed them both. I like the idea of using a switch to switch the +5v between the two.
Originally I was going to have two sets of outputs and 2 sync cleaners in there. It'd be kind of neat though. I could output to two displays at once!

Yeah those XRGB3's look pretty sweet, yet oh so pricey! Although I'm sure I've spent that much in parts over the years trying to build my two superguns, lol.
 

mdm

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Okay, I'm going to go with switch idea, but I'm a bit unsure about how to proceed with this, don't sync cleaner requires two wires entering it in order to function? How can I connect two wires from NeoBitz/Jrok and PSU to sync cleaner if a switch only accept one? Sorry for being so dense, I'm completely newbie when it come to electronics.
 

xiao_haozi

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Okay, I'm going to go with switch idea, but I'm a bit unsure about how to proceed with this, don't sync cleaner requires two wires entering it in order to function? How can I connect two wires from NeoBitz/Jrok and PSU to sync cleaner if a switch only accept one? Sorry for being so dense, I'm completely newbie when it come to electronics.

Sync switch...

o--- sync straight out to encoders -> video jacks
o--- sync input from board <-
o--- sync output to cleaner -> cleaner -> encoders ->video jacks

switch up you go straight to encoder without cleaner
switch down you go through cleaner circuit

encoder switch...

o--- 5V to neobitz ->
o--- 5V from psu <-
o--- 5V to jrok ->

switch up you have power on to the neobitz and jrok is off
switch down you have power to the jrok and neobitz is off
 
Last edited:

Kiel

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Sefer Halilović (Xian Xi --if you refuse to deal with him over a name change a mod will stab*;3048258 said:
Of course the best option for any supergun is the XRGB3. If I could afford it I'd use it hands down.

This. I wish I had gotten one years ago but since I got mine and made a pure RGB supergun for it its been the best purchase I have made in a long time.
 

buaku

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Okay, I'm going to go with switch idea, but I'm a bit unsure about how to proceed with this, don't sync cleaner requires two wires entering it in order to function? How can I connect two wires from NeoBitz/Jrok and PSU to sync cleaner if a switch only accept one? Sorry for being so dense, I'm completely newbie when it come to electronics.

XX has a nice picture for the sync switch on his site
http://www.jamma-nation-x.com/jammax/tutorials.html
On the left side its under Supergun->Building then Easy Sync Cleaner switch.
 

mdm

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I understand the whole switch issue, I can do that easily. However, I'm wondering about the RGB signal from JAMMA to Jrok/NeoBitz - won't they degrade if I take a wire from JAMMA and solder (or some other method of tying the together) two wires onto a single wire and have those two wires go to Jrok or NeoBitz? Attenuation and such?

This is the only video issue I'm having before I can go ahead and work on my supergun.
 

xiao_haozi

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I understand the whole switch issue, I can do that easily. However, I'm wondering about the RGB signal from JAMMA to Jrok/NeoBitz - won't they degrade if I take a wire from JAMMA and solder (or some other method of tying the together) two wires onto a single wire and have those two wires go to Jrok or NeoBitz? Attenuation and such?

This is the only video issue I'm having before I can go ahead and work on my supergun.

You should be just fine.
I mean most times you have to throw resistance into those lines anyway your it's all saturated out on your tv....
 

mdm

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Great - thank you very much!

Just one more thought, what if I wanted to add a VGA to my supergun, will adding third wire be an issue? :) Just a thought at the moment.

Thank you again!
 

xiao_haozi

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Great - thank you very much!

Just one more thought, what if I wanted to add a VGA to my supergun, will adding third wire be an issue? :) Just a thought at the moment.

Thank you again!

Just fine.

Just have to rethink your switch if you are adding a 3rd encoder... but still not a big deal.
 

Xian Xi

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That's what the switch is for to prevent unwanted pull from the encoder not being used.
 

mdm

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Curious, where did you all buy your supergun's enclosure? (Radioshack around here don't have enclosures big enough to fit everything inside.) Thanks!
 

Xian Xi

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Mine usually come from hammond, bud or mouser (carries a bunch).
 
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Hi, sorry if this doesn't go here, if so i will do a new thread. i have a question about wiring a supergun; this is the case...

I'm building a supergun and i want it to have RGB output (on a din 8 to db9 for my hantarex egg monitor) and also with neobitz encoder with component/svid/composite outputs (for my tv's) (+ jrok sync cleaner).

I also added 500 ohms pots to my case for tuning the gain on RGB but here are the questions... (i need recommendations)

As i will use (not simoultaneously) RGB, component, or composite.... or svideo outputs, i want to know what do you recommend me to wire cables from jamma to...

I mean, the RGB+sync cables from jamma, should be wired to the pots (not in case of sync cable) and then to the RGB out and from it to the neobitz inputs (and from it to the RCA conectors)?

i don't want to move the pot's each time i change rgb out for component, so i wonder if it's better to let rgb without any attenuation and use the pots just for the encoder gain.

Does make any sense to wire Sync cable to the Sync cleaner and then to the din RGB output or that output doesn't need it?
if it does need it, should i wire sync from jamma to sync cleaner (i will use a switch to enable the sync cleaner) and then wire 2 cables from it, one to the RGB and the other for the neobitz input?...

After solving this, i will ask something else about the attenuation circuit and stereo switch...

Thanks in advance for the answer!
 
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