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To be honest I completely forgot about the lag for the LCD switch. I wonder how much of it can be adjusted with some software mod (adding some audio lag to compensate for example). But fair point.


I'm not very familiar with CRT rebuilt and I'll start documenting myself and see if it's something I can do myself or I need to crack open the beast and shipthe screen somewhere.


Still on the lag topic, the MiniMaid is wonderful and I don't notice any lag but again it's purely subjective and I wonder if someone did some tests.

I stumbled upon this link that explains how to change the USB polling rate to correct/adjust the lag of the jpac: http://www.hackmycab.com/?portfolio=usb-polling in case someone has this issue.
 
To be honest I completely forgot about the lag for the LCD switch. I wonder how much of it can be adjusted with some software mod (adding some audio lag to compensate for example). But fair point.


I'm not very familiar with CRT rebuilt and I'll start documenting myself and see if it's something I can do myself or I need to crack open the beast and shipthe screen somewhere.


Still on the lag topic, the MiniMaid is wonderful and I don't notice any lag but again it's purely subjective and I wonder if someone did some tests.

I stumbled upon this link that explains how to change the USB polling rate to correct/adjust the lag of the jpac: http://www.hackmycab.com/?portfolio=usb-polling in case someone has this issue.
adding audio delay will only help make the visuals match the audio but it wont sync the video to the inputs which is what you need for gameplay (by the time you step you'll already have missed the window).

as for rebuilding the CRT you need to discharge the monitor(many videos online on this) then remove the monitor "chassis" (this is the circuit boards for the monitor), then you can send the chassis out to a place like arcadecup.com to get repaired.
 
I received a message on my wall from @mikun with some questions about this, so I'm answering them here...
mikun said:
I don't have minimaid and LumenAR,I only have J-PAC and PACDRIVE.


You gave lots of information and helped me alot ,but I still have some questions:
1.Will it works in Stepmania if I reference the default mapping&settings you provided in the post?
2.Is the power supply enough by using USB to PC? Do I need to give more power supply to my PACDRIVE?
3.I saw two "+" mark on my PACDRIVE, it seems it's a ground? which wire should I plug in from the DDR Arcade's wire?


Sorry by my poor Electronics and poor in English,but I really need your help, any advise will be large appreciate.
1. What you need to do with software and what the mapping is depends on which version of stepmania you're using. 3.9x is different than 5.x

for SM5 use Dave's software/instructions: Dance Dance Revolution Extreme Simulation (Stepmania) with working lights.
for OpenITG use my instructions here: Dance Dance Revolution Extreme Simulation (Stepmania) with working lights.
If you want to run a version of SM3.9 the information is here but you'll need to modify/recompile the software to make it work.

2. the PacDrive uses very little power; and it does not power the lights (only signaling to switch them), it is 100% powered by the USB port of your computer.

3. THE + MARKS ARE NOT GROUND, there are no ground terminals on the PacDrive. you must either modify the PacDrive to convert these terminals to ground or simply solder a wire to one of the ground pins on the USB connector of the PacDrive (the metal shield of the USB port is easiest). instructions on this are most clearly in Dave's instructions above.
 
I received a message on my wall from @mikun with some questions about this, so I'm answering them here...
mikun said:
I don't have minimaid and LumenAR,I only have J-PAC and PACDRIVE.


You gave lots of information and helped me alot ,but I still have some questions:
1.Will it works in Stepmania if I reference the default mapping&settings you provided in the post?
2.Is the power supply enough by using USB to PC? Do I need to give more power supply to my PACDRIVE?
3.I saw two "+" mark on my PACDRIVE, it seems it's a ground? which wire should I plug in from the DDR Arcade's wire?


Sorry by my poor Electronics and poor in English,but I really need your help, any advise will be large appreciate.
1. What you need to do with software and what the mapping is depends on which version of stepmania you're using. 3.9x is different than 5.x
for SM5 use Dave's software/instructions: Dance Dance Revolution Extreme Simulation (Stepmania) with working lights.
for OpenITG use my instructions here: Dance Dance Revolution Extreme Simulation (Stepmania) with working lights.
If you want to run a version of SM3.9 the information is here but you'll need to modify/recompile the software to make it work.

2. the PacDrive uses very little power; and it does not power the lights (only signaling to switch them), it is 100% powered by the USB port of your computer.

3. THE + MARKS ARE NOT GROUND, there are no ground terminals on the PacDrive. you must either modify the PacDrive to convert these terminals to ground or simply solder a wire to one of the ground pins on the USB connector of the PacDrive (the metal shield of the USB port is easiest). instructions on this are most clearly in Dave's instructions above.
@twistedsymphony Thanks so much for the answers.

I need to:1. create a common ground on one of PACDRIVE's "+" to connect P1,P2 and Cabinet's black(ground) wire together. 2.connect arrows,buttons and marquee lights on PACDRIVE

So how you solve the neon lights eventually? I saw your solution in the 27th you post, but I can't understand very clear.

Can you provide some photos about your neon light's solution?

Any help will be large appreciate.
 
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1. create a common ground on one of PACDRIVE's "+" to connect P1,P2 and Cabinet's black(ground) wire together.
yes, but if you do this you'll need to cut the trace on the pack drive so that there is no longer a connection to the +5V.


2.connect arrows,buttons and marquee lights on PACDRIVE
to be clear you need to connect the pack drive to the same connectors that normally plug into the System 573. these DO NOT go directly to the lights but instead go to the light control PCB inside the amp box. the Pac Drive cannot drive the lights directly, it's not powerful enough.


So how you solve the neon lights eventually? I saw your solution in the 27th you post, but I can't understand very clear.
you can use a SSR setup on your cabinet, I didn't on mine because I already had different parts to use that mimicked the hardware in the System 573, it was way overkill and an SSR is much easier. really the problem is that the "ground" pin on the neon connector isn't actually a ground. You need to look at the two neon connectors are just two wires that need to be twisted together, or separated so use a relay to do that for best results. again you should be using the connector that originally went to the System 573 NOT the connector on the Neon inverter
 
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