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An improved JVS-PAC (JVS-PAC 2)

The string is just a 'fun' feature - the JVS-PAC 2 will function correctly if it says "unknown IO OK".

Shoot me an email and we'll take it from there.
 
The guy I got my used JVS-PAC 2 from said it didn't work with his Noir but it worked all good with mine so maybe fussy i/o's are a thing.
 
Chihiro said:
The guy I got my used JVS-PAC 2 from said it didn't work with his Noir but it worked all good with mine so maybe fussy i/o's are a thing.
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That's what I'm trying to determine.

invzim said:
The string is just a 'fun' feature - the JVS-PAC 2 will function correctly if it says "unknown IO OK".

Shoot me an email and we'll take it from there.
Click to expand...
I understand that, I'm just trying to recreate the conditions as best I can, and since I can emulate any I/O I'm hoping I can get close.

Also, I'd prefer we keep communications here where others might be able to benefit. Email is inconvenient for me, anyway.
 
If the OLED prints No IO, retry x - it's most likely a physical issue, especially if it's for a known IO board. Physical can mean power, cables, RS485 transmission etc.
 
invzim said:
If the OLED prints No IO, retry x - it's most likely a physical issue, especially if it's for a known IO board. Physical can mean power, cables, RS485 transmission etc.
Click to expand...
I think we can likely rule out power and cables, considering the Jammafier worked and the JVS-PAC2 didn't.

So the question becomes what is different between the JVS-PAC2 and Jammafier in how they're designed to handle RS485? Why would one work and the other not, given the same conditions and knowing that both, in fact, otherwise function as expected.
 
It's likely not something trivial - RS485 is powered by 5V on both sides, this supply partly dictates how the RS485 wave patterns will look. For the Jammafier, this is the same power as the IO board (in most cases). For the JVS-PAC, USB power comes into play. It could also possibly be transceiver issues where there is a borderline case, possibly degradation from ESD or who knows what. The JVS-PAC in question is approaching 5 years of age.

That being said, all JVS-PACs go through QA with a Sega IO, previously it was the one in the Naomi Universal, these days I usually use a Sega JAMMA IO. So the unit in question should be working.
 
invzim said:
It's likely not something trivial - RS485 is powered by 5V on both sides, this supply partly dictates how the RS485 wave patterns will look. For the Jammafier, this is the same power as the IO board (in most cases). For the JVS-PAC, USB power comes into play. It could also possibly be transceiver issues where there is a borderline case, possibly degradation from ESD or who knows what. The JVS-PAC in question is approaching 5 years of age.

That being said, all JVS-PACs go through QA with a Sega IO, previously it was the one in the Naomi Universal, these days I usually use a Sega JAMMA IO. So the unit in question should be working.
Click to expand...
I'll see if I can have Joe measure the voltage output of his PC that powers the JVS-PAC2.

I want to reiterate that I have the 'broken' JVS-PAC2 back in my possession and it is functioning fine connected to my Macbook Pro and using an OpenJVS solution via RS485 to USB converter and Raspberry Pi. If there were an issue with the transceiver on the PAC, I suspect I would also be experiencing it, but I'm not.
 
Hard errors are a lot easier to trouble-shoot than intermittent or seemingly non-deterministic ones. I think discussion about one particular unit is of limited interest to the general public, send me an email and I'm sure we can figure out a solution..
 
Hello, I have been using jvs-pac2 with a Naomi cabinet (Sega IO) and it is working fine so far, at least with Mister, but as other users, I miss the the possibility for the JVS-PAC 2 to be detected as 2 joysticks and/or gamepad, instead of a keyboard. Recently, I've been trying to use a raspberry pi4 with some popular distros based on retroarch and emulation station, and seems that are configured to be used with a joystick(s), and JVS-PAC2 just doesn't work at all, the keyboard mapping does not work in the UI, not even in the emulastors, and the provided way of those distros for re-mapping the buttons only works with joysticks.

I read that support for gamepad is on the go. Do you know if this will be available anytime soon?

Meanwhile waiting for the feature. Does anyone know some rasperry pi4 distro, like retroarch, which works well with JVS-PAC2, or a way to configure it etc?

Thank you!
 
@wereoffs I know... :( I probably should do a 'basic' version first just to get it out, then work out all the trackball/cab linking/analog/4player stuff later.
 
@invzim I think it is a good idea to have a release wit the joystick support added, as this seems to be the default option for most of the software these days, and others key encoders already added support for joystick for this reason.
On my side, I am using recalbox with rgb dual in a Sega Naomi, which it only supports joystick and/or gamepad for its input. I've modified https://github.com/petrockblog/Xarcade2Jstick so it supports the jvs-pac2, that seems to work good enough...

Looking forward for the release with the joystick support, thx!
 
Any news on the new firmware?

I guess your busy just like most of us getting old ect not as easy to find time for the hobby.
 
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