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Building my first test bench

The standard Boardmaster (with no HDMI) has really bad/unsafe video output. Beautifully built unit, but happy I sold mine off.

The Boardmaster unit with HDMI output are built/designed by the guy who runs G-Front (at least that's what he told me last time I was there). I haven't used them, nor read reports from anyone who owns one.

I'm with @ShootTheCore -- Japanese control boxes with the sticks built in are an acquired taste, if you're starting out building a test bench, I'd start with a Minigun or a HAS and go from there.

If you're going to pick one that's got a good reputation, the Sigma Raijin is the one you want to go for though.
 
Sorry for thread highjacking, i use exactly your PVM with the HAS and i always have wavy lines in the backround.
Settings should be correct (75) and i do not want to damage anything. Same setup with another regular CRT TV works just fine...
Any ideas?
 
GT-8F is the Octagonal restrictor plate for Sanwa JLF sticks.

Regarding those two boxes, I'd buy neither, the HDMI features are a waste and an added cost. FWIW, I personally only use HDMI to play modern consoles (PS3 and later) and anything that has an option to use a CRT natively, including arcade PCBs, I greatly prefer that route.

If I had to pick from the offering at Tops, I'd go with either of these two:
https://www.tops-game.jp/products/detail.php?product_id=5966
https://www.tops-game.jp/products/detail.php?product_id=2912

I've owned neither but both are reputable and well used within the community (you can check here, Arcade Otaku and Shmups forums for reviews perhaps).

I know the control box is "sold out" at the moment, but if you e-mail Tops, they can tell you when it will be back in stock.
 
Uroko Sakanabito said:
Sorry for thread highjacking, i use exactly your PVM with the HAS and i always have wavy lines in the backround.
Settings should be correct (75) and i do not want to damage anything. Same setup with another regular CRT TV works just fine...
Any ideas?
Click to expand...
You have a ground loop.

Have a read of this https://www.arcade-projects.com/threads/budget-arcade-power-supplies.10294/page-22#post-292728
and see if the videos match what you are seeing (they will be)

TL;DR
PVM's have a metal chassis which is grounded. The power power supply on your HAS is also grounded. All of the other gear in your video chain carries ground too, so you have a great big loop of ground potential which acts as a big antenna. That interference on your PVM is what the difference between the two grounds looks like in video
Most other TV's have a plastic chassis and are not grounded, so no ground loop, so no interance.

To fix this you could un-ground your PVM (unwise), or unground your power supply (potentially unsafe but really with an RCD not such a huge deal), or find somewhere else in your video chain to break the ground loop (prefered)
 
Wow, thank you! So if i would unsolder let´s say the ground pin in the HAS Scart RGB cable... thats it? And still save to use?
 
Uroko Sakanabito said:
Wow, thank you! So if i would unsolder let´s say the ground pin in the HAS Scart RGB cable... thats it? And still save to use?
Click to expand...
If you have a HAS (or any decent quality Minigun) I wouldn’t go messing with it unless you are 100% sure. They are pretty much impossible to buy right now thanks to this crazy component shortage.

But yes - by uncoupling the ends of that ground loop you will remove the ground potential video interference. You might want to consider doing it somewhere else in your video chain rather than on your irreplaceable HAS tho.

Is it safe? Yes. Or more accurately it’s exactly as safe as it was before. RCD is the only acceptable standard for home electrical safety. If your electrical socket is RCD protected it is considered “safe”. If there is no RCD it must be treated as “unsafe”. Merely being grounded hasn’t met safety regs for decades
 
Ok 👍. I think I’m going to put a wanted ad out for a Sigma Raijin. When I translate the one in tops, it said they have discontinued the Raijin and don’t have plans to produce them again. ShootTheCore sent me a link on eBay to this one. It looks heavily used but I may make him an offer and then buy a new Jamma connector with a volt meter since the one sold with it has a weird mod. Should I get this one or pass?

https://picclick.com/USED-Sigma-Raijin-Supergun-Arcade-JAMMA-Control-Box-175024654568.html
 
Uroko Sakanabito said:
Wow, thank you! So if i would unsolder let´s say the ground pin in the HAS Scart RGB cable... thats it? And still save to use?
Click to expand...
If you unsolder the ground wire inside the SCART hood of the SCART cable then you should be fine. Don‘t make any changes on the HAS itself.
it’s easy to reverse that change later too if need be.
 
MegaMan said:
Ok 👍. I think I’m going to put a wanted ad out for a Sigma Raijin. When I translate the one in tops, it said they have discontinued the Raijin and don’t have plans to produce them again. ShootTheCore sent me a link on eBay to this one. It looks heavily used but I may make him an offer and then buy a new Jamma connector with a volt meter since the one sold with it has a weird mod. Should I get this one or pass?

https://picclick.com/USED-Sigma-Raijin-Supergun-Arcade-JAMMA-Control-Box-175024654568.html
Click to expand...
I’d wait and find one in better shape. The one I linked is an example, but as you say it is worn and the harness looks suspect in the pictures as well.
 
ShootTheCore said:
I’d wait and find one in better shape. The one I linked is an example, but as you say it is worn and the harness looks suspect in the pictures as well.
Click to expand...
Ok 👍. Just a thought, tops said that they discontinued making the Raijin, but would they maybe make one for me on demand? I have a feeling that they don’t do that kind of stuff.
 
Don't take this the wrong way, but I feel like you're asking for advice, but not actually interested in listening to it. Those superguns you keep linking are terrible test bench options. Maybe you're gravitating towards them because you see it's an all in one box and that feels easy. They're way too much money, they're way too big, they're used and could come with their own issues, and the entire point of a test bench is to control the variables, so you can actually test things, and these do the opposite by sealing everything into a closed box.

ShootTheCore told you what you need in the very first reply to this thread. Slow down, and understand the options he pointed out, they're going to serve you better. Connecting a power supply to a supergun is very easy. So easy that if you can't do it you frankly shouldn't have a test bench in the first place. Don't be intimidated by putting together the list of parts, that's how you're going to not only end up with a very high quality setup, but will have a better understanding of how it all works, which will serve you well.
 
Aurich said:
Don't take this the wrong way, but I feel like you're asking for advice, but not actually interested in listening to it. Those superguns you keep linking are terrible test bench options. Maybe you're gravitating towards them because you see it's an all in one box and that feels easy. They're way too much money, they're way too big, they're used and could come with their own issues, and the entire point of a test bench is to control the variables, so you can actually test things, and these do the opposite by sealing everything into a closed box.

ShootTheCore told you what you need in the very first reply to this thread. Slow down, and understand the options he pointed out, they're going to serve you better. Connecting a power supply to a supergun is very easy. So easy that if you can't do it you frankly shouldn't have a test bench in the first place. Don't be intimidated by putting together the list of parts, that's how you're going to not only end up with a very high quality setup, but will have a better understanding of how it all works, which will serve you well.
Click to expand...
No, your right. I’ll go back to the start and take a look at the list he gave me. My issue is that I’ve never done anything like this before and this honestly probably isn’t the best way to start. I don’t have a lot of knowledge about computers in general. But I’ve got to start somehow. My biggest fear is blowing up a board because I don’t have something plugged in correctly or some other error that I caused. A bunch of wires everywhere looks a little intimidating for someone who hasn’t messed with anything. I thought getting an all in one supergun would get a board at least turned on, but when I think about it, it’s still doesn’t help me with learning about anything, it just kinda makes it a fancy gaming console. Thanks for saving me $600 😬.
 
No worries, i would never change anything on my HAS. PCBs are expensive, the HAS is expensive, the PVM is expensive... i will simply continue to use it with a regular CRT/OSSC.

@Topic
I used around 4 different superguns before the HAS and all had some sort of problems;
Bad video and audio, problems with connections and one did even fry my OSSC because the testing PCB (Contra) was set to full volume.
 
MegaMan said:
My issue is that I’ve never done anything like this before
Click to expand...
That's why you ask questions. You're in a good place to learn. You just have to actually listen instead of looking for the shortcut. :)

MegaMan said:
A bunch of wires everywhere looks a little intimidating for someone who hasn’t messed with anything.
Click to expand...
For sure. But it's not actually hard, you will learn what they all mean. It only looks intimidating, once you understand the parts it will be fine.

Here, I made this picture to illustrate my supergun setup for https://glossary.infil.net/?t=Supergun

It doesn't look so bad like this right?

supergun-labels.jpg
 
Aurich said:
That's why you ask questions. You're in a good place to learn. You just have to actually listen instead of looking for the shortcut. :)


For sure. But it's not actually hard, you will learn what they all mean. It only looks intimidating, once you understand the parts it will be fine.

Here, I made this picture to illustrate my supergun setup for https://glossary.infil.net/?t=Supergun

It doesn't look so bad like this right?

supergun-labels.jpg
Click to expand...
Thanks for taking the time to make that picture. Yes it doesn’t look as bad as I originally thought. Your setup looks really clean and organized. Later today I’ll go back and take a look at shootthecore’s list and once I find the parts I’ll double check here before I buy anything, just to make sure I’m buying the correct stuff. If you have any recommendations on what parts I should buy, like a specific brand of power supply please let me know. Thanks again!
 
ShootTheCore said:
Mean-Well RT-125A is a great choice for a quality power supply. It’s $40 from Mouser.

https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/MEAN-WELL/RT-125A?qs=l0g2inPJSHPK02OnI5FJmg==
Click to expand...
Thanks again! I’ll add that to the list. In @Aurich picture, he has something that looks like a metal cover that goes over the front half of the power supply it also has a switch and cable that leads into the supergun. Am I able to buy that anywhere? Or is that only for the power supply he is using?
 
MegaMan said:
Thanks again! I’ll add that to the list. In @Aurich picture, he has something that looks like a metal cover that goes over the front half of the power supply it also has a switch and cable that leads into the supergun. Am I able to buy that anywhere? Or is that only for the power supply he is using?
Click to expand...

That’s a 3D printed terminal cover. QCRetro on Twitter produces them. Reach out to him on Twitter and he should be able to sell you one. I have two of them and they’re great, except that it makes it more difficult to adjust the 5V pot-keep a long flathead screwdriver around.

https://www.retrorgb.com/3d-printed-arcade-power-supply-terminal-covers.html
 
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