beast1x5
Professional
This looks sick
Minigun
- Thread starter Frank_fjs
- Start date
xodaraP
Legendary
That would be door number 3 - he also has an ultrasonic cleaner to get rid of the flux and crap
His JAMMA edge soldering makes me very jealous
Being that most PCB fabricators require you to order PCB's in multiples of 3, I am starting a group buy thread over here for US members (keep this thread clean).
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You should see how many 'dead' PCBs I have. 
If things have to be perfect from the get go, we'd get no where.You should see how many 'dead' PCBs I have.
It's live.
Minigun Supergun - An Open Source Supergun
I've trimmed it back to a STANDARD & ADVANCED edition. Maintaining 3 separate PCBs will be too much work and there isn't enough difference between them to justify it.
Standard is mainly through hole components with a simpler video circuit.
Advanced utilises mostly surface mount components, a more advanced video circuit and includes a power indicator LED.
Minigun Supergun - An Open Source Supergun
I've trimmed it back to a STANDARD & ADVANCED edition. Maintaining 3 separate PCBs will be too much work and there isn't enough difference between them to justify it.
Standard is mainly through hole components with a simpler video circuit.
Advanced utilises mostly surface mount components, a more advanced video circuit and includes a power indicator LED.
Just a heads up, minor update coming to both PCBs.
Standard: Power LED
Advanced: Thicker input traces, trace and ground plane tidy up, removed one via.
The PCBs are at a high standard and fully working level as is, that said I'd encourage waiting it out just a teeny bit before bulk ordering PCBs. I published everything to get more eyes on it, adjust based upon feedback, and give people a chance to start sussing out components. No dramas if you order now, just saying that if you hold off a little some minor improvements will roll in.
Standard: Power LED
Advanced: Thicker input traces, trace and ground plane tidy up, removed one via.
The PCBs are at a high standard and fully working level as is, that said I'd encourage waiting it out just a teeny bit before bulk ordering PCBs. I published everything to get more eyes on it, adjust based upon feedback, and give people a chance to start sussing out components. No dramas if you order now, just saying that if you hold off a little some minor improvements will roll in.
Revised advanced PCB should be ready in a day or two. Increased trace width for inputs, increased clearance, got rid of a few vias, just lots of tidying up with the trace work.
I'll give the standard edition the same treatment and add in a resistor and power LED.
Video schematics will be published soon.
I looked at adding 3 x DPDT switches to control P1 & P2 inputs 456 from the jamma edge but it's not likely to happen, just not enough room for all the traces. I could manage a single switch to control button 4 only, and leave 5 and 6 off the jamma edge and only on the kick connector. I think I prefer this as it keeps it jamma compliant.
I'll give the standard edition the same treatment and add in a resistor and power LED.
Video schematics will be published soon.
I looked at adding 3 x DPDT switches to control P1 & P2 inputs 456 from the jamma edge but it's not likely to happen, just not enough room for all the traces. I could manage a single switch to control button 4 only, and leave 5 and 6 off the jamma edge and only on the kick connector. I think I prefer this as it keeps it jamma compliant.
The Spaniard
Professional
Is there any reason the THS7374 can't be used on the standard version?
And forgive the question but what difference is there between the SMD components vs though hole apart from soldering methods?
And forgive the question but what difference is there between the SMD components vs though hole apart from soldering methods?
No reason the 7374 can't be used on the standard edition but it goes against the design goals. Idea being to keep parts count low, soldering quick and easy. Thus the two separate versions.
SMD parts are basically smaller and allow for automated soldering solutions. Stencils, machine based soldering etc. No holes in the PCB either but typically vias are needed anyhow.
SMD parts are basically smaller and allow for automated soldering solutions. Stencils, machine based soldering etc. No holes in the PCB either but typically vias are needed anyhow.
The Spaniard
Professional
Does that mean the 7374 adds a heap more parts? Are there extra SMD parts used to support the 7374 chip? Because looking at it the 7316 still needs to be surface soldered and its 2 more legs on the 7374. Or am I missing something?
I'm just wondering if a combination of the two can be used? Something like a standard edition with the 7374 with the through holes. Standard-Advanced perhaps?
I'm just wondering if a combination of the two can be used? Something like a standard edition with the 7374 with the through holes. Standard-Advanced perhaps?
The 7374 is more difficult to solder, more pins and finer pitch.
I highly doubt anyone could spot the difference between the two in regards to video output.
It's open source, source files are there, change it how you see fit.
I highly doubt anyone could spot the difference between the two in regards to video output.
It's open source, source files are there, change it how you see fit.
The Spaniard
Professional
No I was more curious than anything. I'm a sledgehammer not a scalpel these things are above my understanding to be able to make changes to circuitry.
How come most Superguns still use the Neo Geo Style two row DB15 ports?
I mean, it's obviously convenient if you only want to use it with 4 button Neo Geo sticks but it becomes a hindrance if you want to make use of a kick harness.
I found that those Neo Geo ports are too deep to make a reliable connection with most of the two-row DB15 breakout boards I tried off ebay (with a Neo Geo extension cable).
Wouldn't it be easier and better to put labeled screw terminals on the supergun instead? That way, you could wire up the buttons to any 6 button joystick without any adapters, extension cables, breakout boards etc. Then use a standard 3 row DB15 or DB9 port for the kick harness input.
Or, are there some 6 button sticks that use a Neo Geo style joystick plug that could be used with this (or any) supergun with a kick harness header (without additional joystick mods)?
I mean, it's obviously convenient if you only want to use it with 4 button Neo Geo sticks but it becomes a hindrance if you want to make use of a kick harness.
I found that those Neo Geo ports are too deep to make a reliable connection with most of the two-row DB15 breakout boards I tried off ebay (with a Neo Geo extension cable).
Wouldn't it be easier and better to put labeled screw terminals on the supergun instead? That way, you could wire up the buttons to any 6 button joystick without any adapters, extension cables, breakout boards etc. Then use a standard 3 row DB15 or DB9 port for the kick harness input.
Or, are there some 6 button sticks that use a Neo Geo style joystick plug that could be used with this (or any) supergun with a kick harness header (without additional joystick mods)?
xodaraP
Legendary
The reason the DB15s are used is to allow for controllers to be connected without hacking the cords off.
Neo controllers are common and a lot of people do use those on their Supergun.
Also, people like Frank_fjs and umdamned make converters for Mega Drive/Genesis, SNES and USB. All of which connect via DB15 because that's the defacto standard.
The AES was the closest thing to arcade hardware and the MVS larger boards also have DB15 connections on them, so not entirely surprising
If you want screw terminals, undamned makes a DB15 board with screw terminals on it for exactly that.
For the kick harness, the minigun has a small connector so you need to make a short harness to connect it up. Remember you still need to connect the board side so screw terminals don't really help there.
Neo controllers are common and a lot of people do use those on their Supergun.
Also, people like Frank_fjs and umdamned make converters for Mega Drive/Genesis, SNES and USB. All of which connect via DB15 because that's the defacto standard.
The AES was the closest thing to arcade hardware and the MVS larger boards also have DB15 connections on them, so not entirely surprising
If you want screw terminals, undamned makes a DB15 board with screw terminals on it for exactly that.
For the kick harness, the minigun has a small connector so you need to make a short harness to connect it up. Remember you still need to connect the board side so screw terminals don't really help there.
I think you're thinking about it wrong. The kick harness connects from the PCB into the supergun. From there, the db15 connects all 6 buttons already.
Well, the Neo sticks are the only controller wired the same as an arcade stick, as in they're wired as one connection per input. All other controllers (Snes, MegaDrive, Saturn etc) combine multiple signals into one wire and require demuxing so you couldn't just wire these straight into screw terminals. You can however still achieve this style of setup with a DB15 breakout terminal. That said, generally I find that screw terminals are not convenient for controllers. It's messy and you can't quickly switch to a different controller.
As pointed out above, the kick thing is irrelevant as the inputs are situated outside of the jamma edge.
DB15 provides the most versatility. NeoGeo as standard, then Mega Drive, Snes, Saturn, Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, 8bitdo pads etc via adapters.
As pointed out above, the kick thing is irrelevant as the inputs are situated outside of the jamma edge.
DB15 provides the most versatility. NeoGeo as standard, then Mega Drive, Snes, Saturn, Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, 8bitdo pads etc via adapters.
I have a snes adapter for my supergun. Are you saying that if I connected the kick harness from a PCB to a supergun with a kick header, then a snes pad with the adapter would work as a 6 button controller with no further mods?The reason the DB15s are used is to allow for controllers to be connected without hacking the cords off.
Neo controllers are common and a lot of people do use those on their Supergun.
Also, people like Frank_fjs and umdamned make converters for Mega Drive/Genesis, SNES and USB. All of which connect via DB15 because that's the defacto standard.
The AES was the closest thing to arcade hardware and the MVS larger boards also have DB15 connections on them, so not entirely surprising
If you want screw terminals, undamned makes a DB15 board with screw terminals on it for exactly that.
For the kick harness, the minigun has a small connector so you need to make a short harness to connect it up. Remember you still need to connect the board side so screw terminals don't really help there.
I added a DB15 port to my joystick case for the kick buttons. This allows me to use any kick harness via a db15 breakout board. How does having a kick harness header on the Supergun save effort?
You would always have to modify one end of the kick hardness to fit the port or header anyway right?
xodaraP
Legendary
1) That is exactly correct - the Supergun handles the kick harness so you don't need to make any other modifications for different controllers.
2) It saves effort because it is an all in one solution. The Supergun handles all inputs, you connect whatever controller you want
3) You would need the correct connector for the board because these are often different, or one of the JNX adapter boards that has many different connectors in one, but supports a standard connector (CPS2 from memory) back to the Supergun
Your solution works for you, and that's great - what Frank_fjs and other Supergun makers have tried to do by adding the kick harness onto the Supergun is remove one issue from the equation, by adding a standard connector that all kick harnesses can connect to.
assuming it's an SNES to NEO-GEO adapter, yes.
That sounds awful.
This is the HAS, not the Minigun, but they use the same connector. See that blue wire? It's the cps2 kick harness running into the supergun. That lets all six buttons reach the db15 port, at which point you can use whatever you want very easily. Neo Geo controller, done. One of the many adapter boards out there, done -- all 6 buttons. Undamned USB Decoder, done. They all use the same db15 pinout that include all 6 buttons.
I have a breakout board, too, for handling all kinds of weird stuff. It's a CPS2 to whatever adapter, but it sits inline between the PCB and the supergun.