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Arthrimus

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This is a proposal and interest check for a new project that I am about to begin work on. Many of you have purchased and are using my Vewlix Console I/O to connect console and PC controls to your Vewlix cabinets, and I have been thinking about how to do the same for cabinets that use SEGA's JVS I/O. The main roadblock I keep running into is figuring out a form factor that works well for SEGA's cabinet designs. See unlike with the Vewlix, in the Lindbergh and Naomi/Net City/NNC cabinets, SEGA chose to bury the I/O board deep inside the cabinet where it is not easy to access. This means that building a console I/O that acts as a complete replacement of the JVS I/O is completely out of the question. The SEGA console I/O needs to coexist with the JVS I/O so you don't have to completely dismantle your cabinet every time you want to switch from consoles to JVS.

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This is a preliminary example of how I intend to solve the problem. The console I/O will have a 60 pin female header on the bottom which will plug into the SEGA JVS I/O and will pass through all of the button inputs from the cabinet's wiring harness. Then the cabinet's wiring harness will connect to a 60 pin male header right next to the female 60 pin header to provide button inputs to the console I/O. The inputs will be go to both the 60 pin female header for the JVS I/O and also to a pair of male 20 pin headers for connecting the Brook style controller PCBs. The connections to the controller PCBs will have diodes on each input line to prevent the controller boards from interfering with the JVS I/O when they are not also powered up. Since the JVS I/O is powered by the cabinet's power supply there is no need to place diodes on the connections to the JVS I/O. Unlike the Vewlix console I/O, the SEGA Console I/O will not have the brook boards stacked directly on top of the console I/O, instead you will have a pair of 20 pin IDC cables that will be used to connect the brook boards to the I/O, then you will position the Brook boards wherever is most practical for the cabinet you are installing in.

Below is a basic mockup of how I expect this design to work.

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Obviously this is in the very early stages of design, and will definitely change over time, but at least you can get an idea for how this will work. Cost wise this will likely be more expensive than the Vewlix console I/O because of all of the Diodes that will be required, but it shouldn't be too much more.

As far as features this will be just as well equipped as the Vewlix console I/O. There will be an MCU onboard which will handle Select/Home/Touchpad button emulation and coin switch behavior, coin meter will be iterated properly, etc.

Now what I'd like to know is how much interest there is in such a project from SEGA JVS cabinet owners, and if there are any glaring features/problems that I've missed so far in the brainstorming process. I'm thinking this will be really nice for Lindbergh owners, and might also be useful for NAOMI/Net City/NNC owners who want to connect PC/Dreamcast/X360/Mister?
 
Interested .. but I might be a unique case as I run a Sega Type 3 (Lindburgh) in my Chewlix which is set up pretty close to a Vewlix. So going by what you have illustrated I would be using a jumper cable between them.

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In my other Chewlix cab I have your Vewlix style controller but I am considering converting it to match the ones I have pictured above.
 
I’m interested for my Naomi Universal cab. For console controls I’ve been meaning to test your Console Jammaizer paired with with the Jammafier from @invzim. This new product seems like a nice streamlined solution.
 
So I took some measurements of my New Net City and determined that the layout I mocked up originally will not physically fit. The portion that hangs over the edge of the SEGA JVS I/O will not clear the metal wall in front of the I/O. To remedy this I have reworked the layout to fit within the dimensions of the JVS I/O. This way it shouldn't have any clearance issues on any SEGA cabinet. Here are some example renderings of how the new layout works.

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I've ordered a few prototypes today so if all goes well I should have this ready for sale in no time!
 
This would be a clean solution Arthrimus :thumbup: I could see my self grabbing one down the road :)
 
Love this idea. I’d be interested in this for my future Sega Cabs.

Would you be able to incorporate the same idea with the Taito I/O and your Vewlix Console I/O?
 
Love this idea. I’d be interested in this for my future Sega Cabs.

Would you be able to incorporate the same idea with the Taito I/O and your Vewlix Console I/O?
The Vewlix I/O is not going to change significantly. Instead I've been exploring options for a diode protected harness splitter that could be chained together multiple times to support simultaneous connection of JVS I/Os, Fast I/O, Console I/O. Jamma kit, etc. Since the Vewlix has so many I/O options, it needs a more flexible solution.
 
This is a genius idea actually. That way your solution can fit everyone’s varied needs. Excited to see what you come up with!
 
How's the vertical space on these Sega cabs? How about taking the concept of the Vewlix Console I/O and add a 3rd layer on top that is the original JVS IO? That way you'd have from top to bottom the JVS -> Brook board -> new adapter where the Brook boards plug into the adapter on the bottom and there's a ribbon cable up to the OEM JVS IO on top.
 
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