Spikeout FE in a Blast City (with Model 3 harness)

[dethcow]

I recently bought a Spikeout FE (full model 3 stack + dsb2 cage/board and the two small pcbs that sit outside the model 3 cage) from a forum member with plans of putting it in my Blast, which currently has an 001 jamma loom in it. Included with the Spikeout was a jamma adapter similar to some posted in the Model 2/3 adapter thread, which seemingly is powered through the jamma edge. After reading a bit about why that's not the greatest idea for longterm use of a Model 3 (and my Spikeout sessions in the model3 emulator last for a few hours at a time typically, so I plan on routinely/near-daily play for several hours at a time), I was looking for solutions, which seem to be: get a model 3 to jamma adapter powered through separate PSU/atx connector, OR since it's going in a blast (which was apparently "meant for" the model 3 specifically), getting a model 3 blast harness (something like https://page.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/q1168977735)

The second option is appealing to me because I plan for this cab to be a dedicated Spikeout-only cab for the foreseeable future, and I'd only need to buy the harness for it to be ready to go. That said, I had a couple of questions about this:

1) in the Yahoo JP link above, the seller asks that if the harness is for "Spikeout only", to let him know via the question field, as the price may change (something about the "wiring around the sound source"). I'm unsure what the implication here is concerning wanting the harness for Spikeout vs. some other Model 3 game, so I'm unsure what info to include if I decide to buy the harness
2) for PSU health concerns: am I better served in the long run by just getting a jamma adapter that uses a separate psu in order to put minimal strain on the existing psu that's in my Blast? The temptation to have it running "as intended" is strong, but it doesn't override my desire for these games/cabs to be functioning for as long as possible.

I appreciate any and all input! I apologize if this has been hashed out somewhere else on these forums, but I haven't seen too much specifically on this matter when I looked, though I might've missed something.

 

[Swirl]

A few months back, I was (and still am) interested in playing SpikeoutFE.

I stumbled upon these blog posts (please view via. Desktop, it's broken on Mobile) to give me an general idea of what's required to play along with the user's personal accounts with the game:
https://spikeoutfe.web.fc2.com/about_MODEL3.html
https://spikeoutfe.web.fc2.com/op.html
https://spikeoutfe.web.fc2.com/popoo.html

With the Model 3, my basic understanding is there's different "STEP" models and each may need a different harness. If you look at the top link there's a box to show you which game belongs where. Spikeout it falls in the category of "STEP 2.1" and it probably has that MIDI/Sound box on the outside that seems special/unique for the game. All you'd be doing is telling the seller, "Hey I want to play Spikeout, can you please make this harness for that game?" From there they'll probably take the base wiring of the Model 3 and add a few wires and things unique to comply with Step 2.1 and Spikeout.

I think that seller used to make separate STEP listings, but I guess they consolidated into one and you have to speak to them directly now.

I initially wanted to play the game through the HAS with a JAMMA adapter, but it seemed like a nightmare. So I figured the most straight forward way is to use a Blast City and the Model 3 harness which would be plug and play.

I'm sure someone else on this forum with more experience with the Model 3 can chime in as well. But hopefully this was helpful in some way as a starter.

 

[Hikaru]

The wiring is specific

There is an additional power connector for the 2 cards that manages sound

You can start from a wiring for model 3 virtua fighter and modify it

(That's what I did)

I think it's better to use this game as sega originally planned with a blast using its internal power supply

If you look in the menu of your pcb there is the time of games and the number of games played

By your pcb

I don't think you're going to use so much with personal use at home

 

[twistedsymphony]

With the Model 3, my basic understanding is there's different "STEP" models and each may need a different harness.

While there are different hardware variants of model 3 they all use the exact same harness.
see my thread here: https://www.arcade-projects.com/threads/sega-model-2-and-model-3-filter-board-pinouts.1121/

But yes the right harness for any Model 3 Board set is the Virtua Fighter 3 harness that Hikaru mentioned

There is an additional power connector for the 2 cards that manages sound

The Model 3 filterboard supports power pass-through (power outputs are the connectors in my diagram with a \ through them). It would make sense to me to power the additional PCBs with a sub harness that connects to the outputs on the filter boards rather than modifying the main harness. Typically Model 2 and Model 3 boards that have additional sub boards power them this way. was that not possible with Spike Out?

 

[Hikaru]

The two pcb I have

One had no harnes

And the other just a part

And it had been modified for use on the jamma

When I looked for information on the few photos available of blast-type harnes

All had this additional connector

I left on this basis to redo the hares

The modification is not very complicated

And don't change the functions of the basic harness use

We can still connect a VF3 for example


So I used this type of wiring And this type of connector

By disassembling and doubling or tripling the cables on the black power connectors

 

[Hikaru]

While there are different hardware variants of model 3 they all use the exact same harness.
see my thread here: https://www.arcade-projects.com/threads/sega-model-2-and-model-3-filter-board-pinouts.1121/

But yes the right harness for any Model 3 Board set is the Virtua Fighter 3 harness that Hikaru mentioned


The Model 3 filterboard supports power pass-through (power outputs are the connectors in my diagram with a \ through them). It would make sense to me to power the additional PCBs with a sub harness that connects to the outputs on the filter boards rather than modifying the main harness. Typically Model 2 and Model 3 boards that have additional sub boards power them this way. was that not possible with Spike Out?

Yes, I thought about it at first to connect to the filter board

But there is just yellow and white at power output

The red is missing

In addition to the apparently sega spikeout had planned this additional connector

As the hares is in several parts

A part remains on the cage, you have to connect the two together

So connector

But I may be wrong

 

[dethcow]

Thanks all for the replies; they're very helpful!
I'll contact the model3/blast harness guy and let him know it's just for Spikeout, and hopefully I can have it properly running on my blast before too long.

 

[Hikaru]

Thanks all for the replies; they're very helpful!
I'll contact the model3/blast harness guy and let him know it's just for Spikeout, and hopefully I can have it properly running on my blast before too long.

I advise you to give him a picture of what you have

Do you have the harness that connects the sound cards to the filter of model 3?

And to show him the last photo I posted where we saw the full harness

By explaining to him that you want the same thing

 

[dethcow]

I advise you to give him a picture of what you have

Do you have the harness that connects the sound cards to the filter of model 3?

This is what I have:

So do you think from this picture it should be "obvious" how I want the harness to be to plug in to my blast city, or should I still include your pic showing the full harness just to be sure? I just don't want to confuse the guy.

 

[Hikaru]

Yes, it's better to attach the photo of the complete wiring I posted

And the photo of what you have available that you posted

(You can see in your photo that you only have two sound cables

You're missing 5 sound cables and the power cable

As I explained in the previous message

The wiring of the spikeout

Is special

There is a part that remains on the main card and connects the different cards to each other

And a part that connects the system to the cabin)

Your cards are not mounted correctly

You have to live in the right place the sound card, the filtration card and the mix card

After that, you have to put coli (grey) to hold the cables in place on model 3

And fix model 3 on the blast board

It's important

In the blast there is just room to install everything

The system is very heavy

If everything is not fixed you may damage the cards or connectors

 

[Hikaru]

The arrangement of the different elements and wiring is very important

In the blast there is not much room

If everything is not well arranged, the hot air will not circulate well

And be evacuated outside

It can cause either the system or your power supply to overheat

 

[Hikaru]

 

[dethcow]

The arrangement of the different elements and wiring is very important

In the blast there is not much room

If everything is not well arranged, the hot air will not circulate well

And be evacuated outside

It can cause either the system or your power supply to overheat

Thank you very much for your posts; this is all very helpful! I still have to swap out the dsb2 roms (currently I believe they're for Daytona 2 instead of Spikeout FE), but I'll try to make sure everything is properly mounted once I get the harness I need. I also worried about how compact everything was when I saw the size of it all!

I'll contact the guy soon with the info you suggested and hopefully I can have this great game running on my cab soon enough.

Thanks again!

 

[Hikaru]

But please don't

Knowledge only has value if it is shared

If you need details

On the wiring

Let me know

I think the doc will be useful to you

This is the version for blast editing

 

[Hikaru]

https://spikeoutfe.web.fc2.com/manual/spkfe_blastcity_convert_manual.pdf

 

[alpaca]

Hi,

I don’t own Blast City cabinet myself but I have installed SPIKEOUT FE to many friends who own Blast City here in Japan so I can explain from those experience.

Here are my answers to your questions.

A1. I’ll recommend this guy (https://page.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/q1168977735) as talked in this thread. The reason is simple and I’ve bought it from him last year and it was perfect. Great product quality, customer response was quick and precise. I bought Blast City -> SPIKEOUT FE/Model 3 harness and price was around 12,000 JPY w/ some customization(extra audio out to feed to OSSC). One concern is that you have to request your specification in Japanese and I believe he does not speak English but you can try. Your SPIKEOUT FE PCB is Blast City configuration with few cables missing. So as Hikaru-san recommended you should send your PCB picture and tell him that you need harness to run SPIKEOUT FE PCB in Blast City.

I personally recommend getting dedicated Blast City -> SPIKEOUT FE/Model 3 harness since its easy to swap out from Blast City’s I/O board(839-0894 TERMINAL BD, see wiring schematic). Not Blast City -> JAMMA -> SPIKEOUT FE/Model 3 harness. Direct connection from Blast City to PCB without going through extra (JAMMA) connector and wiring will provide stable power supply and minimum voltage drop. Also, should be more safe avoiding from injecting over-voltage to PCB. I never used JAMMA harness setup for that reason and my friends plays only SPIKEOUT FE on their Blast City

A2. If your Blast City has SEGA’s original PSU and voltage is stable use that. It has enough spec to drive Model 3. If voltage drop is observed, you should overhaul such as replacing capacitors as well as cooling fan to new one to maintain stable voltage on load.

Hope it helps.

 

[dethcow]

One concern is that you have to request your specification in Japanese and I believe he does not speak English but you can try.

I planned on sending something like this sometime later this week:

こんにちは、

あなたのセガ・ブラストシティ／モデル３用ハーネス
を購入したいです

SPIKEOUT FE専用です。

写真は、Blast Cityに取り付ける予定のSPIKEOUT FE Model 3 PCBです。

ありがとうございます。

Maybe some Japanese speaker can tell me if this is needlessly confusing or ambiguous for my purpose, since this is just what Google translate spat out for me.
Thanks so much for the help!

 

[alpaca]

I planned on sending something like this sometime later this week:

こんにちは、

あなたのセガ・ブラストシティ／モデル３用ハーネス
を購入したいです

SPIKEOUT FE専用です。

写真は、Blast Cityに取り付ける予定のSPIKEOUT FE Model 3 PCBです。

ありがとうございます。

Maybe some Japanese speaker can tell me if this is needlessly confusing or ambiguous for my purpose, since this is just what Google translate spat out for me.
Thanks so much for the help!

This is 99% OK. Google translation is so nice.

Just to be natural to Japanese, change the last sentence to "よろしくお願いします。" It means close to "Kind Regards" and we use that phrase very much at end of email or message.

So all together it will be like this.

こんにちは。あなたのセガ・ブラストシティ／モデル３用ハーネスを購入したいです。SPIKEOUT FE専用です。写真は、Blast Cityに取り付ける予定のSPIKEOUT FE Model 3 PCBです。よろしくお願いします。

Hope it helps.