Day 4 - 1st April

The focus of the fourth day was to get the buttons and joysticks wired up and tested. This was a preliminary test as once the artwork arrived all control would need to be removed so that the artwork could be applied. However, I couldn't wait to test the controls, especially as I knew nothing more could be done on the cabinet for two weeks as the following weekend I would be travelling up to Edinburgh for a family visit.

I had attached all of the buttons and joysticks the previous day but the micro-switches needed to be attached to each of the buttons. The first picture shows the buttons without the micro-switches attached. The second picture shows with all switches attached (note the micro-switches were included with the cost of the button)

Once the microswitches were attached it was time to mount the iPAC32 board. Again this had been purchased from Gremlin Solutions and is a sophisticated keyboard emulator and allows a computer to read input from the buttons and joysticks as if they were key presses without additional drivers being required. For more information on the iPAC click here

With the board and controls mounted the next step was to run a ground wire between all components ground (COM) connections to and from the ground connections on the iPAC board. The idea here being to create an earth loop for all components.

With the earth connections in place all that was left was to connect each of the terminals on the iPAC board with the corresponding controls NO (Normally Open) terminal.

With all components connected and loose wires taped down it was time to hook it up to the PC and test. The good news was that all components worked, the bad news was the joystick movements were reversed. A quick reconnect and all was confirmed as working as expected, four days into the project and this is the first time it feels like I have an arcade cabinet on the way. Next up the artwork...