Autofire Circuit

Arcade cabinet hardware and accessories
Post Reply
User avatar
gargoyle67
The movie topic guy!
Posts: 5083
Joined: August 22nd, 2008, 11:33 am
Location: Clacton-On-Sea init
eBay: gargoyle1967

Re: Autofire Circuit

Post by gargoyle67 »

It's ok if the game has it built in, But if the game developers never intended the game to have autofire it's cheating, I never used autofire with consoles\arcade\computer games, What ever next slow mo is that cheating ? unlimited
lives ?
"Yeah lets all get ponys instead, wait no lol trendy cabs" Err I think you meant Ponies didn't you ?
User avatar
emphatic
Breastfeeds when required
Posts: 5865
Joined: April 7th, 2009, 4:14 pm
Location: Alingsås, Sweden
eBay: jorgen_sjolander
Initials: JOR

Re: Autofire Circuit

Post by emphatic »

Devil Soundwave wrote:Emphatic's doo-hickey
I SAY! :awe:
User avatar
yosai
Windy City
Posts: 4057
Joined: August 17th, 2008, 5:00 pm
Location: London
eBay: yosai

Re: Autofire Circuit

Post by yosai »

Built a clone of emphatics passive autofire circuit and it works alright. RFJ has never been so easy. :awe:

The orange wires have spade connectors on the ends and attach in series to the required buttons (max 2)

The green wire connects to GND, and the black wire (not needed) is a longer GND wire.

Pot adjustment ranges from always on to around 30Hz.

Schematic also attached.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
User avatar
markedkiller78
Pony fucker
Posts: 7580
Joined: August 17th, 2008, 6:53 pm
Location: Glasgow
eBay: markedkiller78
Initials: MAL

Re: Autofire Circuit

Post by markedkiller78 »

Nice one Yosai, when do you put them into production :awe:
Image
User avatar
FrancoB
J+ member of the year finalist!
Posts: 4757
Joined: June 8th, 2009, 10:42 pm
Location: Oxfordshire
eBay: francosquashking
Initials: FRN

Re: Autofire Circuit

Post by FrancoB »

:clap: :clap: :clap:

Nice one Yosai :D

Where did you get all of the parts from? I wouldn't mind having a go at wiring a couple up as I haven't done anything with breadboard(?) before.
User avatar
yosai
Windy City
Posts: 4057
Joined: August 17th, 2008, 5:00 pm
Location: London
eBay: yosai

Re: Autofire Circuit

Post by yosai »

The Veroboard came from Maplins as did the resistor and capacitors. The 74HC04 came from ebay. All in it cost just under £10. that is for 10 74HC04 a few capacitors and resistors and a sheet of Veroboard

I haven't really got the facilities to be doing stuff like this. I've got enough components to make three more, if I've got any free time on Monday I may make another.

I think Ross will be knocking something up over the weekend though. ;)

:awe:
User avatar
cools
Armed Police Buttrider
Posts: 13457
Joined: August 17th, 2008, 4:49 pm
Location: Wales, United Kingdom
eBay: hordarian
Initials: CLS

Re: Autofire Circuit

Post by cools »

Someone needs to get proper little dedicated PCBs made up for these :D
Image
User avatar
gargoyle67
The movie topic guy!
Posts: 5083
Joined: August 22nd, 2008, 11:33 am
Location: Clacton-On-Sea init
eBay: gargoyle1967

Re: Autofire Circuit

Post by gargoyle67 »

Your all cheaaaaaaattttttttttssssss :awe:
"Yeah lets all get ponys instead, wait no lol trendy cabs" Err I think you meant Ponies didn't you ?
User avatar
Devil Soundwave
Doesn't go to eleven
Posts: 4713
Joined: January 7th, 2009, 11:56 pm
Location: Wetherby, Yorkshire
eBay: DevilSoundwave

Re: Autofire Circuit

Post by Devil Soundwave »

I'm on it - parts for 24 landing in 2 days or so.

Not sure I'll get on it this weekend though as I have to finish some old game -> Jamma stuff for Magic Knight, plus my best mate turns thirty.

Not prepared to make proper PCBs until I've tested it as I think we can probably improve this. :)

I'm thinking:

1) Variable rate per button (one potentiometer each)
2) Autofire for up to 3 buttons (standard jamma)
3) Installation between the board and the jamma harness rather than at the button end.

So essentiallly tripling the circuit and adding by-pass on each.

Yosai - that's the first circuit diagram I've seen in ages which used wavy lines for resistance - had me well confused! :D
User avatar
emphatic
Breastfeeds when required
Posts: 5865
Joined: April 7th, 2009, 4:14 pm
Location: Alingsås, Sweden
eBay: jorgen_sjolander
Initials: JOR

Re: Autofire Circuit

Post by emphatic »

Devil Soundwave wrote:1) Variable rate per button (one potentiometer each)
2) Autofire for up to 3 buttons (standard jamma)
3) Installation between the board and the jamma harness rather than at the button end.
1 and 2 sounds like sound ideas, but 3 I don't know, it's pretty comfortable to just put these in action just by flipping open the panel and put it there. Getting down on your knees is cramp inducing. I should probably get some more exercise. :awe: On the other hand, these are pretty easy to "forget" inside a panel. Very annoying if you play Twin Hawk with autofire on button 1, then switch to a CAVE game, and then the laser's not working. :think: So I guess that all 3 points are valid. :thumbup: Should ramp up the production cost a bit though.
User avatar
FrancoB
J+ member of the year finalist!
Posts: 4757
Joined: June 8th, 2009, 10:42 pm
Location: Oxfordshire
eBay: francosquashking
Initials: FRN

Re: Autofire Circuit

Post by FrancoB »

You may want to think about doing two versions as some people (me! :D ) may want a version like yosai's that they could use for hacked console controllers that are connected to the controls too.

I assume these would have to be connected to the controls end but a three button version would be nice.
User avatar
Devil Soundwave
Doesn't go to eleven
Posts: 4713
Joined: January 7th, 2009, 11:56 pm
Location: Wetherby, Yorkshire
eBay: DevilSoundwave

Re: Autofire Circuit

Post by Devil Soundwave »

But there's the thing Emph, you are gonna be down there fitting a board anyway, so you just fit the autofire and change your dips/settings there and then. :)

BTW - if anyone is making one for themselves, you want Matrix Board. Vero board has copper strips on it.
User avatar
cools
Armed Police Buttrider
Posts: 13457
Joined: August 17th, 2008, 4:49 pm
Location: Wales, United Kingdom
eBay: hordarian
Initials: CLS

Re: Autofire Circuit

Post by cools »

Devil Soundwave wrote:1) Variable rate per button (one potentiometer each)
2) Autofire for up to 3 buttons (standard jamma)
3) Installation between the board and the jamma harness rather than at the button end.
1) Not sure I can see where you're going with that. If anyone knows a game where different buttons need different autofire rates please speak up, I don't know of any. Dipswitches to enable/disable autofire per button is an idea though.
2) Makes sense.
3) Certainly in the Pony there's not much room for PCB + harness once mounted. A CP install would be more suitable for one of those. Inline means you can use 5v though.

Just had a thought though - is there be any way of having rapid fire activated by holding down the button for say .5 seconds. So a tap is just a tap (e.g. for bomb/quick shot) but holding it down gives rapid shot? The only games I know of where you need to flip between rapid/single shot constantly have autofire built in automatically - these would need the autofire circuit I'm thinking of disabled, but it'd add in flipping between rapid/single shot to other games. Maybe, not sure where I'm going with that either - I'm thinking it'd be nice to not have to touch the PCB and be able to swap between games like Puzzle Bobble, and Raiden.
Image
User avatar
yosai
Windy City
Posts: 4057
Joined: August 17th, 2008, 5:00 pm
Location: London
eBay: yosai

Re: Autofire Circuit

Post by yosai »

Yosai - that's the first circuit diagram I've seen in ages which used wavy lines for resistance - had me well confused! :D
:D That's ExpressSCH it was the first freeware schematic maker I found on the net.
So essentiallly tripling the circuit and adding by-pass on each.
Not sure the bypass is needed. Adjusting the pot to min gives a continuous output. Maxing it gives >30Hz.
Devil Soundwave wrote:BTW - if anyone is making one for themselves, you want Matrix Board. Vero board has copper strips on it.
The copper strips are the main reason for using Veroboard. ;)
User avatar
yosai
Windy City
Posts: 4057
Joined: August 17th, 2008, 5:00 pm
Location: London
eBay: yosai

Re: Autofire Circuit

Post by yosai »

Not prepared to make proper PCBs until I've tested it as I think we can probably improve this.
Meant to add, when both buttons are depressed the autofire rate drops slightly. Not visible in game, only on the I/O test screen.
User avatar
Devil Soundwave
Doesn't go to eleven
Posts: 4713
Joined: January 7th, 2009, 11:56 pm
Location: Wetherby, Yorkshire
eBay: DevilSoundwave

Re: Autofire Circuit

Post by Devil Soundwave »

cools wrote: 1) Not sure I can see where you're going with that. If anyone knows a game where different buttons need different autofire rates please speak up, I don't know of any. Dipswitches to enable/disable autofire per button is an idea though.
The rate of fire available uponj repeated presses differs by game. Beiung able to microtune the autofire will allow for optimum rate of fire.
cools wrote: 3) Certainly in the Pony there's not much room for PCB + harness once mounted. A CP install would be more suitable for one of those. Inline means you can use 5v though.
Noted. Does that JP one you have not fit well then? prettyy sure I can achieve a fairly dinky form-factor.
Cools wrote: Just had a thought though - is there be any way of having rapid fire activated by holding down the button for say .5 seconds. So a tap is just a tap (e.g. for bomb/quick shot) but holding it down gives rapid shot? The only games I know of where you need to flip between rapid/single shot constantly have autofire built in automatically - these would need the autofire circuit I'm thinking of disabled, but it'd add in flipping between rapid/single shot to other games. Maybe, not sure where I'm going with that either - I'm thinking it'd be nice to not have to touch the PCB and be able to swap between games like Puzzle Bobble, and Raiden.
[/quote]

Possible, but it would require a programmed delay in a PIC. Not sure I can be arsed considering the limited gain. Do you really think this would add a great deal?
User avatar
markedkiller78
Pony fucker
Posts: 7580
Joined: August 17th, 2008, 6:53 pm
Location: Glasgow
eBay: markedkiller78
Initials: MAL

Re: Autofire Circuit

Post by markedkiller78 »

I know a game that needs different speeds on different buttons ;)

mushihimesama :awe:

I only really need the basic model, but also like the idea of having this on a fingerboard at the jamma end.
Image
dieKatze88
Posts: 485
Joined: July 21st, 2009, 6:43 am
Location: Madison, NJ

Re: Autofire Circuit

Post by dieKatze88 »

I think this would be best be done on the CP, we could use double sided stick tape to hold it to the bottom of the CP, and then run short leads up to the actual buttons, and have switches right there to turn it on and off, letting it be more useful to people who switch often, or want to test things in-game. Plus, it'll save all our backs by making us bend over less. +5v is available at our CPs, we might as well use it.
I stream myself playing Otomedius when I get bored
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/otomedius" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
User avatar
emphatic
Breastfeeds when required
Posts: 5865
Joined: April 7th, 2009, 4:14 pm
Location: Alingsås, Sweden
eBay: jorgen_sjolander
Initials: JOR

Re: Autofire Circuit

Post by emphatic »

markedkiller78 wrote:mushihimesama :awe:
:wave:

I think that the on/off/ option would be optimal, so you don't have to disconnect them at all (less wear & tear). :awe:

Also after given this some thought, you should either make two versions, or one with SIX buttons, so both players can use one unit. Also make sure to have long enough wires (on my Japanese "original" the cords just about extends to use 1 unit for both players fire1 buttons). ;)
Alex
Posts: 167
Joined: August 19th, 2008, 10:03 pm
Location: Spain
eBay: jandrogo

Re: Autofire Circuit

Post by Alex »

I don't want to derail this topic as I am also interested in having a cheap autofire circuit, but I came across the MGM-SS2 autofire board developed by sanwa. From the pics it seems it has 8 button autofire and 2 firing speeds, 15/s an 30/s.
Someone with electonic skills could try to build it or adapt it to our interests
Pics:

Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Post Reply