List of Japanese Control Boxes / Superguns - Info & photos

[AeroCityMayor]

Yes, and full RGB adjustments as well

Cheers,

Ralph.

[guldberget]

Maybe not 100% supergun related but I found some JP wiki page for arcade sticks and there are lots of photos of various sigma sticks there. Maybe something for the wiki?

http://www23.atwiki.jp/ac_stick/m/pages ... d_36c12824"

[rugdoctor]

some supergun pron..

[TheRedKnight]

I could almost hear the pervert behind the camera breathing heavily.

[Paulie]

Special version of the Combo AV

Nine find bro

[Toaplaniano]

Anyone knows the purpose of the 2 potentiometers on the back of PANATWIN LONG?,not the +5v one,the other two on the right...,
thanks in advance.
Greetings.

[Paulie]

Pana Twin manual here http://forum.arcadeotaku.com/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=820"

HTH

[Toaplaniano]

Pana Twin manual here http://forum.arcadeotaku.com/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=820"

HTH

Thank you very much,i have the original manual...but is in Japanese...,i think is some of the video settings...,but i don't know what,
thanks anyway.

[Paulie]

Just added to the first post.


Where to buy one
You will occasionally see them for sale in all of the usual places where you buy your arcade tat.
Forums, check out the market place here and any other arcade forums that you are signed up to.
Online auctions - ebay and Yahoo jp are your best bets.
Japanese arcade shops - G Front & MAK, etc.
G Fronts control box blog/ price list http://gfront.sblo.jp/category/702869-1.html"
MAK Control boxes http://www.mak-jp.com/ctrbox.html"

What to be aware of before buying
As with anything in this hobby ask if it works, if it has any known issues and what condition it is in.
In Japan they were originally sold without Looms and TV cables. The console style ones were sold without sticks, also some sticks have detachable (not fixed) leads so check what's included before parting with your cash.
If buying separately, check that the console style control box has a compatible pinout with the stick you are wanting to buy, some use NeoGeo DB15 connectors whilst others use custom pinouts.
Scart leads can be wired to both Euro and Japanese spec. This is particularly useful to remember if you are importing directly from Japan. Scart converters are available but if you don't already own one then it's probably cheaper just to buy a new lead. If you have the soldering skills then you could just re-wire the Japanese spec lead or just make a new one.
These can be large and really heavy, especially the big 2P ones so if buying from overseas just remember to take that into account.

Cables and looms
So what do you do if you are missing cables and looms.
Why not have a go at making own, pinouts for most brands are on the AO wiki as are instruction manuals (albeit mostly in Japanese)
I've bought leads from retro gaming cables on several occasions and have been very happy with both the product and service http://www.retrogamingcables.co.uk/"
Our very own FrancoB made a very nice loom for one of my Sigma's, I don't know if Fran still makes these but a friendly pm can't hurt.

Controls
2P control boxes come with buttons and sticks so they are good to go out of the box. Some even use an actual candy cab CP. The Vega 9000DX uses a Sega Aero City control panel and the Sega Boardmaster uses any standard Saga control panel ie Astro, Blast, Naomi, NNC.
Buttons and sticks are very easy to change out on most 2P control boxes (using crimps just like in candy cabs). Note some models are soldered rather than crimped.
Console style control boxes, require a separate controller. Sigma make a number of outstanding sticks but they are not always that easy to find outside of Japan. If the control box has DB15 ports then you can use any Neo Geo controller. If you have the skills you could always make your own custom stick.

How much do they cost
I can't really help with that question, best to see what's sold recently and ask in the valuations thread. As always prices go both up and down so only spend what you are comfortable with.

Hope the above is of use for anyone thinking of dipping their toes into this area of the hobby

[Paulie]

Just added two incredibly rare control boxes to the list

First up the Super Vega 21. I've known about this for a while as it's featured in a book I have, but the picture is pretty small and I couldn't find a decent sized photo on the web until recently. If it's anything like the other Vega's then it will weigh a ton and be built like a tank. Interesting fact, AFAIK this was by far the most expensive control box available with an eye watering RRP of 65,000 Yen
To put it into perspective, the Vega 9000DX was a hefty 53,000 yen, the Sega BoardMaster was a slightly more reasonable 48,000 yen, and the Special version of the combo AV was a bargaintastic 25,000 yen
Super Vega 21 (2L16B)


A big thanks to richy13 for pointing me in the direction of this beauty
Vega 2000 (2L12B)

[Devil Soundwave]

WTF would you ever need a 16 button CP for?

[Paulie]

I know, that button layout too Thankfully swapping the CP out for pretty much any Sega candy panel (AC, NAC, BC, NC, NNC) will takes minutes.

Vega also used a 2L16B layout on their Jr control box.

I'm thinking that maybe when Vega produced this they were thinking of the future. Seeing as JAMMA standard is 3 button > MVS 4 button > CPSII 6 button, following this pattern it would make sense that future arcade games would utilise up to 8 buttons. This is just my theory and I could of course be completely wrong but it seems pretty plausible to me.

Would love to add one to the games room and I reckon it would look rather fine with a NNC CP

[Paulie]

Some more photos added

If you have better pics PLMK, I know these pics are crap but it's literally these or nothing, there's just so little out there.

Wintechno Play2 - Regular version
Dimensions: ?
Controls: 2L12B ? sticks, ? buttons,
Original Price: Approx ¥?
Misc: ?


Wintechno Play2 - Mahjong version
Dimensions: ?
Controls: 2L12B with built in Mahjong controls ? sticks, ? buttons,
Original Price: Approx ¥?
Misc: ?



With built in monitors

Sigma with built in 19" CRT (model unknown)
Dimensions: ?
Controls ?
Original Price: Approx ¥?
Misc: To me it looks like a commercial bar top arcade, note the coin mech to the right of the monitor. It was listed as a control box on yahoo jp http://forum.arcadeotaku.com/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=24769" but I can find zero information on this bad boy. Weather it be a control box or bar top arcade it's as rare as hens teeth.

[Toaplaniano]

Awesome stuff!

and that "Sigma 19" CRT" really nice

[Paulie]

A couple of flyers/ magazine advertisements

Pana Twin MP-92 - Mahjong version


Another Pana Twin MP-92 - Mahjong version


More Pana Twin MP-92 - Mahjong version goodness


SVG-8


Various arcade tat

[Toaplaniano]

18" monitor 78,000 woooow not cheap but looks really nice.
QC1 CONTROL BOX its me or looks freak and awesome!

[AeroCityMayor]

Thanks for the MP-92 goodness - totally awesome d00d!

Cheers,

Ralph.

[Braintrash]

Does anyone happen to have a Sega Boardmaster manual (preferably second version), either scanned or to sell?

[Paulie]

Hope you find a board master manual, if you do please would you add it to the wiki

Found this today, looks like the Short version of the Combo AV were imported and sold in France by SOFTAGE



The above advert is from French magazine 'Consoles', there's also a couple of interesting features a double spread test of the Combo AV and another feature with both the Combo AV and Kic's 91 obviously its all in French.
http://www.abandonware-magazines.org/af ... &album=oui"

Also added alternate white & red colour way

[Braintrash]

Magazine's name is Consoles +. The guys from the magazine also ran a TV show, Micro Kids, where they demonstrated and used some superguns, all trying to start some hype.
Eventually, they totally failed, mainly because prices were quite high, especially for these days where most gamers were young, and also, while they did rent games, it was mostly one shop in paris doing that, with an inexistant mail order, so they never got to build a solid enough client base.
But, at least, they tried.

BTW, if I remember correctly, there was at least two different importers who tried to sell superguns and arcade games to general public. It was all unofficial, totally "lemonade stand" business.