Here you'll get into some of the finer technical details and explanations.  Got some technical expertise you want to share?  Please let me know!
 

	Definitions
	Emulator & Game Support
	Joysticks
	Keyboard Ghosting
	Monitors
	Step-by-step Guides
	Tutorials

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 

	Definitions
	Microswitch
	Leaf
	PCB

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 

	Joystick
	The Control Center
	Joystick Protocols

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 

	Keyboard Ghosting
	Keyboard Encoders

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 

	Monitors
	Understanding monitor technology
	Discharging a monitor
	Rotating Monitors
	CapKits
	Rockman's PC to Arcade monitor

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 

	Step-By-Step Guides
	Hacking a PSX control pad to arcade controls
	Hacking a Microsoft Sidewinder
	Jim's How To Build An Arcade Style Joystick for the PC
	Mark's Connect an Arcade Joystick to your PC
	How to build your own arcade spinner by Drew
	Jude's StarWars yoke hack
	Build Battlezone style tank lever controls Link Updated!
	Hooking a pc to an arcade monitor
	CustomArcade's pinball vibration detection device (tilting!)

 
 
 
 
 

 
 

	Tutorials
	A Beginner's Guide to Soldering Metal, Circuits, and More! A very special thank you to Nicole of Mrs. G's New Hampshire Stem Club for Girls for the great resource!
	How To Solder
	Steve's Solder 101 soldering seminar - EXCELLENT!  Must visit!
	Basic Electronics.com - excellent basic electronics web site
	Joysticks and Other Game Controllers - very well done information on Joysticks

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

The Control Center The Control Center is another must visit - "The Control Center is the WWW's first site dedicated to PC game controllers."  Among other things, they have a section on Controller Basics and Terms with a discussion on the various different types of controllers, and the FAQ with a lot of questions and answers on controller issues.  They also do reviews on about every game controller out there.  Be sure to check it out! Joystick Protocols LINK HAS DISAPPEARED - ANYONE KNOW WHERE IT WENT? FP Gaming has a page that, half way down, explains three different joystick protocols.  If you're doing a joystick hack, this is an interesting read.

Will a keyboard encoder solve the "ghosting" problem?

Q. The only question is, does this (a keyboard encoder) handle ghosting any better than hacking an old keyboard?  It seems like if it uses a 12x12 matrix, it would generate ghost characters like a traditional keyboard.

A.  There are two ways I think the encoder will help get around the ghosting problem.  The encoder can either be used in a matrix, *or* you can use each pin on the encoder as a separate keystroke.

If you use each one as a separate keystroke, you have no ghosting problem, of course, but are limited to 24 keystrokes then.  Depending on your needs, this may work perfectly.

If you choose to use a matrix, you can use any combination up to 12 x 12, but also something like 2 x 22 if you chose.  To avoid the ghosting problem, all you'll need to do is figure out which keystrokes you're going to want to generate, and then arrange them on the encoder so that they don't overlap.  If for instance hitting 3 buttons on your matrix gives you the ghost of a fourth matrix combination, make sure that fourth matrix combination is assigned a useless keystroke that has no affect on your application(s).

If you end up with conflicting needs for different applications where you'll have ghost problems in one but not another, you can just have a different matrix for each application since the KE24 is software programmable.

--- Note - I haven't actually *done* this so I have no clue as to the veracity of what I'm saying, but this is how I understand it.  Keyboard encoder from Hagstrom Electronics.

---


NOTE:  After posting this, someone who wishes to be anonymous emailed me back with this:

Good point, it seems like if you are smart about how you program your matrix, you can get around the ghosting problem, but that still leaves the key masking.  Whenever you have three corners of a rectangle signalled on your matrix, key masking occurs.

For example, take the non-programmable Hagstrom encoder.  Column 1 (C1) has the letters A-I, C2 has J-R, and so on.  If I generate the A (C1R1), B (C1R2), and J (C2R1) simultaneously, the encoder "sees" C1, C2, R1, and R2 all close.  This generates a ghost K (C2R2).  Hopefully MAME (or whatever) will ignore this.  Now, let's release the A.  R1 and C1 are still closed, though, because B and J are still pressed.  The encoder has no way to know that we released the A, because R1 and C1 are still closed.  Your fire button (or whatever) gets "stuck" until you let go of  thrust (or whatever).

Clearly, you can design your matrix around this - we don't care if we get masking on player 1/player 2/coin insert, for example, because we don't press those during play.  And if we use the programmable encoder, we can change the setups for each game.  (Stargate has a bunch of buttons but only has one joystick, so we can steal inputs from the second stick)

---


The best answer seems to be the use of diodes to prevent electrical flow down the wrong way of your matrix.  See the inputs page for more on keyboard ghosting.
 

Understanding monitor technology
You just absolutely should not be handling a monitor without understanding something about monitor technology.  This stuff can shock, hurt, and possibly kill you.  If that statement doesn't cause you to take this seriously, you have no business working with monitors.  Here are some good links for understanding more about monitor technology.
 
• Sci.Electronics.Repair FAQ - a good treatise on monitor technology.
• Randy Fromm's Technical Department - If you visit no other place on the net regarding arcades, visit this one.  His information on monitors is outstanding.
• TV and Monitor CRT (Picture Tube) Information by Samuel Goldwasser - the definitive discussion on how CRTs/monitors work.  Very comprehensive.  (My mirror)


saint's discharging a monitor

A brief discussion on some of the theory on how monitors work and a discussion on discharging them.


Rotating Monitors

A discussion on the techniques used to mount a rotatable monitor, and the problems (and solutions thereto) it causes.


Cap Kits

Cap Kit is short for capacitor kit, sometimes known as a get-well kit.  If you have ever seen an arcade monitor with distorition, wavy lines, shrinkage, etc... a cheap cap kit may bring it back to life.  It essentially involves unsoldering the capacitors and a few other electrical components on the PCB of the monitor.  The best resource I know of for finding out about cap kits, including where you can find them, is Al's Guide to Installing a Cap Kit, aka Cap Kit Installation 101.

Warning - this involves getting into the electronics of the monitor, where 30,000 volts or so live.  If you have any doubts, don't do this.  Shock, injury or death can result.