The Go Button

As you may know, I am a Database Administrator of the MS SQL Server variety. For those of you who do not know what all that entails (Hi Mom!) ... basically I spend all day (except when I am in meetings ... which is all the time) writing, modifying, and executing SQL scripts. In doing so I find myself hitting the F5 key quite often to execute a script, so much so that I have on occasion hit F5 at the end of an email in an attempt to send it, only to find that my browser is refreshing and I get to rewrite the entire email.

So I got to thinking; executing scripts, compiling code ...etc should not be done by mildly hitting F5, rather it should be a statement with gusto. In this regard I have built myself a giant red button that can be pounded to execute a script It is USB and mapped to the F5 key. Check out below for instructions on how you too can make one.


The Supplies:

-Logitech Mouse (the cheap USB one) -Big Red Button (AllElectronics.com) --Old Backup Tapes

I removed the actual tape from the backup tapes and drilled them out with a 1" bit. I also drilled holes to insert bolts and hold the stack together.
The mouse came apart quite easily with only a single screw. The soldering was also quite simple, I soldered two wires to the active pins of the middle button switch, then connected those leads to the switch hardware using the NC connector (normally closed circuit). For the switch lighting I pulled the red LED the optical mouse uses and soldered it in place into the original light bulb socket, then wired the socket the the original LED leads. I initially tried to use the bulb that came with the button, but it proved to require too much current and was quite dim, it pulled so much current that when you hit the button the USB device disconnects. After all of these are hooked up I placed the mouse hardware in the housing (wrap most of it in electrical tape so it doesn't hit the bolts holding the contraption together.

All that remains then is to install the Logitech SetPoint drivers and use the software to map the middle mouse button to any key you would like.

--Dan

Power Supply Circuit Design

I have been somewhat delayed recently, waiting on parts to arrive and trying to figure out how to power my Consolidated Nintendo console. I have settled on the idea that I would like to have the power supply for the cartridge based systems combined, and since I will have a Wii power supply nearby anyway I plan on using that. I do not intend to power each system simultaneously, rather only one can be on at a time. This prevents the circuit from overloading if the current gets too high, and there will be a central A/V out anyway so there's no point in having multiple on at a time.

Because I am new with circuit design, what turned out to be a rather simple power supply design took me quite a while to come up with as I spent alot of time reading up on the components.

Here are the specs:
Power Input: 12v 3.7A Wii Power Supply

Power Output(s):

3.3v 2A N64 - 1

12v 1A N64 - 2

5v 1A SNES (RetroDuo)

5v 1A NES (NOAC)

The N64 requires two different voltage inputs simultaneously, one at 3.3v where most of the processing and current goes, then another at 12v, but only around 800mA. The other systems run off of 5v and 1A should be sufficient current. I have added fuses to prevent an overload. The intent is if more than one system is powered at the same time a fuse may blow. This design also assumes that the Wii will be unplugged while the Cart based systems are plugged in.

I am going to be posting this on a game console hacking board to see if I can get some feedback if this is a workable circuit and will not be too much of a fire hazard.

--Dan

Sidebar: Arcade Project from a While Ago

I decided to write a post to document one of my previous projects that had not been broadcast over the internets yet. So here it is in summary:

I found an old Arcade Cabinet by the side of the road(Some lame game I had never heard of) and decided to make something cool out of it. The end goal was a dedicated Arcade cabinet but I didn't want to spend alot of money. I have seen numerous projects where people have built MAME (computer arcade emulator) into arcade cabinets, but these tend to be costly and complex (however they can include 1000's of games). My simpler solution was to hard wire one of those plug and play TV games into the cabinet with arcade quality controls.

With this in mind picked up one of those plug and play TV games that has Ms Pacman, Galaga, Pole Position, Mappy, and Xevious. I then proceeded to order some arcade controls, a few buttons, a joystick, and some player 1/player 2 buttons.

After gutting and cleaning out the old arcade cabinet I repainted it and mounted a 19" TV inside.

The control panel came next, using 3/4 " MDF board I drilled out and installed the controls and wired in hookup wire to connect to the game board.
I dismantled the TV game and removed the original control leads to replace them with my new controls. Thankfully the manufacturer labeled the PCB so soldering the new controls was a snap. I also replaced the battery power source with a hardwired power source.
The end result is a cool arcade cabinet (now in my sons bedroom, he is the luckiest 4 year old ever). As you can tell it could still needs some finishing work (bezel to cover the monitor harness, fancy marquee on top etc...)

It was a fun project and we still play it regularly. I of course maintain the high score in Galaga, while my wife cleans up in Ms Pac-man.

--Dan