CPS2 questions

[jpj]

hi,

i got a SSFIIX A+B board, but am having trouble with the kick harness issue.

i looked through all of the cps2 related threads, and what i've gathered is that i cannot wire up three more (or six more) buttons to the jamma connector itself (like you would do with neo geo, etc).

i'm using a japanese sigma AV7000 supergun with 9000TB sticks (six-button sticks), and wired up with my jamma connector was a small white connector that i believed to be a cps2 kick harness. but now that i actually have the cps2 boards it's way too small to be that (maybe kick harness for something else, like naomi or something?).

so if i buy a cps2 kick harness, i'm gonna have to wire it up to the three kick buttons on each arcade stick directly (?). i imagine this isn't gonna be too hard as i could just drill a small hole in the back of each stick to feed the fires through, and with some cable-ties i could get it looking tidy; and when i'm not using the cps2 boards, pop the connector inside the arcade stick

but i'm also a bit confused on the wiring itself. as the six buttons inside all look to be daisy-chain grounded, will i be able to just clip a wire from the harness to each button without needing to ground them again? (if this question is a bit obtuse i can upload some pics to make it clearer)

i'dd also like to swap over the battery and fan. i've found this website for the battery:

http://cpc.farnell.com/jsp/search/produ ... KU=BT03451

but can you recommend a suitable fan replacement, and also where to find the necessary screwdriver i have a haxagonal star shapped one, but doesn't have a circular whole in the middle of the bit

anyways, all advice and input is much appreciated

[Alien Soldier]

Do you have a pic of the little harness adapter you're talking about ? There is some harness adapter arround. You don't need to mod your sticks, your supergun is most likely wired for the 6 buttons play already. I think that you just have to find the proper adapter or mod the little kick harness that you're talking about. Check out this pic, there is the harness you need. http://img49.imageshack.us/my.php?image ... 022vk9.jpg I'm sure that GP will help you find one ot these.

EDIT: about the screwdriver. I'm sure that you have some flat screwdrivers already, you just have to mod one (grind the middle a little bit to get something like this |U| and it will work just fine).

[jpj]

okay, i know where i can get a screwdriver from. and the harness attached is actually a CPS1 kick harness. is there a way to convert it to a CPS2 kick harness?

[Ganelon]

Good choice in the board! I have the US equivalent myself. You ought to play online when you have the chance.

As for a CPS1 harness-to-CPS2 board converter, this ought to do the trick:
http://cgi.ebay.com/New-Kick-Button-Har ... dZViewItem

[pcb_revival]

I have answered this over at NG.

[jpj]

ganelon: thanks for the heads up

pcb_revival: aha! i already thanked you on NG, but thanks again mate

[iatneH]

oxtsu gives a fan replacement reommendation and spadgy answers the screwdriver bit question in this thread.

I'm just going to try replacing with some plain old fan from a local shop though. I'm hoping it will be a bit quieter, anyhow.

[jpj]

thanks man. why not go for the pabst? it is (or so i have read) the quietist 60mm fan you can buy

how did you get round the security bolt by the way? just brute force it?

[PC Engine Fan X!]

thanks man. why not go for the pabst? it is (or so i have read) the quietist 60mm fan you can buy

how did you get round the security bolt by the way? just brute force it?

Just use the proper sized Torx screwdriver bit and you're good to go when opening up those CPS2 type of PCBs.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[jpj]

oh yeah, i get that you open them up with a torx screwdriver. but if the battery has *never* been changed before, it should have a metal bolt (?) that prevents you getting to the battery. i saw some people talk about drilling it out. and bloodflowers saying just break it out...!

anyone got any more info on this security bolt...?

[PC Engine Fan X!]

oh yeah, i get that you open them up with a torx screwdriver. but if the battery has *never* been changed before, it should have a metal bolt (?) that prevents you getting to the battery. i saw some people talk about drilling it out. and bloodflowers saying just break it out...!

anyone got any more info on this security bolt...?

Some fellow shmuppers say that a good hard yanking apart of both halves of Boards A & B should do the trick of breaking the CPS2 security bolt. Use your strong Popeye forearms and put them to some good use. Don't worry about the CPS2 plastic shell getting scuffed up, it's made to be quite durable. ^_~

When I got my JPN region CPS2 Mars Matrix board set, the security bolt was already removed. To keep the two boards from accidentally seperating during operation, I use a long-ass Phillps slotted screw with a screw on bolt placed through the security bolt hole to keep everything together in one piece. It works like a charm! ^_~

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[Strider77]

that security bolt isn't what holds them together, there are at least 4 screws in each corner. that security bolt is to keep you out not hold it together.

unless you or someone else has removed the the other screws AND the security bolt you have nothing to worry about it opening during use.

you aren't talking about the A and B boards coming loose are you?

[jpj]

got my screw drivers today. i'll let you know how it pans out

[Bigsasquatch]

just read this again too late... could have given you a torx bit for free...

How'd you get on with the bolt ?

A + B are held together with metal spring clips if yiou can find em....

Two halves of the PCB with torx screws and security bolt... sometimes removed , sometimes slot head.... worst case sometimes not....

BIG S

[jpj]

oh well, no worries



awesome, i figured it out.

so it's four torx screws to take out. and then it has 1 metal bolt *through* the B board. i got that off by forcing the nut loose and unscrewing, with the help of a flat-head screwdriver.

looks like mine has never been changed, which is why all the capcom stickers on it were still perfectly intact.

was worth opening it up just to give it a clean

now i gotta sort out the battery swap. anyone performed heart surgery before?

one thing: i've read a couple of slightly contrasting things about the battery, and how much time you have to do the swap. now, the battery obviously doesn't get used while the board is being powered up (which is how you can find B boards that 10+ years old with an original battery still working). but when you remove it, is it that you have approx. 1 hour to do the swap? or is it that the battery sends out a pulse of voltage once an hour, so you need a multimeter to know when to begin the procedure? (that one sounds wrong to me, but i'd like to clarify) i have heard some people say they performed the swap in 10 minutes, but their board stopped working. but i gather this might be that they made a a mistake somewhere without realising

any thoughts?

[jpj]

okay, so battery-wise, i'm ordering this one:

http://cpc.farnell.com/jsp/search/produ ... KU=BT03451

but i'm having some trouble with their ordering processes (shipping address must match your credit card address)

would this one also work:
http://uk.rs-online.com/web/search/sear ... &R=2409459

capacity is slightly less (0.95Ah as opposed to 1.2Ah) and voltage is 3.0V as opposed to 3.6V... does it need to be a 3.6V?

[Bigsasquatch]

Pulses once an hour if I remember correctly.....

I've done about a 1/2 dozen meself without problems... just recommend a desoldering pump so you don't end up with blocked holes once the battery is out.....just get everything ready , bend the legs approximately into position... desolder ......pull old one off.... slide new one in ( remembering polarity ! ) ... couple of dabs of solder and snip off the waste metal from the legs and you are done.....

Other problem is Farnell have a £20 min order limit.....If you need, I have 3 batts from Farnell, so I can sell you one as long as you cover my postage / paypal costs....

Let me know

Cheers

BIG S

[iatneH]

I just did the fan swap last night, finally.

I completely wrecked my A board. I tried to yank it apart, but ended up breaking the plastic casing really badly, put a 8" crack in the bottom shell (think ripping apart a cardboard box, but plastic instead), and the security bolt did not break; the two halves only came apart because the plastic around the top side of the A board at the security bolt completely broke apart from its surroundings.

I guess I can't sell it anymore. But hey, at least the fan is much quieter now :p

[jpj]

thanks for the offer Big S, i'll let you know

are you sure on this "pulse" business?

iatneh: can you not just remove the security bolt on the A board like how i described i did with my B board a few posts up?

so really, i should be able to have the battery out and swapped in 2 minutes? doesn't sound too daunting now

[Bigsasquatch]

I'm SURE

Have done enough boards myslef, but if you are still unsure.....

http://cps2shock.retrogames.com/suicide.html

This link takes you to the page where Razoola tells you that he has tested this theory on CPS-2 boards that stay alive for about 1 hr....

I still like to change quick though.... having done it a few times I can get the old one out and the new one in under a minute so minimising the risk......you just sweat a bit more when its a valuable board like Progear

IF you want me to sell you a brand new boxed battery then let me know as I wont be able to pack it / send it after tomorrow...

BIG S

[Bigsasquatch]

iatneh: can you not just remove the security bolt on the A board like how i described i did with my B board a few posts up?

If you are really unlucky you get the ones without a screw head so very difficult to get out.....

BIG S

[iatneH]

iatneh: can you not just remove the security bolt on the A board like how i described i did with my B board a few posts up?

If you are really unlicky you get the ones without a screw head so very difficult to get out.....

BIG S

Yup, it was a Capcom logo on one side, and nothing on the other side... But my fan is changed now and I only have one B board anyway, so I don't really care all that much.

[jpj]

I'm SURE

Have done enough boards myslef, but if you are still unsure.....

http://cps2shock.retrogames.com/suicide.html

This link takes you to the page where Razoola tells you that he has tested this theory on CPS-2 boards that stay alive for about 1 hr....

I still like to change quick though.... having done it a few times I can get the old one out and the new one in under a minute so minimising the risk......you just sweat a bit more when its a valuable board like Progear

IF you want me to sell you a brand new boxed battery then let me know as I wont be able to pack it / send it after tomorrow...

BIG S

hi again mate,

hope you don't mind me picking your brains

i'd seen that page, but it's a bit ambiguous. i thought it meant that once you have removed the battery you've got 1 hour while the charge gradually depletes (and the 1 hour would possibly be less depending on how drained the battery was). but are you saying that the battery sends a pulse around the board once an hour, and even if you changed it in ~5 minutes, you could still be unlucky? is it possible to see when that occurs with a multi-meter?

i managed to order one from farnell, despite their ordering system being quite shitty. no dice on paypal, and ordering with a credit card, they'll only deliver to the address your card is listed at - which is a bit of a headache for me as i *never* use my home address. then they cancelled my order (?), and i rang 'em up and i gather it's being sent out. if it doesn't go through, i'd happily buy one from yourself

[Bigsasquatch]

I'm SURE

Have done enough boards myslef, but if you are still unsure.....

http://cps2shock.retrogames.com/suicide.html

This link takes you to the page where Razoola tells you that he has tested this theory on CPS-2 boards that stay alive for about 1 hr....

I still like to change quick though.... having done it a few times I can get the old one out and the new one in under a minute so minimising the risk......you just sweat a bit more when its a valuable board like Progear

IF you want me to sell you a brand new boxed battery then let me know as I wont be able to pack it / send it after tomorrow...

BIG S

hi again mate,

hope you don't mind me picking your brains

i'd seen that page, but it's a bit ambiguous. i thought it meant that once you have removed the battery you've got 1 hour while the charge gradually depletes (and the 1 hour would possibly be less depending on how drained the battery was). but are you saying that the battery sends a pulse around the board once an hour, and even if you changed it in ~5 minutes, you could still be unlucky? is it possible to see when that occurs with a multi-meter?

i managed to order one from farnell, despite their ordering system being quite shitty. no dice on paypal, and ordering with a credit card, they'll only deliver to the address your card is listed at - which is a bit of a headache for me as i *never* use my home address. then they cancelled my order (?), and i rang 'em up and i gather it's being sent out. if it doesn't go through, i'd happily buy one from yourself

Yeah that cancellation thing happened to me..... but your order should be OK.......

I always worked on the pulse principal , so faster is better...just set everything up for a quick change and you should be ok... been doing this for years and I never heard of anyone killing aboard this way .. just go steady ... as I say if you get everything ready you can do the actiual swap bit in less than 30 secs, so the board is without power for a very short time......

Trust me if I'm prepared to do it on a progear board then it mus be straightforward..... Once you'bve done it once you'll wonder what all the fusss was about.....

BIG S

[MKL]

Battery sending pulses every hour (!) must be the single funniest arcade n00b bullshit I've ever heard. For the actual explanation of why the board doesn't die instantly after removing the battery, see here. In any case it's always better to use a backup battery.

[jpj]

yeeeeaaaah boooooy!

went successfully. not too tough, but if you don't have a desoldering pump, i'd recommend snipping the axials on the replacement a bit short before you go ahead.

now just gotta wire a new jamma loom, sort a kick harness, and swap my buttons out to sanwas

[Bigsasquatch]

Battery sending pulses every hour (!) must be the single funniest arcade n00b bullshit I've ever heard. For the actual explanation of why the board doesn't die instantly after removing the battery, see here. In any case it's always better to use a backup battery.

thats what I was always told abvout CPS-2... never bothered to read any further as I was able to do the swaps successfully......and I have a life....

And its also on NG.com... which sane person is going to hang out there to find it ?

BIG S