First time building fightstick

BossyBehr · April 2016

I'm planning on building a fightstick for the ps3 so I can play Street Fighter V on the ps4. This is my first fightstick and I plan on making it really cheap and upgrading the parts over time after I get used to using the controller. I was planning to buy a second hand box and drill the holes in myself and was gonna use these parts

http://www.banggood.com/Game-DIY-Arcade-Set-Kits-Replacement-Parts-USB-Encoder-to-PC-Joystick-and-Buttons-p-1039974.html?currency=USD&createTmp=1&utm_source=ebay&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=saul&utm_campaign=xiao-US&ebay

https://www.focusattack.com/ps3-pc-zero-delay-usb-encoder-pcb-japan-style-controls/

I noticed that while the first link pcb doesn't say ps3 it looks exactly the same as the the other one. I was wondering if anyone knew if they were the same and if I should buy both or only one. Also what is the best website to order higher quality parts. I'm sorry if the format for this post is wrong or I posted it in the wrong place this is my first time on this forum. Thanks for any help.

hsu · April 2016

Sanwa:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=lp_3555837011_nr_scat_165793011_ln?srs=3555837011&rh=n:165793011&ie=UTF8&qid=1461192089&scn=165793011&h=62bc04609c66e04637103d2528029c670578e194

Happ Controls:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=s9_hps_bw_clnk?sort=pmrank&node=165793011&srs=9506457011&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-2&pf_rd_r=154PGHH3QWW40N10FR92&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=0&pf_rd_i=9506457011

Ultimarc:
http://www.ultimarc.com/store/

Those are your high end arcade part suppliers. Sanwa and Happ Controls are the major arcade parts manufacturers while Ultimarc is the main manufacturer of high end interfaces and specialty parts for PCs running MAME, like spinners and rotating joysticks.

hsu · April 2016

What I personally did was to buy a quality standalone arcade joystick (a discontinued HotRod, example pictured below) and upgrade the parts, rather than trying to do it all from scratch.

Shadowfire · April 2016

I was going to suggest that as well. I used one of the SF4 fightsticks as a base and put in all Sanwa parts.

Paladin · May 2016

Will the controller work on the PS4?

You have a PS4 controller, right? You will require an actual PS4 controller with any PS3-only compatible PCBs. What you do to make it work is link the PS4 controller, plug in the fightstick, and pair them up. Here's a link describing how to do this.

Is there a difference between the PCBs on the sites?

What probably happened was Bang Good, which does not look like a site that specializes in arcade stick parts, obtained the JEY ZERO-DELAY-PCBA-JAPAN boards and neglected to write up full specs in the product description. The kit doesn't even say what the manufacturers are for the joystick and buttons. The person who put up the product probably doesn't know much about fighstick manufacturing.

That being said, there is a probablility that it is a cheap knockoff designed to look like the PCB. Because the PCB is already a low price, however, that probability is slim.

Will the PCB actually work on the PS3?

I've been burned before, but for 12 bucks, it's not a bad risk to take. HOWEVER:

Is this kit upgradeable?

If you want to upgrade the fightstick, you're going to run into some problems. See how the wires in the kit have a metal end and a plastic end? The metal end is called a quick disconnect and plugs on to the metals prongs on the buttons. The plastic end - that's where you're going to run into some trouble. The plastic end is only good for this PCB, so if you want to upgrade the PCB with something that's actually PS4 compatible with no legacy knick knacks, you'll need new wires - for the buttons, for the joystick, and for the USB cable. None of that will be compatible with other PCBs.

Furthermore, this PCB handles grounding for you. Long story short, every joystick and button and electronic you plug into a pcb needs a ground wire along with the wire that actually transmits input, otherwise charge will build up and the button or whatever will no longer work. This wire and PCB set up does this for you so you don't have to worry about it, but with other PCBs you may have to figure out grounding for yourself, using daisy chaining or whatever.

What if I want to keep this PCB? What do I have to do to make it work?

According to reviews, all you need to do is make sure you connect the mode terminal on the PCB to some button on your case. The joystick input can go, on the playstation controller, to the directional paid, the left stick, or the right stick. Mode switches between them. For legacy controllers on a PS4, SFV only likes one of them, so you need a way to toggle the mode until the joystick works. Don't forget mode.

What parts should I upgrade to?

This PCB is compatible with a Sanwa, Seimitsu, or Happ joystick, and any japanese style button (you're looking for .110" quick disconnects, which means you probably can't have happ buttons). The same people who make the joysticks also make the buttons. Happ is the american company; Sanwa and Seimitsu are the japanese companies. Sanwa and Seimitsu are both good. Your joystick and buttons are undoubtedly cheap knockoffs that are just built with the same configuration as Sanwa as far as wiring goes.

You can probably expand to Hori or Crown for your joysticks, but be careful that they work with Sanwa or Seimitsu 5 pin wiring configurations or Happ MAME wiring configuration.

Where can I buy those parts?

At some place that actually cares about this stuff. Focus Attack is one of those places, but I've heard through the grape vine they're the Chik-Fil-A of arcade parts sellers. If you want a more reputable company, Paradise Arcade Shop is pretty nice, and they have more stuff in stock at any point.

The case! I need a case, don't I???

The case competes for the PCB as the most expensive part of your fightstick. You're using a secondhand case, right?

WORD OF WARNING:

You will NOT be able to use ANY JAPANESE parts and therefore THIS PCB if your top panel is > 8mm thick! And if it is 8mm thick and made of wood, you will need entirely different japanese buttons (one that screw on instead of snap in) and you will need to worry about how you're going to mount the joystick, which will require complex woodworking. Slagcoin has you covered; unfortunately it's very complicated.

Are you prepared to do this kind of job?

Japanese buttons require 30mm or 24mm holes, depending on the button you get. The ones in the kit are 30mm AND SNAP IN, MEANING YOU CANNOT USE THEM WITH A WOOD PANEL.

But ... I just wanted to drill some holes ... what do I do now?

None of the doom and gloom above applies if your secondhand arcade stick has a METAL or PLEXIGLASS/ACRYLIC panel, and that panel has to be about 1/8" thick, or 3mm. You can actually go between 2-4mm and it'll be fine. I can't find any custom panels you can just screw onto any old thing, but Tek Innovations sells a Plexi Replacement Panel that's as good as the metal panels that come in legit arcade sticks. There's nothing stopping you from screwing one of these plexi panels that are supposed to be for MadCatz and Hori sticks onto ... really anything with a big enough hole in it. You can screw the panel right onto your desk and turn your desk into a controller. Or your second hand box. Or you can buy one of their $50 ready to go boxes if you've given up on that second hand box.

Bottom line is ... what does your second hand box actually look like?

Your PCB and components woes will be easy to fix, and cheap to get working initially. The box will very much determine how much work you need to put in the fightstick.

acidlacedpenguin · May 2016

Just curious what "Focus Attack is the Chick-Fil-A of Arcade Parts stores" even means, and what makes them that?

dav3yb · May 2016

acidlacedpenguin wrote: »

Just curious what "Focus Attack is the Chick-Fil-A of Arcade Parts stores" even means, and what makes them that?

Maybe they're closed on Sundays?

Penny Arcade

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