Pi in a Sega Genesis USB Hub Build

meyemind

@cyperghost Ya, nice one, if the soft on/off action is what your looking for. After a few quick searches on pi3 soft on/off... it pretty much returned a page with your link and this simple soft on/off one.

Looks like it's a custom board that unless you can find someone else who created an alternative soft on/off option for cheaper w/ $hipping, then that Advanced On/Off Board is your best bet. Keep us posted.

obsidianspider

@meyemind said in Pi in a Sega Genesis USB Hub Build:

@cyperghost I'm not sure how @obsidianspider was going to fold in the mausberry

With the 2-pin spring header board as a separate piece, I'm planning to have it sit next to the Pi board and connect the Mausberry via wires, not a plug. The Mausberry hasn't arrived yet, but once it does, don't worry, I'll post pictures of how it does, or doesn't work. Since I'm still looking for a power switch I may use a simple light switch flopping around on the outside of the case temporarily to control the Mauseberry.

cyperghost

@obsidianspider Yes I think the mausberry (spring version) is the best option. The board from petroblock seems to be a bigger in size ....

But the costs are high....
17$ + 5$ shipping is okay for mausberry
22$ + 5$ shipping for petroblock is okay :)
10$ + 20$ shipping for othermod is great (without shipping)

But how the circuits work?

The othermod seems to use the TX pin of the UART interface, one GPIO Pin and use python scripts.
petro function I can't explain :)
The Mausberry uses two GPIOs and a batch script.
Can someone tell me which one better, faster, more relieable?
What switches are needed for each? Momentary switches or just push buttons?

Or am I wrong?

moosepr

@obsidianspider couldn't you use a microswitch like the inside of an arcade joystick?

http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/182057484715

Maybe if you can position it so the actual sliding switch hits the lever?

obsidianspider

@moosepr Not a terrible idea, but I wonder how well it will stay in position. Since it's acting as a power switch I don't want it to flop around.

moosepr

@obsidianspider good point, is there any resistance on the switch? does it click into the on/off positions?

moosepr

@obsidianspider ignore my random chicken scratch if it makes no sense

scribblez

hansolo77

I just got my tracking number from shirtpunch. It's on the way!

meyemind

@cyperghost This looks like it could be a winner no? I'm going to try and gut and use this thing...

Headset Audio Controller for PS4 DualShock Controller w/ Volume Slider
via Amazon dot com ~> http://a.co/cDFUJsV
Note: Cropped Photo NOT to scale :)

cyperghost

@meyemind I am not sure how this device operates.To be honest how much times do you change volume settings? I think my first idea with incremental volume change by 2 push buttons fits best.

You can also set a variable resistor and a capacitator to record time of dischargement ... And then set volume in depence oft dischargment time but this is oversized and the system is not stable to enviroment influence.

meyemind

@cyperghost I hear ya and your right, but the slider is there, and it can control the volume when hooked up to your TV and when you have headphones jacked in, I still think it's worth it. ;)

cyperghost

@meyemind ;) But keep in mind that this devices can only control analog signal and you can just use a slider resistor (afaik how the device works)
For me I see three possibilities

Use an AD changer, connect to I2C-Bus and then read out slider resistor value, poll this and use amixer command to lower and raise volume
Use to push buttons, connect to free digital GPIO, poll the GPIO status and use amixer :)
Use RC build and read out time capacitator keeps GPIO powered and then set volume via amixer

The number gives also my favourite order to do the volume control :) I think this topic will give very interesting builds - keep prepared :)

hansolo77

@obsidianspider - Do you use a wireless Xbox 360 controller (and dongle of course) by chance? I'd be curious to know if the hub is capable of feeding enough power to run that. A recent post in the xbox-360-controller thread has me thinking about this. Based on observations and a bit of thinking of my own, it looks like the hub isn't powered, and only gets it's juice through the USB. If that's the case, it might not be powerful enough to control some gamepads. Granted, I don't intend on having anything more than some USB Sega controllers. But for testing/etc, I prefer to use my trusty 360 controller.

Am I correct though, that essentially you're running USB power from the wall into the Pi (via the Mausberry) and then connecting the hub to the Pi? Or are you planning on going the other way, powering the HUB, and then the Pi from the hub? I guess it doesn't really matter, although going from the HUB to the Pi would remove the ability to use one of the "front of the case" USB ports.

If you are powering directly to the Pi first, will that cause any extra drain that would make the hub any less powered? If it does, can you do any sort of splitting, and have the 1 power coming in go off into the Pi and the hub simultaneously? Or is that just crazy talk? :) LOL.

obsidianspider

@hansolo77 I've never used an Xbox 360 controller with a Pi project (or ever, wow, I just realized I've never played an Xbox, weird), but if you go back to how I powered the USB hub you'll see that I tagged GPIO for its power instead of the USB port power on the Pi. The reason I did that is that it's my understanding that the 5V GPIO pins get the full power from the power supply, and are not limited to 500mA like the standard USB ports. That said, I can't think that a wireless dongle takes THAT much power, but what I would do to test is try plugging the whole USB hub into the Pi before you take it apart, make sure that it works, then try plugging in your Xbox dongle into the hub and see if that works. It should. If you have power problems, you may need to hot rod the hub like I did to pull in more power.

hansolo77

That makes sense. I did actually go back and re-read your methods shortly after I posted the question. But I like your idea of testing first. I would have gone and cut stuff and soldered stuff before even testing, assuming it works because that's what you did. So thanks for that suggestion!

According to UPS, my hub is in town, so I might get it today. I don't have a Pi yet, going to have to wait on that. But I'm getting a better idea of what I'm going to be doing.

Oh hey another quick question. I took your advice and swung by the Harbor Freight store earlier this week. I found some files, but I'm not sure if it would be worth the investment so I passed for the time being. They had the ones I remember seeing in shop class in school, nice and heavy, 1 inch thick stuff. Then I saw some pouches with an assortment of really small (I think they were called) needle files. There were cheap ones, then some more expensive ones that have a plastic grip, then some even more expensive ones that just look like glitter (diamond). I wasn't sure if that's what you were talking about. I took one of the files out and felt the serrations, I wasn't impressed. There didn't seem to be much to them, compared to the heavy duty shop class type. Is that the right thing? I ran over to Home Depot after leaving them to see if they had anything. They only had the big shop class types. So I assume the ones I found in the little plastic bags at Harbor Freight is the right ones. Any suggestions?

obsidianspider

@hansolo77 There's not a whole lot to a file. You don't want a real coarse one since you'll be working on soft plastic. I'd suggest picking up a cheap one and practicing on some soft scrap plastic. I know you want to get this right, but don't over think the file itself. Practicing on junk plastic will teach you a lot.

This is the file I used on my Super Famicom game with the screen in it and the Genesis hub. I don't even remember when I got it. It has to be 15 years old at least. (The green isn't a brand or anything, I just mark my tools with green electrical tape.)

hansolo77

So you think something like this isn't exactly what I need?
http://www.harborfreight.com/12-piece-precision-needle-file-set-4614.html
I should look more for something like these?
http://www.harborfreight.com/8-inch-flat-file-96626.html
http://www.harborfreight.com/8-inch-tapered-file-96627.html

obsidianspider

@hansolo77 If it were me, I'd get all three of those, because they're cheap, and you can never have too many tools. That said, I did mine with a flat file, so you don't need a fancy set, but it could be helpful in certain situations with weird corners and stuff. I already have a half-round files, but now that I know it exists I may pick up that 12-piece set the next time I'm near the Harbor Freight by my house. :)

hansolo77

Those needle ones are cheap (in price and quality). I mean, they're like the diameter of pencils, and not the fat ones you use in Kindergarten. When I took one out to feel it, etc, it was like I could snap it in half easily. I think I'll probably get the bigger ones. But before I do that, I might check out the toolbox in the basement. My dad my actually have a file in there.

edmaul69

@hansolo77 the needle ones are what you really want. I have sets of the diamond and the regular files. You need those to do fine detail for small cuts. I recommend getting some. I bought my sets from ebay for cheap. But i have no regrets. Ever. If you only get one set get the ones without the diamond dust so you can do fine detail.