Booting RPI 4b from arcade button
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Hello there,
I’m trying to boot my Raspberry Pi 4b from an arcade button however in every video I watch regarding this their button seems to have only 2 pins but mine has 3. I was wondering what gpio pins to plug the 3 pin socket and would any of the steps be different. -
@Mak107 Nearly all Microswitches I know of have three pins, one is C (common) and the other two are different modes of operation: NC and NO (normal open/normal closed) - meaning that on NO the button press is shortening the circuit and on NC it is disrupting it. Edit: Even if you have Arcade Buttons with build in switches, and not attached ones, I would assume their mode of operation to be the same -> either look out for the descriptors besides the contacts, or verify it with the schematics provided (webside seller/manufacturer/etc.) for the buttons.
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@Ashpool but my question is what gpio pins should I use and would any other steps would be different. I am referring to this video
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It's explained and shown in the video at 0:39 - GPIO 3 and 6 (GND).
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@mitu I have the same button but mine has a 3 pin socket
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@Mak107 So use just 2 of them, you don't need the 3rd.
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@Mak107 make sure you're using C and NO...
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@Ashpool what do you mean c and no
The wire I split in 3, one has a long dash the other a shorter one and the last has has dot which two should I plug in -
@Mak107 Ok, so far I've assumed a simple button with "traditional" contacts (as mentioned in my previous post), but what you are saying now sounds more like a pre-wired button... and there we need more info about 'em to say anything useful about it. Maybe it is something alike to the button mentioned in this post Which Ultimarc board for arcade buttons with 3-wire plugs?? But as you haven't mentioned anything about LEDs, maybe not.
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@Ashpool here is a link for what buttons I purchased https://amzn.eu/d/3KdOwGH I can’t provide an image as it says the image size is too large
Hope it helps
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@Mak107 Ok, seem to be the ones, or similar ones, they are talking about in my linked thread over at the arcadecontrols forum. Sorry, I have no experience with those and can only summarize the basic part for the button -> those three wires replace/are a shortcut to the conservative form of wiring a lighted button: Instead of having microswitch + and GND and LED/Bulb + and GND each with its own wire, they are using the same GND for both (switch and bulb).
And here I have to pass, in the linked thread the markings (dash/short dash/dot) and their possible meaning are somewhat mentioned/identified, but I won't cite what I am reading/interpreting there, as I don't want to say something that eventually may wreck your Pi... As Mitu said,
in theoryyou could simply use two of the wires. In this case the + (switch) and GND wire and leave out the + LED one (should be safe, but again: I don't know which ones are those) or maybe the LED one could go to any +5V GPIO (but as those are always providing a current, even if the raspberry is Off, that would mean the LED of the button is always on (?), also I am not sure if this would eventually be shortening different potentials).My personal advice would be, if you don't have a reason of using that button, besides that you are not needing it on the Controller-PCBs and have it as a spare part, get a simple unlit button (be it arcade style or any simple round/square push button of smaller size) and use that one instead.
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The three wired buttons are strange...
https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/YKcAAOSw5wli4NJJ/s-l1600.jpg
Others have evaluated these chinese knock-offs more closely:
The wiring harness is only compatible with the buttons and joysticks that china provides (but that does not stop anyone with a soldering iron!)
Full article here.
TL;DR: Reverse-engineer the button or get a new pushbutton.
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