Okay, this is it.. all of the information that you'll need on how to make your own Quad Jamma Connector. I'm going to supply a schematic for ONE section of the double sided board, all you have to do to make it Quad is copy it 4 times.. There is nothing at all difficult with this. (Well, as long as you know how to etch a PC board)

I get bigger

I'm not really going to go into how to etch and actual board. I'll let you guys figure that out. We spent hours trying to find the right size to get the jamma connector pins to line up with our printouts. Then we printed to a transparency and used a photo reactive chemical on the board before using the etching solution. If you could follow everything I just said.. you should have no problem. :) There are a ton of different ways to do it. Just pick one.

All Layers

Bottom Layer

Top Layer

Diodes

Okay.. Going into these schematics is going to take forever. To be perfectly honest with you I really don't feel like typing too much tonight (since I just spend enough time making the schematics). Okay, everything you see that has a Diode attached to it is a swtich. (i.e. Joystick, coin counter, etc.) Everything else has to be switched, with a printer switch. (I'll get to that later) Okay. all of the traces across the top and bottom just run to the edge of the board. Hole are drilled in the top of the board and the wires are solidered on the bottom. When you're done it should look like so.. All of the Diodes that you use should be made from germanium. This is to insure that you don't loose too much voltage across the 84 diodes that you'll have to solider in place.. One.. By.. One.. :) Also, unless you change the design, the leads from the diodes cross over the GROUND trace on the board. It's a good idea to put a small piece of plastic under the leads.. See? The 14 pots in the middle of the top layer (the ones not filled with diodes) are for video signals (R,B,G, Sync, Ground), Speakers, and POWER! All of these wire come off the board and go to the switch. This is your worst nightmare come true. It's a 4 way printer switch. Buy one, take it apart, and figure it out. I don't remember what went where. Remind yourself that this thing was made almost 2 years ago. And my memory isn't that good. the 4 JAMMA connectors are standard solider terminal edge connectors from Happ Controls (model number 49-001-00). I know I pimp this place more than a 20 dollar hooker, but they just have EVERYTHING. (and no, I don't work there) I don't have much else to say, I know you probably still have a ton of questions.. I just don't feel like typing anymore.. :) But, PLEASE, feel free to ask me anything you want. Just gimme your questions, and I'll be sure to give you a response and post it on this page for others to read. ;) I knew it was going to happen eventually.. Someone finally asked about the switch. Here it is. From: "Derek Bowes" <derekbo@xxxxxxx.com> To: niobium@arcadezone.org Subject: Quad Jamma Question I'd like more info on how you wired the switcher. Derek http://www.arcadetalk.com Here is the easiest way I can describe it.. Go to a computer store. Buy a 4 way Manual printer switch. Go to radio shack. Buy 5 male DB25 connectors. And wire each of the jamma connecters up to the db25 connectors. Remember not to wire up anything used for a joystick or a button. You should have plenty of pins. Use 2 (or more) pins for each power (+5 -5 and +12.), you may want to put some heat shrink tubing over the soldered power pins, just to be sure that they don't short (that would be bad)! Remember to put the tubing on the wire before you solder (I forget that step all the time)! Also leave out the pin for the lockout coil if you want. Take the last of the DB25 Connectors and wire that up for your output to the monitor and speakers and such, also remember that on the last connector you will have the power IN to that one. Everything is output except for the power. And there you have it. Simple as that. On my quad jamma I took the switch out of the switch box and pinned out each of the 125 some pins on the switch and solidered directly to it. While it makes for better connectivity, it is a pain in the ass to do and if you ever have to replace something it makes it that much harder. Oh and here are a few more pictures for no apparent reason

the front

the back

If there is anything that you feel I left out, let me know. I'm not perfect, nor do I claim to be. When in doubt, ask for a second opinion. Please be careful when working with any kind of electricity.

Got any useful ideas or tricks that you'd like to share?
niobium@arcadezone.org