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PS2 Guncon2 PCB to Original Namco Arcade Gun mod


mR_CaESaR

Question

Has anyone here by any chance modded their Namco arcade gun to work with a guncon2 for ps2?

 

I would love a time crisis cab or a point blank cab, but unfortunately, I just don't have the room or can afford one at present.

 

The next best thing is to mod my astro city to play ps2 namco light gun games!

 

Enter my inspiration

 

 

I'm now in the process of trying to begin this mode, but before I worry about the solenoid, first things first is to "convert" the Namco gun for the PS2 using the gcon2 pcb!

 

Looking at the video, it seems pretty "easy" in terms of wiring up the +5v, GND, optical line and trigger line and the gcon2 works with the "namco" optical component without any "mods"

 

Sourced out a gcon2

 

http://i.imgur.com/72j6Ecpl.jpg

 

Taking it apart is pretty self explanatory and I ended up with the main PCB

 

http://i.imgur.com/a5UeRz2l.jpg

 

Using the trusty multi meter, I found what I believe to be the trigger wire

 

http://i.imgur.com/SjiYQsul.jpg

 

The GND and +5v

 

http://i.imgur.com/yZ0h6Wwl.jpg

 

And what I believe is the Optical line

 

http://i.imgur.com/JmYSqcIl.jpg

 

Note, I have removed the optical sensor from the PCB

 

http://i.imgur.com/Gq10s7Zl.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/aSuj0jXl.jpg

 

I connected the following:

 

  • +5v from the gcon2 pcb to the +5v line of the namco gun (goes to the optical sensor - red)
  • GND from the gcon2 pcb to the GND line of the namco gun (goes to the trigger micro switch and optical sensor - black)
  • Optical sensor line from the gcon2 pcb to the Optical sensor line of the namco gun (white)
  • Trigger line from the gcon2 to the trigger line of the namco gun (blue)

 

I'm not sure if there's anything else that I've missed, but for the life of me, I can't work out why the namco gun doesn't work. The video appears to show it should work seamlessly but when I try and calibrate the Namco gun on the PS2 (gcon2 calibration screen), nothing registers.

 

The PS2 definitely recognises the gcon2 and it did work prior to removing the shell and sensor.

 

I'm hoping someone on here has previously done this type of mod or is very familiar with the gcon.

 

Any ideas or suggestions?

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Guys i"m trying to find out if it's possible to connect my PS2 to my sega blast city crt monitor (Makvision Wei-Ya M2929D4G-TS). The monitor only have VGA. I've tried a converter and during the calibration screen when i get lucky and it sees the gun the crosshair starts going all over the screen. I don't know if this is the converter or maybe my gun is messed up. Any help would be appreciated.
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Guys i"m trying to find out if it's possible to connect my PS2 to my sega blast city crt monitor (Makvision Wei-Ya M2929D4G-TS). The monitor only have VGA. I've tried a converter and during the calibration screen when i get lucky and it sees the gun the crosshair starts going all over the screen. I don't know if this is the converter or maybe my gun is messed up. Any help would be appreciated.

 

I wouldn't assume it's a horizontal refresh rate issue. Even if the Guncon 2 looks for 15 kHz whereas your monitor has 31 kHz, there are ways to use the Guncon 2 on the PC... so I am puzzled that it did not work for you. Is the screen possibly a 100 Hz (rather than 50/60 Hz) screen?

 

EDIT:

How do you feed in the composite sync? Do you simply grab the sync as is? You will need to use a stripper circuit.

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I wouldn't assume it's a horizontal refresh rate issue. Even if the Guncon 2 looks for 15 kHz whereas your monitor has 31 kHz, there are ways to use the Guncon 2 on the PC... so I am puzzled that it did not work for you. Is the screen possibly a 100 Hz (rather than 50/60 Hz) screen?

 

EDIT:

How do you feed in the composite sync? Do you simply grab the sync as is? You will need to use a stripper circuit.

 

I don't believe it's a 100 Hz monitor. On the sticker of my monitor it says Hori. 30-40KHz/Vert. 47-90 Hz. Here's a link to my monitor...http://www.weiya.com.tw/products_detail.asp?le=english&fid=72&pid=80&tCatName=

 

I feed the composite sync through this converter. Would i need a stripper circuit when using this converter? And I'm not really sure what a stripper circuit is?

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074M38P1H/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

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I don't believe it's a 100 Hz monitor. On the sticker of my monitor it says Hori. 30-40KHz/Vert. 47-90 Hz. Here's a link to my monitor...http://www.weiya.com.tw/products_detail.asp?le=english&fid=72&pid=80&tCatName=

 

I feed the composite sync through this converter. Would i need a stripper circuit when using this converter? And I'm not really sure what a stripper circuit is?

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074M38P1H/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

Aw, being 31 kHz isn't helpful for sure...

 

Are you sure you are using this very converter? It doesn't output composite video. Thus the RCA plug you put in your Gcon2 won't grab any composite sync from it. A stripper would isolate composite sync from Luma or composite video, or green at sync on green cases. The stripper is just interesting, if you got a nasty source. Feeding either of the three should do the job fine. I meant to say "combination circuit". You would have to recombine H and V sync when using VGA to get composite sync. Here is a schematic:

https://web.archive.org/web/20050508232351/lightgun.splinder.com/archive/2005-04

 

EDIT:

Are this screen freshly built today or new old stock from storage?

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Aw, being 31 kHz isn't helpful for sure...

 

Are you sure you are using this very converter? It doesn't output composite video. Thus the RCA plug you put in your Gcon2 won't grab any composite sync from it. A stripper would isolate composite sync from Luma or composite video, or green at sync on green cases. The stripper is just interesting, if you got a nasty source. Feeding either of the three should do the job fine. I meant to say "combination circuit". You would have to recombine H and V sync when using VGA to get composite sync. Here is a schematic:

https://web.archive.org/web/20050508232351/lightgun.splinder.com/archive/2005-04

 

EDIT:

Are this screen freshly built today or new old stock from storage?

 

Yeah that's the converter I'm using, will it not work with my setup? Or can i just combine H and V Sync on the converter to get composite sync? Sorry i'm just trying to understand. Is there another converter/PCB that i can use that will work for my setup?

 

 

The screen came with my sega blast city which i got about 7 or 8 years ago, so I'm not sure if that would be NOS or freshly built.

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Yeah that's the converter I'm using, will it not work with my setup?

 

No, it will not work on your setup. The yellow RCA socket on it is a video input, which takes video and turns it to pseudo VGA. You need to put your Gcon2 into an video output which transmits video for displays such as monitors.

 

Or can i just combine H and V Sync on the converter to get composite sync?

I think the design is around 2008-ish. That means lots of SMD stuff, which is a bitch to solder for beginners.

"When" do you need the c-sync from VGA thingy? I am going to build some in mid 2019 for myself. Possibly I end up with a spare unit.

 

Is there another converter/PCB that i can use that will work for my setup?

I suggest give it a shot and try the opposite of your device. They are called "VGA to composite and s-video converter" and look basically the same. I have such units, they do exist. I don't know though whether it will do the trick for you.

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No, it will not work on your setup. The yellow RCA socket on it is a video input, which takes video and turns it to pseudo VGA. You need to put your Gcon2 into an video output which transmits video for displays such as monitors.

 

 

I think the design is around 2008-ish. That means lots of SMD stuff, which is a bitch to solder for beginners.

"When" do you need the c-sync from VGA thingy? I am going to build some in mid 2019 for myself. Possibly I end up with a spare unit.

 

 

I suggest give it a shot and try the opposite of your device. They are called "VGA to composite and s-video converter" and look basically the same. I have such units, they do exist. I don't know though whether it will do the trick for you.

 

I was planning to use this setup now as i don't really have any old crt TV's. If i don't get anywhere and you remember i wouldn't mind buying a spare if you end up with one.

 

I tried the opposite, but did not work.

 

What about this...?

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B076J5BKTH/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

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How do you connect the c-sync input for the gun?

 

If you used a dongle like this one

https://www.google.ch/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwjN7ND2itrfAhURmrQKHR99ACIQjRx6BAgBEAU&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.racketboy.com%2Fforum%2Fviewtopic.php%3Ft%3D16397&psig=AOvVaw1Xi8qNKH9ToMHGUE565bUG&ust=1546896032143542

 

Or one of the fancy retro gaming dot co do uk cables with composite break out, you could presumably use any converter (yes, even the first one you have shown me), given that your gun doesn't fall out of sync after the conversion.

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I use the yellow T-cable that came with the Gcon2. So T-cable to converter box then the yellow video cable from PS2 gets plugged into the T-cable. On the other end of the T-cable the Gcon2 gets plugged in.

 

What about this dongle, will it work also?

 

https://www.amazon.com/TIime-Crisis-AV-Adaptor-PlayStation-2/dp/B00002SVVW/ref=pd_sbs_63_1?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00002SVVW&pd_rd_r=674f74e3-128d-11e9-a4c8-6d00f15d6451&pd_rd_w=pPYlN&pd_rd_wg=hej5Y&pf_rd_p=7d5d9c3c-5e01-44ac-97fd-261afd40b865&pf_rd_r=AC6SG201XP8Y3KGBV0SE&psc=1&refRID=AC6SG201XP8Y3KGBV0SE#customerReviews

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I use the yellow T-cable that came with the Gcon2. So T-cable to converter box then the yellow video cable from PS2 gets plugged into the T-cable. On the other end of the T-cable the Gcon2 gets plugged in.

 

Your wiring makes sense. That would work. I assume the problem is really the 15 kHz the gun is seeing from the composite video reference feed, versus the 31 kHz the light sensor picks up. It seems you need the combination board.

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Back on topic :)

 

I managed to get single shot working, but there's still some wiring issue as the solenoid is not disengaging when the trigger is held, it stays engaged.

 

Rapid fire seems to work perfectly fine.

 

 

Sent from my SM-N950F using Tapatalk

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Back on topic :)

 

I managed to get single shot working, but there's still some wiring issue as the solenoid is not disengaging when the trigger is held, it stays engaged.

 

Rapid fire seems to work perfectly fine.

 

Aw, that's all sorts of lovely!! Have you spotted a new error/problem which allowed you to reach this state?

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Aw, that's all sorts of lovely!! Have you spotted a new error/problem which allowed you to reach this state?
I don't know yet lol..

 

I've assembled it, I turned the single shot pot up (reason it wasn't firing before was it was turned down).

 

I think my wiring from syntax is different (the switch) which is probably the reason it's not working. I give it a few more attempts and wire it up like syntax's and see what's the issue.

 

I couldn't even get rapid fire to work when I first wired it up like Syntax (the switch)

 

Sent from my SM-N950F using Tapatalk

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It's hasn't actually been tested to be working.. I've confirmed the solenoid works and I just assumed everything else worked...

 

I'll test for continuity tomorrow..

 

I connect using the original 6 pin plug.. I purchased some from RS Components

 

de027e4cf465b6b223fb2adf0901568e.jpg

 

Sent from my SM-N950F using Tapatalk

 

Can you link me to these 6 pin plug you got from RS Components? I looked but could not find them. Thanks!

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Can you link me to these 6 pin plug you got from RS Components? I looked but could not find them. Thanks!

 

Here you go, sorry it took a while, the invoicing of RS Components are not the easiest to identify :)

 

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No worries mate, i appreciate this info.

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I am interested. I'll watch your video

 

 

Cool. If you don't want to print I could send you a unit. I would send you the bare board with the NOR chip already soldered on to (this one is a bitch to solder) and a white jumper wire (which isn't needed anymore on the boards that will result from printing my file, but I forgot one trace on the five boards I have at home).

 

Please be aware of two major drawbacks:

- SSR are crazy expensive. About 20 USD a piece. But totally worth it =) Used them for many designs.

- If the auto mode is set to terribly slow, chances are, that no force feedback occurs. To me this is no concern, as I am way over the threshold for both: laser and solenoid.

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So basically I would to have all the console crt light guns with top notch arcade switches and solenoids for feedback. But I'm not really sure how realistic that is or viable at this stage.

 

I have 12 guns at the moment and the cab isn't even built. So I think I might let you all develop further and keep in the loop until I'm ready.

 

Sent from my HTC 2PZF1 using Tapatalk

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