Conversion of a japanese Taito cocktail (Frogger) to 48-in-1 multigame - done for now

[skaar]

Updated July 30 / 08

Well, I got the buttons wired in both sides, and the test button running through an old reset switch I tore out of a PC case. Still messing around with the menus on the 48 in 1 board to get freeplay and everything working the way I want it to - but for now, we're a go!

So on the locks front... what are my options for getting into these things? There's a few bucks in change in the coin drawer and the top is permanently unlocked. I'd like to get it functional again and maybe put it in the rec room of my condo building for people to play on - we've got a pool table in there and I think this would fit in there nicely. Am I drilling locks and replacing them, or does someone have a better idea?

Thanks!

*******************
Another update - does anyone have ANY idea how to get the locks open on this guy? The top flips open but I have no keys for it. I'm trying to figure out how to get into the control panel and figure out a way to wire up the buttons. Just one button to start, but I'll get a few new ones and sticks if I can figure out how to get in there.

Am I going to be drilling locks?

Any links to documentation/service manuals would be very appreciated. I have a Neo 25 Candy cabinet I'll be ordering new sticks and buttons for so I'll probably just get a big order together.

Updated - I purchased myself one of these - http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=007&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWN%3AIT&viewitem=&item=170066769046&rd=1&rd=1
... and wanted to plug it into one of these... http://www.arcademvs.com/pcb/PCB_48_1.htm - any thoughts on if this is a good/bad idea? I haven't bought the vertical board yet, and my cabinet appears to have a single button wired into each side (from the looks of the game list on that board I'd have to add one more to each side)

Will this go boom?

--------------- ORIGINAL POST -------------

So I just got myself a new Frogger bartop machine. As far as I can tell it's the original cabinet. I know they're not very rare, but I do like these style of machines. It may not look like it, but the screen is in awesome condition - I was very impressed. I'm looking for suggestions as to what I should do with this cabinet.

It has controls on either side and flips for 2 player mode. There is a single button installed on either side but Frogger doesn't use a button. From speaking to people about it and looking around it seems that games using the old Konami vertical connector are my best bet. Ideally I'd want to have 1943 for this cabinet - that was always my favourite shooter and I think it would be perfect for this machine.

The immediate problem is the bloody sound doesn't work - I do get noise from the speaker but it's just a hum - no trace of gameplay sound or music. Any suggestions?

http://www.upsf.net/images/frogger/frogger_cabinet_001.JPG

http://www.upsf.net/images/frogger/frogger_cabinet_002.JPG

http://www.upsf.net/images/frogger/frogger_cabinet_003.JPG

http://www.upsf.net/images/frogger/frogger_cabinet_005.JPG

http://www.upsf.net/images/frogger/frogger_cabinet_006.JPG

http://www.upsf.net/images/frogger/frogger_cabinet_009.JPG

http://www.upsf.net/images/frogger/frogger_cabinet_010.JPG

[JohnnyA]

This is a cocktail machine, not a bartop. A bartop machine sits on top of a bar. You can put cocktails on a cocktail machine. The reason it has a button is because it's probably a generic cocktail cab. Mine is like that. The owner would just periodically swap boards in it when a game got stale. If the game used the button, great. If it didn't, then it doesn't hurt having it there. As far as the sound is concerned, I can't be of much help. I would check to make sure the speaker works, the wires to the speaker aren't bad, the pins going to the wires going to the speakers aren't bad. The volume potentiometer might be bad. I don't know much about Frogger, but it might have needed an amp or a separate sound board. My Ladybug machine has a bootleg board in it whose sound section isn't even populated, which is the reason why I wasn't getting any sound. Maybe yours is similar. Too many different reasons. The easiest way to test would be to swap the board out with something different. I would love to help with your choice of games to put in here, but I don't know anything about Frogger, so I don't know if Konami classic would be compatible. Good luck though.

[skaar]

http://www.upsf.net/images/frogger/frogger_cabinet_008.JPG

It seemed like it was an original based on the pictures I saw on KLOV, but I wasn't 100% sure.

I will check the speakers once I get a chance to start taking things apart a bit more. If I can get my arcade friend over to look at it all the better.

[skaar]

Actually I do get sound - I just don't get gameplay sound. I can turn the volume up higher and get a louder hum, but nothing seems to be coming from the board itself.

[diskoboy]

This is a cocktail machine, not a bartop. A bartop machine sits on top of a bar. You can put cocktails on a cocktail machine. The reason it has a button is because it's probably a generic cocktail cab. Mine is like that. The owner would just periodically swap boards in it when a game got stale. If the game used the button, great. If it didn't, then it doesn't hurt having it there. As far as the sound is concerned, I can't be of much help. I would check to make sure the speaker works, the wires to the speaker aren't bad, the pins going to the wires going to the speakers aren't bad. The volume potentiometer might be bad. I don't know much about Frogger, but it might have needed an amp or a separate sound board. My Ladybug machine has a bootleg board in it whose sound section isn't even populated, which is the reason why I wasn't getting any sound. Maybe yours is similar. Too many different reasons. The easiest way to test would be to swap the board out with something different. I would love to help with your choice of games to put in here, but I don't know anything about Frogger, so I don't know if Konami classic would be compatible. Good luck though.

Actually, that may well be an authentic Japanese Frogger cocktail. Konami did Frogger in Japan, so look for 'Konami', in writing, anywhere on the mobo or inside the cabinet, itself.

Reguardless, Frogger is always a good find. :)

[Arcade Antics]

Actually, that may well be an authentic Japanese Frogger cocktail.

Probably not, the table is a Taito model.

[skaar]

Bump to the top - new question!

[Flack]

As is, it will go boom. The original Frogger is not JAMMA -- that 48-in-1 board is. That new board will not plug into the Konami harness.

Best case scenario, you'll need to find a Konami to JAMMA adapter. A quick Google search turned a lot of the opposite of what you need (Konami board into a JAMMA cabinet). You need the opposite, JAMMA board into a Konami cabinet.

Medium case scenario, you'll need to make a Konami to JAMMA adapter. Shouldn't be too hard, you'll just need a blank adapter, some solder, the pin outs (available on the web) , and an hour or two of free time.

Worse case scenario, you'll need to gank the wiring harness out of the cabinet and replace it with a JAMMA harness. Kind of overkill, but it would work.

[skaar]

I did get a converter (link at the top) but was concerned about power/buttons... if I can plug the board into the converter and turn it on - yay!

[Flack]

I'd probably double-check the voltage from the power supply before plugging a brand new board into it.

[skaar]

Well, maybe if I can dig up a garbage vertical jamma game to test with... but really... I dunno.

I figure I'll probably end up crossing my fingers and going for it. I did get ahold of a local arcade machine tech here in town who's got something like 50 machines... maybe I'll see if I can hire him for some assistance.

[skaar]

Update waaaaay later - I just got my 48-in-1 board and tried it out with a PC power supply and VGA out - worked great. Going to try this when I get home with my JAMMA > Konami converter (if I can find it!) and see what happens....

[skaar]

Update tonight... it works! I plugged it into the converter (for JAMMA > Konami) and plugged in the board, set to CGA and plugged the cabinet in.

SWEET! Flipping works too between player 1 and player 2.

But there are a few problems...

The buttons don't work!

There's a single button on the player 1 side and another on player 2's side. It does nothing. A lot of the games don't need a fire button (Pacman, Frogger) but Donkey Kong really sucks if you can't jump ;)

I'm off camping this weekend so this will need to wait until I get back and start playing around with the wires. But in the meantime I'm REALLY happy this puppy worked so easily.

And sound works! But I have no volume control and it's 11PM (I live in a condo) so I'll be shutting her down for awhile.

[skaar]

Bump for new question.

Also found this!

http://ionpool.net/arcade/pinouts/Frogger.txt

[skaar]

Grab a multi-meter w/ a continuity feature and check the wiring between the button(s) in question and the edge connector and see what pins they're on. Also make sure the buttons actually work :)

And that's exactly what we did. We traced the connection back through the adapter board to the appropriate pin on the konami harness. My main thought through this whole process is that I didn't want to do anything that would damage the original connection - I'd like to be able to put frogger back in without rewiring anything at some point!

Though since Frogger is on the 48-in-1 and my sound is damaged on my original board, I may never bother!

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

So, did you get the buttons working??

[skaar]

I totally got the buttons working. I need to wire up a second for some of the games on there that need it - that's the next project.

The guy who helped me with it before says I should be able to unscrew the locks from the inside and get a locksmith to make me new keys - I will give that a go tomorrow.

I'm in the midst of selling my condo so the arcade machine is in my office at work. I originally had it in our meeting area but the manager whined too much so I stuck it in my office. Nice having it at the end of my desk ;)

[cnzappos]

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[diskoboy]

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Just fucking die.

Oh wait.... LOL