Negatron DC - DC Convertor

[Mr-Megalo]

A2-UEP forwarded me a link to an item called a "Negatron" DC - DC convertor last year that was used by a chap called INVZIM (who I believe is now a member here) in order to get a -5v line for use on Naomi Universal cabs and similar for games that require -5v to power the sound section of certain PCB's, well today i've received a PCB from hawky that looks like it requires -5v line so decided I needed to get one of these for myself seeing as though 3 out of my 4 cabs are all missing -5v lines

anyways long story short, i've found a UK supplier of these http://www.totalrobots.com/
http://www.totalrobots.com/dcdc-converter-p-317.html

comes in at just shy of £17 inc VAT & next day Rec'd Delivery

so for anyone who has a AWSD, Blast, Naomi or any cab that doesn't have a minus 5volt line, theres your solution (chun you could use this for your older PCB's on your AWSD)

props go to INVZIM for finding this in the first place and thanks to A2-UEP for forwarding me the info :cool:

[vib_ribbon]

it's good to know even though it's not really necessary for me right now. how would you install this?? and what game you got?? :laugh:

[invzim]

Google was my friend, as I just HAD to get mortal kombat with sound without butchering my cab :smile: Originally the thought was to use an ATX PSU, but found out that -5v had become optional, and thus not a very permanent solution.

Happy that others found the info useful.

[Mr-Megalo]

yep found the info quite useful

discovered earlier today though that the PCB I got doesn't need minus 5v though :laugh:

welcome btw :smile

[Mr-Megalo]

it's good to know even though it's not really necessary for me right now. how would you install this?? and what game you got?? :laugh:


vib, its a PS2 MGCD, turns out it doesn't need minus 5v, its my PS2 being gay, used it with my PS3 and sound output is okay (the silly pinout of these things is still an issue though)

[Pilgrim_Pramsta]

This is great news! I may not have to sell my Double Dragon board after all!

Is it easy to fit? I looked at the product info and it doesn't make it clear for idiots like me (would be using it on a Blast or Naomi)!

[Mr-Megalo]

it should be a doddle TBH, however i've missed the delivery of mine as I had to pop out to do some chores, but i'll pick mine up tomorrow.
the handy thing is with the blasts they already have a seperate 12v line and ground seperated off (albeit on a small connector) which means fitment should be relatively easy with only a small amount of soldering required

[vib_ribbon]

c'mon, you can't sell double dragon. the reason why i got started on all this cab stuff in the first place is because i wanted to play double dragon. :cool:

...but playing double dragon without audio would be... :meuh:

[Mr-Megalo]

Jon,

more info here
http://www.dimensionengineering.com/Negatron.htm

[Pilgrim_Pramsta]

Thanks Mark.

And vib I totally agree it would have killed me to sell it because I have waited ages to get hold of it but as you say without the awesome sound of my character's fist pummeling a baddie's face in it's just not the same!

[Mr-Megalo]

if I dont spaz out and totally forget i'll take a pic or two while i'm doing mine.
quite handy that the Blast's JAMMA looms are detachable really and that theres an easy to access 12v line and ground

note to self, need some more heatshrink

[vib_ribbon]

did you just promise us a mini tutorial mr meg?? :wink:

[Mr-Megalo]

if I dont spaz out then yes, for Blast owners at least (we are only talking about 3 wires though here)

[oxtsu]

Interesting stuff. Thanks for sharing, Meg.

[luke2fr]

this thing kicks ass. I got one soon after invzim posted about it on KC.
Works like a charm.

[vib_ribbon]

mr meg> have you put the thing together...?

luke2fr> how does it connect to the main psu??

[Mr-Megalo]

yea I did it the other night - took me all of 5 minutes, took longer to tiewrap the thing into place on the loom, I simply tapped from the extra 12v line coming off of the Blasts JAMMA loom and used the last of my 2pin Amp headers (same as the ones used on naomi speaker outputs on the speakers/amps) was literally just 3 wires, 12v and ground in, 1 voltage wire out.

not tested it yet as I dont have a -5v board

[vib_ribbon]

you know i'm gonna have to ask for a photo?? go on, just for me? :wacko:

[Mr-Megalo]

no worrys, i've got a list of things to photo anyways for JoeBlade, but alas my kitchen is once again the bombsite i've become accustomed to :blush:

got this sodding carPC to sort, bits ready for the incoming wei ya upscanner for the PS3 and still got loads of tools and crap all over, once i'm done and tidied up again i'm on it

[luke2fr]

i've done the same thing invzim done.

http://img249.imageshack.us/img249/5350/negatronlv1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

but i need to do some hoovering :tongue:

[vib_ribbon]

thanks for the photo, luke2fr... wow, is it really as simple as that? that's a photo of the back of...? i dont recognise it.

[luke2fr]

of my jvs2jamma converter.
since my naomi cab has a tri sync pentranic monitor... and until end of march my only cab. That's why i needed this.
And I'll most probably get another negatron because my futur egret 2 will get a nvs4000 psu instead of the original one, and this psu lacks -5V too.

[vib_ribbon]

of my jvs2jamma converter.
since my naomi cab has a tri sync pentranic monitor... and until end of march my only cab. That's why i needed this.
And I'll most probably get another negatron because my futur egret 2 will get a nvs4000 psu instead of the original one, and this psu lacks -5V too.

and with that you'll just wire the little converter thing to the jamma connector, correct?

[luke2fr]

that's it.
red wire to +12V
black wire to the mass (0V)
blue wire to the -5V pin of the jamma connector
on my pic +12V and 0V are coming from the naomi sun psu.

[HAWKXP]

you know im so glad i didn't have a candy cab now:tongue: sounds very interesting and very stressful.

im just so glad when i bought them MGCDs i didnt have this problem, i wouldn't have known what to do at all.

if anyones interested in having some of this stress im going to be putting up 2 more MGCDs on ebay maybe next week, so remember where this thread is if you decide to buy one.

psx - mgcd
saturn - mgcd

with all leads.

mr meg or darn dont worry its not a sales plot, just thought it would be a good idea to mention it because of this thread if that ok with you fellas, ill sell them anyway to whom ever buys them.:happy:

[Pilgrim_Pramsta]

So just to be clear you need one of these Negatrons per cabinet/PSU, rather than per board? And you'd solder it to the JVS-JAMMA board (for a Naomi) or the JAMMA harness (for a Blast)?

Assuming this to be correct would anyone volunteer to do the dirty work for me (for a fee and with me supplying all the raw materials and paying all postage costs etc) as if I try to do it myself I guarantee there will be trouble!

[Mr-Megalo]

Jon,

I can do them both for you if you like, but have no way to test them as I dont have any boards that actually need -5v

to do the Blast its a case of removing the JAMMA loom - to do the Naomi its a case of attaching it to the JVS>JAMMA board

as i've promised Vib, i'll post pics of my JAMMA loom once i've got the kitchen back in order. if adding this Negatron to the Naomi JAMMA loom on the Blasts, it gives you all voltages needed to run more or less any game, +5v, -5v, +12v and 3.3v - pretty much what I was told the Blasts outputted in the first place (until we received them and found this wasn't the case)

[Pilgrim_Pramsta]

OK that's much appreciated Mark. I'll wait until you've got your kitchen sorted and posted pics then if i still think it's beyond me to do it myself maybe we can dioscuss further and agree a plan of action!

Thanks again.

[vib_ribbon]

i wonder if ... "brains to eat" death brade requires -5v and if you now regret parting company with it, mr meg. :biggrin:

i'm still not at home so can't see if there's something i can send you to test your converter out... :angry:

[Mr-Megalo]

no it doesn't as it worked on the AWSD's with sound