RE: Is Clay's "Two-button Reset Adapter" an additional kit?

> Just thought I would ask here since other people might have the same
> question. I'm guessing not, but only Clay has the definitive answer.
>
I might as well just explain this... ;-)

I wanted to have the ability to cause a hard-reset by pressing two
buttons simultaneously on the game control panel. I was pretty sure
this was just a couple of gates and a resistor or two connected to the
reset pin on the processor. That turned out to cause problems on
Tempest-- seems that Atari's power-on-reset circuit was pretty crabby
about additional loading. I tried about half a dozen things (my main
requirement was that it *didn't* require any cuts or modifications to
the Tempest PCB) which all failed...

Since I was rapidly running out of time before I had to send off the
design files for the circuit board production run, I opted for the
"brute force" approach: a relay. When it's "off" it's open (no load),
when it's "on" it's closed (just like pressing button). Although being
a bit expensive (tiny relay) it worked, so I slapped it on the PCB for
the Tempest Multigame.

So, there is *one* of these per Tempest Multigame boardset. Since it
adds several dollars to my cost of goods (and since everyone might not
want one) I'm listing it as a separate item, but for now I'm only
selling it *with* a Tempest Multigame.

It *is* kind-of a useful gizmo. You can use it as a "remote" reset for
anything with at least two switches as input, and since it's just a
"switch"-- electrically you aren't limited to just a logic-level output.
The relay is a DPDT, and all the connections are available on the board.
The board itself is... ehhhhh... maybe .5"x2"?

It would work on the MultiPac or Sega Multigame too. Or even for a PC
or console system in a game cabinet. The only "requirement" is two
inputs that are "normally high" (pulled up to +5V). When both inputs go
to GND (probably under about a volt and a half or so) the relay actuates
and stays activated until at least one button is released.

Not rocket science, but it works.

If anyone would like any of these (without having to buy a Tempest
Multigame) let me know-- if there's enough interest I might have a panel
or two of them run and just hand-cut them apart. They're surface-mount
(a 74xx chip, 2N7002, couple resistors) with a through-hole relay (NAIS
TX2-5V).

-Clay
Received on Fri May 14 13:25:55 1999