Introduction For Intermediates

In this section we will look at making adaptors for converting non-JAMMA games so they can be used in your JAMMA set-up. Most of the older ‘classic’ games fall into this category, but don’t be put off! It’s very simple and is only a mild step up for a beginner. It’s very cost-effective too, games that require an adaptor sell for far more when one is included - so if you want to buy one cheaply, buy one that doesn’t have one and make your own! Some connectors can be used on different games too, meaning that you don’t need to make a separate adaptor for EVERY game you want to buy.

Also, we will look at making your very own supergun. This may seem like a very big task, but if you can make a loom/use a soldering iron then you can make a supergun. It does take a lot of time, but only because there are lots of connections to make (think JAMMA=56 connections, Power=7 connections, Video=5+ connections and joysticks are 11+ each!) Its worth it though, to see an arcade board fire up using equipment you’ve built yourself from scratch! It’s very rewarding!

One point to note, when you buy a game - is to make sure it is JAMMA before just plugging it in. Not all 28 way edge connectors mean the game is JAMMA and you can kill a board by incorrectly sending voltages to the wrong pins. Another thing to note, bootleg boards do not necessarily have the same pinouts as their original counterparts. For instance, I own a Shinobi bootleg game which originally runs on Sega System 16 hardware (28 way NOT JAMMA) but my version IS JAMMA. It’s always worth just checking the power tracks to make sure everything looks like its okay before plugging in a new board. The power is obviously the most important thing to get right here, I also own boards that have the video signals on different pins, but it will cause no harm to anything to turn on the board to see what happens!