From news@njitgw.njit.edu Thu Jul 6 22:25:04 1995 Return-Path: Received: from mx4.u.washington.edu by saul5.u.washington.edu (5.65+UW95.05/UW-NDC Revision: 2.33 ) id AA02285; Thu, 6 Jul 95 22:25:04 -0700 Received: from hitl-new.hitl.washington.edu by mx4.u.washington.edu (5.65+UW95.05/UW-NDC Revision: 2.31 ) id AA27201; Thu, 6 Jul 95 22:25:03 -0700 Received: from RUTGERS.EDU (RUTGERS.EDU [128.6.21.9]) by hitl.hitl.washington.edu (8.6.12/8.6.12) with ESMTP id WAA03371 for ; Thu, 6 Jul 1995 22:25:00 -0700 Received: from njitgw.njit.edu (njitgw.njit.edu [128.235.1.2]) by RUTGERS.EDU (8.6.12+bestmx+oldruq+newsunq+grosshack/8.6.12) with ESMTP id BAA23341 for ; Fri, 7 Jul 1995 01:24:57 -0400 Received: (from news@localhost) by njitgw.njit.edu (8.6.11/8.6.9) id BAA01380 for sci-virtual-worlds@rutgers.rutgers.edu; Fri, 7 Jul 1995 01:24:56 -0400 Date: Fri, 7 Jul 1995 01:24:56 -0400 From: USENET News System Message-Id: <199507070524.BAA01380@njitgw.njit.edu> To: sci-virtual-worlds@RUTGERS.EDU Status: OR Newsgroups: sci.virtual-worlds Path: hertz.njit.edu!rxy5310 From: rxy5310@hertz.njit.edu (Rolan) Subject: Hacking the Victormaxx Stuntmaster - Color HMD + tracking under $200! Message-ID: <1995Jul7.052453.1340@njitgw.njit.edu> Sender: news@njit.edu Nntp-Posting-Host: hertz.njit.edu Organization: New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, New Jersey Date: Fri, 7 Jul 1995 05:24:53 GMT Lines: 184 HACKING THE VICTORMAXX STUNTMASTER!!!! Here is a little file I wrote up for someone inquiring about the Victormaxx Stuntmaster. If you remove the 4 screws from the bottom of the Victormaxx, you should be able to carefully pry or split the unit apart. Notice that the unit consists of 4 PC boards: -Tracking PCB -LCD driver board -LCD screen -Power supply board With care, the tracking PCB can be pulled out of the case and the large multi-pin connector can be removed. This eases the removal of the top half the casing. Using a little care, the "head strap" can be loosened and removed from the earphone pieces. This lets you remove the whole top half from the unit. The tracking PCB has 5 multi-pin/wire headers running to it. The purpose of these are clearly stated on the board, but will be repeated here anyway: JP4 - Power Board JP5 - LCD board JP6 - To external connector JP8 - Tracking Potentiometer JP9 - Speakers To save the you the trouble of mapping the external connector pins to the internal multi pin connector, I have listed it below. Pin # 15 pin connector Internal Connector 1 +6V black 2 Gnd white 3 Data brown 986 ohms 4 Clock red 5 Latch orange (may be some diode conn) 985 ohms 6 Gnd yellow 7 Vcc (+5V) green 8 N/A blue 9 Gnd big black 10 Video in clear 11 Data brown 986 ohms Same As Pin 3 12 Latch orange S.A.P 5 13 Gnd purple S.A.P 11 14 Audio L grey S.A.P 12 15 Audio R lt blue S.A.P 13 If you haven't figured it out, SAP = same as pin OK Here's my wonderful contribution to the Garage VR world: -()---()---()---()---()---()---()---()---()---()---()---()---()---()---()- MODIFY YOUR VICTORMAXX TO TRACK YOUR HEAD WITH REND386 -()---()---()---()---()---()---()---()---()---()---()---()---()---()---()- What you'll need: 2- Male D-Sub 15 pin connectors 1- 2 pin single row header 1- 100K resistor 1- 500K or 250K potentiometer (must use correct size and have similar shaft dimensions 500K is more favorable- see below) *- You will also need some wire This modification will remove the Nintendo/Sega tracking capabilities of the Victormaxx and replace it with tracking which can be interfaced to the IBM PC joystick port. Software is currently available (Dave Stamp and Bernie Roehl's REND386) which can make use of this interface. This modification would be most beneficial for those who have adapted their Victormaxx to accept VGA input (probably via VGA-NTSC converter -Game Zapper?). Open up the unit as described above. Detach the right earpiece "module" from the unit and carefully pry the two plastic pieces apart by using a screwdriver at several spots on the casing. Unscrew the two screws which hold the potentiometer to the unit. You must now find a 500K or 250K potentiometer which will match the physical dimensions of this pot. Cut or desolder the three wires leading to the potentiometer. Remove and set the pot aside. Solder the three wires onto the new potentiomter in the same order (brown is in the middle) Fit the pot back into the casing and screw the two screws so that the pot is secure. If the plastic T-cover doesn't fit perfectly over the pot-shaft, some hot melt glue may fix it. You might also try wrapping some tape around the shaft. Locate the large multi pin header connector (JP6) Cut-yes CUT- the red and orange wires aproximately 1-1/2 to 2 inches from the bottom of the connector. The two ends of the wires which lead to the header connector (PCB side) can be left alone. Solder the other two wires to the 2 pin Header (listed in the above parts list). Remove JP8 connector from the Tracking board. The 2 pin Header plugs directly into this header connector. CLARIFICATION: The black square connector with the red,brown, and black wires is pulled off the board. The 2 pin header is plugged into this black header connector - NOT the tracking board. Making the plug: Get out the 15-pin Dsub connector Pins of significance: 4 & 5 - potentiometer out (to joystick port) 9- ground 10- video in 13- ground 14- audio left 15- audio right If you haven't done so already (most likely you have), you can solder RCA plugs to the above pins and interface your Victormaxx to a VCR. I have a 1/8" stereo plug wired to pins 13,14,15 so that it can be directly plugged into my SoundBlaster card. Also, I have an RCA jack wired to pin 9 and 10 which plugs into the Game Zapper unit. Ok, back to business. Solder a 100K resistor between pins 8 and 6 on the SAME D-sub connector going to the Joystick port. Solder two wires between the 15 pin connector to the other 15 pin connector. The "pin-outs" for the two wires are shown below. Victormaxx side 15 pin Dsub Joystick Side pin 9 goes to pin 1 pin 10 goes to pin 3 I would advise using a hood for the Dsub's so that these wires do not easily pull out of the connector. Thats all! Center the pot and run REND386. Turning the pot left and right should cause the image to pan left and right. You may have to unscrew and adjust the orientation of the pot so that it will be centered with reference to the T connector. stick, and your shoulder. If turning your head causes the image to translate in the wrong direction, connect the 2-wire header pin to the other two holes (either red-brown or brown-black). Close up the unit and -there you have it- an IBM PC head mount display with left and right tracking. Stuff left to do: Up and down tracking can be done with a tilt sensor. Two wires are left available inside the Victormaxx: pin 3 - brown pin 8 - blue These can be wired to pin 6 and 8 on the joystick connector (which references the up and down) Good luck. I hope you don't blow up your Victormaxx. If you do, I take no responsibility for it :). Happy hacking! -()---()---()---()---()---()---()---()---()---()---()---()---()---()---()- Rolan Yang http://hertz.njit.edu/~rxy5310 Electrical Engineer rxy5310@hertz.njit.edu kyurius@tsb.weschke.com VR,ROBOTICS,FENCING,HACKING,INDUSTRIAL MUSIC,ART,EXPLOSIVES,INLINE SKATING THESE ARE A FEW OF MY FAVORITE THINGS. -()---()---()---()---()---()-----()-()---()---()---()---()---()---()---()- 4 out of 10 people are annoyed by ^ this.