FAQ
Last updated: 16/04/2023
Power
What power supply unit do you recommend?
- Mean Well RT-65A
- Mean Well RT-85A
- Mean Well RT-125A
If your games don't require -5 V, then you could go for the Mean Well "RD" series:
- Mean Well RD-65A
- Mean Well RD-85A
- Mean Well RD-125A
Excellent but may be difficult to obtain:
- Mean Well MWP-606
- Prima Power 42PP0606
Make sure you also buy or 3D print yourself a cover for your PSU. You can find sketches for the most popular power supplies on Thingverse, simply search for your PSU model.
How do I connect the PSU to the wall socket?
The easiest way is to use a computer power cable. Strip one end of the cable, then crimp pre-insulated fork terminals and attach them to the PSU terminal block. Make sure you use a cable with 3 wires (Earth, Live, Neutral).
- Usually the cable colors for America are as follows:
- Ground (Earth) wire: green, or green with a yellow stripe
- Neutral wire: white or gray
- Single phase live wire: black
- Canada:
- Ground (Earth) wire: green, or green with a yellow stripe
- Neutral wire: white
- Single phase live wire: black
- Europe:
- Ground (Earth) wire: green with a yellow stripe
- Neutral wire: blue
- Single phase live wire: brown
To be 100% sure check continuity of the wire end and plug end.
How should I secure the stripped power supply wires?
Crimp M3.5 pre-insulated fork terminals.
Is it safe to keep the arcade power supply on my desk/floor/table?
Only if the 110/230 VAC terminals are covered. The covers can be 3D printed (search for your PSU model - https://www.thingiverse.com/), but you can also use a generous amount of insulation tape.
How do I power on/power off the HAS?
You power on/off the HAS by plugging in/unplugging the power cable from the wall socket or using a switch on the power strip (the recommended method).
Does the HAS provide -5 V?
Yes, it does, you just need a power supply that outputs -5 V.
Audio-Video
What audio/video cable should I buy?
This depends on your setup. The most common solution is to use an 8 pin mini-DIN to male Scart cable, but there are other ways, too. Please see the Setup examples page for recommendations.
Can I use the 8pin mini DIN to female Scart that is dedicated to the XRGB-mini Framemeister and plug it in to the HAS?
No, it won’t work. The Scart head in the cable that goes into the XRGB is wired for “input”. When you connect it to the HAS, you output the video signal, so the Scart should be wired for “output”.
I have a Taito F3, but it doesn't sync with the XRGB mini.
Set the CSync to “Regenerated” on the HAS.
I connected the Taito F3 to the OSSC via Scart, but it doesn’t sync, and the red led on the OSSC lights up.
Taito F3 won’t work via Scart, use the HD-15 connector on the OSSC, set the CSync to “buffered” and CSync level to “TTL” on the HAS; set the OSSC to AV3 (RGBS) and set the H-PLL pre and post coast settings to 4.
I use the OSSC, and I can see that it syncs with the game/HAS, but I get no signal on my TV/monitor.
Your TV/monitor may be incompatible with the output produced by the OSSC. The OSSC does not use a frame buffer, which means that it cannot correct the frame timing. XRGB mini may provide better compatibility, but it also adds some lag because of the frame buffer.
I use the OSSC’s HD-15 port, but it doesn’t sync with the HAS.
Make sure the OSSC is set to AV3 (RGBS), the CSync on the HAS is set to buffered and the CSync level is set to TTL. It may also require tinkering with the OSSC’s H-PLL pre and post coast settings.
I use the CXA2075 based Composite Video/S-Video adapter, but I get a black screen.
Make sure the CSync on the HAS is set to buffered and the CSync level is set to TTL.
How do I wire a Scart cable for the HAS?
- 8 pin mini-DIN (XRGB mini pinout):
- pin #1 - Audio - Right Channel (or leave unconnected if you use a 3.5 mm jack for audio)
- pin #2 - Audio - Left Channel (or leave unconnected if you use a 3.5 mm jack for audio)
- pin #3 - CSync
- pin #4 - Ground
- pin #5 - +5V
- pin #6 - Blue
- pin #7 - Green
- pin #8 - Red
- Male Scart connector:
- pins #4, 5, 9, 13, 17, 18, 19, 21 - Ground
- pin #2 - Audio - Right Channel
- pin #6 - Audio - Left Channel
- pin #7 - Blue
- pin #8 - +5 V
- pin #11 - Green
- pin #15 - Red
- pin #16 - +5 V through a 180 Ohm resistor
- pin #20 - CSync
I bought a Scart cable from “XYZ”, but it doesn’t work.
Open the Scart hood and see if the CSync is wired to Scart pin #20. Some manufacturers wire it to pin #19, which is incorrect. If you are based in Europe and your TV accepts Scart, then additionally check if pins #8 and #16 are populated – these pins are responsible for putting the TV in the RGB input mode.
My BVM doesn’t sync with the HAS, the screen is rolling or is shaky.
The BVM has a function called "VCR Mode" or "AFC Mode”, enable or disable it to see if it helps. Some BVM monitors can be picky with the signal they receive.
The picture is overly bright on my PVM/BVM and isn’t very stable.
This means that you are missing 75 Ohm signal termination on the RGBS signals on the PVM/BVM end. Enable termination to fix the issue. Some monitors may require external 75 Ohm caps to terminate the signals.
I bought an 8 pin mini-DIN to 8 pin mini-DIN cable and connected the HAS with the XRGB-mini, but it doesn’t sync.
Make sure that in your cable pins connect straight through end to end. A cable with crossed wiring is incompatible and can cause damage to your equipment.
I see noise/diagonal lines/interference on the screen.
This is most likely some grounding issue. Make sure your PSU is properly grounded.
I see noise/diagonal lines/interference on the screen, but it disappears as soon as I disconnect the audio cable.
This is a grounding problem in your setup, you can fix this by using a 3.5 mm audio jack Ground Loop Isolator between the HAS and the 3.5 mm audio jack cable.
General
I connected the kick harness, but buttons 5 and 6 don’t work.
It means that buttons 5 and 6 aren’t set. Go into the HAS button reconfiguration mode and set a new button layout.
Buttons on my HAS no longer register, what should I do?
This means that the button layout isn’t set. Go into the HAS button reconfiguration mode and set a new button layout.
How do I change the audio volume?
You have a volume potentiometer on your PCB game (or volume control in the game’s test menu). For convenience, I suggest keeping the volume potentiometer somewhere in the middle and use your TV/speakers volume control instead.
I installed the plexiglass case, but I cannot fully plug in the HAS to my CPS-2, what is wrong?
You must have put the plexiglass case on backwards, turn it the other way around.
What connectors are installed on the HAS?
- PSU connector – 6 pin JST VH
- Kick harness – 6 pin JST XH
- Controller ports – 15 pin male DSUB
- AV – 8 pin mini DIN (XRGB mini pinout)
- Audio – 3.5 mm stereo jack
I'm attempting to play Carnevil on a PVM, and it requires a CSync wire to be ran back to the gun I/O. I tried the ext sync out from the PVM, but it doesn't seem to like it. I'm guessing I'd be better off running CSync directly from the HAS somewhere. Any suggestions on where I could tap in?
You can tap it from CN2.
What is “CHAMMA”?
It’s the “Chinese JAMMA” that breaks the real JAMMA standard. It accepts 6 buttons via the JAMMA edge. It’s used in the multi game PCBs, like the Pandora’s Box and similar.
My HAS works fine with everything I've thrown at it *except* the NeoGeo MV1C, PGM, Sega JVS I/O. Does it mean that the HAS is incompatible with those boards?
The HAS is perfectly compatible with those PCBs.
Your problem is likely with the PSU. Power supplies operate in certain conditions (specified in your PSU datasheet), for example, the PSU may require a certain minimum load on the power rails (+5 V being the most important), and if the PSU isn't sufficiently loaded, it may not work at all or give other problems (high pitch hissing sound coming from the PSU being one of the problems, and is a bad sign). The games listed (along with many other modern PCB games, like the Cave games) put very little load on the +5 V line, sometimes even less than 1 A.
Does the HD-15 adapter PCB (or other HAS modules) fit underneath the plexiglass case of the HAS, or does this need to be removed to use it?
All modules/adapters fit underneath the plexiglass case of the HAS, they are supplied with extra spacers and bolts.
I get no audio with Power Instinct and Asura Blade.
Both Power Instinct and Asura Blade have the audio signals mixed up from the factory. To make them work with the HAS you’d need to use an adapter that fixes the speaker +/- wiring, or re-wire it on the PCB game itself.