Bliss Box 4-play compatibility

[ninja2bceen]

Ya I've read that sure the zapper works with the box but the developers were working with nestopia folks to make it work. The problem is it shoots white but it needs to shoot black or something for the emulator to read correctly. It would be awesome if the same technology would transfer to mame. Maybe the bliss folk can work with nestopia and mame. Really if the zapper could act as a mouse and the button is click that would do it.

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[ulao]

The aim to make the zapper work on a plasma/LCD will involve an adapter you buy. The 4-play already supports what it needs. The emulators will also need to get on board. The adapter I'm talking about would be a little device that snaps on to any of the guns that worked like this ( around 10 of then that I know of ). All it does is reads the LCD/plasma screen with the new method and generates the old flash. So it's like an interpreter. The adapter will be battery operated and as far as we can see, simple and low cost. More on this after revenue is created. We are securing a deal with the china market for the 4-play and I hope that will do the trick so that the necessary funds will be available for this development. If you wish to support this funding you may make a donation but also know the sales from the 4-play go towards this. We are only looking at 10k for this, may do a KS on it, not sure yet.

 

I;m not going to explain how the gun works as you can get that anywhere on the net. Though all it does is looks at a small array of the screen and looks for a white flash. If this is seen, its a hit. So no the gun can not work like a mouse as it has no positional info.

[ninja2bceen]

cant wait on the zapper. great work. hope to see the adapter soon

anyhow, totally a noob thing right now, I've read all that I can on your forum but I'm not able to update the 4 play. Here is the screen I see. I have downloaded each of your files. I load the exe file up and hold down the reset button but it never reads the device. If I go to windows 7 controllers, I see all 4 play ports in them. I have also already seen the drivers "update" before attempting any of this. Note there were only 3 driver updates which may be fine. I'd love to get the newest stable firmware but the exe never allows me to actually get to the set of loading a hex file. *note I'm not using the paper clip approach, I'm simply holding down the reset button, opening the exe file, pressing find device and I see this. what am I doing wrong? thanks

[brudibru]

I don't know if it can help but personally I have entered the VendorID and ProductID manually to get my device detected. You can find them by right-clicking on one of the four 4-play port device, then properties, then material (I have a french Windows so I am not sure about the menu translations but you should find what I mean), then properties again, then details and in the drop-down menu you select material identification numbers or something similar. You should then have a line showing HID\VID_........ where the 4 characters after VID_ are the Vendor ID and the four after PID are the Product ID (in my case 16DO and OA60). You can then enter them in the bootflash tool and your blissbox should be detected. I hope my explanations are clear enough and that it can help you in the end.

[ninja2bceen]

Manually changing the default Ids in the hex tool worked for me and my Ids are the same as yours. 16DO and OA60

I updated all 4 ports. Note however on 3 and 4 I see a number of rows that read error flashing device in the output log several times.. Why is that? Do you get that too? How do you work around it? I got all 4 ports to be responsive outside of emulator

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[brudibru]

I am glad it helped.

I don't recall of any "error flashing device" though.

I guess that since the 4 ports are detected and working in Windows everything should be fine.

Concerning the emulators don't forget, when you have a choice, to select "dinput" devices and not "xinput".

I want to write a post about all the emulators I have tested with my different controllers but I have not found the time to do it yet.

 

So far I can say that RetroArch and Mame are fully compatible.

WinUAE works as well (tested with a Zipstick)

Project 64 or 1964 works (tested with a genuine N64 joypad)

Demul an NullDC works (tested with a genuine Dreamcast controller)

 

I will post other feedbacks when I have will have tested more Emus (I indicate the controllers I am using but emulators compatibility and controllers compatibility are two different subjects as in fact you can use any kind of controllers with any kind of emus as long as they are compatible with the 4-Play).

[iNTiGOD]

Is there a step by step video on setting the 4-play up?

 

I have gotten nowhere.

I have tried 3 controllers (2 n64 and 1 nes). 

I plugged the 4 play into two different computers. It seems to detect it (4 4play devices appear, but now only 3 appear).

When in the windows 7 gamepad testing screen should the button presses be detected? (I have tried all 4 hdmi ports and there is nothing). I tried project 64 1.6 and I cant configure the inputs at all.

 

My dip switches are set:

1 and 2 (up) 4->6 down.

(the numbers are closest to the usb port down the bottom if that makes sense).

 

The only thing I haven't tried is a different usb cable.

 

Any tips would be really appreciated..

[atarigalore]

Another note on bad flashes...

The last 2 computers I used to flash mine I had bad flashes because I flashed too soon after holding the button..

What I mean is windows on both computers makes the connect/disconnect sound 2-3 times over maybe 5-10 seconds on each port the first time holding the button and it has to do it again if using a different usb port.

It was easily fixable.

So it's not that I was implying per say that you were not holding the upgrade button, just that something had to happen that is the equivilent.

This is why in my flasher it says hold button and make sure windows is done installing the driver.

That's why it says: press any key to continue - 2 times in a row.. I was trying to make sure windows had enough time to finish installing port upgrade driver.

[dlexington]

Interesting. Thanks for the tip. My replacement is on its way, and I'll be attempting the 4playfix flash again. I'll be sure to give each port at least a 10 Mississippi before flashing.

Also, I think I'm going to be using the jumper method this time around. It seems to be a little more foolproof than holding the reset button (even though I'm certain that wasn't a problem the first time around)

[ninja2bceen]

Inti I just kept at the steps I outlined. It took multiple times but I think the flash worked although I saw error few times before it said success

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[iNTiGOD]

Inti I just kept at the steps I outlined. It took multiple times but I think the flash worked although I saw error few times before it said success

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Hey flash is my next option.

I was getting some help from brudibru last night and we sort of got it working.

I changed my jumper settings.

Changed the usb cable but then changed it back.

Has anyone noticed the led colors within the 4 play. There are three colours, red, orange and green.

When both red and orange led are solid the controller works (only got it working once).

When I pressed the reset button the led would turn green... And the devices in Windows would "eject".

When I would connect the four play all the lights would blink while it was initializing.

It's like Christmas.

Gonna try flash in a couple days and if that doesn't help RMA.

[ninja2bceen]

Interesting. I hadn't noticed that but will check tonight. We are sort of all learning together aren't we :-) when we get all this figured out, this really needs a full tutorial . Once you get it up and running then we got to figure out how to get it working. Like I have a cab, PS3 and blissbox. All are mapped to the same buttons but bliss not yet. I've been talking with djvj about it, I think we need to create a xpadder profile for 4play but not sure how that works yet. Maybe it's a sister folder to the system default folder in xpadder? If you don't have a cab or don't want to ever use xpadder meaning u only use the dedicated controller then you could skip the xpadder part but we al use xpadder here so that's the next hurdle

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[ulao]

The flash tool is preset for the right codes, not sure why you would not have that already?

 

iNTiGOD, that really does sound like one of those bad cables, I know you tried another but does not sound right.

 

Is there a step by step video on setting the 4-play up?

 

If you mean for hyperSpin no, hopping to see that from someone here. As for the normal, no because every know how to use plug and play.

plug it in,

test ports

use emulators.

 

The issues you are having are not common as are ninjas. Things like the flasher not having the right values and ports dropping are not the way it works for most. So tutorials would be useless as they would only show you how it works (when its working) I think you are looking for more of a check list if and when troubles come about. Though if the troubles are not common then no one else can help. Once something in common (even if its just misunderstand) emerges we can address that.

 

 

 

Won't be surprised when this device pops up on eBay being sold from China. Probably starting with the exact company who makes it for them.

 

Not really sure what all of that noise is about? The factory is under contract, I own the presses. Though on a bright note, china is working with me to sell units. This is the gaim plan.

[iNTiGOD]

The flash tool is preset for the right codes, not sure why you would not have that already?

iNTiGOD, that really does sound like one of those bad cables, I know you tried another but does not sound right.

Not really sure what all of that noise is about? The factory is under contract, I own the presses. Though on a bright note, china is working with me to sell units. This is the gaim plan.

Hey mate.

The usb printer cable that I tried was pretty old too so I'm thinking I'll go out and buy a new one.

Strange thing is it only worked the one time when I had used the stock cable (after trying the spare cable).

I'll try a new cable and try flashing the device.

What do you think?

[ninja2bceen]

i don't think its terribly buggy you just have to make slow love to it. it needs a proper tutorial which I'm about to make. i just updated all 4 ports to 1.54 firmware without errors! the trick is slow love

[iNTiGOD]

Alright "Jaded Jeremy" you're better than that. 

We are all working towards a common goal of getting these things working... This is no different to everyone else asking for help when trying to sort out hyperspin setups, rocketlauncher, emus or anything else for that matter.

 

Ulao has dived right in there to create a product from scratch. We should be supporting people that try to innovate.

[ninja2bceen]

***********

Sticky this post please

***********

Tutorial to update firmware

1. Download the files found here: (also attached)

http://skunx7.wix.com/bliss-box#!downloads/c1h7n

2. Plug in your bliss box and this is where slow love comes into play. Press and hold one of the buttons next to one of the ports for approximately 10 seconds. You will notice that you install a driver. You can release the blissbox button after the driver updates start.

3. Once all the drivers that are downloading to your computer are complete, press the next button on your bliss box that is found next to a usb outlet. You will want to repeat step 2 until you have installed the drivers for each of the ports essentially

4. open the flash tool exe in the attachment or from the download page in step 1. DO NOT UPDATE the IDs! Press the bliss box button that you are wanting to flash. The ids display by default in the top left corner. Just push find device, don't release the button for the entire process until flash is complete, if you do, you have to start over with the steps above

5. Did the message below the find device button say "bliss update found" or something along those lines? If so, move onto step 6. If it reads device not found, continue holding the bliss box button down and unplug the usb from the computer. Wait 5 seconds and replug blissbox into the computer. Just keep holding down the button on bliss box and wait another 5 seconds to push the "find device" button again while holding down the button. You should have it reading your device now

6. Press open hex and go to the folder named flash build updates if you are using my attachment. Select 1.54 by DOUBLE CLICKING the file instead of selecting and pressing open. Wait 5 seconds after you are back on the flash tool exe screen

7. Press flash button and watch a lot of code display and you should get successfully flashed!

8. Rinse and repeat the steps above and do that for EACH of the buttons one by one

9. Go to the custom flasher 1.54 exe that is in my attachment and by sure to right click the app and go to properties and run as an admin, then run it. This is used so that 4play recognizes each port as a #1 which is helpful to know what port you are using. Open it and read what shows up, press accept

10. Press 4 once the command prompt shows up. We are flashing to 1.54 so press 4. Note you are adding to your computers registry so it knows what ports you are assigning so just push ok to the prompts that may show up

11. Read the prompts but hold down the button of your choice and press 1,2,3, or 4 based on your preference to label the port you are updating. I found waiting 5 seconds after each prompt also did the trick here

12. if the device isn't found, do the trick as described above. I exited the custom flasher when this happened, held down the button that wasn't reading, unplugged for 5 seconds, held the button down again while plugging blissbox back in. I reopened the custom flasher and tried again and it would work every time.

13. Congratulations you have updated all your ports to 1.54 but you aren't out of the woods yet!

14. Go to your device manager on your computer and find 4 4play controllers. Right click one of them and press "game controller settings". You should now see 4-play_port 1-4 yay

15. Make sure your controller is plugged into the port #1 that you assigned and click properties once you have selected the 4play port #1.

16. Press some buttons on your controller. you should see the "test" tab highlight the buttons you press and the directional keys move correctly. Test each of the ports using the test tab. If all works mission accomplished.

17. If the buttons aren't highlighting or the direction keys aren't moving correctly. Close the properties page and press the button on blissbox next to the usb port that you are on and hold it for 5 seconds and release it. Then go back to the properties test page and you should see the buttons now work.

18. Check back at the site in step 1 for updated firmware. He posts the for example stable 1.55 hex file there (not yet created) but when it does, he will announce it on the facebook page as well. Download that file, put it in the firmware update folder that i have set up and do steps 4-8 for each new version that comes out. You don't have to do the other steps since you have already downloaded the drivers AND you have already assigned the port numbers to blissbox

19. Now the final step.. figuring out how to get this to work within the emulators while maintaining a cabinet mapper set up/other xpadder profile set up

bliss box updates.zip

[brudibru]

Alright "Jaded Jeremy" you're better than that. 

We are all working towards a common goal of getting these things working... This is no different to everyone else asking for help when trying to sort out hyperspin setups, rocketlauncher, emus or anything else for that matter.

 

Ulao has dived right in there to create a product from scratch. We should be supporting people that try to innovate.

I couldn't have said it better Intigod. This device is a dream come true.

Some troubles are to be expected when you try to build something as universal and we all know for a long time that the USB connections can be problematic on any given PC's.

Ulao has done a great deal to make it happens through Kickstarters campaigns and so on as well as helping in the forums so kudos to him and his device (and I should add that I DON'T work for him in any sense !! ).

 

Ninja I think you have sone a very good job writing down that lenghty tutorial. There should be no more misunderstandings now. 

[atarigalore]

However you forgot something... Unless your computer is setup like mine, and most regular windows installs are not, you need to right click run as admin for the custom flasher to rename the ports or the registry importing will not work.

[ninja2bceen]

Thanks. Yes in my attachment it's already set to that but I just updated my post too. Thanks

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[ulao]

lol under contract.....China. That is silly man. Chinese factories rip off customers presses,molds,products and ideas all the time whether they have a contract or any type of intellectual property agreement. Those don't mean jack sh*t over there. If your sales skyrocket and they catch wind you best be sure they are gonna make it their own.

 

GPL licences are world wide. There is no prevention for anyone making this and selling it. The factory that makes it is a US company but own factories in China. The guy that owns it, I work directly with and is a very decent fellow. Even if companies decided to remake it, it's not a big deal. This device is not really a hot ticket item anyways? It's very nice. 

 

Sounds like this thing is quite buggy though.

 

Not really but if you read the comment about people having issues I could see why you would think that. There are 2 issues that are factory related.

1) Fault cables

2) bad 4th ports. 

 

Faulty hardware is part of production, fortunately we have determined the usb issue. This was a bad batch ordered from the china market. All cables have since been checked and replaced. The port issues is yet to be looked at. Samples are sent in to the factory to see where they when wrong. Other that that and the lager majority of orders that didn't have these issues are trouble free. There is absolutely no need for these long tutorials. If there was a need for any of this the 500 sold units would flood my forms. 

 

 

Most of what Ninja wrote was about flashing on a new system and waiting for drivers to install, and the 4-play fix that is not part of this device. It's good to point out you do not need to do any of that to use it. The guys here are gurus, they want to set up hyper spin projects and obviously want the latest and greatest.  Flashing a port is not all that confusing. If you take the time and learn how to do it slowly and not bum-rushing in as Ninja said, its simple.  It just can be a bit overwhelming when you try updating all 4 ports and applying the fix all at once. When you learn to ride a bike you don't let go of the handle bars right way? If you do, you will crash, same thing here. Take your time and figure it out first.

[ninja2bceen]

Yep. I still think the tutorial I wrote up is good for the folks here. I think we need the ports labeled one through 4 for it to work without issues with the hyperspin set up I think. Still working on that but my tutorial was the exact process I had to take for things to work. The device wouldn't recognize the ports without soon the steps I provided, I don't think we should dismiss that at all and I think it needs stickies here if possible.

I have a fully updated box, to be honest I thought it was bricked at first but the tutorial I made got me through it.

It's easy to do but you must slow down each of your steps and reset until things recognize. Next stop getting emulators to recognize things without having to remap every emulator again while still being able to use xpadder profiles

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[ulao]

The global mapping is going to be a big time saver for you. With that you can map all your emulators with the same controller. If you map with the psx controller each face button matches the same position on the dream cast controller and so on. So it does make life easy. I'm not really sure I see how xpadder helps but I don't have an arcade set up. I think what HS needs to do is buy use or make a virtual joypad. Then you set up all emulators to use this virtual joypad and now you only have one place to do the mappings. That is just me though and I think that is how OpenEmu does it for the mac.

[ninja2bceen]

Hey, can you direct me to the global mapper? I don't think I have that or know where to go?

Also I have mycabinet set up with standard buttons mapped to keystrokes. I have xpadder set up for a PS3 controller mapped to the same key strokes. All my emulators have the same keystrokes. I think you are saying that the global mapped will do the same thing? Ya ya where can j find that! That will make the setup complete and perfect

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[brudibru]

Ninja, I think you misunderstood Ulao as I don't know about a global mapper for the bliss-box.

In fact the device is mapped in a way that you can setup a controller and then switch to another one using the same buttons (well at least that's what I understood from the Bliss Box demonstration videos).