ThunderStick Arcade1Up 12 in 1 Interface Board

I purchased a new spinner control for my 12 in 1 Arcade 1 up Astoroids machine to replace the horrible dial control that came with it. I bought it directly from the Arcade 1up website for $18.49 but didn't realize that it only works with the 4 in 1 machines, even though it clearly states it. Because the roller control and spinner are wired together on the 12 in 1 machines. After searching the web and looking at some other much more expensive options, I found this. It works great! No cuting and splicing or soldering! Plug and play! Now I can enjoy Tempest the way it should be. All for $30.00! Highly recommend.

This is a must have purchase if you picked up the Glen's Retro Show 1Up spinner (which I did in the pre-order before Amazon). While the installation is simple enough, what wasn't addressed is the fact that the original spinner board needs to be tucked away somehow unless you want to remove it completely. As its physically connected to the trackball (hence the need for this interface board in the first place) you will either need to cut it, desolder or tuck it out of the way. I found a very easy way to move it out of the way without removing it altogether, using the existing interface board screw. Securing it here in no way blocks the control panel cover, and you can add a few zip ties to help secure the wiring. Take a look at the before and after photos which also show the installation of the GRS spinner.

Works as advertised in my 12-in-1. Yay! However the installation was a pain in the neck. Let me preface this by saying I am not a hobbyist or a tinkerer, so I don’t know what is OK to do and what isn’t. I would really have liked a clear, step-by-step set of printed instructions on how to install the board. So, here are my gripes: 1) The printed instructions are worthless. Just enough to tell you to look at a YouTube video. The YouTube video isn’t at all concise, and is ultimately unclear. 2) In none of the videos did anyone say what to do with the old spinner. I finally found a review here on Amazon that indicated you just have to leave it dangling, desolder it, or whatever... 3) In the YouTube video, the demonstrator shows three longish cables connected to the board. The board itself only came with one, and it wasn’t nearly as long as the one in the video. Once I looked closely at the video, I realized that the cables were just extensions, and I was able to figure out what to do, but as a rank amateur, I was a little worried about getting it wrong. 4) There was no enclosure for the board, so I just had to tuck it carefully away when I reassembled the whole thing. I hope it doesn’t end up shorting out on something.

I can't really complain. I would have liked to see a little more documentation in the package on what all these pins are doing, but overall, it was pretty much plug and play. I used it to add an arcade trackball to my pc and it works fine.

This is MUCH the same post I submitted for the Arcade 1UP Spinner that this is for except the forward (read on). Others here have already reiterated more than I need to add. I will just say again, No cutting ANY wires. You can leave the original spinner in the control panel. I just carefully placed it under some of the wiring harness bundle and sort of in front of the tracball. Reuse the shield from the original spinner over your new spinner. This interface board I also just carefully placed under the wiring harness bundle. I bought the spinner, and the 12 in 1 interface board which you need on the 12 in 1 to connect both the spinner and trackball at the same time, after seeing it on Glen's Retro Show on YouTube. All I can say is if you like Tempest and Major Havoc and want to play them on your Arcade 1Up Asteroids, 12 in 1 or 6 in 1 cabinets like they were meant to be played, BUY IT! (NOTE THIS INTERFACE BOARD IS STRICKLY ONLY NEEDED FOR THE 12 in 1 ) There isn't much I can say here that virtually all the other five star reviews haven't already said. Reiterating some, it is a first rate arcade quality spinner, complete with everything you need to install (except some of your time - NOT MUCH and a phillips screwdriver), instructions are with it as are the URL for Glen's Retro Show YouTube videos on it too and the 12 in 1 interface board for review and installation, if you would rather watch than read. It has a small spacer to make up for the control panel protector thickness - if you have one. There are no wires to cut, solder or modify, just plug and play. This is a high quality smooth spinning spinner of which , honestly, the only one that is better is on the original Atari Tempest Arcade Coin-Op. (I know, I own one of those too.) This will make playing Tempest like it should have been from the start. This was so little cost even for both it and the interface board Arcade 1 Up likely could have / should certainly have done this themselves to begin with and likely their sales would have been even higher. JUST BUY THIS, INSTALL IT AND ENJOY THE GAMES INSTEAD OF GETTING UPSET AND FRUSTRATED WITH THE "UN-SPINNER" THAT CAME WITH THE MACHINE. THANK YOU GLEN P AND KEVIN L FOR PRODUCING AND OFFERING THESE!

Worked like a champ with the tsticks arcade spinner for Arcade1up. This small board converts that spinner to work via USB. I had to change the sensitivity settings on the spinner, but this board let it be recognized by my PC (which is the "brain" of my DIY arcade machine) and it was seamless. I plan to add their trackball soon. Well worth it.