Pacto 4000H Users Guide

Intro

The Pacto 4000H is a 4-player Xinput arcade control interface designed for arcade cabinets. When connected to a computer, it presents your arcade cabinet joysticks and buttons as four separate Xbox 360 controllers. The Xinput format (Xbox controller format) offers superior compatibility compared to older "direct input" or keyboard-type inputs for most applications. Many modern games exclusively support Xinput, allowing the Pacto 4000H to function without requiring additional special software or configuration.

Unlike systems that use multiple interfaces, the Pacto 4000H ensures players are consistently in the correct order. It also provides the flexibility to instantly modify this order, optimizing performance for different games without needing to adjust settings on the computer.

PCB Overview: A black printed circuit board (PCB) labeled 'PACTO 4000H' features numerous input pins and components. It is surrounded by a dense network of colorful wires, indicating connections for buttons and joysticks. Labels such as P1, P2, P3, P4, GND, LT, RT, LB, RB, X, Y, A, B, ST, BK, LE, RI, DN, UP, TS, DIS, INT, DIG, ANA, 4P, 2P, and MODE LED are visible on the PCB, denoting player inputs and functional modes.

Wiring

All button and joystick inputs should be wired with one side connected to ground. The "mode" pins are optional and can be wired to buttons or a permanent jumper. Most modes, except for interlock mode, can be accessed by long-pressing various start or select buttons (refer to tables for details).

Buttons and joysticks should ALWAYS be wired to the interface from left to right, corresponding to players P1, P2, P3, and P4.

Wiring Diagram Description: A diagram illustrates the wiring connections for four players (P1, P2, P3, P4) on the Pacto 4000H board. Colored wires (red, blue, green, yellow) connect from stylized representations of game characters (Mario, Sonic, Yoshi, Pikachu) to the respective player input pins on the PCB. The diagram emphasizes the left-to-right wiring order for players, noting that viewing the panel upside down can clarify the non-crossover wiring.

The default player order is 3124, commonly used in 4-player arcade cabinets. The "pinball" inputs for RB, LB, and A are always mapped to player 1, while other inputs may change positions depending on the selected mode.

Pinout Table

Connectors

The Pacto 4000H utilizes 2.54mm header pins, which are compatible with "Female Dupont 2.54mm" connectors. Custom cables can be constructed using a crimper with female DuPont connectors, or pre-fabricated cables can be purchased.

Tooling Description: Images display tools for creating custom wiring harnesses. One shows a red and black Dupont crimping tool, described as suitable for Dupont Wire EPS, SATA, PINS MOLEX, and JST Terminals (AWG24-16/0.25-1.5mm²). The other image shows a kit containing various Dupont connector housings and pins, including 2.54mm pitch 1-10 pin housings and rainbow-colored flat ribbon IDC cables.

The board shares the same pinout as Brook fight stick boards, making it compatible with pre-made wiring harnesses. Standard Brook fighting board wiring harnesses may require two 2x10 male-to-female DuPont extension cables. However, Arcade Express offers an 80cm cable that should be suitable for most cabinets without needing additional length.

Compatibility Link: Arcade Express 20-pin Fighting Board Cable

Typical Button Layouts

6 Button Layout

For arcade cabinets with six buttons per player, the following layout is most common:

Layout:

This 6-button layout is highly recommended by the CoinOps project team and is ideal for retro gaming. Retro arcade games typically utilize six buttons for the middle positions in 2-player setups, and four buttons on the outer positions for 4-player games. The 6/4 button layout is sufficient for the vast majority of arcade games.

Image 1 Description: An example of a 6/4 Button Layout, shown on a Dreamcade® Vision 42 arcade cabinet control panel.

8 Button Layout

For arcade cabinets with eight buttons per player, the "fight stick" standard is a popular choice:

Layout:

While eight buttons might seem overwhelming, they offer convenience for console emulation (e.g., using RT for throttle) and accommodate layouts like those found on Neo-Geo arcade machines, which feature a row of four buttons.

Image 2 Description: An example of an 8-button layout, illustrated on a Neo-Geo 4 Button control panel.

Advanced Modes (OPTIONAL)

The Pacto 4000H allows for changing player orders using dedicated "mode" buttons or by holding down various start or select buttons for 8 seconds. These modes can be disregarded if not needed; most games function correctly in the default mode. For permanent mode activation, a jumper can be installed from the desired mode pins to ground. Otherwise, modes revert to default upon power cycling.

Default Setting: 2P (2 Player Mode – 3124 player positions) AND "DIG (Digital/D-PAD Mode)"

2P (2 Player Mode – 3124 Player positions - DEFAULT)

This mode positions players 1 and 2 in the middle during 2-player games. It is common for setups using conventional encoders that cannot reorder on the fly, where 4-player orders might be fixed in software.

Player Position Diagram Description: A visual representation of player positions in 2-player mode (3124). It shows four blocks labeled 'Player 3', 'Player 1', 'Player 2', 'Player 4', suggesting a non-sequential arrangement for players 1 and 2.

4P (4 Player Mode – 1234 Player positions)

In 4-player mode, the left-most position is Player 1, the next is Player 2, the next is Player 3, and the right-most is Player 4. This layout is well-suited for default configurations in 4-player games.

Player Position Diagram Description: A visual representation of player positions in 4-player mode (1234). It shows four blocks labeled 'Player 1', 'Player 2', 'Player 3', 'Player 4', indicating a sequential arrangement from left to right.

TS (Twinstick Mode)

Ideal for MAME Twinstick games, flying games, or first-person shooters, this mode uses default controller mappings for Xbox controllers. It uniquely combines all four joysticks and buttons to function as two Xbox controllers. Player 1 and 2 joysticks on the cabinet act as Player 1's left and right sticks, respectively. Player 3 and 4 joysticks act as Player 2's left and right sticks. Player 1 can use buttons from Player 1 or 2, and Player 2 can use buttons from Player 3 or 4.

Controller Mapping:

Twinstick mode provides instant 0-100% direction control in "DIG" mode and slow/smoothed input ramping in "ANA" mode. "DIG" mode is generally preferred for arcade games, while the analog smoothing in "ANA" mode can enhance the experience in first-person shooter or flying games.

INT (Interlock Start/Back)

This mode helps prevent accidental game exits caused by pressing Start and Select simultaneously, a common shortcut in MAME/CoinOps/Hyperspin. Start and Select must be held together for 2 seconds before being registered. Activation is achieved by connecting the "INT" pin to ground via a jumper. This mode is recommended for CoinOps, Hyperspin, or RetroFE users.

DIG (Digital/D-PAD Mode - DEFAULT)

Joystick inputs are transmitted to the computer as D-pad controls from an Xbox controller. This is the default setting and is compatible with most games and emulators.

D-PAD Diagram Description: An image of an Xbox 360 controller highlights the D-pad (directional pad) with an arrow, indicating that inputs are processed as digital directional controls.

ANG (Analog/Left-Stick Mode)

This mode sends joystick direction inputs to the PC as the analog left stick. In analog mode, inputs gradually increase from 0% to 100% and slowly decrease back to 0% when released. This feature is intended to improve the experience in driving games or other applications requiring sensitive inputs. This mode can be activated by pressing a button wired to the "ANG" input or by using button shortcuts.

Analog Stick Diagram Description: An image of an Xbox 360 controller highlights the left analog stick with an arrow, indicating that inputs are processed as analog directional controls.

DIS (Disconnect Mode)

This mode completely removes the Xbox control interfaces from the computer, allowing other controllers, such as wireless Xbox controllers, to be used without physically unplugging the Pacto 4000H. To use wireless controllers, plug in your wireless Xbox dongle, then power up your controllers AFTER entering disconnect mode. Switching back to any other mode will re-enable the USB interface, which may take up to 30 seconds to reappear. To use the arcade controls again, turn off the wireless gamepads or unplug the dongle.

Mode Selection Summary

Table 1 - Mode Selection Shortcuts

Table 2 - Dedicated Mode Selection Input Pins

Table 3 - Status LED Patterns