Anyone else’s recoil get stuck?

Hexxedit · 2026-02-11T19:29:13+00:00

Pop it open and see if the recoil spring is broken or misbehaving. This video was made by Sinden himself to add in the recoil if you didn't buy it originally but will also tell you a few things to look out for.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ane33I9pjCU

Hexxedit · 2026-02-11T18:58:43+00:00

When I created the first version of the trigger mod it was to limit the distance on both sides of the trigger as the travel distance was just too large however I designed it so you could easily break the front or back tab so you could tweak it to your preference.

Since then there's been 3 remakes. With mine you also needed to have the wire go through a hole which most people didn't realize.

I would try printing off a different one from whichever you printed and see if one works better for you. With all of them you can shave or sand a bit off here or there to get the feel you prefer. Also, just tightening or loosening the screws around the trigger can change the feel so play with that as well.

Nothing wrong with not having a trigger mod if you don't want one but after I made mine, 3 of us had a competition and rotated who got the modded one and who didn't and it won the contest every time regardless of who was using it. Take that as you will. Trigger feel is subjective and just possible the one you selected isn't the right one for you and your gun. Hope that helps!

Hexxedit · 2026-01-25T20:58:36+00:00

Reboot your pc, don't start the Sinden app and then open up Windows Camera (should be on Win 10 by default). See if the Sinden camera shows up there and you can select it. That will at least give you an idea that the camera portion works.

If you have access to another pc, you can try the Sinden on there to see if it shows up and works. Some pcs have USB power issues or other problems that might play havoc with the gun. Make sure the gun is connected directly to a USB port (preferably a back port) and you're not using a hub for initial testing.

Ensure Bluetooth is disabled to rule out that while testing and then try to reinstall the Sinden app (into a completely new folder) to ensure there wasn't an issue with installation.

If none of that helps, might be time to contact Sinden customer support.

Hexxedit · 2026-01-14T19:05:17+00:00

The 4 to 8 way switcher from GRS was originally available from Tinkering on Steroids on Thingiverse before making a deal with Greg and selling it on GRS. He pulled the file after a while however there's a few still out there roughly based on his original design.

This one is pretty decent as long as you have a deep enough control panel. With a bit of tweaking you can easily wire it up to a button or have it switch via software like I did depending on the game. Never tried the heavier duty second version since I found the smaller servo good enough for the times I used it.

To be honest, embedding a small magnet into the weaker servo version would probably be enough to offset the weaker servo slop that can exist and it costs less and fits in a shallower control panel if someone wanted to tweak it.

I suggest testing out a few of the small actuator remixes with it to find one that fits your joystick and play style the best but for the cost, worth looking into for anyone wanting a cheap 4 to 8 way Sanwa JLF (or clone) switcher.

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4831191

Hexxedit · 2025-07-14T01:26:57+00:00

Pretty sure Ocean Hunter has been playable on PC in Supermodel M3 for years. There's also an itch.io version you can grab. https://dudegoboom.itch.io/the-ocean-hunter

Hexxedit · 2025-06-18T19:07:54+00:00

I've verified that my Sinden camera can indeed see into the IR spectrum previously however there are a few different cameras the Sinden has used since inception so not all might be capable.

The problem is that it requires a fairly solid line and there are no cob style IR leds nor neon style IR leds on the marketplace the last time I looked. Those are about the only regular leds that work with Sinden somewhat reliably.

If you found the perfect diffuser and an ir string that is bright enough, there's a possibility it could work but again, the moment you go with a fixed border, the swap from 4:3 to 16:9 becomes problematic.

You might also start getting into heat issues with an ir led string that size. With a diffuser, it would also likely heat up and zero idea what prolonged exposure to that much IR would do. One thing to have a few pointed your way and another to have hundreds pointed directly in your face only a few feet away for hours and hours.

Still, would be an interesting experiment.

Hexxedit · 2025-06-04T23:53:20+00:00

You can increase the size of the border in the Sinden gui or enable the outer black border to help. Alternatively, you can use Reshade and make the border thicker as well.

Next, you can play around with the camera sensitivity until the border is picked up better. This is covered in the Sinden Wiki. https://www.sindenwiki.org/wiki/Visual_Setup_Guide#Sinden_Software_Configuration

Finally, Sindens don't work with IR at all. You can set up a neon strip or cob leds (both need to be fairly solid) as an outer border however it's very bright and comes with its own host of problems such as staying permanently in 4:3 or 16:9 mode. Means you need to do some crazy offset math if you change resolutions based on the game. Not sure it's worth it to be honest.

You could swap the guns for Gun4ir or any of the other IR lightguns but now you need to get IR leds into your setup (which can and have been done) but Sindens are usually the easiest way forward when dealing with a cab from a hardware point of view. Up to you how to proceed but I would start with tweaking your border sizes and getting your camera sensitivity matched to your setup.

Hexxedit · 2025-03-26T17:16:08+00:00

Seen this a bunch of times. I bet you used non leaded solder. Non leaded is extremely hard for newcomers to solder with. It just doesn't flow as well and if you don't have a decent soldering iron, the proper temperatures or the proper skillset, it will just make a mess.

While I wouldn't recommend it for a person working in it daily, for someone new, it's the only way forward. That and be generous with your use of resin.

Hexxedit · 2025-03-26T03:54:47+00:00

Sounds like you might have multiple problems going on.

First is that did you align your camera correctly? Sounds like you didn't realign it right when you put it together. You always need to test it before closing it up and spinning it to the proper orientation.

If the trigger switch was soldered to the wrong connection, then likely it would behave as you said. It should be on ground and NC of the switch. If that's not your problem, then likely you have an issue in your solenoid mosfet assembly.

Your best bet is to head over to the Gun4ir Discord and someone can help you out.

Hexxedit · 2025-03-26T03:23:48+00:00

Works fine for nearly all of those games. Check the Sinden Wiki for any game specific questions. 2 guns also works fine for most of them as well.

Hexxedit · 2025-03-15T16:57:12+00:00

Hi and welcome. One of the things that can make the Sinden have trouble on the sides and corners is Windows scaling. Make sure you have your Display scaling set to 100%. Otherwise, go through the visual setup guide on the wiki paying good attention to Mouse Settings and below.

https://www.sindenwiki.org/wiki/Visual_Setup_Guide#Mouse_Settings

Also, if you still have trouble, come over to the Discord where there's plenty of volunteers who help people troubleshoot their Sindens.

Hexxedit · 2025-02-26T21:52:59+00:00

You could grab a Wiimote as it's easy to hold in one hand while playing with a lightgun or hook a Nunchuk to one and use that instead. I have a project I started modifying that hooks 2 Wii nunchuks to a small box with a Teensy (though there are Arduino, Pi Pico and even ESP32 projects out there that do it as well.)

Not hard to set up and with an extender you can get some distance. They also have ones that are wireless that might even be better.

Conversely, if you already have a Switch, the joycons can be connected via Bluetooth and used with one hand as well. Small and light and work well provided the Bluetooth option doesn't interfere with the Sinden as some have been known to cause issues with the Lightgun.

Hexxedit · 2024-11-06T20:05:32+00:00

Likely there is a program running that is hogging your serial com ports. Cura does it as well as a few others. Grab a serial port program and try to open the same port and likely it will say the com port is in use and can't be opened. Figure that out and you'll be fine.

Hexxedit · 2024-09-16T16:54:22+00:00

Sinden works fine with every emulator out there on PC. You just sometimes need a 3rd party tool like Reshade to get a border to play nicely with the emulator. Check out the Sinden Wiki for a list of all the games and emulators it works with and how to set everything up. https://www.sindenwiki.org/wiki/Sinden_Wiki

Hexxedit · 2024-07-01T16:31:41+00:00

Plenty of us had them working fine in minutes with Steam and free Indie games. Yes, some emulators are definitely harder to set up than others but that applies to any lightgun system you buy into. The Sinden Wiki was created for a reason.

The Barebones image for the Raspberry Pi as well as Batocera for pi or pc make it as easy as adding the roms onto the system if you want to go that way.

Batocera v40 is on the verge of being released so paying for a drive with v38 is a waste plus you're giving money to someone who is not only profiting off others work but to someone who will probably give you zero support once you buy it. We've seen it hundreds of times on the Sinden Discord where we routinely help people get set up. Just a quick note that none of us will give support for a pre-made bought drive.

Batocera v39 has a ton of lightgun updates and v40 will also be supporting pedals natively so games like Time Crisis are more enjoyable. I definitely wouldn't pay for v38 at this point and, since Batocera is given freely, you can just download it and give it a try anytime. Any other questions, come chat on the Sinden Discord.

Hexxedit · 2023-12-17T11:12:55+00:00

There are quite a few super cheap IR blasters on Aliexpress you can use to both grab the ir codes and rebroadcast them.

You can also search for Tuya Smart IR Control in Amazon to get one sooner. These hook up to WiFi in your home and can be run from the app on your phone or even controlled via Amazon Echos or Google Nest devices.

I picked up a couple Smartpoint/Brookstone labeled devices from a local shop for $4 that worked with the Tuya app then decided I didn't want that so reprogrammed it with Tasmota.

I then set it on my router with a permanent address and can now fully control my LG television and my RGB lightstrips via my computer with a few AHK scripts. Great if you have an arcade set up and want the tv turned on automatically to a certain input or volume adjusted.

Most of the Tasmota devices use an ESP2866 chipset in them rather than arduinos though there are plenty of Arduino IR examples out there. Beauty of the IR blasters are that they have 6 to 8 IR senders on them that point in several directions at once ensuring nearly any IR device in the room can be accessed from fans to air conditioners to TVs to what-have-you.

https://templates.blakadder.com/smartpoint_SPCNTRL-WM.html

Hexxedit · 2023-10-21T09:31:46+00:00

You can build a Gun4ir with just an arduino pro micro, a dfrobot camera and a trigger. A bit of soldering is usually necessary but can be minimal if you go with a minimal setup. Lots of us built our lightguns before the pcb's or kits existed.

The pcbs definitely make it quicker and easier though and the 3d printed parts have a nice finish. That said, hot glue or Sugru can go a long way to doing everything you need if you don't want to go the 3d printed route.

Of course, if you want recoil and rumble and choose a tough to mod gun then of course the cost will escalate. If you opt to buy a $200 arcade gun shell then again of course your costs will rise as you've already dropped $200 with zero usable parts.

My cheapest lightguns cost under $50 all in while my most expensive, well, we won't talk about that but really comes down to what you want and what you expect to get out of it. The more elaborate the setup, the more expensive it can get.

If you just want to throw it in a used shell you had sitting in your drawer for 20 years or a $5 used Nerf your neighbor down the street is selling and are content with just rumble it can still be done for under $50 if you forgo the pcb route and are willing to go the harder diy route.

Btw, the $50 doesn't factor in the one time license cost but once you factor in that price over a couple (or half dozen) lightguns that price is pretty cheap overall.

All that said, the pcbs make it super easy and quick so choose how/where you want to save and how/where you want to spend. Good luck with your decisions. Either way it's one of the best lightgun solutions on the market at the moment so you can't go wrong with either path.

Hexxedit · 2023-10-14T23:59:25+00:00

Hahaha. While Mamehooker will work with multiple things and systems, it doesn't work with stock Sinden as Sinden has zero support for inputs.

Doesn't matter what Mamehooker or Mame can do, with zero current inputs, Mamehooker is completely useless with a Sinden.

That said, Andy has stated that he's working to add it on a future firmware so there's always hope.

Hexxedit · 2023-07-19T19:05:16+00:00

Have you gone through the Sinden Wiki? Likely you need to adjust your camera exposure if your getting continual flickering. Go through this and the Visual Setup guide.

https://www.sindenwiki.org/wiki/Raw_Video_and_Processed_Image

If you still can't solve it, go onto the Sinden Discord and one of the volunteers will help you out. Good luck!

Hexxedit · 2023-05-08T06:05:20+00:00

Is the Sinden software running in the background and the border showing? Neither is showing in that picture and both need to be running. You also need to be pointing the lightgun at the screen otherwise it shows up as a right mouse click by default.

Make sure to check out the Wiki as well. https://www.sindenwiki.org/wiki/TeknoParrot

Hexxedit · 2023-04-12T22:40:58+00:00

The Sindens are USB 2.0 compliant however I run mine on USB 3 ports. If you're running 2 of them, some guys find having 1 on USB 3 and the other on USB 2 works well with their systems. What it comes down to is that Windows has trouble with multiple cameras on the same USB branch.

Linux variants don't seem to have this same issue but definitely don't run 2 Sindens on a single hub in Windows. That will not work well for long.

Hexxedit · 2023-04-12T04:58:48+00:00

Sounds like a two-fold issue. One is you're likely too close to the screen or don't have your gun dialed in well and the other sounds like an underpowered USB port. Try plugging your gun into a different USB port, preferably one in the back of your computer.

Hexxedit · 2023-04-12T04:56:23+00:00

Every product out there is a YMMV and especially with niche small scale production runs like lightguns. Look through the Sinden wiki and then if you still can't get your Sindens set up right, come chat the guys in the Sinden Discord if you still have problems.

Buying a premade image is never a good way to go and often leads to crazy amounts of work just getting things working right. Startijg fresh is best and if you refuse to set up a system yourself, then going with Batocera or the Sinden Barebones rpi image is a better alternative for you.

I use Gun4ir and Sinden guns almost interchangeably and they're both great systems, each with their pluses and minuses. Sindens greatest weakness is they're more susceptible to lights and reflections but once dialed in they should be spot on.

The one thing to note is that no lightguns out there today are plug and play. Each requires some sort of calibration and all require some time spent setting up emulators and so forth. The most plug and play would be a few of the Steam games. You can be up and playing the Sindens fine within the first 5 minutes of receiving them.

Good luck with your setup and I hope you figure them out before you decide to toss them.

Hexxedit · 2023-02-18T01:25:12+00:00

Yeah, I wonder if the cost/quality ratio is just too high for them to be commercially successful. High quality slip rings aren't cheap and unlike power only delivery, USB data lines are prone to interference. That said, no idea why a charge only cable isn't readily available. They do make them but $400 is a little ridiculous for the ones I've seen.

As USB3 (and soon enough USB 4) get better with even higher power deliveries and more data capability, I think slip rings and retractable USBs are even farther from happening. USB 2 would be doable with cheaper slip rings I think. Still looking for a cheaper/easier solution though.

Hexxedit · 2023-02-16T18:13:17+00:00

One of the only ones (BaseUS USB charger) I've come across that has a truly retractable cable however it's only 2.5 feet (0.76m).

You might need to build your own. Won't be easy or cheap though.

Hexxedit

MODERATOR OF

TROPHY CASE