The Panzer 5 Hall Effect PCB represents a significant advancement in arcade controller technology, replacing traditional mechanical switches with magnetic Hall Effect sensors. This contactless sensing technology eliminates physical switch wear, enables unprecedented actuation point customization, and introduces advanced features like Rapid Trigger mode for competitive fighting game applications.

How Hall Effect Sensing Works

Unlike traditional mechanical switches that rely on physical metal contact points, the Panzer HE PCB uses Hall Effect sensors to detect button presses through magnetic field changes. This fundamental shift from mechanical to magnetic sensing unlocks capabilities impossible with conventional switches.

When a magnet moves closer to a Hall Effect sensor, the sensor outputs a voltage proportional to the magnetic field strength. This creates a continuous analog signal representing the exact position of the button throughout its travel—not just "pressed" or "unpressed" but every point in between.

Traditional Switch:        Hall Effect Sensor:

   OFF ────┐              Full Travel ~~~~~~~~
           │                         ~~~~~~~~
           │                        ~~~~~~~~
   ON  ────┘              Pressed  ~~~~~~~~

   [Binary Only]          [Infinite Resolution]

The Magnetic Advantage

Processing Architecture

The Panzer HE PCB is built around the STM32 microcontroller—an ARM Cortex-M4 processor running at 168 MHz with hardware floating-point acceleration. This is the same class of processor found in professional audio equipment, drone flight controllers, and industrial automation systems where real-time performance is critical.

Analog-to-Digital Conversion

The STM32 chip features three independent 12-bit ADCs capable of 2.4 million samples per second combined throughput. This means:

• →12-bit resolution = 4,096 discrete levels across each button's travel
• →Sub-microsecond conversion = Each sensor reading completes in under 1µs
• →16-channel multiplexing = All buttons scanned continuously

Sensor Array Design

Each button position utilizes a dedicated Hall Effect sensor with supporting analog circuitry:

• →15 independent Hall Effect sensors for button inputs
• →16-channel analog multiplexer for efficient ADC routing
• →Precision op-amp stage for signal conditioning
• →Per-channel filtering capacitors for noise rejection

The signal path is engineered for consistency: each sensor's output passes through identical conditioning circuitry before digitization, ensuring uniform response characteristics across all buttons.

Hardware Specifications Summary

By default, the USB output is set to the fighting board so you can plug in and just play. All USB signals are handled through a proper USB switch to ensure no signal degradation occurs.

In the past, some devices used electronic switches to toggle the data lines. While it didn't cause issues, those are not designed for high-speed USB signals.

Plug-and-Play Operation

Once configured, the Panzer HE operates as a standard USB game controller requiring no drivers or software:

• →Native compatibility with PC, PlayStation, and supported consoles
• →All settings stored on-device
• →Configuration persists through power cycles and system changes
• →No background software required during gameplay
• →Works with a standalone fighting board so you aren't locked into a single PCB type

The Hall Effect System is faster than any fighting board on the market. Reading the Hall Effect data and converting it to a digital signal occurs many, many times faster than fighting boards read input signals.

USB Connector Reference

USB Type-A

USB Type-B

Rapid Trigger Technology

Rapid Trigger represents a paradigm shift in how button inputs are interpreted, specifically designed for fighting game techniques requiring instantaneous directional changes.

Per-Button Configuration: Enable or disable Rapid Trigger independently for each of the 15 buttons. Adjustable sensitivity (1–100%) controls how much directional change triggers a new input. Settings persist in on-board memory.

Custom Actuation Points

Every button's trigger point is independently adjustable across its entire calibrated range. Players can configure:

With 600+ discrete points available per button, adjustments can be made in increments smaller than human perception—enabling truly personalized response curves.

Button Remapping

Physical button positions can be remapped to different logical functions entirely in firmware. Swap button assignments without rewiring, create game-specific layouts, adapt to different fighting game conventions—all settings stored persistently on device.

Button Muting

Individual buttons can be disabled without affecting calibration. Temporarily silence problematic inputs, prevent accidental pause/menu activation, or create reduced-button configurations for specific games.

The R3, L3, and Touchpad Click buttons are duplicated on the front panel of the Panzer Fight Stick. These are traditional arcade buttons and operate as such. They can work in tandem with their Hall Effect equivalents on the play surface of the Panzer Fight Stick 5.

You may omit installing magnetic switches at the L3, R3, or TP position on the play surface and muting them in the GUI. This will prevent them from participating in the calibration routine and disable their output.

If you aren't sure if a magnetic switch is compatible with your Panzer Fight Stick Hall Effect PCB, please check out our Discord for a compatibility list. As more users try different switches we will post the results there.

Magnetic switches and Hall Effect sensors are polarity sensitive, so it's possible a magnetic switch will have the magnet oriented in a way that our Hall Effect Sensors don't operate as intended. This is not indicative of an error on the board, but a design decision in the hall effect sensors chosen for the system.

Community-confirmed switches (not officially supported or verified by us):

• →View Community Switch Notes (Google Sheet)
• →Submit your findings via this form

To overcome timing issues with the RP2040 hardware, pull up resistors are required on the HOME, START, and SELECT button signals to allow for entry into GUI or Update Mode. You can accomplish this many ways if you understand electronics, but we recommend picking up a modified EZ Wiring Hat that has the pull up resistors in place if yours doesn't have them already installed (early Panzer 5 hats didn't have them).

Purchase the Modified EZ Wiring Hat →

1. Remove existing panel components. The Hall Effect PCB is designed to be a direct replacement for all Panzer Fight Stick 5 panels that support MX buttons. Simply remove the caps, switches, and PCB (in that order) from your *HE/MX panel and screw the Hall Effect (HE) PCB in place.

   

2. Connect the ribbon cable from the HE panel to the EZ WIRING hat on your fighting board.

   

3. Connect USB to Fight Board. Connect one of the included USB cables to your Fight Board's USB B plug. Connect the JST PHR-4 end of this same cable to the HE board where it says "Fight Board In"—this is the JST PH connector closest to the ribbon cable.

   
   Custom Cable Required

   If you do not have a USB B plug on your PCB, you will need a custom cable to install the system. All USB signals must go through the HE PCB. We do not offer different cables at this time.

4. Connect USB OUT. Connect the second USB cable included with your HE panel to the remaining JST PH connector, furthest away from the ribbon cable where it says "USB OUT". Then connect the USB A plug to the passthrough adapter on your case.

   

5. Wire front panel buttons. Connect the front panel buttons to the HE PCB using the included wiring harnesses. In the AEGIS 2 or ALL BUTTON case, both harnesses are the same length. On lever-based panels, one is longer than the other due to the PCB position.

   Once plugged into the board, make your connections to the front panel buttons. The silk screen on the PCB shows which wire is which signal. In general, black wires are for GROUND and the white or red wires are for a button's signal. Position on the button's quick connect spades does not matter.

   

6. Install Magnetic Switches. Install the Magnetic Switches from the top side of the panel and into the metal plate/recessed areas on your *MX panel. The two plastic nubs on the bottom of the switch will friction fit into the PCB, but there is no electrical connection made. The switch is held in by clipping into the metal panel itself.

   
   

The Calibration Challenge

Hall Effect sensors present a unique challenge: while they provide rich analog data, that data varies between individual sensors, magnets, and even environmental conditions. Two identical sensors may output different voltages for the same magnet position. Additionally, electrical noise creates small fluctuations in readings even when a button is perfectly still.

The Panzer solves this through an intelligent calibration system that learns each button's unique characteristics, measures and compensates for system noise, and establishes reliable boundaries for actuation detection.

Calibration Steps

1. Open the Panzer Fight Stick HE GUI.

   Note: The GUI does not respond until a HE PCB is connected. The screenshots may be from earlier versions of the GUI—generally functionality remains the same.

   

2. Hold HOME and plug in your Panzer Fight Stick 5.

3. Verify connection. The GUI should change from DISCONNECTED (red) to CONNECTED (green).

4. Press CALIBRATE to begin the calibration process and follow the on-screen instructions. If you do not follow them exactly, your calibration will not be optimal and actuation points set will not be accurate.

   Z Button Note

   Most Panzer 5 PCBs do not have a Z Button. When you choose your layout upon first setup the Z button will be muted and you can ignore it.

   Lever-Based Panels

   If you are using a lever-based panel, there are no hall effect sensors for the lever. When you select a lever based layout, the directionals are muted and disabled in Firmware. They will not show up in the calibration routine.

5. Calibration complete. Once calibration is completed it will save settings to the HE PCB and notify you with an onscreen prompt.

   At this point you can disconnect and use the Panzer Fight Stick 5 Hall Effect system. The actuation point of each switch is set to 1.75mm (halfway between 0 and 3.5mm). However, we recommend spending time fine tuning the actuation points.

The slider bars associated with each button operate independently and can be thought of as the full range of a button's throw. The top of the slider is when the button isn't pressed at all and the bottom is when the button is bottomed out.

Since the data sent to the HE processor is dependent on the switch and sensor combination, displaying numbers on the slider bar would cause confusion. All sliders are normalized based on the data each sensor/switch combination sends to the processor, so you can be assured that if two buttons' actuation points are set at the same spot in the GUI, the distance you must press them will be the same.

The Hall Effect system gives you an unparalleled opportunity to fine tune when each of your buttons actuate. Since there are hundreds of potential set points available at each switch, you can control each switch's actuation point in nearly 0.005mm increments—well below the muscle control of a person.

The closer the arrow is to the top of the slider, the sooner along the button's travel the button will actuate. Conversely, the closer to the bottom, the further you must press it. Since each can be set independently, you can tune the system to suit your exact play style.

Rapid Trigger (R/T) Mode

Enabling Rapid Trigger Mode ignores the actuation point and looks for changes in button direction to determine if it's being pressed. This allows you to quickly activate and deactivate a button along any point in the switch's throw. You can adjust the Rapid Trigger Sensitivity, per button, as of firmware 2.7 and GUI version 3.0. The lower the number the more sensitive to change that activates a R/T response.

Tuning Steps

1. Adjust individual sliders. Each slider has a small arrow representing when the button is actuated. Slide it up or down to the position best suited for your playstyle. When you press a button, the GUI will provide real-time feedback with an orange bar tracking your press. Once the bar is below the actuation threshold, the corresponding button image will light up. You can also type in whole numbers for the % throw you want to have for the switch to activate.

2. The Master slider was removed in GUI version 3.0 as it was not widely used by the Panzer Brigade.

3. Save your settings. Once you finalize your actuation set points and are happy with them, hit the "SAVE" button to save your settings to the Panzer Fight Stick 5 HE PCB.

4. Export/Import profiles. You can EXPORT your settings as a backup to IMPORT them later. This lets you save different profiles and load them up quickly within the GUI.

5. Ready to play. Once saved, the GUI will notify you that settings were saved. At this point you can unplug and re-plug the USB cable and you will be ready to play.

vs. Traditional Mechanical Controllers

vs. Other Hall Effect Controllers

The Hall Effect System runs on an STM32 Chip and requires drivers to flash. You can install the STM32 toolkit (too much time!) or use a simple driver installer. You only need to do this one time!

1. Download the Driver Tool from zadig.akeo.ie

2. Enable device listing. Once opened, click Options → LIST ALL DEVICES

3. Select the bootloader. In your device list choose STM32 BOOT LOADER and in the dropdown to the right choose WinUSB (v6.1.7600.16385)

4. Install the driver. Click Reinstall Driver

5. Reboot your computer. You will need to reboot after driver installation.

When you enter bootloader mode you will see STM32 BOOTLOADER in the Device Manager. Use the Panzer Flash tool from the Downloads section below!

These are the only official download links for the Panzer Fight Stick Hall Effect System. Please note, they are not digitally signed at the moment. You can ignore the windows warning and open the software.

Configuration Software

The Panzer HE includes professional configuration software for Windows that communicates directly with the controller over USB. Core capabilities include real-time visualization of all 16 inputs, a guided calibration wizard, per-button settings for trigger points and Rapid Trigger, profile management with export/import, and diagnostic logging for troubleshooting.