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Musashi 8 Marq Board Instructions
4C is a registered trademark of Extreme Paintball Design, LLC pat pend
Features
• Fully functional in the Bob Long Onyx/Marq series of markers
• Based on the Musashi 8 software, with full support for the 4C™ eye system
• Both a plug-and-play wiring harness socket and board mounting point for the
Draxxus Pulse RF transmitter are standard
• New model microcontroller runs at 8 Mhz for no hardware lag and the fastest
code execution
• Enhanced power switching hardware for the solenoid
• Includes 12 fire modes: uncapped semi-auto, capped semi-auto, PSP auto-
response, PSP 50% ramping, PSP 100% ramping, PSP burst, NXL fullautomatic, auto-response, 50% ramping, 100% ramping, 3 round burst, and
full-automatic
• Asynchronously monitors the trigger switch, using an interrupt based scan at
2 million times per second
• Gangster setting allows 3 different options for every fire mode, giving 36
different “breakout” style modes
• Adjustable ABS programming prevents first shot drop-off
• AMB (anti-mechanical bounce) and CPF (cycle percentage filter) algorithms
help to eliminate mechanical bounce and switch bounce
• Power efficient software and hardware lengthens battery life
• Programming mode allows changes to debounce, dwell, loader delay, AMB,
ABS dwell, fire mode, fire mode max rate of fire, eye mode, CPF, ramp start,
gangster mode, bolt delay, and training mode dwell
• All settings are stored in non-volatile memory so they are not lost when
battery is disconnected
• One-touch startup enables the marker to fire instantly
• Automatic 15-minute idle power down saves batteries
• 4 eye modes: delayed, forced with force shot, test mode with rate of fire
indicator, and reduced dwell training mode with rate of fire indicator
• Low battery indicator hardware and software shows battery level each time
the marker is turned on
Installation
Removal and installation of the board in a Marq must be carefully done to ensure the
electronics are not damaged. Begin by removing the grips from the marker. This will
expose the entire circuit board. Remove the main wiring harness, the three mounting
screws from the board, and then the board itself. Be aware of the trigger switch return
spring mounting bracket which sits over the trigger switch. Place the return spring
mounting bracket over the M8 Marq board’s trigger switch, then insert the board into
the grip frame top first, making sure the wiring does not get pinched. Replace the 3
mounting screws. Plug in all the connections. It may be easier to completely remove
the grip frame from the marker to replace the trigger return spring so you can insert it
from the top. If the marker does not turn on, it may be due to a low or incorrectly
inserted battery.
LED Indicator
The multi-color LED that shines out the rear of the grip frame shows which mode of
operation the marker is currently in:
Rapid Blinking Red At startup this indicates an exhausted battery
Rapid Blinking Yellow At startup this indicates a low battery
Rapid Blinking Green At start this indicates a good battery
Solid Teal Both eyes are blocked
Solid Blue Top eye is blocked
Solid Purple Bottom eye is blocked
Slow Blinking Blue No ball in breech
Slow Blinking Yellow Eye malfunction, max rate of fire reduced to 12 bps; clean
eyes or make sure the gun is fired with paint and air
Slow Blinking Red Eyes disabled, rate of fire limited to 20 balls per second in
mode 1; otherwise capped at fire mode max rate of fire for
fire modes 2 through 12.
Power Operation
Pressing and releasing the power button turns the marker on. The battery indicator will
show the current power level of your battery with a flickering red, yellow, or green
LED. After, it will show a solid or blinking blue LED (unless changed from the
default). To turn off, press and hold the power button for 1.5 seconds, until the LED
turns off, then release. Every time the marker is turned on, the eyes are enabled. The
marker can be turned off regardless of the state of the eyes.
Eye Operation and Logic
The eyes are enabled when the marker is first turned on. The eyes can be toggled by
quickly pressing and releasing the power button. The LED will change colors to
indicate the mode change.
The Musashi 8 Marq board supports the 4C™ system, and will automatically detect
whether a single eye set or dual eye set is installed at start up.
If using a single eye set the LED indicator works as follows:
Slow Blinking Blue Empty breech
Solid Purple Ball in breech, ready to fire
With a dual eye set the LED indicator works as follows:
Slow Blinking Blue Empty breech, both top and bottom eyes unblocked
Solid Blue Top eye set is blocked
Solid Purple Bottom eye set is blocked
Solid Teal Both top and bottom eye sets blocked
The use of the 4C™ eye system allows for much faster rates of fire because it can
anticipate the next paintball being loaded into the breech and start the firing cycle early,
which negates the delay time found in the pneumatics of the paintball marker. The
Musashi 8 software was written specifically to take advantage of this arrangement, and
automatically uses the top eye set when the loader is feeding fast enough. It can also
determine when the top eye set is blocked by paint or debris, and will default to using
only the bottom eye until the top is clear again. Once the top eye is clear, it will resume
use of both eye sets.
If used, the eye system cycles the marker as fast as possible. During each shot the eyes
watch for the bolt to return, ending the current firing cycle and starting another as
quickly as the pneumatics allow. If the eye system is continually blocked (e.g. putting
your finger in front of the eyes) and is unable to see the bolt return after every shot, the
max rate of fire will be reduced to about 12 balls per second to prevent further chopping,
and the LEDs will blink yellow to indicate the eye malfunction. Firing the marker with
paint and air will utilize the eye system correctly, maximizing the rate of fire. When the
eyes are off, the rate of fire is limited to 20 balls per second unless in fire modes 2
through 12, in which case the rate of fire is selected by the user.
To determine if the eyes are working correctly, insert an object into the breech. Check to
see if the LED changes from blinking blue to solid and then back to blinking blue once
the object is removed.
Battery Indicator
Battery indicator software and hardware are standard on the M8 Marq board. When the
marker is turned on, the LED will briefly flicker red, yellow, or green to indicate the
status of your battery. If it flickers red, the battery is exhausted and should be changed
as soon as possible. If it flickers yellow, the battery may last for another case of paint,
but it is close to failing.
Programming
The tournament lock must be disabled in order to change settings on the board. Pushing
the small switch beside the Pulse socket toggles the tournament lock. While the marker
is turned off, push and hold the lock button. The LED will flash red or green to indicate
the status of the lock. Red means the lock is on, while green means the lock is off.
When the lock and the marker are off, pull and hold the trigger, then push the power
button. The marker will boot into programming mode, showing a rainbow sequence
before stopping at solid green.
Pulling and releasing the trigger quickly will toggle between the different programming
modes:
Green Debounce
Purple Dwell
Yellow Loader delay
Blue AMB (anti-mechanical bounce)
Red ABS dwell
White Fire mode
Teal Fire mode max rate of fire
Flickering Green Eye mode
Flickering Purple CPF (cycle percentage filter)
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Flickering Yellow Ramp start
Flickering Blue Gangster mode
Flickering Red Bolt delay
Flickering White Training mode dwell
When the LED is lit for the desired setting, press and hold the trigger until the LED goes
out. When you release the trigger, the LED will blink to show the current setting. For
example, if the current setting for debounce is 5, the LED will blink green 5 times. Once
the LED stops blinking, you have 2 seconds to begin entering the new setting. To enter
the new setting, pull the trigger the desired number of times. For example, to set the
debounce to 2, you must pull the trigger 2 times. Every time you pull the trigger the
LED will light. After all settings have been changed, turn the marker off, using the
power button.
Programming Example
If you want to set the dwell to 9, you should:
1. Make sure the marker is powered off and the tournament lock is
disabled.
2. Pull the trigger and push the power button to turn on the marker.
3. The LED shows a rainbow sequence then stops on solid green. This is the
debounce mode.
4. Quickly pull and release the trigger 1 time to switch to the dwell mode.
The LED will show purple.
5. Pull and HOLD the trigger until the LED turns off.
6. Release the trigger. The LED will blink out the current setting.
7. When the LED stops blinking, enter the new setting by pulling the trigger
9 times.
8. Wait until the LED turns back on, indicating programming has been
completed.
9. Turn the marker off.
Program Reset
To reset all settings to factory defaults, hold down the lock button for 10 seconds while
in programming mode. The LED will rapidly cycle through every setting color to
indicate that the process has completed.
Settings
Debounce – The M8 Marq board features an interrupt based debounce algorithm that
effectively “scans” the trigger over 2 million times per second. It runs this completely
independent of code execution on the microcontroller so your trigger pulls are always
registered. The debounce setting is in increments of 1/2 milliseconds. Users should be
aware that low debounce settings may cause the marker to read switch bounce as
additional pulls, falsely generating shots or near full-automatic fire. The setting ranges
from 1 to 50 and is defaulted at 10 (5 ms).
Dwell – The amount of time the solenoid is energized each time the marker is fired. The
default is 6 ms. The range is 2 to 20 ms. Too low of a dwell may lead to inconsistency or
drop-off. Too high of a dwell can cause bad air efficiency.
Loader delay – Adds a slight delay after the eye has seen a ball and the bolt is cycled,
causing the gun to fire. If not using force fed loaders, it may be necessary to increase
this setting to prevent chopping. A setting of 1 means no loader delay, which is the
f
astest. The default is 2 and may be set from 1 to 25.
AMB (Anti-mechanical bounce) – Allows the user to adjust the anti-mechanical
bounce feature. Mechanical bounce occurs due to the kick generated during each shot
and can cause the marker to “run away” on the first few shots. AMB helps stop markers
from going full-auto when the trigger is pulled very slowly. The default is 2 and may be
set from 1 to 5 (1 being off). AMB is only used in fire modes 1 and 2 (semi-automatic
unlimited and adjustable).
ABS dwell – Amount of dwell time added for an ABS (anti-bolt stick) shot. The range
is from 1 to 10 additional milliseconds of dwell. The default is 1, which is disabled.
ABS programming helps to eliminate first shot drop-off. First shot drop-off occurs when
the lube and o-rings settle or “stick” inside the marker after it has been sitting. The next
shot fired will be lower in velocity because the bolt has to break free. ABS will slightly
increase the dwell to compensate if the marker is left sitting for 15 seconds.
Fire mode – Included are 12 different fire modes (default is 1):
1. Semi-automatic, unlimited rate of fire
2. Semi-automatic, adjustable rate of fire
3. PSP auto-response
4. PSP 50% ramping, adjustable ramp start
5. PSP 100% ramping, adjustable ramp start
6. PSP burst
7. NXL full-automatic
8. Auto-response
9. 50% ramping
10. 100% ramping (Millennium ramping)
11. 3 round burst
12. Full-automatic
Setting 1 is normal semi-automatic with an unlimited rate of fire while the eyes are
enabled. When the eyes are turned off, the max rate of fire is set to 20 balls per second.
Setting 2 is semi-automatic with an adjustable rate of fire. It limits the maximum balls
per second that can be fired. The cap is set by the max rate of fire setting.
Setting 3 is the PSP auto-response fire mode that works as follows:
The first 3 shots of a string are semi-automatic
•
• After the 4th
response mode
• If the user stops firing for more than 1 second, the 3-shot semi-automatic
count starts over
Setting 4 is the PSP 50% ramping fire mode that works as follows:
• The first 3 shots of a string are semi-automatic
• After the 4th shot the marker will ramp, adding 1 additional shot for every 2
pulled by the user, as long as the user pulls the trigger faster than the ramp
start setting
• If the user stops firing for more than 1 second, the 3-shot semi-automatic
count starts over
Setting 5 is the PSP 100% ramping fire mode that works as follows:
• The first 3 shots of a string are semi-automatic
• After the 4th shot the marker will ramp up to the loader’s maximum speed or
the maximum rate of fire, as long as the user pulls the trigger faster than the
ramp start setting
• If the user stops firing for more than 1 second, the 3-shot semi-automatic
count starts over
Setting 6 is the PSP burst fire mode that works as follows:
• The first 3 shots of a string are semi-automatic
• After the 4th shot the marker will burst fire 3 shots per pull
• If the user stops firing for more than 1 second, the 3-shot semi-automatic
count starts over
Setting 7 is the NXL full-automatic fire mode. It functions similarly to the PSP fire
modes except, after the 3rd semi-automatic shot, the user may pull and hold the trigger
for the marker to fire in full-automatic.
Setting 8 is the normal auto-response fire mode. The marker will fire on each pull and
release of the trigger, generating 2 shots per full pull cycle.
Setting 9 is the normal 50% ramping fire mode. The marker will fire in semi-automatic
unless the user pulls the trigger faster than the ramp start setting. Once the ramp start
setting has been achieved, the marker will 50% ramp, adding 1 additional shot for every
2 trigger pulls.
Setting 10 is the normal 100% ramping fire mode. The marker will fire in semiautomatic unless the user pulls the trigger faster than the ramp start setting. Once the
ramp start setting has been achieved, the marker will ramp up to the maximum feed rate
of the loader or the maximum rate of fire setting, whichever is lower. This fire mode
should be used for Millennium rules, with the ramp start setting at 8.
Setting 11 is the normal 3 round burst fire mode. The marker will burst fire 3 times for
every pull and release of the trigger.
Setting 12 is the normal full-automatic fire mode. As long as the trigger is depressed the
marker will fire in full-automatic.
shot the marker will fire on the pull and release in auto-
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Fire mode max rate of fire – The max rate of fire setting applies to the 2nd – 12th fire
modes. The max rate of fire is adjustable from 10 to 25 balls per second, and has an
unlimited setting for maxing out the loader system. The default is 7, which is roughly
13 balls per second. Oscillator inconsistencies from chip to chip make it impossible to
time perfectly, so the only true way to check rate of fire is to use a Pact Timer or
ballistic chronograph. The red radar chronographs commonly found at fields are NOT
reliable.
Setting BPS Setting BPS
1 10.0 12 15.5
2 10.5 13 16.0
3 11.0 14 17.0
4 11.5 15 18.0
5 12.0 16 19.0
6 12.5 17 20.0
7 (default) 13.0 18 21.0
8 13.5 19 22.0
9 14.0 20 23.0
10 14.5 21 24.0
11 15.0 22 Unlimited eyes on, 25.0 bps eyes off
Eye Mode – Four eye modes are available:
1. Delayed – If the eye system does not detect a ball in the breech for 1/2 second, the
marker automatically fires. This is useful for sound activated loaders because it
ensures that a shot is fired, even without paint, so the loader will continue to feed.
2. Forced with force shot – The marker only fires if paint is seen in the breech or the
user pulls and holds the trigger for 1/2 second, thereby initiating a force shot.
3. Test – This mode is specifically for seeing how fast the user can fire the marker, or
how fast the pneumatics can actually cycle. The eyes work to prevent firing if
they are blocked. This mode is only for dry firing. The LED is used to show the
fastest achieved rate of fire:
As long as the user continues to fire, the fastest achieved rate of fire will continue
to be displayed on the LED. If the user stops firing for 1 second, the LED will
cycle back through the rate of fire colors.
4. Training – This mode works just like the test eye mode, but features an adjustable
dwell setting independent of the normal dwell, which makes it easy for users to
adjust their trigger settings and try them out with much less noise and air
consumption. The training mode dwell setting corresponds with this eye mode.
Note: The test and training eye mode works with any fire mode selected. The fire mode
max rate of fire is set to unlimited while in test eye mode.
CPF (Cycle percentage filter) – The cycle percentage filter allows adjustment of the
point within the current firing cycle that a new buffered shot is allowed. Almost all
electronic paintball markers allow a single shot to be buffered in the event the user is
fast enough to release the trigger and pull again during the current firing cycle. The
CPF setting is adjustable from 1 to 10. Setting 1 turns the CPF off, allowing buffered
shots at any point in the firing cycle. Settings 2 through 10 set the percentage of the
firing cycle that must pass before shots may be buffered:
A higher CPF setting results in less unintentional bounce. For instance, it is possible
that if your debounce setting is border line, you can fire the marker a few times, then
hold it loosely and allow it to brush against your finger, going full-automatic. Since
most switch bounce from either a low debounce setting or mechanical bounce occurs
almost immediately after the trigger is released, CPF can be very effective in eliminating
falsely generated trigger activity.
Red less than 10 bps
Yellow between 10 and 15 bps
Green between 15 and 20 bps
Blue between 20 and 25 bps
White 25 bps or greater
1. CPF turned off
2. 10% of the firing cycle must pass before a buffered shot is allowed
3. 20%
4. 30%
5. 40%
6. 50%
7. 60%
70%
8.
9. 80%
10. 90%
Ramp start – This setting is only used for the four ramping fire modes (PSP 50% and
100% ramping, and normal 50% and 100% ramping). It sets the minimum pulls per
second that must be maintained for the software to add shots or ramp up to the
maximum rate of fire setting. The default is 5 and is adjustable from 4 to 14 pulls per
second. For Millennium rules a ramp start setting of 8 or higher is required. It will also
specifically limit how fast the marker stops shooting once the trigger is released, to
ensure compliance with the Millennium rules.
Gangster mode – The M8 Marq board includes a special mode that can be applied 3
different ways to each of the 12 fire modes, giving 36 “breakout” style combinations.
Gangster mode gives the user full-automatic with an unlimited rate of fire for a single
pull, for use at the start of the game. The setting is defaulted at 4, which turns gangster
mode off. Settings 1, 2, and 3 dictate at which pull that gangster mode will become
active. If set to 1, the first shot after you turn on the marker will be full-automatic with
an unlimited rate of fire for as long as you hold down the trigger. As soon as you
release the trigger, the marker will stop shooting and default back to your selected fire
mode. If set to 3, the gangster mode will be active on the third shot after the marker is
turned on. Regardless of the fire mode selected, the shots before the gangster mode will
be semi-automatic. Gangster mode can only be used once for each time the marker is
turned on.
Note: The gangster mode is illegal for use in all tournament series. Tadao
Technologies LLC takes no responsibility for the user’s choice in using the
gangster mode.
Bolt delay – This setting determines how long the eyes are ignored after the dwell time
ends. Some delay is necessary to allow the bolt to get far enough forward so the eye
system does not mistake a small gap between a paintball and the bolt face for a bolt
return. The default is 10 ms and may be set from 1 to 15 ms. Higher settings will reduce
the maximum capable rate of fire, while lower settings may lead to skipped or blank
shots because the bolt does not have enough time to block the eyes on its forward stroke.
Training mode dwell – This setting selects the markers dwell time if using the training
eye mode (eye mode set to 4). The dwell time is reduced so that the marker barely
cycles, consuming less air and emitting less noise so users can train their finger speed.
This setting is adjustable from 1 to 10 ms, and is defaulted at 2 ms. If this setting is too
high, the marker may actually fire. If that is your intention, you should switch to the test
eye mode, which uses the normal dwell setting.
Additional Features
Draxxus Pulse loader RF transmitter harness – Included with your board is a wiring
harness that allows plug and play installation of the Draxxus Pulse loader RF
transmitter. The wiring harness plugs into the Pulse socket and Pulse transmitter. When
installed, the transmitter will automatically be powered during every shot once it is
synchronized with the Pulse loader. Alternatively, the Pulse transmitter can be mounted
directly on the board. Pinching the leads on the transmitter should give sufficient
contact to hold it on the board, but if you choose to use this method for long term use,
soldering the transmitter is much more stable and reliable.
Force Shot – In the event the eyes are enabled, the breech is empty, and the user wants
to fire a clearing shot, a force shot can be initiated by pulling and holding the trigger for
1/2 second. This is useful with force fed loaders that sometimes push a ball slightly into
the detents where the eyes are unable to see it. After force firing, the next ball will load,
and operation will continue as normal.
A tip for setting the debounce, AMB, and CPF – This only applies to semi-automatic
fire modes (modes 1 and 2) since AMB is disabled in the PSP fire modes or NXL mode.
Debounce, AMB, CPF setup steps, while using paint and air:
1. Turn AMB and CPF off (set both to 1).
2. Starting at debounce 1-3, raise the debounce setting a notch at a time until
excessive trigger bounce goes away. The goal is to have one pull, one shot,
regardless of rate of fire. Do NOT slow pull test for bounce during this phase.
Instead, pull the trigger rapidly or walk it, listening for double or triple fires.
3. When it appears that it is only one shot, one pull for solid trigger pulls, try the
slow pull test. Holding the marker steady, slowly pull the trigger and see if
multiple shots can be generated from the single pull.
4. Increase the CPF setting a notch at a time until the slow pull bounce starts to
disappear. An additional test is to fire a few rounds quickly, then hold the trigger
right on the activation point to see if the marker will run away.
5. If you reach setting 10 with CPF and the marker can still be slow pulled to fire
full-automatic, your debounce setting is probably too low. Go back to step 2.
6. AMB should not be set above 3, if possible, since it is not as transparent to the
user as CPF. Even a CPF setting of 10 will not be noticed by the user.
Additional Information
www.tadaotechnologies.com
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