Cheap joystick solution

[Donkbaca]

Check this out:
http://www.buy.com/prod/hori-xbox-360-fighting-stick-ex2-uhx3-07/q/loc/108/205483240.html

I have two of these for my x-box.  Anyhow you can hook this up to a PC because it is a x-box controller.  The parts are knockoff sanwa's.

Anywhow, two pretty quality arcade sticks and buttons that are plug and play for 68 bucks shipped is a good deal

[lilshawn]

i dunno, a HAPP comp joystick is 13 bucks and buttons are like 3 bucks each.......

just sayin... 

PS, your link says it's on sale for 33.99 now.

i guess if you want a quick and easy solution this would w\ork alright.

as for PC connectivity, it may or may not work... no-name stuff is a crap shoot. but your odds are not bad. 80/20 maybe.

[Donkbaca]

Yeah, 33.99 x2 = 67.98.  Like I said 68 bucks shipped.  For happs  2 sticks - 26 bucks, plus if you did 6 buttons each player that is another 36 bucks so you would be 62 bucks.  But you would have to pay for shipping and get some sort of encoder. 

This is an x-box controller, so its plug and play with windows, i.e. it already has an encoder interface built in.  It plugs right into the USB.

This isn't a no name, Hori is a pretty popular brand of aftermarket sticks.  I have these sticks they are pretty decent.

You could print out new artwork for the face of the controllers and then recess and bondo them into a 2p control box. Would be pretty simple to do and if done right would look pretty cool I think. 

I was going to do this for a cabinet based on a xbox 360. 

Another thing too, is if you have a 2p cabinet with 4p functionality, you just mount a couple of discreet USB ports, and then in a pinch you can plug in 2 of these suckers for those rare occasions you have 4people for a 4player game.

Anyhow, if you get a little creative, this is a cheap, easy way to pick up a couple of fairly decent quality controllers.

[lilshawn]

my bad, i did not read the "two" .... (A)bort (R)etry (I)gnore.

[keefyboy]

I hate to be too contrarian, but this joystick is what's comparable to what I can build myself, and it's $137 each, shipped. AFAIK that stick is the one with all-Sanwa parts, the others have lesser-spec stuff. Champagne tastes and beer money - such is my life.

HOWEVER, that one has 10 buttons and auto-fire built-in. So a Sanwa joystick is ~2400 yen in Akihabara, and the buttons are ~240 yen each, 310 if you get the clear ones - so 4800 yen, ~$58 US. You get a WELL built housing.

A month or so ago, Mad Catz had a two-for-one sale, and it included the SFIVTE sticks - two of those for $150! I'm still kicking myself for not jumping on that - $75 minus $58 = $17 for the housing - a bargain IMO.

But it all boils down to what works for you - and you're absolutely right, it is a cheap and easy way to get two good controllers.

[Donkbaca]

Yeah the sfiv tournament stick has top quality parts! But if you consider an x-arcade duo is 130 bucks and for that price you can get about 4 of these hori ex sticks! It's a good stick too. Not platinum quality but a solid, well built stick that is plug and play

[Marsupial]

As an external controller, these are cool. But IMHO if you're to put it in a CP, better buy the parts by themselves. Cheaper plus you get to choose everything (colorwise)

[Donkbaca]

There is no way you could build a 2 player cp for under 68 bucks

[CheffoJeffo]

There is no way you could build a 2 player cp for under 68 bucks

Folks have build entire MAME cabs for that price ...

[Donkbaca]

 I guess you could build one for free if you had all the parts lying around. But there is no way you could buy parts and build one cheaper. Fact

[Marsupial]

Fact?

I got my joysticks for 5$ a piece, 15 buttons for 15$, and a minipac for 29$.
If I would have wanted even cheaper, USB joysticks to steal the interface from are a dime a dozen nowaday.

That's under 69$ and I even got to choose the colors.

now, if you want something to be standalone, external. Your solution is great. But to put in a CP, I'd still go for acquiring my choice of parts.

[CheffoJeffo]

I guess you could build one for free if you had all the parts lying around. But there is no way you could buy parts and build one cheaper. Fact

Thanks for the edumacation on the cost of arcade parts ... 'coz I don't have a clue what that stuff costs and wouldn't even know where to start ...

 

EDIT: I think it is a decent external solution and reasonably priced. But, it ain't exactly a bargain (and if you don't understand why, then you have no business lecturing anybody about prices).