Question about Ultimarc 360 and spinner/trackball

[ceburto2]

Having hard time thinking straight on this prior to buying.  If palyer 1 & 2 are connected via USB thru U360 on-board encoder, how to the spinner and trackball share a button? If the track/spinner are connected thru the Optipac, then can one of the Player 1 buttons be assigned for the U360 interface?  Sorry so noob.

-ceburto2

[PL1]

OK, you're using the U360 onboard encoders.

U-Trak trackball has a USB encoder you can order with it.  Info here.


If you're getting the SpinTrak, it also has an encoder you can order with it.  Info here.


OR

If you're getting the TurboTwist 2 from GGG, it also has an encoder you can order with it.  Info here. 


My current setup uses a U-Trak and a TT2.  They work great together.


The main thing to remember is that you want separate encoders for your trackball and spinner for 2 reasons:

1. There is a problem with the way that Windows handles the Z-axis.  One optical transition gives 4 steps.

2. If you accidently bump the other control, the encoder will assume that is the one you want to use and lock out the other for several seconds.  Separate encoders means no lockout.

You may not need/want the Opti-Pac, depending on how you configure your software.

The two questions that I have are:
 -- What frontend (MALA, Hyperspin, etc.) are you planning on using?
 -- What if any admin buttons (P1 Coin, P1 Start, P2 Coin, P2 Start, Escape, Pause, Enter, Tab/Menu, etc.) do you want?


Scott

[ceburto2]

Thank you much. This is very preliminary thinking before much money is spent. I ended up with a GGG Electric Ice-T Trackball in a bag of MAME parts off of CL. I am learning toward MALA due to what I have read about U360 support, however nothing is currently installed as I am still planning. 2 Player cab with admin functions: Player 1 coin & start, Player 2 coin & start, Esc, Pause, and Enter.  Looking at following setpu: 2 u360 (6 buttons each), trackball, spinner, flightstick, admin buttons as described. Look for future addition of Virtual Pinball and Tron Stick.  Big thanks to you and everyone here. Saint, if you are listening, thanks for a fabulous book. Look forward to posting my progress as stuff starts happening.

-ceburto2

[AndyWarne]

The main thing to remember is that you want separate encoders for your trackball and spinner for 2 reasons:

1. There is a problem with the way that Windows handles the Z-axis.  One optical transition gives 4 steps.

2. If you accidently bump the other control, the encoder will assume that is the one you want to use and lock out the other for several seconds.  Separate encoders means no lockout.

The Z axis is not really relevant here since trackballs and spinners only need to use the X and Y axes.
Regarding the Opti-PAC, only the older version had the switching between the different devices. The current version simply adds the two control movements together so there is no locking out of the other control at all.

[PL1]

Look for future addition of Virtual Pinball

You just said the magic words.   

If Visual Pinball and Future Pinball are in the mix you will need a keyboard-type encoder.

The good news is that you can combine:

 -- Degenatron's AVR encoder for most of your admin buttons and full pinball support. (Mode 5)

 -- U360s for joystick and player buttons

 -- If you didn't get an encoder with the EI trackball, an Opti-Wiz would work great.  If you get a TT2, make sure you check with Randy so that the two encoders don't conflict with each other.

When you say "flight stick", do you mean 8-way trigger stick or analog trigger stick?

The Tron stick sounds exciting at first, but given that it has a special hybrid 4/8 way restrictor plate and is good for exactly one game, you might want to be think carefully before adding it.  Le Chuck has a setup using automated in-game 4/8 way switching for Tron and a magnetic triggerstick mod that lets you play the game without the big dedicated hardware and switch to a balltop/battop when you're done.


Scott

P.S. Sorry, Andy.  I was remembering old posts on the lockout info.

[ceburto2]

Thanks heaps. The Minimus AVR is so cheap I may keep one dedicated to MAME in the first cab and save one to run a dedicated V.Pin cabinet. Seeing more and more nice builds of V.Pin. Also looking at some of the hacked mice spinners as I have several dead VCRs around here with nice, heavy flywheels in them. I mis-spoke on the Tron Stick. I was looking at the Flightstick being cross purposed for Tron, Space Harrieer, Mach 3., etc... It may be overkill but I a 3rd u360 with a flight grip grafted to it could work. So much fun/frustration in my near future.

Thanks again,
ceburto2