Wiring Two Control Panels to the Same Inputs

[uncJPOORE]

Is there a problem with wiring two Happ Competition Joysticks to the same input of a Happ Interface. I basically have two one player and two player control panels on my cocktail cabinet and would like the 'two' one player setups to share the same inputs. I have no desire to have a four player setup and realize that I couldn't use them seperately. Is there any reason this wouldn't work or could damage my interface?

Thanks in advance,
John

[hyiu]

you can wire multiple controls to the same interface...

people here would wire an 8 way and also 4 way to the same player 1 stick interface...
(but keep in mind.. if you're playing with the 8 way, and someone else move the 4 way... it'll interfere your game.... unless you have a switch somewhere else...)

but can you explain why you need to do what you're doing ??

[CCM]

I'm not familiar with the Happ's interface (other than it's VERY expensive), but I do the exact thing you are describing with an I-PAC from Ultimarc.  I have my player 1 8-way and player 1 4-way wired to the same inputs on the I-PAC.   If all else fails, call Happs directly, I've always found them to be very helpful.

[uncJPOORE]

hyiu : I don't have enough inputs on my interface to support four individual joysticks and all of the buttons and other input that I have. I want to have a 1 and 2 player head to head setup and a 1 and 2 player straight up setup. Both 1 Players will share the same inputs and both 2 players will share the same inputs.

Are both non-ground connections just wired directly to the same input on my interface? Sounds too simple.

[tmasman]

It really is that simple...
You've actually got 2 choices... Connect the wires to the same input on the IPAC, or loop the wires between the 2 switches...
See the sketch below...
The Pink & cyan wires are both connected to the IPAC for all switches...
The green & blue are daisy chained to their respective switches...

The ground is also daisy chained to all switches & loops back into the ground again (to prevent other problems...)

<edit>
I know the pic is kind of a mess, but you should be able to see what each of the colors are doing...

[hyiu]

hmmm..... ok.. I think I start to understand what you're trying to do.....

you have limited connections on your interface... so you want to reuse....

so... you'll have 2 player with 6 buttons each....

and then have 2 extra sticks that is going to connected to the existing buttons (maybe buttons 3-6...) so that you can also play 2 stick games....  (multi controls shares 1 connection in the interface...)

yes... its very simple... (as others have said above...)

connect ALL grounds together....

then in that connection you want to share.... instead of 1 wire coming out... have 2 wires coming out.... one to each of those NO connection of the 2 controls... (and you're done...)

but keep in mind... either one of the controls got triggered will cause the connection to get triggered...
(some people build a switch for the ground... then when you switch off the ground (disconnect it).... the other control will not interfere....

hope it helps...

[uncJPOORE]

tmasman : That picture says it all. Thanks. That is exactly how I imagined/hoped it would work.

hyiu : Thanks for the idea about the grounding switch. I may do just that. I have two small children and the possibility of them moving the controls on another station are very high.

[allroy1975]

alternatly, if you have a 4 player OptiPac you can actually set them up as players 1-4 and set players configs to be the same through CFG Files.

Just a thought.
Matt

[Lilwolf]

On last note..

You can break the ground connection to a controller to disable it.

So you send player 1 to an 8way and a 4way... you can add a switch to disable the 4way if you like.  This is nice because I used to have it this way, and a friend would grab the 4way whenever I was beating him at a fighting game...

its a cheap move... but you do what you can to win...

So I added a switch.... And then could beat him proper like.

[grafixmonkey]

remember people he has a Happ control interface not an Ipac.  But, since the controls are manufactured by Happ and they're just contact switches, it will work just fine to plug them in parallel like that.  If you have any doubts about their hardware, their tech support is very well informed.  

(not like calling gateway 2000 or anything...)
you: "My internet won't work.  It's usually fine, just not today.  Something about a busy signal."
tech support: "ok sir, you have to reformat your hard drive and reinstall everything..."