4 Player Encoder

[fluentd]

So i'm at the point where I need to decide on which encoder to buy. I am restoring a 4 player Guantlet Legends cabinet and am looking at two encoders.

ZD Encoder

http://www.ebay.com/itm/100-ZD-USB-Encoder-PS2-PS3-PC-Joystick-MAME-Arcade-Fight-Stick-Control-/171017583391

and the Ipac 4

http://www.ultimarc.com/ipac1.html

To me it seems much more logical to pick up the Ipac for 65 then spend 80 on 4 ZD encoders? Am I missing something?

[BadMouth]

Am I missing something?

Lono2, more inputs, comes with wiring harness.
http://www.paradisearcadeshop.com/en/mame-arcade-parts/359-lonotm-arcade-to-usb-20-controller-board-0855742003594.html

[fluentd]

The Lono2 looks like a nice encoder as well. Looks like the Lono2 displays the everything as joysticks where as the iPac4 displays everything as keyboard inputs. What are the advantages and disadvantages?

[JDFan]

Would you actually need 4 ZD encoders ? -- chances are 2 or 3 would give plenty of inputs and do you need that type of ZD (ie. ps2\ps3 and PC compatible and 5 pin Joystick connection) -- or just the PC USB encoders that are only $11 shipped (so $45 for 4 of them) -- I used this one ( http://www.ebay.com/itm/Zero-Delay-Arcade-USB-Encoder-PC-to-joystick-for-MAME-Fight-Stick-Controls-New-/251241991403?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a7f308ceb ) for my single player dual joystick bartop build and it works fine with the 16 total inputs ! And shipping from Hong Kong took about 11 days.

[fluentd]

So how many inputs does each player need? Im guessing that depends upon how many buttons each player has? I was thinking for mine it would be 8way joysticks, with 6 buttons each and im not exactly sure how many inputs I will need for misc stuff like start select etc, p1-p4.

[Vigo]

Isn't Gauntlet Legends a 49-way joystick game? I would think you would need to shell out the money for analog controls like getting 4 u360s. (If you have gauntlet legends joysticks already, you would need to get 4 gp wiz-49s from GGG)

Then, you will need an encoder for buttons only. AFAIK, Gauntlet legends has 18 buttons; 3 for each player (12) + 4 start buttons + 2 coin buttons. Awkward number of buttons. Maybe I'd go with an iPac 2.

No matter what route, I think the interface for a gauntlet legends gets a bit hefty in price. 

[BadMouth]

Isn't Gauntlet Legends a 49-way joystick game?

Yup, I sold the ones out of mine.

[RandyT]

Isn't Gauntlet Legends a 49-way joystick game? I would think you would need to shell out the money for analog controls like getting 4 u360s. (If you have gauntlet legends joysticks already, you would need to get 4 gp wiz-49s from GGG)

Then, you will need an encoder for buttons only. AFAIK, Gauntlet legends has 18 buttons; 3 for each player (12) + 4 start buttons + 2 coin buttons. Awkward number of buttons.

That is a 49-way machine.  FWIW, if one went the GP-Wiz49 route for each joystick, no extra controller would be necessary for buttons.  With 4 of those interfaces, there would be 92 button inputs available for anything else. 

[Vigo]

Isn't Gauntlet Legends a 49-way joystick game? I would think you would need to shell out the money for analog controls like getting 4 u360s. (If you have gauntlet legends joysticks already, you would need to get 4 gp wiz-49s from GGG)

Then, you will need an encoder for buttons only. AFAIK, Gauntlet legends has 18 buttons; 3 for each player (12) + 4 start buttons + 2 coin buttons. Awkward number of buttons.

That is a 49-way machine.  FWIW, if one went the GP-Wiz49 route for each joystick, no extra controller would be necessary for buttons.  With 4 of those interfaces, there would be 92 button inputs available for anything else. 

Good info, Randy. I did not know that. I'll have to put salvaging 49 ways on my radar. 

So i suppose if you got the 49 way joysticks already, that would easily be the cheapest and most effective route. Mathing it up in my head, I'd think getting new analog sticks plus an encoder would be more than $100 more expensive.

[fluentd]

Sorry I must have got you all confused. I am not restoring this cabinet but turning it into a MAME/EMU machine. I already removed all the buttons.. the joysticks never came with the machine.

[Vigo]

Do you plan on drilling more holes to add additional buttons? I think you need enough to cover 34 inputs without additional buttons.

[fluentd]

Ya I was probably going to rebuild the top of the control panel to add in a layout that I like unless I decide to keep how it is not and just add more too it. But yes 6 buttons per player then any other additional buttons for menu, start, play coin, back etc.

[keilmillerjr]

Ya I was probably going to rebuild the top of the control panel to add in a layout that I like unless I decide to keep how it is not and just add more too it. But yes 6 buttons per player then any other additional buttons for menu, start, play coin, back etc.

Less admin buttons is better. :p

You can definitely do without menu, start, coin and back buttons. Usually player 1 button 1 will start the game. Menu is an admin function, ad shouldn't be accessed by a normal player. Use a keyboard for that. Back and coin can be tied to an encoders shift function. This allows you to press a button to enable a second mapping and press another button at the same time.

I'm working on an app called FrontEndHelper that will eliminate the need for shift keys. Simply hold down p1 to drop a coin for instance (feature coming within the next few days). Check it out.

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,132828.0.html

[PL1]

Ya I was probably going to rebuild the top of the control panel to add in a layout that I like unless I decide to keep how it is not and just add more too it. But yes 6 buttons per player then any other additional buttons for menu, start, play coin, back etc.

You may not need all those buttons.

Start by installing your front end and emulators and see which ones you really need.

Not sure what "play" is for, but change that to pause and it makes more sense.

Many people find that P1/P2 Coin, P1/P2 Start, Esc (exit/back), and Pause are good admin buttons.  YMMV.

Depending on your circumstances, you might consider a Tab (menu) button.   

Less admin buttons is better. :p

You can definitely do without menu, start, coin and back buttons.

Spoken like a true-believer adminophobe.  :p   

Usually player 1 button 1 will start the game.

If you mean launch the game from many front end programs, I agree.

If you mean starting gameplay after the game loads/initializes and you add a credit, then on most games it won't, unless you remap the P1 Start button default.

BTW, hope you don't plan on playing S.T.U.N. Runner the 2nd way since the start button is also the trigger for Shockwave.

Menu is an admin function, ad shouldn't be accessed by a normal player. Use a keyboard for that.

Depends on whether there will be nosy kids or drunk/clueless friends using the system, which depends on OP's situation and whether he likes to mess with the settings or not.

Back and coin can be tied to an encoders shift function. This allows you to press a button to enable a second mapping and press another button at the same time.

Shifted functions can cause trouble if you're not careful with the setup.

If you and a friend are playing TMNT and he does the shifted function for coin at the same time you are pushing your joystick right, the IPac outputs "Tab" and the menu pops up.

Dedicated inputs for P1/P2 Coin and P1/P2 Start combined with disabling or limiting the number of shifted functions make it far less likely that you'll accidently trigger an unwanted function during gameplay.


Scott

[BadMouth]

I like having dedicated coin buttons.  It's just more self-explanatory for guests.
Same goes for a dedicated EXIT (escape) button.

I usually don't add anything other than those. 
Add a pause if you like.

Definitely avoid any buttons that will allow users to change settings.
It's easy enough to break out a wireless keyboard when you want to tweak things.

[fluentd]

So can anyone explain the difference between the Lolo2 and the iPac4? I know one shows up on the computer as a joystick and the other as a keyboard. What are the advantages and disadvantages?

[fluentd]

Sorry I had a type-o in my above post.. i meant to say LONO2

http://www.paradisearcadeshop.com/en/mame-arcade-parts/359-lonotm-arcade-to-usb-20-controller-board-0855742003594.html

Compared to the iPac4

http://www.ultimarc.com/ipac1.html

[Nephasth]

The Lono² shows up as 4 gamepad devices, not just one. One advantage is, that for the same price, the Lono² includes all the wiring you'd need to connect your controls to it. I, for one, hate screw terminals.