Two buttons with same function?

[PixelPaul]

I'm working on my first build, a Donkey Kong cabinet. I will be using an Ipac2. Is it possible to have two "jump" buttons, one on either side of the joystick? I'm trying to make the control panel left-handed player friendly (for my wife) who would prefers to use the joystick with her right hand and jump button with her left, which is opposite of the original arcade game control panel layout. I hope this makes sense.

[Malenko]

I'm working on my first build, a Donkey Kong cabinet. I will be using an Ipac2. Is it possible to have two "jump" buttons, one on either side of the joystick? I'm trying to make the control panel left-handed player friendly (for my wife) who would prefers to use the joystick with her right hand and jump button with her left, which is opposite of the original arcade game control panel layout. I hope this makes sense.

easy peasy, just run a wire from one button to the other. When either button is pressed, it'll jump

[PixelPaul]

Cool, thanks for the info!

[Hoopz]

You can run the wire from the button to the same input on the Ipac.  I do that with a 4 way joy and and 8 way along with a few buttons. 

[JDFan]

Yep -- I also do the same with my 2nd joystick and buttons 3-6 on my 1 player bartop using a ZD encoder since I wanted to have dual joysticks for robotron and smash TV but the cheap encoder ($10) had only 16 inputs so by doubling up buttons 3-6 with the 2nd joystick it left enough open inputs for the 6 admin buttons I wanted where 16 would not have been enough for 2 joys ( 8 ), 6 buttons, and 6 admin buttons == 20 inputs but by doubling up the 3-6 buttons with the second joystick it uses 4 inputs for those 8 functions - 4 for the other joystick and 2 for buttons 1 and 2 = 10 leaving 6 inputs for admin buttons ( 1 and 2 player credit and start then a Pause and Escape ) 

Another option for you would be to wire the 2 buttons as separate inputs and then set the MAME setup so that both buttons are seen as the same key (ie both button 2 and 4 are different inputs but when pressed each input sends the same Jump keystroke to the game) -- Then you could also use them as separate buttons for other games if you wanted by changing the MAME setting for those games individually (so for example in some games button 2 and button 4 are both Jump but in other games button 2 is Jump and button 4 is Fire for example) -- Since your encoder has plenty of inputs you could do it that way in case you find you need an extra button rather than having them both wired together.

Really depends on what your needs are but to answer the original question it would be a Yes you can.

[pbj]

Yeah, if you've got the inputs to spare, I'd go with JDFan's method.  You can set the defaults so that Button 1 and Button 4 both do the same thing, and then tweak as needed for other games.  I don't particularly like dead inputs on my control panel, so this is how I've got everything mapped.

[DaOld Man]

I think the method Malenko suggested would be the simplest. Just parallel the two buttons.
If you don't want both buttons enabled at the same time you could use a spdt switch that can switch between the two buttons, enabling the button to use based on the switch position (left hand/right hand).

[Hoopz]

Yep -- I also do the same with my 2nd joystick and buttons 3-6 on my 1 player bartop using a ZD encoder since I wanted to have dual joysticks for robotron and smash TV but the cheap encoder ($10) had only 16 inputs so by doubling up buttons 3-6 with the 2nd joystick it left enough open inputs for the 6 admin buttons I wanted where 16 would not have been enough for 2 joys ( 8 ), 6 buttons, and 6 admin buttons == 20 inputs but by doubling up the 3-6 buttons with the second joystick it uses 4 inputs for those 8 functions - 4 for the other joystick and 2 for buttons 1 and 2 = 10 leaving 6 inputs for admin buttons ( 1 and 2 player credit and start then a Pause and Escape ) 

Dude, that's one amazing sentence!   

[JDFan]

Dude, that's one amazing sentence!   

OK so I tend to ramble and didn't figure a post needed to be fully punctuated on an arcade building forum as long as the point got across !  Would you have preferred :

Yep -- I also do the same with my 2nd joystick and buttons 3-6 on my 1 player bartop. Since I am using a ZD encoder and wanted to have dual joysticks for games like Robotron and Smash TV. The cheap encoder ($10) has only 16 inputs, so required doubling up buttons 3-6 with the 2nd joystick to leave enough open inputs for the 6 admin buttons I wanted.

Figure normally for 2 joysticks ( 8 inputs ), 6 player buttons, and 6 admin buttons, I would have needed 20 inputs. Doubling up the 3-6 buttons with the second joystick allowed using only 4 inputs for those 8 functions. Another 4 for the first joystick and 2 for buttons 1 and 2 used 10 inputs, leaving 6 inputs for admin buttons ( 1 and 2 player credit and start, and then a Pause and Escape button ) 

[Hoopz]

Nope, I seriously enjoyed it.   

[meyer980]

If you're going to take the time to add another button anyway, I'd recommend what JDFan said for his second suggestion.

Wire it up as a second button, but tell MAME that for certain games it's the main button. That way 2-button games are still a possibility!

[Le Chuck]

What game would one use a button on either side of the stick?  You'd either have to take your hand off the stick or reach across your body to hit this extra button.  Might as well map it to the same or wire it in series. 

That said you're not losing anything by wiring it independantly then mapping it over either.  I just don't think it would be a viable solution for anything much. 

[JDFan]

Nope, I seriously enjoyed it.   

[eds1275]

Nope, I seriously enjoyed it.   

That picture is scaring the children.

[Slippyblade]

What game would one use a button on either side of the stick?  You'd either have to take your hand off the stick or reach across your body to hit this extra button.  Might as well map it to the same or wire it in series. 

That said you're not losing anything by wiring it independantly then mapping it over either.  I just don't think it would be a viable solution for anything much.

He's looking to make his cab ambidextrous for righties and lefties.

[Le Chuck]

What game would one use a button on either side of the stick?  You'd either have to take your hand off the stick or reach across your body to hit this extra button.  Might as well map it to the same or wire it in series. 

That said you're not losing anything by wiring it independantly then mapping it over either.  I just don't think it would be a viable solution for anything much.

He's looking to make his cab ambidextrous for righties and lefties.

Exactly, so why would you map it as a second button for "other games" like has been suggested?

[pbj]

Because you might as well have the functionality if you're already doing just as much work. 

[Malenko]

Because you might as well have the functionality if you're already doing just as much work.

Sounds like more work. Instead of running 2 wires from one button to another, you need to set up another button for every game in MAME.

[JDFan]

Because you might as well have the functionality if you're already doing just as much work.

Sounds like more work. Instead of running 2 wires from one button to another, you need to set up another button for every game in MAME.

Not really - you just set the default setting so only one change -- but then you have the option to change for specific games if you want and also have it to use in menus etc. where you might need an extra button --- Personally I'd actually use a $10 no delay encoder with its 16 inputs for this type of setup rather than the $40 Ipac2, since he is not using anywhere near 32 inputs and the other $30 could have been used elsewhere or saved (But then I'm pretty cheap  )

[pbj]

Because you might as well have the functionality if you're already doing just as much work.

Sounds like more work. Instead of running 2 wires from one button to another, you need to set up another button for every game in MAME.

"Default Game Settings" how do they work?

 

[meyer980]

I think JDFan is right that a big benefit would be using it in front end menus.

[Malenko]

"Default Game Settings" how do they work?

 

.................. and then tweak as needed for other games. 

OP wants a mirrored button so his wife can play lefty flip. No dead inputs on the CP, just a mirrored button. Nothing wrong with what you want to do, but what you want to do isn't the solution to the OP's original query.

[PixelPaul]

Personally I'd actually use a $10 no delay encoder with its 16 inputs for this type of setup rather than the $40 Ipac2, since he is not using anywhere near 32 inputs and the other $30 could have been used elsewhere or saved (But then I'm pretty cheap  )

Could you expand on this? I'm working on my first build and learning as I go......and I'm pretty cheap also!

[Malenko]

Personally I'd actually use a $10 no delay encoder with its 16 inputs for this type of setup rather than the $40 Ipac2, since he is not using anywhere near 32 inputs and the other $30 could have been used elsewhere or saved (But then I'm pretty cheap  )

Could you expand on this? I'm working on my first build and learning as I go......and I'm pretty cheap also!

there is another encoder called a Zero Delay board. It doesnt use the MAME inputs, it shows up as a controller in windows.
heres one on ebay:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/190921841677

[JDFan]

Could you expand on this? I'm working on my first build and learning as I go......and I'm pretty cheap also!

As Malenko explained it is just a different type of encoder that shows up as a HID 12 button gamepad rather than a keyboard (but setup in Mame is easy) - so you have the 4 inputs for the joystick and 12 other inputs for buttons (16 total inputs) which is enough for a single player build or even a 2 player setup with a joystick and a couple buttons per player - they are shipped from china (mine took 10 days to arrive). Since they offer limited inputs they are not really useful for 2 player CPs with 8 buttons per player and the likes (though you can use 2 of them for that type setup and it still works out costing less) but for something like you are building with just the single joystick and a couple buttons they work great.

And the $11 includes all of the wires for hooking it up and the USB connection - though the button\joystick wires are fairly short (works fine for a small build but might need to extend them if using a large CP) - If you do order one just be sure to get the one with the proper wiring for your joystick ( they have either a 5 wire connector for japanese type joysticks or 2 wire for each direction like those used on Happ joysticks) - the encoder will work with either type but the wiring is only included for one or the other not both.

[PixelPaul]

Thanks for the info JDFan, I didn't even know such a thing existed. Where do you find them, eBay?

[Slippyblade]

Thanks for the info JDFan, I didn't even know such a thing existed. Where do you find them, eBay?

Malenko included a link to an eBay listing for them.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/190921841677

[Malenko]

Thanks for the info JDFan, I didn't even know such a thing existed. Where do you find them, eBay?

Vigo used to sell them on here, then others started selling them on eBay.  I have one in Bonnie's Pink Box and one for the camera buttons in my racing cab, Checkered Past. They work great.

[JDFan]

Thanks for the info JDFan, I didn't even know such a thing existed. Where do you find them, eBay?

Malenko included a link to an eBay listing for them.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/190921841677

Just be sure to let them know what type of button Quick disconnects and joystick connector you need - they have 2 types of joystick (5 pin and 4- 2 pin connectors) and also 2 types of button quick disconnects ( smaller size for Sanwa buttons and slightly larger size for Happ buttons) so be sure you order the ones you need if ordering !!