Spinner idea.

[Severen]

A friend just received this the other day:
http://www.griffintechnology.com/audio/pwrmate.html

It's absolutely gorgeous.  Solid feel, mesmerizing throbbing blue base.  At the time I was hypnotized by the light and didn't even consider it as a mame cabinet control option.

I'm working on the plans for my cabinet now... and was wondering if anyone has tried it yet?  It's only $65, which seems much cheaper than what Happ has to offer.

Ideas? Questions? Concerns?
-Sev

[u_rebelscum]

A friend just received this the other day:
http://www.griffintechnology.com/audio/pwrmate.html

It's absolutely gorgeous.  Solid feel, mesmerizing throbbing blue base.  At the time I was hypnotized by the light and didn't even consider it as a mame cabinet control option.

I'm working on the plans for my cabinet now... and was wondering if anyone has tried it yet?  It's only $65, which seems much cheaper than what Happ has to offer.

Ideas? Questions? Concerns?
-Sev

You got to test it already?  At a retail store that I can test it at?

Is it really a spinner?  Cannot tell from the web page if it's limited turn or not.

How about feel?  Hard/easy to turn?  If you spin it, does it continue to spin?

And the order now said $45.  Looks very nice, but I'd like to feel it before buying, unless a bunch of you guys test it for the rest us and review it.  

[Todd_H]

Wow that thing looks nice!  Since you've used it, you've gotta share some of the details with us Severen.

[hyiu]

wow... that thing looks NICE !!!!....

I was reading their ad and seems like they also has an integrated button.... does it means that if we press on it, it'll trigger a button ?!?!?.... damm.... then we can play TRON with it !!!!!! YEAH !!!!!! YEAH !!!!.....

(ok... I think I'm way over my head..... can some experts here looks into it and see if we can make it work with Mame ??)  Sorry.... on drivers.. and pgrmming... can't really help....    

meantime, I might send an email and see if I can get more specs on it...

Thanks....        

[Todd_H]

You're right...the site said it had a button.  But I couldn't tell where it was.  This does sound like a good solution to the Tron problem though.  

[hyiu]

Hi all:

I emailed support for the powermate knob... and they got back to me quickly... the guy Randall is very helpful in my questions... I'm posting the email below.... (I'm thinking if it is USB and can act as a mouse... Mame should just pick it up, right ??).... I'll try to locate a store and go check it out either this wkend or next wk...

I'll post more info if I got to feel/test it....
anyone has more info... plz post... I'm interested to know.... Thanks....


-----------------------------

> I checked your web site and see the USB Multimedia Controller &
> Input Device (that really nice looking knob...)
>
> I'm interested in buying it but would like to know a couple more details
> about it.  
> I would appreciate if you guys can answer some of my questions below.
>
> 1) Is it available in stores yet ?? I live in NYC, if you can provide a list
> of retailers that carries it, it would be great...
>
> 2) since its usb... can it be used as a 1 axis mouse ??
>
> 3) can I keep on turning it in 1 direction ?? (is it limited to like a 360
> degree turn ??
> or is it free spinning ??)
>
> 4) I read the article and it mentions that there is an integrated button..
> is it that if
> I press on the knob, its actually a button ??
>
> 5) the blue light ring show on the web site.... its actually with the knob
> ??
> or just a special effect on the web site...
>
> 6) does it comes with a mount of any kind if I want to use it on a panel /
> wood board ??
>
> Thank you for your time.
>
> - Henry.
>

>
Hello Henry,

Only a few stores carry our Powermate since it is still a new item. You can
order it from us directly or you can try Tekserve in NY at 212-929-3645.
They may carry it by now.

The PM can function as a duel axis mouse (but only one at a time) depending
on your selection in the control panel.

The degree of rotation is 360 but you are limited by the application that
you are controlling. In IE, you can only scroll down so far on a web page,
but you can still keep spinning the knob.

The PM is a button also and you can program a key command for the "click" of
the button. In IE I use the click for "print". You can also use the "click"
as a power on on the G4 if you attach the PM directly to the computer.

The cool blue light is designed to glow brighter as the the knob is turned.
It will flash at full throttle and will pulse at sleep. These parameters are
adjustable. The color is not. In a dark room after to many hours of work or
play the PM looks like it is floating on blue light. It looks really cool
next to an intellimouse!

There are no mounts for it, but a 10 penny nail right through the middle
should work if you are careful.

Hope this helps explain it.....uhhh...I'm kidding about the nail...

Randall

[Severen]

An update:  Apparently on another board elsewhere they have already discussed the knob.  I was a litttle crushed when they said that it's not free floating enough to be useful...  meaning it's not free spinning - it has a little resisitance...  but I played with it a little and it didn't seem to have that much resistance for my taste - no more than I remember on Tempest or Arkanoid.  I mean we're talking about a spinner not a trackball.

To answer some of your questions...  Mounting:  I'm sure some epoxy, super glue, sticky foam cut, etc. would work fine.  The push button:  Yes, it has a button... But I don't remember accidentally triggering it.  I have no use for the button, and I'm sure you could disable it with no problem with their driver settings.  My biggest complaint is the usb cord, I'd like to reroute it through the base - so it would appear to be hidden on my (soon to be built) control panel.

I'll try to borrow it from my friend, I don't think he digs it too much...  I mean, it's applications are limited really.  But I will say that it does look friggin' cool, and if it works for me... I'll probably pick one up.

But as I said, I need to do some mame tests...  I'll get back to you asap.

-Sev

[Severen]

oops one more thing:

It's so pretty I would be surprised if the Apple stores don't start selling them, or atleast have one or two on display.  So check/call your local apple store.  (Luckily we just got one in our area)

And yes, the knob is 360/continuous spin and is pc compatible.

-Sev

[enemyace]

I'm sure someone here could figure out how to hack this baby. Maybe some sort of weight could be added through the bottom to give the spin more momentum and maybe something could be done inside to decrease the resistance of the spin (maybe weight would be enough to do that). Although, drilling through the bottom to add weight would defeat the surface mounting ability of this thing, which is one of the nicest features.

You could mount it to a metal control panel with a strong magnet epoxied to the bottom!

[neuromancer]

I'm sure someone here could figure out how to hack this baby.

Quick! someone get a strawpoll together and tell the company how much money they could make if they made a version without the internal resistance, with a mounting bolt. They could sell it direct only. Word of mouth would make it sell like crazy.

Bob

[Lilwolf]

It might be worth asking if they will help people to hack them.

If you can remove the resistence... and maybe if there should be room to add a weighted washer or something.

If you can drill into the bottom mounting plate for 3 screws.  two to mount it and one for the cord (and still be able to put to top back on.

If they will sell additional bottoms (so you don't have to destroy it to hack it.)  Always nice to know that you don't have to rebuy it if the bottom cracks.

I didn't think most companies would do it... then talking to act labs not only explained what room was needed to hack thier guns into a more realistic gun... but gave a company that builds life like replicas that you might be able to hack them into.

All these might be easy... and no they wont sell many.  The emulation/cabinet building population isnt' worth any company putting to much time into.  But if they could help hack the existing products, then they can add a new market without any new costs

[1UP]

While on the subject, I've bought some of that blue neon glow wire they sell in the automotive aisle at Target (and at detail shops) for illuminating the inside of my Tron joysticks.  You could easily run a ring of it around the base of any spinner, and have the cool glowy look along with good spinner action.  Just a thought.  

[Texasmame]

Just bringing this thread back from the dead!

Here's the updated link to this product:

http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/powermate/

They have a FAQ section for it and a manual.

In the manual, they mention gaming specifically.  AND IT DOES WORK FOR IT!  They have a box to check in its setup menu for gaming.

[NoOne=NBA=]

In the manual, they mention gaming specifically.  AND IT DOES WORK FOR IT!  They have a box to check in its setup menu for gaming.

Have you actually USED one?
I can tell you from years of personal experience with them that they suck as a game control device.
I've got one on my cab that I use for power on, and front end navigation.

[Havok]

I was at the Sciencenter museum in Ithaca, NY - and they have one on a display there. (It controls an exhibit that rotates the sky, and constellations - pretty cool.) I messed with it for a while, and I don't think it would do well as a spinner. Very cool for front end control, or a jukebox however...

[Bluedeath]

HI to all I'm new, Greetings from Italy.

I just bouught a couple of them at 8$ a piece so if they don't satisfy me it will not be too much loose, by readig some descriptions i think that this device will be great for: TRON, forgotten worlds and SNK rorary games (even if it will provide a more "forgottenworldish" experience rather than the real thing), i suppos the thing can be hacked to spin more freely but i don't know. I'll write a complete review as soon I can try the thing.

[mark shaker]

I have one on my MAME cabinet. Not as a game control, but as a volume control.

When MAME is running a game, any you try to adjust the volume: it takes maybe 20 seconds to respond.

That's what I call lag!

(It's fine when I'm not running a game.)

   - Mark

[Bluedeath]

If you have a Mac can be normal, if not something is very strange since they claim that the thing can be used for video editing so it needs to respond in real time.