Help deciding what encoder(s) to use for my 4 player cabinet

[ShadeValryn]

My control panel has

4 players each with a U360 (which frees up 4 directional switches per player since they're USB)
1 dedicated 4 way switch joystick
1 trackball
1 spinner
9 buttons to each main player (7 reg buttons, one coin, one start)
12 misc buttons

(so basically I'm going to be using 52 switches, one trackball, and one spinner)

I didn't know if maybe the u360 breakout cables were my best bet or what I should really do.  maybe an ipac4 and a mini pac?  I really want as few boards as possible.  I hate to ask you about it, but maybe you have an idea I never would have thought of.  The trackball is kind of crappy and I'm considering swapping it for a new 3" trackball, so there are possibilities there.

So far I'm leaning toward getting an i-Pac4 for all my switch-based controls, then an opti-wiz for the spinner and trackball.  Anybody else have a better solution or ideas for me?

[AndyWarne]

Are there any 4-player games which use 7 buttons per player?

Seems like too many buttons. But, if you were to connect 8 buttons to each U360 this would mean you would not need an I-PAC 4 for the rest, an I-PAC 2 or Mini-PAC would do. The Mini-PAC could also interface the trackball and spinner.

[ShadeValryn]

The 7 buttons are for 4 player smash brothers and other wii/gamecube games.  But anyways, 4 harnesses for the U360s sounds like a good idea to me.  Then I can probably just put the rest onto a mini pac or something like you said, just wish I didn't just sell my mini pac in a lot -_- oh well.

[IAmDotorg]

The 7 buttons are for 4 player smash brothers and other wii/gamecube games.  But anyways, 4 harnesses for the U360s sounds like a good idea to me.  Then I can probably just put the rest onto a mini pac or something like you said, just wish I didn't just sell my mini pac in a lot -_- oh well.

I ended up deciding to use Wiimotes via bluetooth for Wii/GameCube games and did 4 buttons for P3/P4.

[IAmDotorg]

I should've also said what I did about buttons -- probably useful

I have a similar setup, only without the explosion of misc buttons. You might want to think about what you really need, especially given that the U360 supports shifted buttons, as do the iPacs.

My trackball and spinner are both USB connected, so they go straight to the PC.
The P3/P4 U360s are managing the 4 game buttons, the player start button, and the "admin" button (which is really just "pause" for HyperSpin -- HyperPause has a lot of the admin controls in it already). The pause button is a shift button for additional functionality on the 4 game buttons and admin button.

P1/P2 U360s are not running buttons. I have an IPac Ultimate which the P1/P2 buttons (8 each), plus the P1 start/P2 start and shared "pause" button go into. Additionally the 4 "coin in" buttons and two pinball flipper buttons are on the IPac Ultimate. The IPac Ultimate is controlling most of the RGB LEDs, but I have a PACLed64 handling a few straggler LEDs. 

I have a Bluetooth keyboard for doing anything more complicated than that.

There really aren't any 4P MAME games I found that need more than 4 buttons. Some consoles had more, but most console games kinda suck with arcade controls. For those I have a couple USB ports for wired Xbox One controllers, which can be used instead of the controls on the cab for games like that.

And, like I said, Wii games use normal Wiimotes over Bluetooth.

[ShadeValryn]

Regardless of your opinion of arcade controls sucking for consoles games, I personally think they're fun for games like mario party, goldeneye, smash bros, and many others.


I really am aiming at no external controllers.  If I were to do that, players might as well just connect to my main rig in the living room and play on the big screen.

[nordemoniac]

I'm sorry, but could you try to gather the same colors for each player? I see you have 6 different colors, 4 players. Try switching them around so you have 4 buttons with the same color and 2 with another color (f.ex. the two rightmost) on each player. I think it will look much nicer!
I just... It looks weird with so many different colors for each player.

[ShadeValryn]

Well actually that's a decision I made because those bat tops will be painted per player (P1 red, P2 blue, P3 Green, P4 Yellow).  It's much easier to tell friends that play "press the red button for brake" than "press button 3" or something like that.  Gotta say I'm getting a little disappointed by this community completely missing what advice I'm asking for and everyone putting their two cents in on how they would design their cabinet when that isn't what this topic is asking for.

[Malenko]

How many inputs do you actually need?
I'd lean towards an IPAC2 or a keywiz

[ShadeValryn]

I need 52 switch inputs, an spinner, and a trackball.

[DeLuSioNal29]

How about 2 Howlers?

http://www.wolfwareeng.com/?page_id=25

[ShadeValryn]

I really do like the howler, a lot.  But at that price point..... I'm not sure if it's really worth it.  Do you have experience with the board? What do you think?

[DeLuSioNal29]

I don't have experience with it (yet).  But it's on my back burner of things to try in the future.

Looks like it's highly configurable though.  With "mix and match" inputs for what you need.

[PL1]

SV -- Not sure if you've been back to the KADE Forums in lurker mode since you posted this three days ago, but I hope my reply to your question there helps.


Scott

[equlizer]

sorry for hijack but its been a month and i still have not been accepted in the KADE forums yet.  Same name there.

[ShadeValryn]

 

SV -- Not sure if you've been back to the KADE Forums in lurker mode since you posted this three days ago, but I hope my reply to your question there helps.


Scott

It sort of does.  I would love to use two kades and that's it but it seems like I'll want an opti wiz as well.

[Malenko]

IPAC4 for the inputs, mouse hack for the trackball, and a turbo twist 2 for the spinner.

[AndyWarne]

If you are looking at LEDs as well, ONE I-PAC Ultimate I/O would cater for all your buttons. This, with the addition of the player 3,4 connection harness would include all wiring and support for 48 switches, and also support 96 LED channels.
http://www.ultimarc.com/ipacuio.html

48 inputs would support the buttons then the joysticks would connect to the U360s as you have already mentioned. The dedicated 4-way would connect in parallel to the other P1 stick.

If no LED support, two Mini-PACs would form an easy solution including wiring. Mount one on each side of the panel, to support the 2 players on the relevant side. In that configuration you could connect the joysticks to the Mini-PACs rather than to the U360s. You could also connect the trackball and spinner to one of the Mini-PACs if you wish.

[ShadeValryn]

Hmm, maybe I could actually get away with one ultimate I/O.  I could wire the buttons that are by the spinner and that dedicated 4 way to the same switch inputs since they would never be used at the same time, thereby cutting my switch need down to under 48.  I could even do the saving measure with the pinball buttons.  I didn't even think about duplicating inputs.

[ShadeValryn]

If you are looking at LEDs as well, ONE I-PAC Ultimate I/O would cater for all your buttons. This, with the addition of the player 3,4 connection harness would include all wiring and support for 48 switches, and also support 96 LED channels.
http://www.ultimarc.com/ipacuio.html

48 inputs would support the buttons then the joysticks would connect to the U360s as you have already mentioned. The dedicated 4-way would connect in parallel to the other P1 stick.

If no LED support, two Mini-PACs would form an easy solution including wiring. Mount one on each side of the panel, to support the 2 players on the relevant side. In that configuration you could connect the joysticks to the Mini-PACs rather than to the U360s. You could also connect the trackball and spinner to one of the Mini-PACs if you wish.

Could I hook up my regular LED pushbuttons in a daisy chain off of the 5V 1A output on the top of the board? Or would I have to get the special wiring harness?  It does seem strange that to use standard LEDs it seemingly requires more work -_-

[AndyWarne]

If you are looking at LEDs as well, ONE I-PAC Ultimate I/O would cater for all your buttons. This, with the addition of the player 3,4 connection harness would include all wiring and support for 48 switches, and also support 96 LED channels.
http://www.ultimarc.com/ipacuio.html

48 inputs would support the buttons then the joysticks would connect to the U360s as you have already mentioned. The dedicated 4-way would connect in parallel to the other P1 stick.

If no LED support, two Mini-PACs would form an easy solution including wiring. Mount one on each side of the panel, to support the 2 players on the relevant side. In that configuration you could connect the joysticks to the Mini-PACs rather than to the U360s. You could also connect the trackball and spinner to one of the Mini-PACs if you wish.

Could I hook up my regular LED pushbuttons in a daisy chain off of the 5V 1A output on the top of the board? Or would I have to get the special wiring harness?  It does seem strange that to use standard LEDs it seemingly requires more work -_-

If you connect them in a daisy-chain you wont be able to control each LED individually. Most single-color LED pushbuttons, including ours, use 6.3mm push-on tags for the LEDs and we have pre-crimped wires for these.

[ShadeValryn]

I'm not concerned with controlling them individually or doing any patterns or the like.  I just want them on XD