CLOSE: usb keyboard encoder for pinball [knoxville TN]

[arcadepcnut]

My new motherboard has no ps2 keyboard port for my Keywiz keyboard encoder. So I had a usb to ps2 mouse keyboard converter by Belkin. I tried using that and the keywiz software didn't recognize the encoder. So I got to replace it
There is a generic keyboard usb encoder on eBay for 20$. Is it any good?
I have a another USB keywiz GAMEPAD encoder but this is for my pinball cabinet so I think that's not good since its GAMEPAD

Anyone have a keyboard encoder that uses USB instead of ps2 for sale?!

[PL1]

If the eBay "keyboard encoder" you're talking about is a Xin Mo or Sinocade, those are actually gamepad encoders.
(. . . and I'm shocked, shocked to discover that vendors of cheap chinese encoders are using misleading advertising to sell their goods.    )



For what you are describing, there are two good USB keyboard encoder options:

  1. KADE miniArcade/microArcade (or roll your own with a Minimus AVR -- see sig) or

  2. I-Pac2


Scott

[Hoopz]

My new motherboard has no ps2 keyboard port for my Keywiz keyboard encoder. So I had a usb to ps2 mouse keyboard converter by Belkin. I tried using that and the keywiz software didn't recognize the encoder. So I got to replace it
There is a generic keyboard usb encoder on eBay for 20$. Is it any good?
I have a another USB keywiz GAMEPAD encoder but this is for my pinball cabinet so I think that's not good since its GAMEPAD

Anyone have a keyboard encoder that uses USB instead of ps2 for sale?!

Before buying anything new, I'd contact RandyT from GGG and see if he recommends any adapter for y our Keywiz.  There may be a specific kind or product that he knows will work. 

[Hoopz]

A post by Randy from a few months ago.

A passive adapter will not work.

I'd try a different active adapter.  There were reviews on Amazon which indicated compatibility and performance problems with the one you linked to.  I'm using a cheap <$4 unit on my PS/2 keyboard, which doesn't exhibit the issues mentioned in those reviews. It may be difficult to find decent one, as many like to release keys after a certain amount of time.

Keep in mind, however, that these adapters suffer from another limitation, even when working properly.  They use the USB "boot" keyboard reports, which limit to 6 simultaneous keypresses (or about 9 if using the modifier keys included in the default MAME / KeyWiz config).  Not a big deal for single player, or two player games with  a couple of buttons, but multi-player fighters probably won't work well.  Also, as the software can no longer communicate directly with the hardware, the Uploader software won't function.  Again, not a big problem if you are using the defaults.

He also has some posts from 10+ years ago saying that some adapters won't work well.  I'd still contact him to ask him about it.

[yotsuya]

This is the controller that will make or break your project - why would you go cheap on it?

[arcadepcnut]

Because I went cheap on everything else but the monitor and video card. Why spend top dollar on every component?

It's an encoder. It pushes a button on a keyboard when I push a button. I don't need more that two keypresses at one time. That would be two flippers. If anything I would think you could skimp on would be a encoder.

I'm fact I have a vertical 2 player cabinet that I actually took apart a keyboard and soldered to the pads 10+ years ago before there even was encoders. It plays two player shoot em ups fine to this day.

Thank you others for tips on the adapter being the issue.
For the price of some of these encoders I could buy another i5 motherboard that has a ps2 connector and keep using my old keywiz that worked flawless before.

If anyone has a usb keyboard less than 30$ for sale please let me know. Otherwise I might just replace the board. I'm not good with buying 2-3 more random usb to ps2 converters in hopes it will work
I already had this Belkin one and k figured it was worth a shot.

I guess some people are made of money?! But I serious doubt a keyboard encoder will make or break this project.

Also thanks to those that chimed in on the GAMEPAD controller from China that is not really a keyboard
encoder!!!!

GGG has not answered my last two emails. I think he is fed up with me even though own like 6 of his products. Led wiz 31 two keyboard encoders led wiz gp...bunches of buttons and other odds n ends. So he won't answer if I ask about a ps2 adapter for a old encoder.

[JDFan]

If anyone has a usb keyboard less than 30$ for sale please let me know. Otherwise I might just replace the board.

Can you solder or do you need fully plug and play ?? If you are comforrtable with a bit of soldering components the Kade Miniarcade kit ( http://northamerica.emukade.com/product/diy-kade-miniarcade-kit/ ) for $22 would be a good choice (it can be loaded with several firmwares which let it be used as various devices on being a Keyboard encoder )

If you do not want to do the soldering you can pay an extra $7 and get it assembled for $29 ( http://northamerica.emukade.com/product/kade-miniarcade/ ) so either case is under the $30 price point you mention.

Or if you can find a Minimus AVR (the actual encoder portion of these kits) you could use just it without the other components (were available for about $5 - $10 awhile back but are hard to find now and are a bit more $ - currently only in stock in UK for around $20 - $25 by the time you pay shipping so the minimus kit is about the same price and you get the extra parts.)

OR alternatively like you already mentioned -- Hack an old USB keyboard that you have laying around or buy at Goodwill for a couple bucks. Getting the keyboard hacked for just the few inputs you need should be fairly simple to trace out on the keyboard matrix without running into ghosting problems.

[arcadepcnut]

thank you jdfan!
yes I can solder my current keywiz is solder. ill check out the kade. that's perfect.
Ill look for a minimus AVR as well but the UK shipping kills.

Just glad I was warned about the 20$ gamepad keyboard encoder that's exactly what I don't want.
Those old keyboards that you can solder to are getting hard to find. I built a mini pinball and adding LED lights and 7 contactors and and its so tight inside its like a puzzle for me to get everything inside the cabinet. so I definitely need something smaller than the keyboard matrix.

[yotsuya]

The Minimus Kade Kit is a great option.

[arcadepcnut]

Well I was going to go that route but got a ipac 2 on ebay for 28$ which is what the minimus kade kit would have costed. thanks. I also got a couple cheap ps2 keyboard adapters to try. thanks for the tips guys!

[RandyT]

GGG has not answered my last two emails. I think he is fed up with me even though own like 6 of his products. Led wiz 31 two keyboard encoders led wiz gp...bunches of buttons and other odds n ends. So he won't  answer if I ask about a ps2 adapter for a old encoder.

Not sure where you got this idea, but I have answered your previous emails.  Hotmail is terrible for reliability, and even Gmail and some others have been filtering our emails as spam, even though we do not send out bulk emails and never have.  So I urge anyone who is expecting an email from us to check the spam folder, or set up a rule to not put our emails in your SPAM folder.

I have not received any emails regarding this situation.  But specifically for pinball, many of the inexpensive USB adapters out there will work for basic operation.  The Uploader software cannot communicate through the adapters, so it cannot function.  If the keys you need are available in the default set, it can be made to work without a lot of trouble.