Zero Delay Arcade USB Encoderor I-Pac2

[steved61]

I have an I-Pac2 and Zero Delay Arcade USB Encoder. My control panel will have (3) Joystick's on the control panel ,which encoder is best for my needs ?

[UEDan]

How many buttons total? You may need an I-Pac 4.
Either way, I-Pac.

[JDFan]

3 joysticks and what else ? - will the joysticks all 3 be used at the same time in a game ? Figure each Joystick requires 4 inputs unless you are using 2 8 way joysticks and 1 4 way that will not be used at the same time that the 8 ways are being used in which case you could double up the inputs between 1 8 way and the 4 way - so the 3 joysticks would only use 8 inputs total. 

[steved61]

18 buttons total and the 4/8 way joysticks are both going to be joystick 1. No more then 2 joysticks will be used at the same time. Will I be able to use the extra features of the I-Pac2 ?  The I-Pac2 is about 3 times the price of the Zero Delay encoder.
If I can't use the extra features on the I-Pac2 I will save the I-Pac2 encoder for another project.
Thanks Guys.
SteveD61

[UEDan]

Sooo 26 inputs total. 30 if you give the 4 way dedicated inputs.
What features are you looking to use? Do you need a shift function?
Do you care if you have to reconfigure controls the if Zero Delay controllers swaps joystick IDs? ie stick #2 shows up as P1.
Is this just a control panel?

Which project will be the nicer project? Put the IPAC in there.

[steved61]

I"ll use the I-Pac2. Thanks for your
advice.
SteveD61