No solder option for raspberry pi 3 b+... Gpwiz 40 max?

[YouknowStuIlltellya]

Disclaimer... I'm a noob.

I'm looking for a no solder option for connecting pushbuttons and joysticks to rp3 b+. 

Ordered the gpwiz40 max and a bunch of other pushbuttons and sticks from groovy game gear. 

I thought, since raspbian is "a form of Linux" that I would be OK running the gpwiz through pi as the description of the gpwiz said compatible w Linux.  I recently stumbled upon two sites with frustrated gpwiz customers indicating that it wasn't working out w rasp 1, 2 or 3 versions. I dug as much as I could elsewhere on the www and couldn't find if or any solutions that I understood.  Heavy additional coding isn't an option. 

[Titchgamer]

Use a Xin Mo, They are mostly plug and play.

[keilmillerjr]

I recommend any usb key encoder. Computer sees it as a keyboard. Im a fan of ipac and jpac. Id stay away from joystick encoders like the ching fu units on ebay.

[YouknowStuIlltellya]

I recommend any usb key encoder. Computer sees it as a keyboard. Im a fan of ipac and jpac. Id stay away from joystick encoders like the ching fu units on ebay.

Is the GPwiz 40 max not a USB key encoder?  Again, noob here.

[keilmillerjr]

I recommend any usb key encoder. Computer sees it as a keyboard. Im a fan of ipac and jpac. Id stay away from joystick encoders like the ching fu units on ebay.

Is the GPwiz 40 max not a USB key encoder?  Again, noob here.

GPwiz is a duel joystick encoder where as the KEYwiz is a keyboard encoder. In my opinion, keyboard is better because it has compatibility with almost everything including the operating system. Im not sure why some one would be in this hobby and want a joystick encoder. Maybe im missing something.

[Gilrock]

I built a bartop last year that uses a RPi3b+.  I was just wanting to build something quick for my son so I was following build plans I got for $5.  That directed me to buy this kit below.  You can get better buttons and joysticks but I will say this worked great and included everything needed to interface the joysticks and buttons to the Pi.  I had it built and running in 3 days.  Wiring is included so no soldering required.  I also used RetroPie for this project.  I had never used it before but I found it to be much easier than anything I had done in the past setting up PC emulators.  It includes a ton of emulators out of the box and the RetroPie website help made it easy to figure out how to get each emulator running.  Within a day I already had MAME, Daphne, NES, Sega Genesis, and Nintendo64 running.  I kept the games limited and only have about 100 loaded.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00WAY9848/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[YouknowStuIlltellya]

I recommend any usb key encoder. Computer sees it as a keyboard. Im a fan of ipac and jpac. Id stay away from joystick encoders like the ching fu units on ebay.

Is the GPwiz 40 max not a USB key encoder?  Again, noob here.

GPwiz is a duel joystick encoder where as the KEYwiz is a keyboard encoder. In my opinion, keyboard is better because it has compatibility with almost everything including the operating system. Im not sure why some one would be in this hobby and want a joystick encoder. Maybe im missing something.

From GGG site RE the GPWiz...

Unlike standard USB Keyboard Interface technology, USB Gamepad interfaces have no limits on simultaneous button presses. They are also faster, capable of delivering the status of all 32 inputs every 10ms. They are easy to install, and multiple units may be used at the same time with no conflicts.

They are great for scalable or modular installations and can also send keypress data with the aid of excellent, easy-to-use third-party freeware applications.


Limits on simultaneous button presses?  Is this an advantage?  lol.  I dont know why i went w/ this vs the keywiz.   I wish i could get GGG's customer service to respond.  Been 5 days since order, have sent three emails - one thru site, and two to customer service addy, w/ no reply.  Haven't heard anything from them other than that they charged my cc.  Just want to cancel the GPwiz and add the keywiz.  oh well. 

[YouknowStuIlltellya]

I built a bartop last year that uses a RPi3b+.  I was just wanting to build something quick for my son so I was following build plans I got for $5.  That directed me to buy this kit below.  You can get better buttons and joysticks but I will say this worked great and included everything needed to interface the joysticks and buttons to the Pi.  I had it built and running in 3 days.  Wiring is included so no soldering required.  I also used RetroPie for this project.  I had never used it before but I found it to be much easier than anything I had done in the past setting up PC emulators.  It includes a ton of emulators out of the box and the RetroPie website help made it easy to figure out how to get each emulator running.  Within a day I already had MAME, Daphne, NES, Sega Genesis, and Nintendo64 running.  I kept the games limited and only have about 100 loaded.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00WAY9848/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Thanks very much for your post.  I did look at that exact unit on amazon.  My issue is that I am building this machine with a goal of the best possible experience playing robotron - which meant the dominux8 joysticks from GGG.  I think where i messed up is going w/ the GPwiz vs a keyboard encoder - GGG offers a non-solder keyboard based Keywiz 40 -ST.   I didn't understand the difference at the time. 

Also, I had received the same advice regarding PI vs windows pc - ie it would be more straightforward having emulators out of the box.  Thanks again. 

[Gilrock]

My issue is that I am building this machine with a goal of the best possible experience playing robotron...

Ok now you are hitting on a popular subject of mine.  Maybe you will have better luck than I but I will not play Robotron on MAME anymore.  I played it almost every day for 3 months and only scored above 300,000 twice with my best being 420,000.  Then this weekend I went to ZapCon and played on a real Robotron cabinet and I scored 475,000 my first game.  Before the weekend was over I set a personal best of 806,000.  My MAME cab has Ultimarc ServoStiks so if you use the Dominux8's it should be better than my experience (leaf > microswitches) but there is still input lag if you use an LCD.  I'm currently building a dedicated Robotron cabinet if you look under the Projects section.