Four-Player + Trackball USB Controller/Encoder

[seattledavid]

I am building out a custom four player + trackball cabinet. What do you recommend for an all-in-one controller for use on a Windows box with MAME?

Thank you!

[PL1]

If you haven't already done it yet, carefully work through the design process in this section of the FAQ -- especially step 2.  It will help you clarify what you will need to build the cab you want.
https://wiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/FAQ#What_type_of_build_meets_my_needs.3F

Since you're planning a 4 player build, check out this list of games and avoid angled joysticks for P3 and P4. (green is good, red is bad)

https://wiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=Multi-Player_Games

all-in-one controller

Several questions to clarify what you are asking about:

1. Does it have to be an "all-in-one"?
- It would be far easier to use an IPac4 for the joysticks/buttons and a separate optical encoder for the trackball.

2. What do you mean by "all-in-one"?
- From your post, it appears that you're looking for a composite device that at a minimum includes an optical encoder for the trackball and a keyboard/gamepad encoder for the microswitch joysticks and buttons, right?
- Do you need one that includes an LED controller or an encoder for specialized controls like analog joysticks, rotary joysticks, etc.?

3. How many buttons per player?
- Six for P1 + P2 and four for P3 and P4 will cover almost all MAME games.


Scott

[Fursphere]

https://www.ultimarc.com/control-interfaces/i-pacs/i-pac-ultimate-i-o/

Supports 4 players, trackball, and spinner if you so choose.   (count the inputs to make sure it'll support exactly what you want to do with it)

[smazze]

I am building out a custom four player + trackball cabinet. What do you recommend for an all-in-one controller for use on a Windows box with MAME?

Thank you!

I just completed this exact thing. Used iPac 4 and ultimarc trackball and spinner usb versions. LaunchBox/Big box front end. Love it so far, wouldn’t have changed a thing.

[Ye Bobbum Man]

So I am planning on building something similar here shortly.  I have previously built a 2 player bartop arcade with retropie but I am somewhat confused about how to wire the arcade sticks and buttons.  On my current setup both player 1 and 2 controller/buttons have their own encoder.  The IPAC 4 seems to be a different animal, so to speak, as from what I understand everything gets wired into that.  My plan is to have 4 players w/ 8 buttons each as well as start/select buttons (I understand most older games use 4 buttons for player 3 and 4 but plan on playing modern games on the arcade).  Can I just do what I did previously and utilize the separate encoders that come with the button kit or will I need to get in ipac 4?  If I don't then can the trackball just be connected to the PC via USB?

[PL1]

I am somewhat confused about how to wire the arcade sticks and buttons.

The IPac4 is like the USB encoders you've used before.
- Two wires go to the button switch.
- One of them comes from a common (a daisy-chained ground on IPac vs. a 5v common on most of the "ZD" encoders you've used) and the other goes to an encoder input port.
- Pressing the button applies the common to the input port which tells the encoder to trigger the output for that input -- a keystroke or button/D-pad press for the IPac or a button/D-pad press for a gamepad encoder.

https://wiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/FAQ#How_do_I_wire_microswitches_to_an_encoder.3F

Can I just do what I did previously and utilize the separate encoders that come with the button kit or will I need to get in ipac 4?

You can use four separate encoders, but one potential downside is the Windows device renumbering issue.

Windows will assign device numbers to the gamepad encoders in the order they are seen on bootup.
- If Windows recognizes the encoders in the wrong order, the player positions will be changed.
- There are ways to force specific gamepad encoders to be assigned to specific device numbers, but it doesn't always work.

The advantage to the IPac4 is that it only requires one USB connection and can be used as either a keyboard encoder or a composite quad xinput device.
- If you use it as a keyboard, it won't change keystrokes no matter how many, or in what order, you plug in keyboards.
- If you use it as a quad xinput device, the IPac firmware will always initialize the player positions in the right order.

If I don't then can the trackball just be connected to the PC via USB?

You will need a separate optical (mouse) encoder for the trackball because the Ult. I/O doesn't have enough inputs for Joy+8 buttons for all four players and the IPac4 doesn't have any optical (mouse) inputs.

If you get the Ultimarc UTrak, they offer a plug-and-play encoder.

If you get a Happ trackball, get an "arcade-style" one with red boards and a molex harness . . .


. . . not one with the built-in green USB/PS2 adapter board. (numerous complaints about backspin)


To connect the arcade-style trackball to an OptiWiz3, replace the molex harness with a Trackball Cable for Opti-Wiz "No-Solder" from GGG.




Scott