New I-PAC VE

[Alucard90]

This might be old news but ultimarc is now selling a VE edition of the I-PAC2 that is only USB but 4 more inputs. but stores codeset in RAM and does not work in DOS. Seems like a fairly good deal, free shipping.. more info here: http://www.ultimarc.com/ipacve.html

[NoBonus]

Has anyone used this encoder yet?  Does it work out okay?

[nostrebor]

Works just fine for me. It is probably a bit more fidgety if you want to make input changes because of the RAM storage, but there are published work-arounds for that. I use it in a short cab with basic controls that runs MAME only, so little need for other than standard inputs.

Cab Specs:

AMD xp1600
Win98
Mamewah .97
DOS MAME .83

[Kobex]

I have one and it works fine for me.  I just have my "default" code set loaded when windows boots up, since it doesn't store them when powered off.  The extra buttons came in handy for admin functions.

[NoBonus]

When considering value and function, this is top of the heap.  You can still use your keyboard (unlike the 19.99 KeyWhiz Eco), no soldering (unlike the KeyWhiz Eco), and NO SHIPPING (unlike the KeyWhiz Eco).  I may have made my choice...  any gripes with this other than the custom keyboard layout and lack of DOS support?

[pointdablame]

Hasn't this encoder been out for quite a while now?

[ripzone]

It has been posted on 04 July 2004.

[Vicious]

When considering value and function, this is top of the heap.  You can still use your keyboard (unlike the 19.99 KeyWhiz Eco), no soldering (unlike the KeyWhiz Eco), and NO SHIPPING (unlike the KeyWhiz Eco).  I may have made my choice...  any gripes with this other than the custom keyboard layout and lack of DOS support?

Did you have a bad experience with the KeyWiz or something?  Everything seems to make a point against the KeyWiz.

Unless the shipping is $15 dollars then there is no comparison in price.  I've been doing it for over 13 years so it may be easy to me, but soldering is not hard.  And if it's going to be in a dedicated cab, a keyboard is not a necessity.

One thing you forget about the 'free shipping' is that it is sent with no tracking.  So if it gets lost, you're out $35 with no encoder.

[NoBonus]

Has anyone had any experience with the KeyWhiz "GP-Whiz"?  Is it the same as the Key-Whiz, just with USB instead of keyboard interface?  Also, I am familiar with soldering, is soldering to the Key-Whiz much trouble? 

[PrizLucky]

If you're looking to avoid the soldering, there's the No-Solder version of the KeyWiz Eco (for $3 more).

It's a piece of cake, I just wired up my very first control panel with a KeyWiz Eco (no-solder version) this weekend.. very simple to use.

[NoBonus]

Did you just cut and strip the required connector then solder/connect the wires together?

[PrizLucky]

Yep, stripped out an IDE cable, and connected the wires.. (this is a temporary/test CP, so for now the connections are just taped with electrical tape).   Also, I'm thinking of trying to use one of those round IDE cables to avoid the shredding of a IDE Ribbon cable the next time around...