Some newbie questions :)

[olaf2022]

Hi all,

I just discovered this site and was thinking about putting together a cabinet for MAME sometime, and I'm curious about how to actually do it. I was just wondering if anyone could help me out with a link to a good site with details/pictures on how to "hack" the keyboard and connect the joysticks and buttons to wherever they need to be.

Also, if you built a machine with like four joysticks and six buttons for each player, how do you make it so the keyboard doesn't block all those simultaneous inputs? Or do you just have to buy a really good keyboard that can accept a bunch of keys simultaneously?

Sorry for being such a noob, but everyone has to start somewhere  Any help is much appreciated!

John

[kgriffin]

All the help you could need is available in the links on the left. Just start reading. If you do not have any links on the left go to http://www.arcadecontrols.com and get back in.

You will see the 3rd button down is the newbie guide. Start there and good luck.

[Tiger-Heli]

Hi all,

I just discovered this site and was thinking about putting together a cabinet for MAME sometime, and I'm curious about how to actually do it. I was just wondering if anyone could help me out with a link to a good site with details/pictures on how to "hack" the keyboard and connect the joysticks and buttons to wherever they need to be.

Also, if you built a machine with like four joysticks and six buttons for each player, how do you make it so the keyboard doesn't block all those simultaneous inputs? Or do you just have to buy a really good keyboard that can accept a bunch of keys simultaneously?

Sorry for being such a noob, but everyone has to start somewhere  Any help is much appreciated!

John

Keyboard hack info is here:
http://www.mameworld.net/emuadvice/keyhack2.html

I recommend going with an I-PAC and you will never support more than 2 joysticks and six buttons per player with a keyboard hack.

AFIAK, MAME only supports 4 players and 4 buttons per player max, so you might want to think about that before deciding on a four by six button layout.  If you need that many button, you could use an I-PAC/4

[Bursar]

You could go the same way that I'm going and that's 2 players with 6 buttons in the centre of the panel, and 2 players with 4 buttons on the edge.

You can then have all the multiplayer goodness without needing a massive panel.