I-PAC: usb or ps/2? ... or does it matter?

[javeryh]

I'm about to order an I-PAC4 for my cabinet and I'm wondering if there is any preference around here as to which model (usb or ps/2) to order.  By the time I actually have things up and running I plan on piecing together a new (hopefully kick ass) computer to run everything so it should have both ports available to use.  Any thoughts?

[whammoed]

there have been many thoughts on the subject:
http://www.arcadecontrols.org/yabbse/index.php?board=1;action=display;threadid=20387

[javeryh]

Thanks whammoed - you are always helping me out.    I did a quick search before asking and must have missed that thread - oh well...  Thanks!

[whammoed]

no problemo

[Tiger-Heli]

I'm about to order an I-PAC4 for my cabinet and I'm wondering if there is any preference around here as to which model (usb or ps/2) to order.  By the time I actually have things up and running I plan on piecing together a new (hopefully kick ass) computer to run everything so it should have both ports available to use.  Any thoughts?

Many thoughts on the subject.  You know what they say opinions are like.
See what I've previously written here.  Also has links to Andy Warne's and RandyT's comments.

You don't have to choose though.  If it were me, I would buy the USB one so I had the capability.  Then use it in whichever mode works best.

[javeryh]

I'm about to order an I-PAC4 for my cabinet and I'm wondering if there is any preference around here as to which model (usb or ps/2) to order.  By the time I actually have things up and running I plan on piecing together a new (hopefully kick ass) computer to run everything so it should have both ports available to use.  Any thoughts?

Many thoughts on the subject.  You know what they say opinions are like.
See what I've previously written here.  Also has links to Andy Warne's and RandyT's comments.

You don't have to choose though.  If it were me, I would buy the USB one so I had the capability.  Then use it in whichever mode works best.

Thanks!  So from what I can tell the usb and ps/2 ipacs are the same exact thing except the usb one comes with a cable that converts ps/2 (out of ipac) to usb (to plug into computer)... instead of just having a cable with a ps/2 port on both ends... right?

[Tiger-Heli]

Thanks!  So from what I can tell the usb and ps/2 ipacs are the same exact thing except the usb one comes with a cable that converts ps/2 (out of ipac) to usb (to plug into computer)... instead of just having a cable with a ps/2 port on both ends... right?

Right.

[reebboy]

I went with the USB simply because I believe that soon computers will only come with USB ports. This is just my opinion but because USB is so universal I would imagine soon PS/2 and other ports may not exist on computers.  

[Tiger-Heli]

I went with the USB simply because I believe that soon computers will only come with USB ports. This is just my opinion but because USB is so universal I would imagine soon PS/2 and other ports may not exist on computers.  

Without agreeing or disagreeing with you, I said to get USB just so the option was available to you.  The extra $5 may be well worth it.  OTOH, most PC's still have serial ports and parallel ports and some still have ISA slots, so I wouldn't count PS/2 down for the count anytime soon.  (I could be wrong, though).

[Bgnome]

the only place i have seen this phenomenon is in laptops.  my wife purchased a good sized laptop this past summer and it only has 4 usb 2.0 ports, a firewire port, and flashcard reader ports for input.

[patrickl]

My new PC (a cheap clone) came without a PS/2 connector already. I was kinda shocked by this since I hadn't thought about PS/2 going away before I faced the obvious fact that on my new PC it had already happened. Intel has been pushing for a new motherboard standard (BX) which will be without PS/2 and other legacy ports. As of yet it doesn't seem to happen too quickly, but I sure was glad my I-PAC could do USB (allthough I still have not found my USB cable back ).

[Minwah]

I'm sure it is mentioned in some of the threads linked to from here, but since no-one has mentioned it I believe in PS/2 mode the IPAC can handle more simultaneous keypresses (than USB).

[Tiger-Heli]

I'm sure it is mentioned in some of the threads linked to from here, but since no-one has mentioned it I believe in PS/2 mode the IPAC can handle more simultaneous keypresses (than USB).

I cover this.  Before MinWah's get flamed, here's what I say (basically, it's true, but not a very big issue):

Depending on board revision, there is a limit of 14, 22, or 16 inputs (plus modifiers such as Shift, Alt, and Ctrl) that the I-PAC supports in USB mode, unlimited in PS/2.  While this isn't a very practical limitation (4 players each simultaneously pressing diagonals and pressing Buttons 1 and 2 simultaneously exceeds it, but not much else), it is a limitation which is not present in PS/2 mode.

[Minwah]

Depending on board revision, there is a limit of 14, 22, or 16 inputs (plus modifiers such as Shift, Alt, and Ctrl) that the I-PAC supports in USB mode, unlimited in PS/2.  While this isn't a very practical limitation (4 players each simultaneously pressing diagonals and pressing Buttons 1 and 2 simultaneously exceeds it, but not much else), it is a limitation which is not present in PS/2 mode.

Thanks, that's it

While not a big limitation (& I personally think people just 'like' USB more than anything else atm), it is a limitation nevertheless.

[Tiger-Heli]

Thanks, that's it
While not a big limitation (& I personally think people just 'like' USB more than anything else atm), it is a limitation nevertheless.

Agreed.

Personally, I don't think it matters, except for a desktop controller, where USB is more convenient (although many of the more popular ones like X-Arcade and HotRod were PS/2).

The problem is you have to change your thinking a little bit with the current trends - i.e. most new gamepads, joysticks, webcams, mice, trackballs, some spinners, etc. are USB plug-and-play.  So the idea of a USB plug-and-play encoder makes sense to people.  The idea of a PS/2 encoder and a USB keyboard or plugging the keyboard through the encoder seems foreign, whether it performs better or not.

[Minwah]

The problem is you have to change your thinking a little bit with the current trends - i.e. most new gamepads, joysticks, webcams, mice, trackballs, some spinners, etc. are USB plug-and-play.  So the idea of a USB plug-and-play encoder makes sense to people.  The idea of a PS/2 encoder and a USB keyboard or plugging the keyboard through the encoder seems foreign, whether it performs better or not.

Exactly

Personally I use my IPAC in PS/2 mode, since there is no advantage for me to use USB...

Worth mentioning also tho is that I believe the new IPAC boards re-program a lot quicker in USB mode than they used to (in PS/2 or USB mode) - this might be a big advantage to those who use emulators/games without remappable keys.

[Bgnome]

some people might like the keystroke repeatability feature in usb as well..

[Tiger-Heli]

Worth mentioning also tho is that I believe the new IPAC boards re-program a lot quicker in USB mode than they used to (in PS/2 or USB mode) - this might be a big advantage to those who use emulators/games without remappable keys.

I have not heard this before.  Andy said the new WinIPAC IPD software programs in less than one second, but I thought this was regardless of interface.  It is an advantage for the I-PAC VE or regular I-PAC over the mini-pac (which can't use WinIpac IPD)

Have we muddied the water sufficiently???