Main Restorations Software Audio/Jukebox/MP3 Everything Else Buy/Sell/Trade
Project Announcements Monitor/Video GroovyMAME Merit/JVL Touchscreen Meet Up Retail Vendors
Driving & Racing Woodworking Software Support Forums Consoles Project Arcade Reviews
Automated Projects Artwork Frontend Support Forums Pinball Forum Discussion Old Boards
Raspberry Pi & Dev Board controls.dat Linux Miscellaneous Arcade Wiki Discussion Old Archives
Lightguns Arcade1Up Try the site in https mode Site News

Unread posts | New Replies | Recent posts | Rules | Chatroom | Wiki | File Repository | RSS | Submit news

Poll

Which do you prefer

Oscar's Vortex
14 (63.6%)
SlikStick Tornado
7 (31.8%)
Other
1 (4.5%)

Total Members Voted: 19

  

Author Topic: Vortex or Tornado Spinner and why  (Read 1976 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

vader

  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 733
  • Last login:January 19, 2025, 08:25:22 pm
  • I can't breathe in this thing !!
Vortex or Tornado Spinner and why
« on: November 29, 2004, 10:39:23 pm »
Which one of these do you guys prefer, the Vortex or the Tornado.  I'm leaning towards Oscars even though I never played Tempest in the arcades simply because people tend
to like them alot, but that can be said of the tornado also.  Just looking for some opinions
out there and I'm sure they'll be on the way....

Tim
« Last Edit: November 29, 2004, 10:42:38 pm by vader88 »

dweebs0r

  • Trade Count: (+21)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 944
  • Last login:January 16, 2025, 02:40:36 pm
  • Ascendo tuum!
Re: Vortex or Tornado Spinner and why
« Reply #1 on: November 29, 2004, 10:41:53 pm »
The SlikStik spinner wont work with your minipac encoder unfortunately.  Not really a big deal, it has its own encoder but if your were trying to keep only one cable coming from the controller than you'd have to plug both of em into a usb hub or something.

--Dweebs

vader

  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 733
  • Last login:January 19, 2025, 08:25:22 pm
  • I can't breathe in this thing !!
Re: Vortex or Tornado Spinner and why
« Reply #2 on: November 29, 2004, 10:43:51 pm »
Thanks Dweeb, I'm aware of that....but hell....one more wire out the back....not  a big deal......just concerned with functionality at the moment

dweebs0r

  • Trade Count: (+21)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 944
  • Last login:January 16, 2025, 02:40:36 pm
  • Ascendo tuum!
Re: Vortex or Tornado Spinner and why
« Reply #3 on: November 29, 2004, 10:58:36 pm »
I'm sure you've seen this but I've gotta give it to Kevin at Retroblast he has some great reviews.  One of them is a big spinner comparo:

 http://www.retroblast.com/reviews/roundup.html

Maybe it can answer your questions.  Overall, people seem to be happiest with the Oscar model b/c of the great spin times and feel, but for the pure retro, I'd hafta go with the Vortex spinner and a Vortex knob.

--Dweebs
« Last Edit: November 30, 2004, 12:17:35 am by dweebs0r »

maraxle

  • Guest
  • Trade Count: (0)
Re: Vortex or Tornado Spinner and why
« Reply #4 on: November 29, 2004, 11:10:38 pm »
Personally, I needed a spinner that worked in DOS for a project I did.  The Tornado couldn't do that for me, but the Oscar ones could.  That decided it for me. 

However, an advantage of the Tornado is the tiny footprint.  In that respect, there's no comparison.

NoOne=NBA=

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2718
  • Last login:July 23, 2011, 08:59:16 am
  • Just Say No To Taito! -Nichibutsu
Re: Vortex or Tornado Spinner and why
« Reply #5 on: November 29, 2004, 11:53:20 pm »
Truthfully, you won't be disappointed with either of them.
I opted for Oscar's DOT spinner because I wanted the up/down function.

krick

  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2006
  • Last login:May 23, 2025, 03:48:36 am
  • Gotta have blue hair.
Re: Vortex or Tornado Spinner and why
« Reply #6 on: November 30, 2004, 02:57:04 am »
The SlikStik spinner wont work with your minipac encoder unfortunately.


Errr...  so I assume the Tornado Spinner won't work with an Opti-Pac either?

Is there some way to hack it to work with an Opti-Pac?

I'm really sold on the small footprint.
Hantarex Polo 15KHz
Sapphire Radeon HD 7750 2GB (GCN)
GroovyMAME 0.197.017h_d3d9ex
CRT Emudriver & CRT Tools 2.0 beta 13 (Crimson 16.2.1 for GCN cards)
Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
Intel Core i7-4790K @ 4.8GHz
ASUS Z87M-PLUS Motherboard

Tailgunner

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1156
  • Last login:October 06, 2009, 01:21:16 pm
  • ...
Re: Vortex or Tornado Spinner and why
« Reply #7 on: November 30, 2004, 03:12:24 am »
I'd go with Oscar's simply because of the feel. The Tornado has an edge on a crowded panel where space is an issue, but if you're used to a Tempest spinner's feel the Vortex is what you'd want.

teef two

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 184
  • Last login:November 24, 2006, 08:21:45 am
  • Mmmmame
Re: Vortex or Tornado Spinner and why
« Reply #8 on: November 30, 2004, 05:28:29 am »
Whilst I've voted for the vortex I have to qualify this by saying that's the spinner I have and I have never had my hands on a Tornado spinner.

That said I am very happy with the feel of the vortex, exactly as I remember them being in the arcade.

Lilwolf

  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 4945
  • Last login:July 31, 2022, 10:26:34 pm
Re: Vortex or Tornado Spinner and why
« Reply #9 on: November 30, 2004, 06:02:20 am »
I voted for Vortex myself

Oscar is GREAT, and his amazing rep adds a few points making it hard to compete. 

But the real reason is construction.  I've heard that the Tornados are made with aluminum and can bend (they shouldn't, but they can) and the only advantage is a longer spin time that requires it to be perfectly aligned (and slight bending would do it).  And I have hotswappable control panels so I have the underside touch things all the time.

But I bet both would make anyone out there happy.  Oscars extra products and customer support could easily tip the scale... but the extra strength construction really puts it in Vortex's side

Hoagie_one

  • Trade Count: (+6)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3062
  • Last login:September 04, 2020, 12:36:28 pm
  • Um....whats a cabinet
Re: Vortex or Tornado Spinner and why
« Reply #10 on: November 30, 2004, 09:02:15 am »
i built my own from a hard drive and a mouse

vader

  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 733
  • Last login:January 19, 2025, 08:25:22 pm
  • I can't breathe in this thing !!
Re: Vortex or Tornado Spinner and why
« Reply #11 on: November 30, 2004, 09:57:11 am »
Hoagie,

I know alot of people prefer to do that, but I don't know if my skills is up to that area yet, if I built one, it would probaly wobble like a bent rim.

Tim

whammoed

  • Trade Count: (+4)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2310
  • Last login:July 29, 2025, 11:05:33 am
  • Crack don't smoke itself
    • NiceMite
Re: Vortex or Tornado Spinner and why
« Reply #12 on: November 30, 2004, 10:25:43 am »
I went with the tornado due to its size.  Had to squeeze it onto a cocktail side panel.  Works really well for me and the kids love to give it a spin.

shmokes

  • Just think of all the suffering in this world that could have been avoided had I just been a little better informed. :)
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 10397
  • Last login:September 24, 2016, 06:50:42 pm
  • Don't tread on me.
    • Jake Moses
Re: Vortex or Tornado Spinner and why
« Reply #13 on: November 30, 2004, 11:04:05 am »
I don't have either yet, but I'll second the Tornado due to its size.  Even if I wanted to use one of Oscar's spinners I can't because they take up so much room on the underside of the control panel -- at least twice as much as the Tornado, which only needs about two square inches, IIRC.  I plan to get a Tornado eventually.
Check out my website for in-depth reviews of children's books, games, and educational apps for the iPad:

Best Kid iPad Apps

Hoagie_one

  • Trade Count: (+6)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3062
  • Last login:September 04, 2020, 12:36:28 pm
  • Um....whats a cabinet
Re: Vortex or Tornado Spinner and why
« Reply #14 on: November 30, 2004, 11:14:49 am »
Hoagie,

I know alot of people prefer to do that, but I don't know if my skills is up to that area yet, if I built one, it would probaly wobble like a bent rim.

Tim


It was surprizingly easy.  I have like 3 extra har drive bearings.  I may make a few more and sell em

JCKnife

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 261
  • Last login:November 04, 2008, 09:41:57 pm
Re: Vortex or Tornado Spinner and why
« Reply #15 on: November 30, 2004, 11:27:43 am »
Curious too if everyone gets the Tempest knob on the vortex? Obviously that would be best for tempest, but for $6 I also ordered the rubber one to try out.

I haven't recevied them yet.

Stingray

  • Official Slacker - I promise to try a lot less
  • Trade Count: (+2)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 10463
  • Last login:April 08, 2021, 03:43:54 pm
Re: Vortex or Tornado Spinner and why
« Reply #16 on: November 30, 2004, 12:47:51 pm »
Six of one, half dozen of the other. I went with a Tornado because I needed the smallest one possible due to severe space limitations, but I feel 100% confident in saying that Oscar's is probably just as good if you have room on your panel for it. The Tornado performs like a dream in Tempest, which is the #1 reason why I got a spinner in the first place.

-S
Stingray you magnificent bastard!
This place is dead lately.  Stingray scare everyone off?

RacerX

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 831
  • Last login:April 25, 2024, 04:53:33 pm
  • Longtime member, sometime poster.
Re: Vortex or Tornado Spinner and why
« Reply #17 on: November 30, 2004, 03:45:58 pm »
I went with an Oscar spinner (this was at least 2, and maybe 3 years ago so it's an older model).  It works great, and Oscar's customer service is second to none.

clanggedin

  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1071
  • Last login:July 02, 2012, 11:08:55 pm
  • O'DOYLE RULES!!!
Re: Vortex or Tornado Spinner and why
« Reply #18 on: November 30, 2004, 03:51:45 pm »
I went with the tornado because it was only a few $$ more than the Oscar one I want and it has amazingly long spin times. I love how it feels too.

You can't go wrong with either decision too.

Matt Berry

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 131
  • Last login:September 11, 2018, 06:09:06 pm
  • llama kind of tastes like chicken
Re: Vortex or Tornado Spinner and why
« Reply #19 on: November 30, 2004, 05:46:45 pm »
I bought the Tornado and when I received it I was surprised by how well built and solid it was. It exceeded my expectations, It is smooth, knob is great, and it feels great in your hand. It seems to spin forever. I have thought about buying the vortex or just heading down there to see them in person to see how the two compare but I haven't had the chance to do that yet. Seriously I think either one would be a wise investment. Definetly nicer then any spinner I've built.

Mameotron

  • Guest
  • Trade Count: (0)
Re: Vortex or Tornado Spinner and why
« Reply #20 on: November 30, 2004, 05:57:26 pm »
I went with Oscar's Vortex, and was so blown away with his customer support.

Zero_Hour

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 760
  • Last login:August 07, 2024, 11:40:33 am
  • Enjoying the irony of taking games seriously
Re: Vortex or Tornado Spinner and why
« Reply #21 on: December 01, 2004, 12:22:12 am »
I have a Tron spinner, with an Oscar Oprtical board since the stock Tron Board was a nightmare. Nothing feels as authentic as something authentic. That's largely why I made the choice I did. I'm quite certain that either the tornado or the vortex would be great (even superior) choices, but to have some original parts from one of my favorite games will more than make up for that.
"Paradise, is exactly like where you are right now - only much, MUCH better." -Laurie Anderson

Kremmit

  • - AHOTW -
  • Wiki Contributor
  • Trade Count: (+2)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3165
  • Last login:June 17, 2025, 04:07:55 pm
  • Who the heck is that?
Re: Vortex or Tornado Spinner and why
« Reply #22 on: December 01, 2004, 12:42:15 am »