Wico Leaf Stick -vs- Wico 360 Solid State Stick

[Rostig]

I am putting together a controller, and I am in the process of selecting a Joystick.

I was going to get the Wico 8-Position Leaf Switch Joystick, but then I found out about the Wico 360 Solid State Joystick.

I am going to be doing hardware keyboard emulation, and I will not have a power supply to the joystick. Will the Solid State Joystick still work?

What Joystick do you guys think that I should go with. I am new to this, but I believe that the Wico 8-Position Leaf Switch Joystick will only need the connection of four switches (Up, Down, Left, Right), and it will not require any power connection. Is that correct? I am unsure of the hook-up of the Wico 360 Solid State Joystick.

Thanks for any help.

[Grasshopper]

Optical controls are reputed to be the best.

In any case, as far as I am aware Wico no longer sell leaf Switch joysticks, although they can still be obtained from other sources.

If you want to use Perfect 360 optical controls then you will need an interface where all the inputs share a common ground, for example the I-Pac, or Button Box encoders.

You will not easily be able to use optical controls with any interface that uses a scanning matrix. So this rules out most keyboard hacks.

You will also need access to +5v and 0v. These can be taken from the ps/2 keyboard port.

[Rostig]

If you want to use Perfect 360 optical controls then you will need an interface where all the inputs share a common ground, for example the I-Pac, or Button Box encoders.

You will not easily be able to use optical controls with any interface that uses a scanning matrix. So this rules out most keyboard hacks.

You will also need access to +5v and 0v. These can be taken from the ps/2 keyboard port.

Thanks for the help.

Could I hook up a Solid State Joystick to a KE-USB36 USB Keyboard Encoder?
http://www.hagstromelectronics.com/keusb36.html

I need to do hardware keyboard emulation, because I am going to be using this controller in WinXP with modern games that do not have analog Joystick support, and I do not want to have to run special software.

If I can not use a Solid State Optical Joystick, would a Happ Competition Joystick, Ultimate Joystick, or Super Joystick work?  I have heard that Microswitches are not very smooth with a Joystick, so that is why I wanted a Leaf Switch Joystick, but I guess that a Microswitch Joystick will be OK.

I am new to this, and I do not know very much, so any help is appreciated.

[neuromancer]

If you need to test the "smoothness" of microswitch joysticks, you can go to a local arcade and test them out in person. I can feel a difference between a microswitch and a leaf stick. I don't think I would call it bad; just different.

When you have them at home you will hear the switches click, which you don't hear in the arcade 'cause of all the noize.

Bob