Author Topic: Do I need an I-Pac2 or I-Pac4? (Read 2050 times)

javeryh · « **on:** March 21, 2005, 01:58:49 pm »

I'm building a cocktail cab with a 3rd CP for 2 player fighting games. I'm probably going to have all the typical admin buttons and a working coin door. P1 will have a 4/8-way joy and a trackball and P2 will have a 4/8-way joy and a spinner. I am planning on 6 action buttons for P3 and P4 but probably only 3 or 4 each for P1 and P2. This isn't a 4 player cab - the most that will play at any one time would be 2 people.

Here's the breakdown:
Admin: P1 Start, P2 Start, Coin, Pause, Reset, Menu, Exit, Power
P1: 3 or 4 action buttons, 4/8-way joy and a trackball
P2: 3 or 4 action buttons, 4/8-way joy and a spinner
P3/P4: 6 action buttons each, 4/8-way joy each, trackball in the center

What do I need to hook this up?

THANKS!!

pointdablame · « **Reply #1 on:** March 21, 2005, 02:16:14 pm »

I would use an IPAC2 and an Optipac if I were you. I'd just wire up the P1 joystick and buttons twice, and do the same for player 2.

What I mean is... set up the 1p joystick with 3 or 4 buttons on your first panel. Then just double up those inputs to the left joystick and buttons on your 2p panel. Do the same for the standalone 2p panel and the right side of your fighter panel.

There's really no need for an Ipac4 in your case since you're essentially going to have 2 sets of 2 player setups.

The optipac will take care of the trackball and spinner for you though, no doubt about it.

Hoagie_one · « **Reply #2 on:** March 21, 2005, 02:30:51 pm »

If cost is an issue you can get adapters from oscar for teh trackball adn spinners to connect them via USB so you dont have to buy an optipac.

Keywiz is another option for basic controls too.

cholin · « **Reply #3 on:** March 21, 2005, 03:21:24 pm »

So is the minipac, seems everyone forgets about it. It's the same price as an ipac but it also has the interface for some trackballs AND spinner(s). You need an IDE cable to hook it all up though, unless you wanna pay the ridiculous price for a harness.

Hoagie_one · « **Reply #4 on:** March 21, 2005, 03:42:09 pm »

forgot about that one.

javeryh · « **Reply #5 on:** March 21, 2005, 05:57:01 pm »

Cost really isn't an issue - I want to do this right. I guess I'll look into getting an I-pac2 and optipac and daisy chain everything. I'm going to get the 2-1/4" trackball from ultimarc as well as the slikstik tornado spinner...

cholin · « **Reply #6 on:** March 21, 2005, 06:13:10 pm »

Why do you rule out the minipac so easily?

javeryh · « **Reply #7 on:** March 21, 2005, 06:25:29 pm »

Quote from: cholin on March 21, 2005, 06:13:10 pm

Why do you rule out the minipac so easily?

Will it do what I want it to do? I don't want to have to employ any of the shift functions (except maybe to exit or something). I just want to do what I described in my OP... The way I see it, without shifting I need at least 28 separate inputs to work the P3/P4 CP (2 joys, 12 action buttons, 8 admin buttons) plus trackball and spinner support (but not necessarily at the same time I suppose)... Will the minipac cover me?

pointdablame · « **Reply #8 on:** March 22, 2005, 09:04:10 am »

http://ultimarc.com/minipac.html

It has 28 button inputs and a harness for either a Happ or Ultimarc trackball. Read up on that page and see if it'll do what you want.

Hoagie_one · « **Reply #9 on:** March 22, 2005, 10:09:00 am »

why the tornado spinner instead of oscar's v2? Just curious. Is it the 10 minute spin time?

javeryh · « **Reply #10 on:** March 22, 2005, 11:03:17 am »

Quote from: Hoagie_one on March 22, 2005, 10:09:00 am

why the tornado spinner instead of oscar's v2?

markrvp · « **Reply #11 on:** March 22, 2005, 11:25:37 am »

The SlikStik tornado spinner comes standard with a cable that hooks up to either PS2 or USB, so the Optipac would be overkill. In this case, the minipac would be perfect as you can hook up the Ultimarc trackball directly to that, then plug the tornado in as USB.

javeryh · « **Reply #12 on:** March 22, 2005, 02:45:43 pm »

Quote from: markrvp on March 22, 2005, 11:25:37 am

The SlikStik tornado spinner comes standard with a cable that hooks up to either PS2 or USB, so the Optipac would be overkill.

cholin · « **Reply #13 on:** March 22, 2005, 04:17:28 pm »

Whoa. So you want the CPs to connect to the same place on the minipac, sure no problemo. The minipac has all the keys you need (the same as an ipac 2) plus support for a trackball and a spinner. Im not too sure about all those buttons for the P3/P4 CP...let me count....oooh lucky...28 right on! But yeah, if you wire them to the same positions, 28 inputs should be fine for this.

markrvp · « **Reply #14 on:** March 22, 2005, 04:20:39 pm »

Your thinking is exactly right.

SideShow Rob · « **Reply #15 on:** March 22, 2005, 04:45:29 pm »

The minipac will support 2 mouse buttons...left and right.

Check out:

http://www.ultimarc.com/mp_inst.html

You will see the mouse button pins at locations 31 and 32....see below.

markrvp · « **Reply #16 on:** March 22, 2005, 05:12:21 pm »

You are absolutely RIGHT!!! I must be going blind. I guess my mom was right, it does make you go blind.

The Minipac looks like a GREAT solution for your cab. Everything you will need to wire up your joys, buttons, trackball and spinner.

Lilwolf · « **Reply #17 on:** March 23, 2005, 07:47:30 am »

Few notes...

Consider going with the ipac2 + oscars hacked mouse over the minipac. Why? Well the easy cabling mainly. I had a MK64 (discontinued but cabled from an IDE cable and SCSI cable) and just moved over... And the easy screw down terminals are REALLY GREAT.

Normally I would say consider a minipac + the cable harness... this takes care of most of your problems right there... easy and done in a few minutes. But it sounds like you will be combining the inputs for multiple sides (player 1 is on the left and the far side. player 2 is the right and near side). You wont get the advantages out of getting a pre wired solution since you will have to chop it all up.

NEXT...

consider adding a switch to break the ground wires to each control panel. breaking the ground will disable all the controls from that ground out... So you can diable all of the left side at one time with one switch. Why do you do this? I used to have my 4way connected to my 8way... And when playing Streetfighter with some friends, when I was about to do a killing blow or they where stunned... they would grab the 4way and twart my super finishing move... IE defense.... Also annoying when your child while watching grabs a joystick and start messing your game up (also why I need to move my esc key from the side of the cabinet... my daughter has hit it when I got father then ever in a few games)

Last...

Good luck. I really want a cocktail table... But I think I'm going to build a big one first... REALLY BIG.... (hopefully you will see this summer)....

Consider adding a switch on your system that will kill the ground to each control panel. You will

CheffoJeffo · « **Reply #18 on:** March 23, 2005, 12:09:48 pm »

Quote

Also annoying when your child while watching grabs a joystick and start messing your game up (also why I need to move my esc key from the side of the cabinet... my daughter has hit it when I got father then ever in a few games)

Funny ... I was just lamenting this issue with my cocktail.

I have two small panels at either thin end for Head-to-Head verticals using 4-ways. Then a standard fighter layout on the front long side for everything else (no TB or spinner).

It drives my 5YO crazy when his little brother comes up and starts playing with the "other" P1 controls.

It would be pretty simple for me to add a switch on the grounds from each panel ... thanks!

;-D

Cheers.

Oh ... I also agree about IPac2 vs Minipac (although I haven't actually used a Mini ... I love the screwdowns too much) ... ease of wiring can save much time and anguish.

cholin · « **Reply #19 on:** March 23, 2005, 03:23:08 pm »

I was planning on going with an Ipac 2 also. I already bought some screw terminals though for like 50 cents, so when I saw the minipac, I asked myself, "Why the hell would I buy so many different things if one SMALL board can do the exact same thing, down to a tee with the screw terminals"

For my situation, it would be better to just say screw the terminals (pun intended) because I have my own. I also want swappable panels, and have very complex ideas for what should be happening at all times, so it worked better for my case

javeryh · « **Reply #20 on:** March 23, 2005, 05:26:10 pm »

These are all great responses. I love this board. I am also wondering if it is possible to wire 2 trackballs to the same inputs. They will never be used at the same time - one is for vertical games, the other for horizontal ones. Thanks everyone!

cholin · « **Reply #21 on:** March 23, 2005, 10:17:10 pm »

Of course you can. The only problems you may have would be that one trackball might be less sensitive than the other, current and voltage should be fine, right? If not, and the trackballs are acting up, you can add a switch or a small circuit to switch between them.

EDIT: I stand corrected.

Lilwolf · « **Reply #22 on:** March 24, 2005, 07:45:46 am »

I'm not sure if you can add two trackballs to the same encoder. Never heard of anyone doing that...

but if you think your doing this, I would really consider going with two hacked mice from Oscar. at 11 bucks each its not worth the chance of blowing stuff up. And then you will be able to seperate them if needed (you might want to set it up for dual marble madness with analog+mame)

AndyWarne · « **Reply #23 on:** March 24, 2005, 09:46:07 am »

No you can't wire up two trackballs to the same inputs. Just won't work at all. the dual ouse hack would be fine.
You could wire via a switch. You would need to switch all the X and Y lines though, so a 4-way switch. Not very practical.
Andy

javeryh · « **Reply #24 on:** March 24, 2005, 10:10:24 am »

OK, so if I want a trackball on the 1P CP and the P3/P4 CP I'm going to need either 2 optipacs or 2 hacked mice from Oscar? I'm trying to get something similar to the Whammocade... and I think he only used one optipac for the 2 trackballs on his cab... http://web.tampabay.rr.com/whammoed/whammocade/parts.htm

markrvp · « **Reply #25 on:** March 24, 2005, 10:40:54 am »

Looking at Whommocade, I understand exactly what you are going for.

javeryh · « **Reply #26 on:** March 25, 2005, 09:54:02 am »

AWESOME. This is exactly the info I was looking for. Thank you!!


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Author Topic: Do I need an I-Pac2 or I-Pac4? (Read 2050 times)

SideShow Rob