IIDX turntable/spinner question

[Silhouette]

I'm considering building a IIDX controller and getting into playing, but i've never played it in the arcade. Would a spinner assembly be usable for the guts of the turntable, and would I be able to hack a PSX/2 pad to accept the input?

Thanks in advance 

[Nerop]

Another solution is to use the official IIDX Controller for the PS2 and just use an PSX/USB converter.
I personally did not try it, but it is supposed to work. Lik-Sang sells two types of controllers and the usb converters as well.

Hope this helps

Nerop

[hooded_paladin]

The spinner would only work for the MAME beatmanias, but the only circuitry I know of to change optical encoder input into pulses for the PS2 controller is inside the official Konami controller (and the Rave Discman, which is horrible on its own but a good choice for the core of a homemade controller).

The Konami official controller can be had for $116 at Lik-Sang ($36 shipping to California) and is high-quality, long-lasting, and neglibibly different from the arcade except for the most dedicated of players who pay hundreds for the Konami "Arcade Style" controller or a homemade one.  The keys required are very specific (poker buttons aren't good enough, I've heard) and quite expensive, so I'd recommend the Konami official controller, and a PSX - USB converter if you want to play the MAME beatmanias.  I've done this and it works fine with any converter, even the ones not compatible with DDR, because there's no double-axis-pressing (if you don't know what I mean don't worry about it.)

[Silhouette]

So the only way i'll get a turntable is to either buy an official controller, or hack a third party one to pieces for the turntable?

I guess i'll have to hit up eBay for the Rave Discman, then.

Thanks for the help.

[Lilwolf]

the spinner would physically work... But do you think you could make a centered strong enough top for it?

I'm pretty sure you would have a better luck hack a cheap poleposition or other 360 steering wheel... Then putting a turntable top (cheap/free 2nd hand)... The steering wheels go for less then most of the spinners... and they would be stronger...

Anyway, if you want to do it yourself... that would be where I would start.

[Silhouette]

Lik-Sang has Rave Discman controllers for $15 each, with 36% off if you order 5 or more.
I was considering using one of those old handheld PSX steering controllers, with the 1 1/2" 270 degree spinner, but the Discman's turntable would just be easier to use.

[hooded_paladin]

Woah, woah, woah.  You need to keep in mind the correct formats.  A spinner or 360 (optical encoder-based) steering wheel would not interface with the PS controller without special circuitry.  The Konami Official controller and the Rave Discman have optical encoder wheels in them, but they translate the information into digital signals like this:  When the turntable is spun one way, up is held, and the other way is down.  The signal is maintained for a 1/3rd of a second or so, even if the rotation stops, because you are not supposed to be able to scratch twice rapidly in the same direction.  When the turning is reversed quickly, one signal is cut out and the other is turned on because the way to perform rapid successive scratches is to go back and forth.

That's a little too much information but I hope it showed at least one thing:  that analog axes, like in a potentiometer-based steering wheels, are unacceptable.

And keep in mind that making a homemade one out of a Rave Discman and official Sanwa Beatmania buttons is a lot more expensive than buying a Konami Official controller.  There are a lot of handmade controller "companies" started up over on www.bemanistyle.com (I'd check out that site's forums before doing a homemade controller) so I don't really know that Sanwa's are still that expensive or that substitutes haven't been found, but last I checked it was.  Round buttons and even rectangular poker buttons don't have a good feel to them - keep in mind that the button layout of the Rave Discman is not how it's meant to be.

[Silhouette]

Actually, I was just going to use Happ posilock poker buttons, they're $3.05 each. Sanwa buttons are WAY too expensive.

[hooded_paladin]

Okay, I thought you might have some really bad ideas on how the thing works and is laid out.  I HAVE heard that poker buttons have too deep of a required push, or something, so they won't feel quite right but maybe you'll be okay.