What joystick to use? Again...

[JODY]

Even routing out a lot of the wood leaves the stock handle kinda short.

[devmod]

this question is turning into something about a religion , some kind of sect , philosophy , to be , or not to be.. uff im just planning my new cab , and when i fell in this question i spend like weeks reading other people's comments , finally i decided to try it by myself , so , i think will go first with a couple of super happs..
well , that is just sharing my thoughts ...

(English isn't my first language , sorry )

[Tiger-Heli]

Actually, for a four-player panel, it's a lot of compromising to use a KeyWiz alone (but possible).

That's what I was thinking too, and was just going to suggest the I-Pac4, but then I priced it out at GGG and at Ultimarc- with the "One Click Shazaam! Adaptors" and one KeyWiz Eco (solder), he can get up to 56 inputs for less money than a 56 input I-Pac4.  More work, but cheaper.  (Always a trade off...)

No you can't.  (Theoretically, it's possible, but  . . . more below).  What you can do is get a KeyWiz and a GP-Wiz for less than an I-PAC/4 and 64 inputs.

With a KeyWiz alone, the best you could realistically do is 32 action inputs and about 10 shifted inputs (for start coin and maybe Pause and Escape), although I would recommend not using Pause and Escape, so really 40 inputs.

The reason your idea (56 inputs) won't work is that pressing a shifted input shifts all the other inputs, so they can't be used for action keys.

For example - let's say I have P1B1 shifted to register Coin 1 and PB2 Shifted to register Start 2.  I am playing a two-player game and P2 presses the Start button.  P1B1 will now add coins rather than firing until the P2 Start button is released.  And this is with the shifted buttons as admin functions.  You have more problems if they are mapped to action keys.

[Kremmit]

Actually, for a four-player panel, it's a lot of compromising to use a KeyWiz alone (but possible).

That's what I was thinking too, and was just going to suggest the I-Pac4, but then I priced it out at GGG and at Ultimarc- with the "One Click Shazaam! Adaptors" and one KeyWiz Eco (solder), he can get up to 56 inputs for less money than a 56 input I-Pac4.  More work, but cheaper.  (Always a trade off...)

The reason your idea (56 inputs) won't work is that pressing a shifted input shifts all the other inputs, so they can't be used for action keys.

Ahh.  I've never messed with shifted inputs, so I had not bumped into that.  Makes the I-Pac4 look more attractive, unless one wants the 49-way support from the GP-Wiz49.

Even routing out a lot of the wood leaves the stock handle kinda short.  www.groovygamegear sells replacement ball handles for the competition which work on it.  Same length handle as the comps.  There is a thread on here somewhere with some pics I posted of a red translucent one.

I think you'll find it's the Super handle that fits that base, not the Competition.

He makes a standard model that fits both the super and competition.  I've got one on my reunion now.

Ahh.  Interesting, as the original handles don't swap between a Comp and a Super.  (At least, I don't think they do.. I'd better stop making definate statements, as I seem to be getting corrected educated right and left today.)  Didn't realize the GGG replacement was interchangeable with both.

[Tiger-Heli]

Ahh.  I've never messed with shifted inputs, so I had not bumped into that.  Makes the I-Pac4 look more attractive, unless one wants the 49-way support from the GP-Wiz49.

Depends - If you want to play 4-player 4-button games (only Dungeons and Dragons), get the I-PAC/4 or the KeyWiz and GP-Wiz.  For 4-player 3-button games, the KeyWiz can be made to work.  See my comments in this thread for the compromises required, though:
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,21870.0.html

[maxxonline]

Thanks for all the great info guys.  I was out of town on vacation because of the holiday and just now got back where I could respond.  I think I am going to order a couple of different sticks first in order to see what I like best.  I have put in an order to Bob so I can get a few sticks first and try those out and then it might give me a better ideal on what to go with in the end.  Also I just purchased the book Project Arcade so hopefully I can get some reading done this weekend and I'm thinking that might help me decide.