M@_ME Controls, Ecoder? keyboard? hack help...

[Otraotaku]

I am trying to come up with a supply list to  finish my cabinet design.... i will then need to come up with a Elligable and easy Option for my Concept CP, I have no idea what a ecoder is exactly and I have read many pages on information,  can someone please explain which one what would be good for 40+ buttons 4 joys.... and how it works, connects and is installed / programmed........ it would be of Great help to me... Thanks OTRA,

[elvis]

A few questions/comments:

1) Are you only playing MAME on this thing?  If so, players 3 and 4 only need 4 buttons max.  AFAIK there are no 5+ button 3/4 player games in MAME.  If you are playing other 4 player systems, the story is different of course.

2) I'd put the external players on a 45 degree angle.  Placuing them at right angles to the screen will make their play very difficult.  Try standing at right angles to your computer monitor next time you use it for gaming and see.

[paigeoliver]

If you have read many pages of information and have no idea what an encoder is then this project is probably far beyond your skill level.

[Lilwolf]

you need a ipac4 (or multiple small encoders).  This converts all the buttons (and joystick motions) to a single key stroke.  The wiring is EASY (goto http://www.ultimarc.com/ to read up on wiring)... No need to get into detail until you get your encoder.... Only thing to realize is for each button (and 4 for each joystick) you will have a dedicated wire.  Then you also have a daisy chain ground wire that will go one to the next (order or how its split up doesn't matter as long as it makes it back to the encoder)...

[NiN^_^NiN]

i know of a great mame encoder i don't remember what the mame encoder was but this mame encoder was really good it would use the mame keys as standard for mame and was used for mame was really great.

Does anyone remember what this mame encoder was 

(this is a mame joke if you haven't read the new fair use policy on the word mame then you wont get it) 

[Tiger-Heli]

I originally saw this thread on B/S/T and am glad you moved it to the main forum.

Looking at your revised picture, and counting buttons (9x2 + 7x2 colored buttons + 10 white buttons, + 4 sticks) = 58 inputs or two more than an I-PAC/4.  If you can get away with using the shift function on the I-PAC/4 (you press one button first and then another button and the second button sends a different input than it usually does) for two of your white buttons, the I-PAC/4 will work fine.

Your original design showed nine buttons per player (60 action inputs) plus some admin buttons.  The only games that would need this would be Nintendo 64 or Dreamcast Emulation, and these used an analog joystick as well.  Your best bet for these would be to mount a front panel USB hub on your cabinet and then use four adaptoids with the original N64 controller for N64 and maybe the same setup for DC.

[Tiger-Heli]

i know of a great mame encoder i don't remember what the mame encoder was but this mame encoder was really good it would use the mame keys as standard for mame and was used for mame was really great.

Does anyone remember what this mame encoder was 

(this is a mame joke if you haven't read the new fair use policy on the word mame then you wont get it) 

I think you are thinking of the TOKN KB16 .  As you can see in the pic, it even says MAME ARCADE KEYBOARD ENCODER right on the PCB.

Only half-way joking 

[NiN^_^NiN]

yeah man thats the MAME encoder id only use a MAME encoder search for MAME encoder on ebay they are the ones you should sue lmao 

On a personal note i use a keywiz and love it 

[Tiger-Heli]

search for MAME encoder on ebay they are the ones you should sue lmao 

LOL, good typo, I think you meant use, but sue may work just as well in a few months!!!

[Otraotaku]

I originally saw this thread on B/S/T and am glad you moved it to the main forum.

Looking at your revised picture, and counting buttons (9x2 + 7x2 colored buttons + 10 white buttons, + 4 sticks) = 58 inputs or two more than an I-PAC/4.  If you can get away with using the shift function on the I-PAC/4 (you press one button first and then another button and the second button sends a different input than it usually does) for two of your white buttons, the I-PAC/4 will work fine.

Your original design showed nine buttons per player (60 action inputs) plus some admin buttons.  The only games that would need this would be Nintendo 64 or Dreamcast Emulation, and these used an analog joystick as well.  Your best bet for these would be to mount a front panel USB hub on your cabinet and then use four adaptoids with the original N64 controller for N64 and maybe the same setup for DC.

Thanks! to you and everyone else Im Finnaly back on track, im going to look into getting an IPAC4, ^.< It should be fine and the Control panel layout is still under consideration too, If anyone knows of a layout that can support players 3-4 as good or little less than 1-2 and still have no Cramping for First + seccond player give me a shout... ^.<

And thanks again Tiger-heli, for taking time to come explain  it a little more to me, Ive read your Guide on Purhchasing a  Ecoder yesterday... ^.< and was only  a little confused on how to actualy set them up/ and etc but Ishould just wait till I have one to worry about it... Just wanted reasureance that I could be able to...

just one more question, Is the Ipac4 need to be soldered in anyway?

[NoOne=NBA=]

just one more question, Is the Ipac4 need to be soldered in anyway?

No.
It's all screw terminals.

[NiN^_^NiN]

search for MAME encoder on ebay they are the ones you should sue lmao