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| Keywiz MAX vs. I-Pac2 |
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| DreamWeb:
I'm happy with my Keywiz Max. But, if I had it to do over again, I'd get the Ipaq. Why? So that I could take advantage of the built in quick flashing features that are supported so well in Mamewah. Keywiz... just can't do it. It takes about 12 seconds (or so) to flash the encoder each time you boot windows up. d. |
| Tiger-Heli:
http://www.mameworld.net/tigerheli/encoder/main.htm#THE_PLAYERS - comparison table. http://www.mameworld.net/tigerheli/encoder/index.htm - Mostly software rundown, which in actual use is the biggest difference. http://www.mameworld.net/tigerheli/encoder/main.htm#KeyWiz_vs._I-PAC2 - Very brief rundown, but you are better reading the entire page before making your decision. I own a KeyWiz and am very happy with it, but I have no reason to think I would not be happy with an I-PAC/2 as well. More below. |
| Tiger-Heli:
--- Quote from: DreamWeb on August 03, 2005, 10:32:29 pm ---I'm happy with my Keywiz Max. But, if I had it to do over again, I'd get the Ipaq. Why? So that I could take advantage of the built in quick flashing features that are supported so well in Mamewah. Keywiz... just can't do it. It takes about 12 seconds (or so) to flash the encoder each time you boot windows up. d. --- End quote --- I'm not sure I go along with all of this. I assume you are using Windows XP. I think it only takes me three or four seconds to flash the SDRAM when I want to re-program the encoder, which is only for PC games, but I use Win98SE. If you use MAME and the default codeset on the KeyWiz (which I do), there is no reason to flash the encoder each time you boot windows up. For that matter, for Project 64, ZSNES, FCE Ultra, and Z26, and VirtuaNES, there is no need to flash the encoder if you use the custom versions that let you exit with the ESC key. I don't know about Daphne or Chankast, but I would assume the same is true. I only flash the encoder for PC games like Train Simulator and the like, and those only b/c I either can't assign ctrl and alt keys to inputs, or am used to the keyboard defaults. I am a little skeptical of the "built-in quick flashing features" - A glance at Ultimarc's website only showed this: "Download to RAM instead of EEPROM (command line function): This feature will be enabled in the next release. The feature is already implemented in the I-PAC chip. This enables the codeset to be stored in temporary storage on the I-PAC board instead of permanent storage." Andy Warne has privately claimed to me something like a one-second load time using the WinIPAC IPD. I have no reason to doubt this, but also have not heard it independently confirmed, and let's just say I'm skeptical of manufacturer's product claims after some unrelated (to Ultimarc or KeyWiz) recent events. As far as MAMEwah, support, as best I can tell, all MAMEwah is doing is loading an I-PAC.ipc file prior to launching the emulator. It could just as easily launch a .kwz file and reprogram the KeyWiz prior to launch. |
| finsailor:
I bought a KeyWhiz Eco, which sort of works with XP and 1 GHz. I have problems reprogramming it. It rarely works. Most of the time it cannot make the connection or the reprogramming fails. But when the programming has succeeded, it works fine. No problems after that. Randy from KeyWhiz was kind enough to offer help via email, suggesting that its a PC performance / virus issue or the wiring. Could of course be a user issue :-) |
| RandyT:
--- Quote from: finsailor on August 04, 2005, 04:24:21 pm ---I bought a KeyWhiz Eco, which sort of works with XP and 1 GHz. I have problems reprogramming it. It rarely works. Most of the time it cannot make the connection or the reprogramming fails. But when the programming has succeeded, it works fine. No problems after that. Randy from KeyWhiz was kind enough to offer help via email, suggesting that its a PC performance / virus issue or the wiring. --- End quote --- Sorry you weren't able to resolve your issues, but I just want to make sure that it's understood that this situation is far from the "norm". There are literally thousands of KeyWiz units working fine in the field, many I assume under XP. Usually a problem like this is due to another very persistent process "stealing" focus from the uploader application, causing a momentary loss in communication. Even though there are provisions built into the software to help prevent this, things like spyware, worms, virii and the like operate at a much lower level and are more difficult to control. The fact that the computer is a little underpowered for XP may also have something to do with it, but I haven't seen that be a specific issue yet. I wish I was able to sit in front of a system and troubleshoot it when something like this pops up, but unfortunately some things have to be left to the end user. It's unfortunate when there's a situation I can't correct through the support process, but it does happen on occasion. It's one of the reasons each board is powered and checked 100% before shipping so that we can be reasonably sure that any difficulties that might arise won't be due to a manufacturing defect. --- Quote ---Could of course be a user issue :-) --- End quote --- Heh. I'd be more quick to blame spyware peddlers and other similar dirtbag types. :P RandyT |
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