Do Ipac's generally work the first time?

[the3eyedblindman]

Im about to wire my control panel (and will post pics soon), but I just have this strange feeling nothings gonna work.... Ipacs generally work the first time and dont give you alot of trouble right? I dont know...I just have a feeling. Winipac also generally doesnt give any trouble right? You just wire everything, then set your keycodes in winipac, and go to program ipac, right? Just alittle nervous, thanks.

[AlanS17]

If you're using the default MAME key mapping, you don't even need to configure the I-PAC. It just plugs in and works. You don't need WinIpac or any configuration software. The base configuration is already built-in and set. If it's new and nobody has changed the mappings on it, you can put money on it working the first time.

[JCL]

More wiring, less worrying.

It will work. Or it won't.

Once wired and hooked up, try a game with mame.

If it all works, you are done.


If it doesn't work at all check that it is plugged in.

If this doesn't fix it, check your wiring (preferably with a multimeter on its continuity setting).

If it doesn't work, open notepad, mash some buttons and move the joystick to see if anything at all happens. Look at the keymap for the Ipac to see the expected behavior (eg. joystick moves curser, button X makes letter ? appear on screen, etc).

If it partially works, check the wiring for the non-working buttons.

If you can't figure it out, post here with a description of symptoms as best you can.

More building, less worrying. It's low voltage stuff and hard to mess up catastrophically.

[Clonedsheep]

I know that wiring takes a bit of time. Just hook up one button first. I too was thinking it was going to be more complex but it is one of the easiest parts to deal with and I was quite happy. Good luck.

[the3eyedblindman]

When using winipac to program your ipac, you just do it in the software and go to "program ipac" right? Do you have to change anything on the actual ipac itself?

[AlanS17]

There's more than one way to reprogram an ipac. One way involves software. A seperate way involves using the keyboard passthrough. Quit worrying about reprogramming, though, if you're just using it for MAME.

[Goz]

When using winipac to program your ipac, you just do it in the software and go to "program ipac" right? Do you have to change anything on the actual ipac itself?

If you are going to reprogram your ipac make sure to move the jumper from MAME to ALT.

I'll be IM in an hour if you get stuck...

-Goz

[the3eyedblindman]

The only reason I am reprogramming is because I am putting admin keys on my control panel ( tab, esc, ect), and those keys arent part of the mame settings.

[Goz]

The only reason I am reprogramming is because I am putting admin keys on my control panel ( tab, esc, ect), and those keys arent part of the mame settings.

Bummer... they are std on KeyWiz's....

[monkeybomb]

I don't have one, but I think you use player one to shift and press one of the keys you already have for admin buttons.  Or do yu just want dedicated admin keys?

[Tiger-Heli]

The only reason I am reprogramming is because I am putting admin keys on my control panel ( tab, esc, ect), and those keys arent part of the mame settings.

You could always map UI INTERFACE and UI CANCEL to something other than TAB and ESC in MAME if you're THAT afraid of re-programming the I-PAC.

[the3eyedblindman]

Thats what I thought, you had to change the jumper on the ipac when re programming. But reading through here.. http://ultimarc.com/winipac_ipd.html , it doesnt say anything about this.. and on my ipac 4 I dont even see a moveable jumper.. 

[Tiger-Heli]

I don't think the latest boards use jumpers anymore.

[rchadd]

worked first time for me with standard Mame setting

truely plug and play

[Timoe]

I just wired up an IPAC-2 today and its KILLING ME.  It does not work and I cant figure out why.  the led lights up and stays on but the keyboard pass thru doesnt work and its not registering any keys in notepad or anything.  Its probably a wiring deficiency on my part but I am REALLY FRUSTRATED.

I wiried up my GPwiz 49ways with a few beers and everything worked fine the first time so my wiring skills musn't be too bad.  ...I dunno.

The effort I've expended at this point on my little desktop CP makes me just want to give up.     Maybe the board is bad.  ??

[juggle50]

Did you really check all your ground connections?

[Timoe]

nope.  I dont even know how to do that.  I guess I need a multimeter.  Will a cheap $20 one work?