Encoder we need.

[Kremmit]

From the wonderful world of B.Y.O. FlightSim Cockpits:
http://www.betainnovations.com/hardware/plasma.html

Looks like it does 8 analog axes times two virtual controllers, a mess of buttons, an adjustable rapid-fire, something called Mechanical Rotary Encoder support (!!!), keyboard emulation, Pressure Transducers, Force Sensors, yadda, yadda, yadda.

With support for Hall-Effect sensors, this may be the just the gizmo for Dreamcast hackers and I, Robot joysticks.  8 analog axes per controller beats anything else I've seen for analog controls.  I wonder if the rotary function can do what we need?  Didn't somebody want to interface some pressure-sensitive devices for a boxing controller? 

Tiger-Heli, you listening?

edit: 
And the cheaper version:
http://www.betainnovations.com/hardware/plasma_lite.html

[Tiger-Heli]

Nice find (I know, more work for my pages).

BTW, I'm pretty sure when they talk about Rotary Encoder support, they are talking about potentiometers (the three types probably means linear, audio, or . . .?), so it won't replace Druin's Interface board, but a very cool product.

Note that is says not to use pots below 10K, so some conversion would be required for arcade controls.

[u_rebelscum]

BTW, I'm pretty sure when they talk about Rotary Encoder support, they are talking about potentiometers (the three types probably means linear, audio, or . . .?), so it won't replace Druin's Interface board, but a very cool product.

I don't think so.*  My guess is they mean incremental (aka relative, aka quadrature, aka mouse encoder wheel), pseudo-absolute (720 - skate or die controller may be one example), and absolute (astronomy telescope rotation motors often have this). 

Googling I got this page with a basic overview of these encoders, except it groups the pseudo into the relative group.  A while ago I found better info (where I got the groups I listed), but now can't remember what words I searched for.   edit: Further searching, and I still can't find the pages I remember, but maybe this page is right with "pseudo-analog" grouped as part of relative, and the third version "speed and direction".  Either that "interpolation" at the bottom of this page.

Anyway, if what I think they mean is true, that would be really cool.  Is anyone going to try to do a review?

Edit:
*  Looks like the lite version can do the encoders I taked about (it mentions "13-Bit Absolute Encoder support", but the "full" version only talks about "Mechanical Rotary Encoder support".  Hmm, the lite is better than the full version in a few areas:
Lite = 10-bits per axis, full = 8 bits, Lite = "Full Speed USB", full = "Low Speed USB", and the rotary encoder stuff.
Of course there's the 8 vs 16 axis, and 24 vs 60 buttons that favor the full version.   

[Kremmit]

Anybody know how many analog axes MAME will recognize from a single USB controller?  I don't have any controllers here with more than 4 axes, so I can't test it out.  8 axes per virtual controller sounds really nice, but it only works if MAME sees all 8.

If the rotary function will in fact work with mouse encoder wheels, then that's even better than a Druin-type interface.  A single encoder that will interface analog, digital, and optical controls sure would be nice.

I'm flat broke right now, or I'd go ahead and grab one.  I did the currency conversion from Canadian "funny money", and the deluxe one is only about $75 real dollars.  Anybody else ready to take the plunge?

[u_rebelscum]

Anybody know how many analog axes MAME will recognize from a single USB controller?  [snip]  8 axes per virtual controller sounds really nice, but it only works if MAME sees all 8.

straight from mame/src/windows/inputs.c:

Code: [Select]

#define MAX_AXES 8
FWIW, DirectX DirectInput recognizes up to 8 axes per 'device'; which is why the above is defined as such.  Of course, the full Plasma version would look like two devices to get all 16 axes seen.

If the rotary function will in fact work with mouse encoder wheels, then that's even better than a Druin-type interface.  A single encoder that will interface analog, digital, and optical controls sure would be nice.

I looked further into the documentation, and it looks like it does do mouse encoders.  Quote from the lite version's PDF file: "Rotary Decoding: Gray, Gray

[Kremmit]

Sweee-eet! 

[DF]

Oooh, it is Canadian!

[Tiger-Heli]

If the rotary function will in fact work with mouse encoder wheels, then that's even better than a Druin-type interface.  A single encoder that will interface analog, digital, and optical controls sure would be nice.

Well, it's not better if you want to interface the SNK LS-30 sticks.  (I'm not knocking the device, it sounds really good, but I think a lot of newbs will equate rotary encoder support with the LS-30's so I wanted to clarify that that is NOT what they are meaning).

[Kremmit]

Agreed. 

For the aforementioned newbs:  If this thing does everything we think it does, than one of these plus a Druin's interface plus a GP-Wiz49 will inteface every kind of control we know how to interface (except the Guncon lightguns), plus Hall-Effect sticks, which were previously un-useable.