Additional buttons needed for MAME cab

[Zinfari]

Hi all,

Just wanted to get everyone's opinion on the number of buttons needed to run MAME and other emulators without breaking out a keyboard.

I just want to make sure that I don't forget something on my CP.

Thanks,
-Zinfari

[Dr. J]

Other than the controls I have 2.  One starts and one stops.  (you could even make this the same button if you wanted to.)  I did all my configuration with a keyboard before hand.  I really didn't want too much clutter on the CP.

     I have a Select button which is "enter" and also the ipacs' shift function.  
     Then I have an Exit button which is "q" (which exits frontends back to my main menu) and it is also "Esc" when the ipac is shifted.  This is so people don't accidentially drop a game.  It takes a little more effort to hold select and then press exit.

     Temporarily I have mame's general configuration set up to launch the config menu by pressing and holding 3 buttons + select.  This lets me still get into that screen to edit buttons and options without plugging in a keypad.  You can do this for other things as well.  Since Exit (Q) doesn't exit the game I could make that a generic coin button.  Or I could get more specific and make it so you have to press player1start+Exit for a player1 credit.  player2start+exit for a player2 credit.  

  Between the ipacs' shift function (which I only use for that one button) and the ability to configure Mame to do anything using any combination of buttons it's really entirely up to you what you want.  Some people like having a button on the control panel for everything, other's don't.  

I hope this helps.  ----Jay

[Brad Lee]

I've got a couple spares for the most common buttons(mounted on top of the cabinet) for Esc, F2, F3, Pause(or 1start, or tab, I keep changing it:) )

For any other needs Ive got a wireless keyboard and the receiver mounted in the space under the control panel

[eightbit]

If you go wireless keyboard go with a RF one. Its a lot less hassle than the infrared ones. I've done both and now the infrared one is taking up space on a shelf.

[Chris]

In my redesign, I'm putting service buttons like Menu (TAB), Reset (F3), and Service (F2) inside the coin door, as they would be on a real machine.  I'll put Shift, Pause, and Exit on the control panel.

For keyboard access, I have USB ports available inside my coin door, and I have parts coming from Mouser to build a keyboard splitter, and I'll probably install the keyboard port wither inside the coin door or under the lip of the control panel.

[rampy]

My cabinet needs one of those buttons that they have on airplanes/bowling lanes to summon the beer wench =)

Thats one button you don't see on too many cabs that should be there...

Rampy

[Zinfari]

Thanks for the replies folks.... All helpful.  I currently have 5 buttons along the top of my CP layout as a place holder.  At this point I'm thinking.

1.  Shift
2.  Start / shifted Exit
3.  Pause
4.  Mame Setup / shifted Game Options
5.  Volume Down / shifted Volume Up


I like the idea of buttons inside for service, but trying to figure out how often I'd need that functionality.  Anyone know if you can use a joystick for page up page down in the mame selection and options areas?

Thanks,
Zinfari

[eightbit]

Anyone know if you can use a joystick for page up page down in the mame selection and options areas?

You can if your joystick software can be mapped to keystrokes or if you use a program like "joy to key" that maps joysticks to keystrokes. Then you'd map up on the joystick to pageup, change the emulater to pageup for joystick up. In windows it would be pageup, in the emu it would be joystick up. Though how would you go up and down one at a time if you did this? Maybe make right and left go pageup and pagedown and make up and down still go one at a time. Just a thought...  

[Brad Lee]

I accomplished this with Ipac. SInce I was in ALT mode anyway, I changed my button 1 to be home, 2 page up, 3 page down, and 4 to be end. These 4 are  in a straight row to the right of the joystick, so its semi-intuitive. Button 5, near a thumb spot for the joystick is mapped to [enter] fr selection purposes.

[Dr. J]

Anyone know if you can use a joystick for page up page down in the mame selection and options areas?

You can if your joystick software can be mapped to keystrokes or if you use a program like "joy to key" that maps joysticks to keystrokes. Then you'd map up on the joystick to pageup, change the emulater to pageup for joystick up. In windows it would be pageup, in the emu it would be joystick up. Though how would you go up and down one at a time if you did this? Maybe make right and left go pageup and pagedown and make up and down still go one at a time. Just a thought...  

You shouldn't even need the joy to key program.  Mame recognizes most joysticks.  I had it set up for a while where I did everything in mame with my gravis gamepad.

[eightbit]

You shouldn't even need the joy to key program.  Mame recognizes most joysticks.  I had it set up for a while where I did everything in mame with my gravis gamepad.

He was asking for pageup and pagedown, you would need Joy2key, sidewinder profiles or something similar to map the joystick to key strokes. If all you wanted was to move up and down through the list the joystick will do it by default.

One nice thing about using a joystick is that holding the joystick up or down actually scrolls the list. With my Ipac interface you have to move the joystick forr each line. Holding it doesn't scroll.

[Dr. J]

I stand corrected.  I guess I got caught up because I use Mame32 in "list" mode and Emuwizard, so left and right on a joystick act as pageup and pagedown.    

[eightbit]

I stand corrected.  I guess I got caught up because I use Mame32 in "list" mode and Emuwizard, so left and right on a joystick act as pageup and pagedown.    

I never thought of that, sometimes the simple solutions are the best. Mines list is detail but I don't need that other information. When I get home I'm going to try the other.