which joystick and encoder?

[ptpeter]

Hi guys,

         I am brand new here and I am about to start my arcade (much like the mario one in the project annoucement forum) but I really am a little stuck on two things. The first thing I was wondering was what is considered the best 4-way/8-way switchable joystick? I saw the OMNI-Stik Prodigy and the ultimarc magenetic one. I really like the fact that these are switchable for average person, so when i have people playing they can switch over without me doing much.

       2nd question is: whats the best keyboard encoader. I really like the opti-pac. what do you guys like?

Thanks a ton. Im really looking forward to starting my arcade. I really loved the old nintendo arcades (the shape and look) Thanks a ton

Peter

[Bloinkxp]

Howdy from a sometimes lurker/poster!

To start with you have asked the most subjective questions on the board!

But don't worry, there are a lot of answers.  The question of joystick/encoder usually goes from authenticity (Happs Reunion with an keywiz/ipac encoder) to versatility (49-way with a GPWIZ 49 encoder).  Both are awesome choices for different reasons.

So here is a bit of advice.  Buy the Project Arcade book to help you frame out your ideal arcade.  Visit www.retroblast.com and read the reviews that Kevin Steele (and crew) have put together.  Visit Tiger-Heli's excellent (imo) website http://www.mameworld.net/tigerheli/encoder/index.htm for encoder comparisons.  And document the fire out of everything and post it in the project annoucements section.

Good Luck!
Bloink

[Kremmit]

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Joysticks
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There are 3 main things to consider if you're trying to decide between the Omni-Stik Prodigy and the Mag Stik Plus.

• The feel of the joystick
• The switching mechanism
• The vendor you're buying from

Feel:  Unfortunately, the only way you can decide which one you like the feel of more is to try one of each.  It's a personal preference.

Mechanism:  The Mag-Stik switches between 4 and 8 ways by lifting the handle and twisting it.  The Prodigy switches by moving a lever that shows on top of your control panel.  The Mag Stik gives a cleaner appearance to your panel, but you don't know which mode your stick is in, and it's often harder to explain the switching mechanism to guests.  The Prodigy's lever makes it easy to explain to guests, and you can tell at a glance which mode it's in, but you do have to put up with having that lever poking up through your panel.

Vendor:  I have bought from both, and both are great vendors.  Ultimarc is in the UK, while GroovyGameGear is in the US, so depending on where you are located, one or the other will be more expensive on shipping.  Also, it's more cost-efficient on the shipping end to buy your stick and encoder at the same time, from the same vendor.  Of course, you might prefer to buy some parts from each vendor anyway, and hang the cost.

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Encoder
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First, the Opti-Pac is not a keyboard encoder.  The Opti-Pac is for interfacing trackballs, spinners, and 360 degree steering wheels, and will not work for your joysticks and buttons.

The most popular encoders are the KeyWiz (from GroovyGameGear) and the I-Pac (from Ultimarc).  The primary differences between the two are:

• The KeyWiz is PS/2 only, while the I-Pac can be had in USB.
• The KeyWiz ships from the USA, while the I-Pac ships from the UK.
• There are cheaper versions of the KeyWiz available.

There are a lot of smaller differences, if you want to really get into it, Tiger-Heli's website that Bloinxp pointed you at can help explain some of those.

[Jess--]

I can say that I have used the I-Pac and the J-Pac on seperate machines here and have never had an issue with either of them.

avoid the Hacked keyboard approach, it seems to be a lot more trouble than its worth

[vader]

Ditto on Kremmit's post.  You can't go wrong with either units from either vendor.  Their both high quality products and functionality wise accomplish the same things.  It will come down to personal preference so do lots of research.  Both RandyT from GGG and Andy from Ultimarc provide excellent customer service.

Cheers,

Tim