Joysticks connected to a GPWiz49 interface question

[KrazyKaycee]

Hello all

   I'm new to the forum and just getting back into the mame game .  I have some older joysticks laying around that were a true 8 way setup.  I ordered some items from groovygamegear last week to hook up all my toys.  I've had great luck getting the trackball and a 4 way stick tied into a KeyWiz Max and Optiwiz boards.  I also ordered a GPWiz49 thinking it would work for additional joysticks plus at a later date leave me room for upgrading to a 49 way stick when funds permit.  My question is for those who use the GPWiz49, will this board work with a couple of 8 way sticks for the time being ?  I have them tied into the UDLR 1 and 2 side of the GPWiz49 but they only generate keystrokes primarily the numbers 1-9 instead of behaving like a normal stick like on the KeyWiz.  The 4 way has no problems on the KeyWiz and will probably remove it all together to tie the 2 8 ways in until I figure this GPWiz out.  I tried to email RandyT via his contact info at GGG but have had no luck in getting a response so I turn to you folks in the hopes you can point me in a direction to go .

Thanks for your time
KrazyKaycee

[Kremmit]

*I don't work for GGG, so if I've got any of this wrong, sorry, but tough.  Use at your own risk, blah blah blah.

Depending on which version of the GP-Wiz49 you have, it shares the same circuit board as one of the other GroovyGameGear encoder products, so the silkscreening is the same.  Sadly, that means that the silkscreening is wrong, or at least confusing, on the GP49.  Here are the wiring instructions for the 3 different versions of the GP49:

http://groovygamegear.com/PDF/GPWIZ49_ECO(K).pdf
(older, shares PCB with older KeyWiz)

http://groovygamegear.com/PDF/GPWIZ49_ECO(X).pdf
(newer, shares PCB with newer KeyWiz and regular GPWiz)

http://groovygamegear.com/PDF/GPWIZ49_MAX.pdf
(Max board, with screw terminals.  Shares PCB with regular GPWiz Max)


Those UDLR inputs you have your sticks wired to are the UDLR inputs on a standard GPWiz, but not on a GPWiz 49.  On a GPWiz49, the inputs labeled as UDLR are actually gamepad buttons.  The actual UDLR inputs are numbered 1-8 on the PCB, but cannot be used with a regular 8-way joystick, they are for use only with a 49-way.  I have actually played around with trying to "trick" those inputs into working with an 8-way, but haven't ever made it work.  I suspect it will take some extra electronics between the 8-way in the GPWiz49 board to do the job. 

If you really want to use the GP49 with an 8-way, all you can do is re-map the controls in MAME, so that the gamepad button inputs you have your stick wired to control the UDLR directions, instead of the MAME default keys.   

[KrazyKaycee]

Thanks for the info on that one .  I guess I'll at least have the GPwiz49 on hand for when I find a good 49 way stick to purchase.  I wired them both back to the Keywiz for now so that should get me by for a while .   Does the GPwiz49 only control 1 49 way stick then or can it handle 2 on the same board ?  I'm assuming to run 2 of em I'll need another GP board setup for the next USB number.    Anyone have experience on changing the modes on that from 49 way to emulate 8 way etc with the 49 way controller and care to comment on how good or bad it does for downshifting the controller ?

Thanks again for the info Kremmit
KrazyKaycee

[ppilot]

The GPWiz49 only handles 1 49 way stick.  I'm not quite sure what you mean by 'downshifting' but the mode switching is simple.  There are a number of different options for doing it; I'm sure one of them will work for you.

[KrazyKaycee]

Oops wrong term Mode switching was what I was referring to.  I was just curious as to how a 49 way joystick would perform when changing the mode back down to like 8 way for example.   Debating on replacing my original 8 ways that I have now with a couple of 49 ways if they dont suffer any decrease in performance when changing to other modes.   Of course that is provided I can find a good deal on some good quality 49 way sticks

Thanks again for the info all
KrazyKaycee

[Kremmit]

If you like the overall feel of the 49-way sticks, then the 8-way mode is great. 

The 4-way mode lacks the mechanical restriction of a true 4-way: the stick can still move to the diagonals.  This makes the stick feel different than a true 4-way.  This may or may not be important to you.  Differences in feel aside, the logic that the controller uses makes it play just fine.  Even if the stick is pushed a little bit the wrong way, you will still get the direction you intended, unless you're WAY off, or EXACTLY in the far corner. 

[KrazyKaycee]

Thank ya Kremmit thats what I was looking for.   Got a couple on order to replace the craptacular ones I have so definitely cant be any worse than what I have now .  Hopefully my CP has enough depth to it to house the 49 way controller lol . 

Thanks again
KrazyKaycee