Anyone ever seen a USB keyboard like this?

[Pasqualz]

Hi all,

I'm looking for a specialty USB keyboard that has just a single row of 4 to 12 keys. I would like to use this above my control panel to map functions (such as game settings, exit game, etc.) while playing a game. I use MAME32 and have a keyboard attached, but it's hidden in a drawer, so I have to use the control panel (which uses an IPAC) and button combinations (such as Player1 + Player2 = ESC = exit game) to manipulate the game. i'd much rather have a few dedicated keys available for these functions. Has anyone seen a specialty keyboard like this? I know that i can buy a USB numeric keypad for cheap, but i don't have that kind of room above my CP for it, and I'd rather just have a row of keys. Anyone have a better idea for how to facilitate this functionality? Thanks!

[leapinlew]

Sounds like you'll be Building Your Own Arcade Controls

[Pasqualz]

That's what i'm afraid of. I guess i have a few unused inputs left, now I have to find the time to do this. . .

[mark shaker]

Ya' mean this?

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=518922&CatId=536

(Ya' would still need a PS/2 to USB adapter, but they are cheap.)

   - Mark

[leapinlew]

Ya' mean this?

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=518922&CatId=536

(Ya' would still need a PS/2 to USB adapter, but they are cheap.)

   - Mark

Nice find! 80 bucks! whew....

[ahofle]

Wow that's perfect...what are they smoking to be charging $80 for it though?!?!

[Pasqualz]

THAT'S IT! I knw it was out there! Thanks Mark! How'd you find it?!? I searched for two hours before posting here! Good thing I'm an IT manager, I'll just have to buy a few for my department. . . ;-)

[Pasqualz]

Oh, one more thing! Do you guys think that a USB or PS2 version would be better? Does it matter??? How bout that USB simultaneous keypress limit thingie???

[vorghagen]

Probably won't matter. The USB simultaneous limit shouldn't be a problem if you're planning to use it for things like Exit game, Tab menu, volume, as you don't often use two at once.
Excellent find Mark.

[Dizzle]

I paid $30 for a wireless keypad (kinda like the ones you'd get for a laptop) and have all of my administrative controls mapped to it.  I use it like a remote control.. so nothing on the CP that doesn't have to be there...

Just a thought...

 

[mark shaker]

THAT'S IT! I knw it was out there! Thanks Mark! How'd you find it?!? I searched for two hours before posting here! Good thing I'm an IT manager, I'll just have to buy a few for my department. . . ;-)

I just remembered seeing it while leafing through a Tiger Direct catalog.

I actually own someting similar: a "Mextel Autokey 20/20 Macro Keyboard". They were made in the late 80's or early 90's. 

    - Mark

[jhanson]

If you have any free inputs left on your IPAC, why don't you just drill 4 to 12 extra button holes, spend $4 to $12 on some buttons, and map them to the functions you need?  It would be a lot cheaper than spending $80 for a keypad, and would probably end up looking better.

On a side note, what admin buttons do you need?  I have an Exit button on mine, and sometimes build them with a Pause button, but that's about it.  I guess you could make a case for a TAB button, if you want to just plop a bunch of ROMs on there and play without preconfiguring anything.

[Pasqualz]

I completely agree that ading some extra buttons to my CP would be cheaper, however my main consideration is the time it would take. I have two young sons and a wife that's going to school. Between my job, housework, and taking care of the kids, I would probably be able to allocate 1 minute per day to this project, therefore it would be completed in 2008! Now I need to think of some additional functions to map to this key stick. So far I have:
Exit Game (ESC), In-game Tab Menu (TAB), Volume control. . . Can anyone else think of some functions I could add???

[mark shaker]

I like:
   Menu
   Enter
   Escape

   Volume +
   Volume -

   Pause
   Test
   Reset


I bet you could also use it to create links to your fav games, (Mame and Non-Mame).

   - Mark

[Pasqualz]

Mark,

I'm not aware of what function <Enter> has in MAME32. Can you inform me? I'm pretty sure that MAME32 uses the same default keys mapped to the same default functions. can anyone verify this?

[97thruhiker]

If you play other emulators besides Mame this could come in handy also.  The Atari 2600 emulator I use requires the F2 button for which I'm constantly pulling out the keyboard for.  I also like to play some of the old Apple II rpg / adventure games that require keyboard commands such as N,S,E,W for directional control, P for pickup, B to buy, etc.  I might have to pickup this key strip for myself.

[lharles]

In case you want more detailed info or don't want to go through 'Tiger Direct'...

http://www.xkeys.com/xkeys/xkstick.php

[mark shaker]

Mark,

I'm not aware of what function <Enter> has in MAME32. Can you inform me? I'm pretty sure that MAME32 uses the same default keys mapped to the same default functions. can anyone verify this?

Sure you do! In MAME 32:

   Tab: Brings up the menu.
   Joystick Up/Down: Highlights the desired menu option.
   Enter: Executes the selected menu option.

   - Mark

[u_rebelscum]

I'm not aware of what function <Enter> has in MAME32. Can you inform me? I'm pretty sure that MAME32 uses the same default keys mapped to the same default functions. can anyone verify this?

Sure you do! In MAME 32:

   Tab: Brings up the menu.
   Joystick Up/Down: Highlights the desired menu option.
   Enter: Executes the selected menu option.

More technically, UI_Select is mapped to enter in mame's default setting.  However, if you use any of the HotRod/XArcade/SilkStik ctrlr input files, UI_Select is also mapped to button 1, so you don't need enter if you use these.

Also, you can map mame's UI_Select to something besides enter yourself.

[shrug]  Just throwing out options.

[Pasqualz]

Mark and U_Rebelscum, thanks for the handy info about Enter! I have a SlikStik, so that explains why none of the buttons on it are actually mapped to <Enter>. Anyway, the X-Keys stick was delivered today!!! I'm hoping to try it out tonight, but we'll se if I hve time. I plan on reporting back to everyone, as I think this could be a good alternative to wiring up extra buttons to remaining inputs on an Ipac. We'll see. . .

[mark shaker]

Mark and U_Rebelscum, thanks for the handy info about Enter! I have a SlikStik, so that explains why none of the buttons on it are actually mapped to <Enter>. Anyway, the X-Keys stick was delivered today!!! I'm hoping to try it out tonight, but we'll se if I hve time. I plan on reporting back to everyone, as I think this could be a good alternative to wiring up extra buttons to remaining inputs on an Ipac. We'll see. . .

Please let us know how you like it.

   - Mark

[dougman]

you can use this thing for all those mahjong games.

[Q*bert]

Anyway, the X-Keys stick was delivered today!!! I'm hoping to try it out tonight, but we'll se if I hve time. I plan on reporting back to everyone, as I think this could be a good alternative to wiring up extra buttons to remaining inputs on an Ipac. We'll see. . .

Pasqualz,

Any update on how you like your X-Keys Stick?

[Kremmit]

It'd make a good Space War controller. 

[Pasqualz]

Well I have had exactly 30 minutes to mess with the x-keys stick since Friday, but I installed it and programmed 5 of the keys for the following functions:
ESC (quit)
TAB (menu)
ENTER (enter)
F3 (test mode, i think)
F11 (show FPS I think)

I'm having two issues right now:
1 - Sometimes the game doesn't respond to the first keypress (I have to press maybe 2 or 3 times.) I have pretty much the same issue in the games when i use the 1player/2player key combo to exit games, so i think thia may be a MAME32 issue??? It's not a big deal, and I'm pretty sure this can be resolved by messing with the key repeat property on the X-keys macro application.

2 - My USB spinner stopped working. I think this may have to do with the fact that the x-keys software installs 3 different virtual USB devices (keyboard, mouse, game controller.) I already have a USB trackball, and a USB keyboard and mouse connected to this computer, so I think it's way confused. The spinner also has a PS2 connector, so i have to try connecting it with that. Bottom line, i may also just have to disconnect all USB devices, then recommect them one by one for troubleshooting.

If anyone wants more info, let me know. If you can assist with either of my issues that would be great too! Thanks!

[Jess--]

Another option for a seperate keyboard control would be one of the Belkin (nostromo) Speedpads
these are usb based and have (from memory) 12 keyboard buttons, 1x analogue throttle control, and 1x D pad.

[u_rebelscum]

I'm having two issues right now:
1 - Sometimes the game doesn't respond to the first keypress (I have to press maybe 2 or 3 times.) I have pretty much the same issue in the games when i use the 1player/2player key combo to exit games, so i think thia may be a MAME32 issue??? It's not a big deal, and I'm pretty sure this can be resolved by messing with the key repeat property on the X-keys macro application.

This sounds like the X-keys is doing a very momentary key press.  Mame polls the current keystate; it does not look at key press events.  So if a key is reported as pressed, then not pressed before mame checks the key state, mame won't see it.

2 - My USB spinner stopped working. I think this may have to do with the fact that the x-keys software installs 3 different virtual USB devices (keyboard, mouse, game controller.) I already have a USB trackball, and a USB keyboard and mouse connected to this computer, so I think it's way confused. The spinner also has a PS2 connector, so i have to try connecting it with that. Bottom line, i may also just have to disconnect all USB devices, then recommect them one by one for troubleshooting.

Try remapping.  Your spinner mouse number might have increased by one.

[Pasqualz]

U_rebelscum, I think your're onto something with the keypress issue. The X-keys unit utilizes momentary switches and when you program it with the macro software, you actually give it a value for the keypress and for the key release. By default the macro proggie doesn't have key repeat turned on. I think I'm going to turn it on and set it to the fastest possible repeat rate so that it increases the chances that MAME sees the keypress!

Concerning number 2, the spinner isn't seen by WinXP at all, so I think its a windows issue, not MAME. Ill keep banging away at it tho. . .

[Kremmit]

when you program it with the macro software, you actually give it a value for the keypress and for the key release. By default the macro proggie doesn't have key repeat turned on. I think I'm going to turn it on and set it to the fastest possible repeat rate so that it increases the chances that MAME sees the keypress!

I would think you'd get better results by adding more time between the key press and key release than you'll get from turning on key repeat.  Repeat may get you extra keypresses, which you wouldn't want.