Plug-n-Swap mini-PAC Project

[Searcher7]

I never liked big cluttered control panels, so since I'm making some control panels for some friends who don't have room for cabinets and will be using a stand alone PCs, I figured I will use a mini-PAC in a standalone "box" that would plug into the USB port from one end and to a control panel from the other. That way I can use two relatively small(12" X 24") control panels to cover any layout needed.

One CP would have buttons on the left, a spinner on the right, and a trackball in the center. The other CP would have a 4/8-way joystick at front and center with buttons on the left and right, and two 8-way joysticks about a foot apart and toward the rear of the panel.

Like me the guys I'm making these panels for are mostly into classic games, so this should work out nicely.

I just wanted to know if I should be concerned about any issues that might develop as a result of the wire lengths being too long between the mini-PAC and the controls

Also, does anyone know what gauge is used in the Ultimarc wiring harness for the mini-PAC and where I can find stand-alone female IDE connectors?

Thanks a lot.

Darren

[Searcher7]

Ok.

Does anyone know of anyone that made their own harness without the use of an IDE cable?

Thanks.

Darren

[NickG]

I made my own harness connection out of two 20-pin molex connectors from an ATX power supply extension cable.  Only 20  I just had to cut the cables in half.  My plan was similar to yours, I can  harvest already wired connectors for any other controller layouts from dead ATX PSU's. 
(I find them in trash)
I also find stand-alone female IDE connectors in the trash, but I have to disconnect them from the ribbon cables.  Then I can put them back together with longer ribbon cables.  Not that this, or digging in trash, is a frequent hobby of mine or anything.
You can buy the connectors at Fry's Electronics / Outpost.com
stand-alone female IDE connectors
They also stock the 40 pin boxed male pin headers, right angle headers, etc. Search "40 pin" at outpost.com

50-pin headers, single-row pin strips, and other options are also sold there.

[Searcher7]

I made my own harness connection out of two 20-pin molex connectors from an ATX power supply extension cable.  Only 20  I just had to cut the cables in half.  My plan was similar to yours, I can  harvest already wired connectors for any other controller layouts from dead ATX PSU's. 
(I find them in trash)
I also find stand-alone female IDE connectors in the trash, but I have to disconnect them from the ribbon cables.  Then I can put them back together with longer ribbon cables.  Not that this, or digging in trash, is a frequent hobby of mine or anything.
You can buy the connectors at Fry's Electronics / Outpost.com
stand-alone female IDE connectors
They also stock the 40 pin boxed male pin headers, right angle headers, etc. Search "40 pin" at outpost.com

50-pin headers, single-row pin strips, and other options are also sold there.

I'm not sure how one would connect any cable from an ATX power supply to an IDE header, but perhaps I'm missing something?

Darren

[NickG]

Sorry, my harness was for a JOYPAD hack. 
<PSXPAD>---<ATX 20-pin connector><ATX other 20-pin connector>---<JAMMA fingerboard>
I now realize you meant a harness for Mini-Pac only, and that the first half of my post was irrelevant my plan was for something else entirely.

Now that I have actually took the time to see what you are working with, here is what I would probably try:
connect one of these to your Mini-Pac pin header.
SCSI internal to external brackets (ebay)
install it through the side of your control box module, and attach a SCSI cable from the box to the controller of choice, each of which could also house an identical connector.  The connector inside the controllers could be connected via pin headers on strip-board, or,  if you find long enough pin headers;
 Female SCSI connector>PINS<Female IDE connector of an IDE cable>----<switches


BTW, the only issues I would worry about for long ribbon cables is physical strength or breakage.

I was about to suggest a solution involving an IDE to centronics adapter, a parallel printer cable, and a female DB25, because you wouldn't be using all 40 I/O's at once, but then I realized you would be different ones with different controllers, so all may be used at different times.