question about controls

[Polokus]

I just bought a cabinet and i want to use the origenal controls to use for mame. Now my question is what are my options to connect those to the pc, without an encoder.

Reason for this question is that i don't have a visa and it would be very difficult that way to order an encoder

thx in advance

[radiator]

...keyboard hack...

is it a case of "I have the money for an encoder, but no Visa card"?
where abouts do you live?

*m

[Tiger-Heli]

I just bought a cabinet and i want to use the origenal controls to use for mame. Now my question is what are my options to connect those to the pc, without an encoder.

Reason for this question is that i don't have a visa and it would be very difficult that way to order an encoder

thx in advance

Easiest option would be to use a J-PAC, but that's about as complicated as buying an encoder.

Next option would be hacking a USB joystick (if you can solder decently).  (Wal-Mart sells a hackable one and check other posts in this forum).

Hacking a keyboard would be another (non-recommended) option.  See http://www.mameworld.net/emuadvice/keyhack2.html if you want to go this way.

Simplest would be wiring directly to the gameport, but you're limited to 4 buttons and 4 analog axes.  (Maybe you can wire buttons to the axes inputs for a total of 8 inputs?)
See here for description of how to do this: http://www.gunpowder.freeserve.co.uk/wheels/wiring.htm

[neuromancer]

I've hacked both keyboards and gamepads. The gamepads both took longer, are less functional, and cost more, but the differences arent' that great.

If I were in your situation and I wanted to interface a one or two joystick panel to a PC, I would use a keyboard hack. Especially if you can find an old IBM AT style keyboard in a thrift shop for $2. I can send you the encoder matrix and save you the time of figguring that part out.

The mameworld link in a previous post is mandatory reading before trying a keyboard hack.

Bob

[Tiger-Heli]

I can send you the encoder matrix and save you the time of figguring that part out.

Been my experience that the matrix might not be the same even for the same model keyboard unless they use the exact same encoder chip.

That's a good starting point, but I would want to verify the matrix before assuming it would work.

[Polokus]

thx for the replies guy's. I live in belgium and i have seen on the ipac site and its all done with visa

i still have an old keyboard from my previous pc, so i would concider using that. Tiger-heli say's it not recommended.

so what would be the best thing to do keyboard or gamepad hack ?

thx

[Tiger-Heli]

thx for the replies guy's. I live in belgium and i have seen on the ipac site and its all done with visa

i still have an old keyboard from my previous pc, so i would concider using that. Tiger-heli say's it not recommended.

so what would be the best thing to do keyboard or gamepad hack ?

thx

I-PAC takes PayPal too, although I've never used it.  If you're in Belgium, I would definitely e-mail andy@ultimarc.com and see what you can arrange.  I would guess you could send him a check and he would send the unit once it clears.  No worries dealing with Andy, he won't take your money and run.

If you don't want to do this, it's kindof a toss-up - The gamepad hack is generally easier soldering, but more costly and less available keys, but works with most programs.  The keyboard hack will work, but you have to choose what keys to use carefully and you won't be able to re-assign keys later.  It's not a problem in MAME b/c you can assign any key to any input, but it could be bad in other emulators.

My 2 cents.

[Polokus]

i just e-mailed andy  

And if this fails i will use the keyboard hack, i will only run mame on the cabinet