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Which is better for me: iPac4 USB or iPac4 PS2?

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DeLuSioNal29:

I know I'm opening Pandora's Box by asking, but...

Which version of the iPac4 is better for MY purposes:  USB or PS2?
I will be building a 4 player panel (virtual mockup pic below)

My main concerns:
-  I heard that the USB version cannot have as many SIMULTANEOUS button presses as the PS2 version.  Is this true?  Should I go with the PS2 version since I have a quad panel?
-  If I get the PS2 version:  Can I still use my keyboard that I stash away on the inside of the cabinet?  (Is there a pass through connector?)  Is performance affected with the keyboard plugged in?

Last but not least... Is there anyone out there besides Ultimarc who sells the iPac4?  I'd rather order it from someone who is in the US so that shipping will be cheaper.  Ultimarc is based in the UK.

Thanks in advance!

~ DeLuSioNaL






surface tension:

The USB and PS/2 IPACs have the same functionality.

From Ultimarc.com
"I-PAC is the ONLY keyboard encoder which emulates a USB keyboard (and PS/2) and yet breaks through the USB simultaneously-pressed-switch limit of 6 switches (plus ctrl,alt,shift) which afflicts all USB keyboard devices. This is beacuse it has inbuilt full native USB support, and does not rely on an add-on adaptor."

I use USB Mini-pacs and from using WinIPAC, you can see this working.

Also, the PS/2 version has a pass-through connector on-board.

I can't advise on where you can get these in the states... though I know someone on the board sells them.

Hoopz:

Contact Divemaster in B/S/T.  His link is stickied. 

patrickl:

BTW you can use one of those PS/2 USB adapters on the iPAC. I'm talking about one of those tiny adapters that were suplied with computer mice a few years ago. I don't think nowadays they come with these since current computers don't have PS/2 anymore.

So if you get one cable and you don't like it (or you buy a new PC and lose PS/2 support), you can always change it with one of those.

:edit: changed the word "converter" into "adapter"

Hoopz:

Actually, Andy advises people NOT to use the PS/2 - USB convertor.:


--- Quote from: AndyWarne on May 23, 2007, 06:48:25 pm ---This is a subject that has been mentioned before but it came up again on another current thread and I have had 2 emails about it this week so I thought would re-visit.
A PS/2-only keyboard encoder cannot be used with a USB converter module. The reason is this:
Most PS/2 keyboards once in a while miss the sending of  "key-release" signals. This does not cause any problem with PS/2 but if a USB converter is used, it would cause a stuck key in USB. As key-repeat is done in the USB driver in Windows, this results on an ever-repeating key. To avoid this, the converter designers clear out all held-down keys on the USB side of the converter every few seconds. This means the device is useless for game play.
Several times I have come across people using converters with an I-PAC which makes me despair since the I-PAC is a USB device in itself and can auto-switch to either PS/2 or USB without a converter (the cable is different of course).
Andy


--- End quote ---


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