Main > Main Forum
Connecting Joysticks & Buttons to keyboard?
SirPeale:
In addition, Ultimarc also sells buttons and whatnot. I'd get everything from them in the interests of saving on shipping.
And I'll say get a J-PAC instead of an I-PAC. You'll need a JAMMA harness, but you can then wire your cab JAMMA compliant and if you get boards you can just pop them in.
protokatie:
--- Quote ---Ok, I decided to buy the Mini-PAC Standard with harness from Ultimarc.
--- End quote ---
Thats what I chose, as I am a first timer. Just out of curiosity, which minipac did you get? The one with the opti stuff, or the basic "buttons only" version.. I got the el cheepo buttons only version (Since I hadnt planned on a trackball or spinners) but may come to regret that decision, now that I may want to add such things to the cp.. (not really a bother tho, as minipacs etc arent exactly expensive)
--- Quote ---In addition, Ultimarc also sells buttons and whatnot. I'd get everything from them in the interests of saving on shipping.
--- End quote ---
Agreed, a good idea. (I did just that). One thing that perplexed me tho... Ultimarc resells Happs buttons for $1.95, but Happs sells them for $2.50 for under 100 count, and for $2.25 for 100+... Is Andy losing money on the buttons to provide a fuller service? Or does andy have a special reseller deal? Also, Happs offers a purple button, maybe some of us here can convice andy to buy some of those to add to his line of Happ buttons...(that also would have changed my CP design, if I had known about purple Happ buttons.... oh well.)
DeLuSioNal29:
--- Quote from: protokatie on February 10, 2008, 07:21:50 pm ---One thing that perplexed me tho... Ultimarc resells Happs buttons for $1.95, but Happs sells them for $2.50 for under 100 count, and for $2.25 for 100+... Is Andy losing money on the buttons to provide a fuller service? Or does andy have a special reseller deal? Also, Happs offers a purple button, maybe some of us here can convice andy to buy some of those to add to his line of Happ buttons...(that also would have changed my CP design, if I had known about purple Happ buttons.... oh well.)
--- End quote ---
Randy T and GroovyGameGear sells them for $1.35 (even cheaper) and he carries the purple one:
http://groovygamegear.com/webstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=73&products_id=188
And he's in the U.S. if that matters, so shipping will be cheap if you are based in the U.S.
DeLuSioNal29:
--- Quote from: Peale on February 10, 2008, 07:19:49 pm ---In addition, Ultimarc also sells buttons and whatnot. I'd get everything from them in the interests of saving on shipping.
And I'll say get a J-PAC instead of an I-PAC. You'll need a JAMMA harness, but you can then wire your cab JAMMA compliant and if you get boards you can just pop them in.
--- End quote ---
I'm not sure a J-PAC would be the solution for him:
A) He is a beginner and that adds the more complex Jamma wiring to the mix
B) Even if he does get a JAMMA compliant board, the plug interface itself may be JAMMA compliant, but the pinout is different. i.e. Mortal Kombat vs. Mortal Kombat II - Both JAMMA, but different pinouts
C) The Mini-pac comes with a wiring harness to make things simple
D) He is aiming for an economical solution (he does not want to have to buy an additional Jamma harness)
The Mini-pac is the way to go in my opinion. Especially if he just wants to connect it to his PC to replace his keyboard controls with real joystick and buttons for MAME and emulators.
Good Luck!
~ DeLuSioNaL
Retro_SA:
--- Quote from: protokatie on February 10, 2008, 07:21:50 pm ---
Thats what I chose, as I am a first timer. Just out of curiosity, which minipac did you get? The one with the opti stuff, or the basic "buttons only" version.. I got the el cheepo buttons only version (Since I hadnt planned on a trackball or spinners) but may come to regret that decision, now that I may want to add such things to the cp.. (not really a bother tho, as minipacs etc arent exactly expensive)
Agreed, a good idea. (I did just that). One thing that perplexed me tho... Ultimarc resells Happs buttons for $1.95, but Happs sells them for $2.50 for under 100 count, and for $2.25 for 100+... Is Andy losing money on the buttons to provide a fuller service? Or does andy have a special reseller deal? Also, Happs offers a purple button, maybe some of us here can convice andy to buy some of those to add to his line of Happ buttons...(that also would have changed my CP design, if I had known about purple Happ buttons.... oh well.)
--- End quote ---
I bought the basic one, just for the buttons and joystick. I'm not going to have a trackball. Unfortunately I can't buy everything I need form Ultimarc, they don't stock everything. For example, they only have one coin door and it's not the type I want. They also don't have anything like t-molding or marquees etc. But I've only heard good things about them, so I decided to get everything I can from them.