A few questions about the PAC-Drive

[jhabers]

I have a PAC-Drive on order and currently have an I-PAC 2 player. This will be my first cab I am builing. I am going to use translucent buttons with LEDs in them. My button layout will be like this

  XXX
  XXX
X

Since I have only a 2 player I-PAC I was thinking of assigning the buttons like this (letters are examples only)

  abc
  def
a

Doing it this way it seems that I can map buttons in mame (still gotta do some reading) so that I can play SF Games like this

  123
  456
1

and play neo geo games like this:

  1--
  234
1

My question comes into play when its time to wire up and configure the PAC-Drive. My understanding is that I can program the PAC-Drive to only light up the buttons that are used by the game that is being played.

How do I handle that #1 button in neo geo and #1 button in SF are both wired to the same letter?....meaning..... How would I go about lighting just the neo geo buttons when playing a neo geo game while not also lighting up the SF #1 button? Does that make sense? Is my only option to get an I-PAC 4 Player and making the neo geo #1 buttin its own letter?

Also is all my assumptions and unerstandings about these products correct?

Thanks!

[pincky]

what "Front end" are you using???

[headkaze]

The beauty of an LED controller is that it's controlled by software (usually via USB port). Most FE's have plugins to support LED controllers like the PACDrive.

Not sure what FE you use, but the PluginLCD for GameEx will light your buttons correctly for NeoGeo games. I have my button layout the same, and just added an entry for "neogeo" in my ctrlr file and the plugin takes care of the rest.

Attached is the ctrlr file I use. In mame.ini next to the "ctrlr" entry just place IPAC2 and it will use it.

[loadman]

How do I handle that #1 button in neo geo and #1 button in SF are both wired to the same letter?....meaning..... How would I go about lighting just the neo geo buttons when playing a neo geo game while not also lighting up the SF #1 button? Does that make sense? Is my only option to get an I-PAC 4 Player and making the neo geo #1 buttin its own letter?

I think most software driving the I-Pac will do what you want 

[jhabers]

The beauty of an LED controller is that it's controlled by software (usually via USB port). Most FE's have plugins to support LED controllers like the PACDrive.

Not sure what FE you use, but the PluginLCD for GameEx will light your buttons correctly for NeoGeo games. I have my button layout the same, and just added an entry for "neogeo" in my ctrlr file and the plugin takes care of the rest.

Attached is the ctrlr file I use. In mame.ini next to the "ctrlr" entry just place IPAC2 and it will use it.

Im going to use Mala.

Is your SF #1 button wired to you neo geo #1 button? Or do they go to separate places on your I Pac board?

[Ginsu Victim]

Bumping this because I want to know the answer too....

[jhabers]

Bumping this because I want to know the answer too....

I ended up going with

  123
  456
7

and it works great

[Ginsu Victim]

Well, mine is

456
123
     4

I'm about to wire up a Pacdrive and wasn't sure the best way to handle everything. I think I'll just change it to 7 button, but I don't want to if I don't have to.

[Hoopz]

Well, mine is

456
123
     4

I'm about to wire up a Pacdrive and wasn't sure the best way to handle everything. I think I'll just change it to 7 button, but I don't want to if I don't have to.

How about using config files for Neo Geo?  That will allow you layout and the FE can light things properly.

[Ginsu Victim]

That's what I decided to do, though I'll have to read up on how to do it. (Mame .84)

[Hoopz]

I've been meaning to do this for awhile but haven't taken the time yet....   

But, from what I have read, it should be fairly easy.  Just have to find the time.  Good luck getting it done and tell us how it went.