lots of questions

[taz-nz]

I'm in the planning research stage of build an arcade Cab and I have a bunch of questions. I think the easy way is I tell that i want to do first in terms of basic lay out.



My basic plan is the layout above, 2x Happ 8-way optical rotary joysticks w/ 6 buttons a peace and hacked Microsoft optical trackball explorer as for the trackball using the left and right click buttons as player 1/2 starts, and scroll wheel for the spinner. with the esc and pause in the corner, coin-up will be on the front of the cab (like i remember them).

Now for the questions:
- Is there any reason, other than cost no one seams to use the Happ USB Game Control Interface for their setups ? as it seems perfect for my layout simply by using one axis a peace of the trackball interface for the optical joysticks, and then splitting the axis in mame analog+

- How different from a Happ 8-way digital joystick, do Happ analogue joysticks feel ?

- How hard is it to do a software hack to use a analogue joystick as a digital 8-way joystick and how hard is it to switch back and forth ?

- Is there any disadvantage to using a analogue joystick as a digital joystick ?

- Has any one ever try to mod a Happ Analog Joystick with Ultimate Handle to except a Happ Optical encoder assembly from a Happ rotary joystick ?

- Has any one ever used a game port to USB adaptor like the USB-Nest to interface a analogue arcade joystick ?

- What do you think of the Vision Pro 27" SVGA monitor for a cab project ?

- Anyone ever made there monitor tilt-able, so you can have it lay down at an angle for most game but near vertical for other ?

Any help would be great.

TAZ

[paigeoliver]

An analog joystick is not a digital joystick. But no software hacks are needed. Almost all (perhaps all), joystick using PC software can handle either one, but stuff written for analog will do poorly with digital and vise versa.

I have really never seen to much need to use an analog stick with Mame. Not too many of the really good games used them. The spinner sticks you already chose are a much better choice, and will allow you to play far more games correctly. You do seem to be missing a 4-way joystick though (4-way joy is the second most common control in Mame, yet it is usually the first one everyone skimps on).

Never seen the wheel on a wheel mouse/trackballs used as a spinner before. I am also not exactly sure why you are trying to save $40 hacking up PC trackballs and then in the same breath buying ultra pricey Happ Spinner sticks, Happ USB game interface and Happ Analog joysticks.

[u_rebelscum]

A few Q's with partial answers

My basic plan is the layout above, 2x Happ 8-way optical rotary joysticks w/ 6 buttons a peace and hacked Microsoft optical trackball explorer as for the trackball using the left and right click buttons as player 1/2 starts, and scroll wheel for the spinner. with the esc and pause in the corner, coin-up will be on the front of the cab (like i remember them).

Neither mame nor MameAnalog+ can use the scroll wheel for game input. (yet)

Now for the questions:
- Is there any reason, other than cost no one seams to use the Happ USB Game Control Interface for their setups ? as it seems perfect for my layout simply by using one axis a peace of the trackball interface for the optical joysticks, and then splitting the axis in mame analog+

Maybe, "no reviews on how good they are"?  

- How different from a Happ 8-way digital joystick, do Happ analogue joysticks feel ?

Not sure, but my guess is the microswitch click, and analog stick might feel smoother.  (They better feel good for the price you need to pay )

- How hard is it to do a software hack to use a analogue joystick as a digital 8-way joystick and how hard is it to switch back and forth ?

As said, no need.  Most games will do it for you, and mame definitely does.

- Is there any disadvantage to using a analogue joystick as a digital joystick ?

Setting the "on" angle with an analog stick can be hard.  Mame does this with the a2d_deadzone setting, but it also depends on the joystick's driver settings.  With digital sticks, you know exactly that "click" point is (will microswitches, that is)

- Has any one ever try to mod a Happ Analog Joystick with Ultimate Handle to except a Happ Optical encoder assembly from a Happ rotary joystick ?

Never tried it, but doesn't look possible on some of the sticks.  The analog sticks have that metal "pivot ball" with two flat sides in the way, I think preventing the shaft from passing through.  However, it might be possible with the "cheaper" analog sticks held in with the E-click at the bottom.  (Look at the exploded views.)

[Amra]

- Is there any reason, other than cost no one seams to use the Happ USB Game Control Interface for their setups ? as it seems perfect for my layout simply by using one axis a peace of the trackball interface for the optical joysticks, and then splitting the axis in mame analog+

Nope, no other reason... The cost is very prohibitive.  I built an entire working control panel for less then that interface costs.

--------------------------
This section was omitted because of the obsession with digital vs analog.
--------------------------

- What do you think of the Vision Pro 27" SVGA monitor for a cab project ?

Well, to be honest, I dont think it would reproduce arcades very well, the resolution is too high, and makes no mention of the ability to use lower resolution, it would be similar to using a huge computer monitor.

- Anyone ever made there monitor tilt-able, so you can have it lay down at an angle for most game but near vertical for other ?

 
Thats actually a good Idea, mainly for shooters... but still... Im sure its been thought of at least, havent seen it in production though.

[taz-nz]

You do seem to be missing a 4-way joystick though (4-way joy is the second most common control in Mame, yet it is usually the first one everyone skimps on).

The main reason there is no 4-way on list is I did want to build a Franken-cab, with 2000 buttons & 12 joysticks. This is the first stage of my project, I going to have 3 small interchangeable Control panels when I'm finish, the primary the described above, a driving one with two 360-steering wheels and two 4-way gear leavers, a misc. controls, with will probably now have 1x  flight style analogue joystick, 1x 4-way digital joystick, 2x 3" arcade trackballs with three buttons a piece and a spinner or two.(this last panel is in constant flux at the moment).

I am also not exactly sure why you are trying to save $40 hacking up PC trackballs and then in the same breath buying ultra pricey Happ Spinner sticks, Happ USB game interface and Happ Analogue joysticks.

My all time favourite game in the arcade is Midnight Resistance, so I've got to have the rotary joystick to play it right, the Happ interface while expensive is the simplest and cleanest way I saw to interface my layout.

The Microsoft trackball hack is also a simple solution to the problem of navigating the Mame interface, it's optical so there is nothing to wear out, and its super easy to clean as the ball is held in by gravity alone, and I didn't like the arcade models, they are big, ugly, and they seam to use a huge amount of space to mount.

Neither Mame nor MameAnalog+ can use the scroll wheel for game input. (yet)

Now there

[u_rebelscum]

Neither Mame nor MameAnalog+ can use the scroll wheel for game input. (yet)

Now there