why buy an X-arcade encoder.

[armad1ll0]

Why would one want to get an X-arcade encoder?

there are so many PSX controllers that there's a PSX to whatever adaptor. I now of USB, GameCube, Xbox, and Dreamcast.

What else would you want... they even have ones that work with Sony Digital pads instead of the "tricky to hack" dualshock.

Used Sony Digital pads are like $10 New dualshocks are $20. Adaptors range from $6 DC to $20... All of which are cheaper than any X-arcade adaptor.

what are you waiting for?

[AlanS17]

Maybe they wanna use the controls for multiple consoles? I don't know... I use an IPAC/JPAC.

[Lilwolf]

Cleaner then a hack (1).  I've never hacked a PS controller.. but I have a few PC controllers.  They work, and imho are better then hacking a keyboard... but NOTHING like a good encoder.  The extra options ARE SO WORTH IT!  I don't know about the x-encoder.

But specifically the xencoder can handle all the major consoles.  That would be GREAT for many!  If they where hotswappable, consider how cool it would be to have one switch to go between mame, dreamcast, ps2, ect.

[rampy]

Why would one want to get an X-arcade encoder?

there are so many PSX controllers that there's a PSX to whatever adaptor. I now of USB, GameCube, Xbox, and Dreamcast.

What else would you want... they even have ones that work with Sony Digital pads instead of the "tricky to hack" dualshock.

Used Sony Digital pads are like $10 New dualshocks are $20. Adaptors range from $6 DC to $20... All of which are cheaper than any X-arcade adaptor.

what are you waiting for?

Why do you have such a hard-on for pissing on x-arcade stuff? You don't have to go out of your way to bash 'em... The only people who don't understand the costs/benefits/drawbacks of using x-arcade/x-arcade products are newbs...

reasons to use an x-arcade controller:
1. Cleaner/easier wiring (albeit a *good* psx pad hacker could negate this -- but that's not the point this is the "pro section for x-arcade interface")

2.  Easily, albeit at a cost per adapter, integrate different consoles AND PC interface

3.  For the PC, is keyboard output --> works in all emulators

4. Keysets can be remapped / swtiched between ( can you do that with a psx->usb  ?)

5. some level of cheazy support/ warranty from manufacturer

6. It does do some simulation/translation of the analog sticks to/from the arcade sticks so that games that require analog be present will boot (although there's a downside to that... but thought it worth mentioning)

Cons  to x-arcade encoder:
1. Pricey compared to other standard keyboard encoders (albeit it has extra console functionality) --> also pricier than psx pad hack

2. Adapters for different consoles can add up (granted even if you went psx pad route you'd still need psx=>USb adapters and psx->other console adapters)

3. It's an active high device that would require some breadboarded electronics wizadry to work with perfect 360 sticks


I was going to write up pros and cons to psx hack but I think some of it's implied in the parentheticals above.

I use a key wiz myself (and a (2x) sidewinder gamepad hack before that) .. but I don't interface with consoles... but if I were interfacing more than 1 console AND PC I'd give consideration to using the x-arcade PCB  (although now that I have the key wiz, I might try for the hack and add to my spaghetti nest =P )

*shrug* YMMV

Rampy

[Molloy]

After I pay for shipping to Ireland it'll probably work out cheaper getting all my stuff from one place. Plus, I don't like giving out my credit card number to a load of different places.

Other than that it's easier to set up and there's a strong likelyhood that they'll release more connectors for the next generation consoles when they come around.

[SNAAAKE]

well you cant solder and dont know $hit then yes you wanna buy the x-arcade PCBs.
no one here wants the buy but...
You know the "folks" that can't solder or some dont even try.
armad1ll0:you have a REALLY bad habit of pissing on others stuff...STOP !  
No,I dont work for x-arcade.Just sayin why this thread
We dont give a damn about the PCB anyways...we like to build our own !

[armad1ll0]

read the other thread, I consider that pissing on other people's stuff. It's also not some person dirrectly, so what's up...

What I was offering here was the logic of going with the more reasonable solution by costs etc... It was in the context of using the X-arcade encoder from a previous thread. Maybe I didn't mention that but the fact is that I've not bashed people for buying it.

I have said in the past that there is better and I stand by that. X-arcade use cheap china clone parts and everyone here knows it. It's really the micro switches that I find the most poor quality there. I assume that simply switching to cherry switches will improve that greatly.

They do offer (at present) the only low cost ($100) multi console stick. And cheaper than any custom creation so I commend them on that, but the thing is that it could be so much better so easily.

[rampy]

read the other thread, I consider that pissing on other people's stuff. It's also not some person dirrectly, so what's up...

What I was offering here was the logic of going with the more reasonable solution by costs etc... It was in the context of using the X-arcade encoder from a previous thread. Maybe I didn't mention that but the fact is that I've not bashed people for buying it.

I have said in the past that there is better and I stand by that. X-arcade use cheap china clone parts and everyone here knows it. It's really the micro switches that I find the most poor quality there. I assume that simply switching to cherry switches will improve that greatly.

They do offer (at present) the only low cost ($100) multi console stick. And cheaper than any custom creation so I commend them on that, but the thing is that it could be so much better so easily.

but what do cheap clone parts have to do with using their encoder and their adapters vs psx hack and other adapters?

You are picking on x-arcade for using cheaper stuff, and then advocate going the cheaper hacking route as "better".

*shrug* lets take x-arcade and their knockoff buttons/sticks out of the equation.

Andy has mentioned that he's trying to (for example) working on makeing an adapter to get the ipac to talk to an x-box.  Let's say he's succesful and goes on to add other console adapters.  Would you say that there isn't some intrinsic value in purchasing that rather than ONLY being able to hack a psx controller (and adding adapters) as a console to arcade controls interface?

Is it cheaper to trade time for money and hack gamepads/psx pads/keyboards in this hobby? Yeah absolutley... but that doesn't diminish the value to the community of having the option of commercial encoders (even if some are more expensive than the others).

rampy

[u_rebelscum]

Why would one want to get an X-arcade encoder?
...
what are you waiting for?

In addition to the ones rampy mentioned.

a) Time.  I wouldn't want to spend the needed time to hack the gamepads.  Wiring an encoder is faster, and I'd rather spend time fixing my 720 controller or Pole Position controller or up date analog+ or a bunch of other stuff.

b) Experience.  I'm not good at soldering, and might fry any board I try to solder.  See a) why I don't have experience.

c) I suck at playing games with gamepads.  If you are going to just use un-altered gamepads in instead of hacking in real arcade controllers, a) & b) are mote, but then you aren't reproducing the arcade experience.  Since I don't like gamepads, I don't have to worry about whether to hack or not (I'd hack, period), so a) & b) aren't mote.

d) I don't have a PS or PSII, so I don't need to get a PS adapter for the xarcade controller.  In fact, I only have a computer, dreamcast and atari2600, so the multiple platform feature isn't that important to me.


The only single reason I can see to use a gamepad hack + adapter over an encoder is for true analog inputs vs. xarcade's simulated analog.  But even here I could just use a PC analog stick instead of hacking a gamepad.

[aust_txv]

Greetings,

I thought I should chime in here since I think I started this mess.

First, I agree the X-arcade parts minus the encoder are of lesser quality then happ stuff - that's why I did a transplant  

Next,  can someone please show me their diagram of wiring the IPAC, DC controls and PS2/PS1 controls into the same control panel ? I did it before (IPAC, Saturn and Ps1)  but it was not neat and really hacked up.  You talk about wires, holy smokes  

Finally, I wanted to buy the encoder buy itself but could not find one at that time.  Whether xarcade was holding back parts or not - - I don't care - - the controls are sweet and it is easy to switch from one system to another.

Thanks,
Tom

[LurkingLizard]

Just to let everyone know, XGaming no longer sells PCB kits.  I tried to order some recently, and they told me they don't stock those anymore.  If you want the encoder, you've got to buy a whole controller.  They did have some demo units that they offered me at a reduced price though.  I decided to take them up on that.

Now, I realize their adapters can get a tad expensive when you add them up for multiple systems.  I just got some of their playstation adapters, and they work fine with with playstation-to-other-system adapters... err, well, actually I have two types of nyko gamecube adapters.  One of them works with both PSone pads and PS2 pads.  The other works with PS2 pads, but for some reason goes berserk on PSone pads.  Contrary to my expectations, the X-arcade playstation adapter only works with the latter.  I also have some cheap dreamcast adapters that work fine, and a PS2->USB gamepad adapter that works too (though the X-arcade comes with a PS/2 keyboard adapter anyway).  Can't speak for Xbox, I don't have one of those.

But to answer the initial question, for me anyway, I wanted the X-arcade encoder for its digital/analog(simulated) joystick mode versatility.  It certainly came at a premium(since I just wanted the encoder), but I wasn't going for cheap, I was going for functionality.  It's probably more than what most people need though.

[u_rebelscum]

Just to let everyone know, XGaming no longer sells PCB kits.  I tried to order some recently, and they told me they don't stock those anymore.

That's a big enough reason not to use the xarcade encoder.


I guess then it's keyboard encoders' ease and PC wide utility, vs gamepads' multiple platform compatability and true analog inputs. *shrug*

[Tiger-Heli]

Just to let everyone know, XGaming no longer sells PCB kits.  I tried to order some recently, and they told me they don't stock those anymore.  If you want the encoder, you've got to buy a whole controller.  They did have some demo units that they offered me at a reduced price though.  I decided to take them up on that.

I called X-Arcade, their website still shows the PCB and allows you to add it to your cart,  http://xgaming.net/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=XOS&Product_Code=XPCB,
however, when I called they said the item was out-of-stock and wouldn't be available probably before the end of this year (2003).  They offered a discount on demo units.  I don't know if they cancelled the encoder kits all together or not.