X-Arcade not working with SDLMAME (Mac OSX)

[GeoMan]

The X-Arcade Tankstick hangs my Mac (MacBookPro - OSX 10.5.6) when SDLMAME is executed. It also hangs with gamepad programming applications and some other emulators (like Snes9x). The java-based testing utility works.

Has anyone found a solution to this issue? Browsing other arcade forums i noticed that quite a few people have this problem...

(The Tankstick works fine on my PC using the PS2 connection.)

[al3ph]

Yep I had the same problem, the usb device build into the tankstick does not appear to work well with  OS X, first problem is it causes issues with some helper app, this causes the cpu to go to 100% as soon as the device is connected. You can stop this by removing the module (see X-Arcade web site), once this is working I discovered the sdlmame or any mame as far as I could see, to lock up.

The only real solution I found was to use my old usb xarcade adaptor instead.

http://www.xgaming.com/adapters.shtml

This seems to work fine. Bit of a pain in the arse though.

another option would be to just buy a U-HID and rewire the whole thing.

[GeoMan]

Are you sure that it works with the USB PC/MAC ADAPTER?

The current Tankstick cable is just an adapter, maybe the old one (or the one they sell now) is a convertor which is a different thing!

As i replaced the joysticks with 2 Ultrasticks (which also control the 16 buttons) i have no real problem. I am just curious...



My modified Tankstick with 2 U360 and SpinTrak spinner:

[al3ph]

Certainly works for me, I`ve got the latest version of the tankstik, it has two usb cables (trackball and controls), it also has a plug for attaching the various console adaptors.

I just use my old xarcade usb adaptor with this, instead of the built in usb.

[GeoMan]

It took them a month but finally X-Gaming confirmed that their controllers do not work with Mac OS X Leopard without the extra Mac/PC Adaptor they sell separately...

But they still advertise and sell their controllers without the adaptor as "fully Mac compatible"... 

Anyway, i replaced the low-quality Tankstick joysticks with the excellent programmable U360s from Ultimarc. Each joystick controls up to 8 buttons (one button works as a shift key, so you can program 15 different keystrokes).

The U360s work fine with my Mac and can be programmed as 2-way, 4-way, 8-way, 4-way diagonal, full analog, or anything else you like!