Author Topic: Anyone have any experience with 3tronics.com keyboard encoders? (Read 5279 times)

Dragonman73 · « **on:** June 27, 2009, 07:59:07 am »

Anyone have any experience with this product? I'm having issues getting the computer to recognize this card at boot up.

Right now if I have it hooked up according to the directions (supplied ps/2 cable and keyboard pass through) the computer will not recognize the card and throw an error sound..more of a long beep....and goes away if I unplug the card.

It actually said "no keyboard present" until I disabled it in the bios.

Now if I plug the ps/2 keyboard in and let the computer boot naturally into the front end, then hook up the encoder after everything boots up.........it will work until I shut the computer down again. Then I have to unhook it and start over.

It's strange because I expected the PC to see it as a "keyboard" during boot and let it start straight into the front end and never touch a keyboard.

I thought this would be easier to mess with than usb.

My system specs are as follwed:

Dell GX60
512mb ddr ram
Windows XP Pro
Atomic FE Front end w/ MAME

http://www.3tronics.com/products/mami2401.pdf

Dragonman73 · « **Reply #1 on:** June 28, 2009, 08:29:00 am »

30 views and no one has any experience with these?

I bought five of these

Franco B · « **Reply #2 on:** June 28, 2009, 12:08:17 pm »

I'm guessing that no one has replied because no one has used them. It's the first time I have heard of them at least.

Is there any reason you bought five of these at $45 a pop when you could have bought GGGs Key-Wiz 40's or Ultimarc IPAC2's for less?

Both of those encoders are the 'forum standard' and are what most people use with no issues. Both of the vendors also provide excellent tech support if you have any problems.

Dragonman73 · « **Reply #3 on:** June 28, 2009, 01:03:39 pm »

Actually he's selling them on eBay for $21 each + shipping. Thats where I got them. I bought four 24 input and one 48 input.

I ordered some ps/2 to usb adapters and going to try that by leaving the keyboard plugged into the ps/2 port and hopefully the pc will recognize the card through usb after it boots up.

Ummon · « **Reply #4 on:** June 28, 2009, 08:30:54 pm »

Why aren't you hollering at him for customer support?

SavannahLion · « **Reply #5 on:** June 28, 2009, 09:42:32 pm »

Quote from: Dragonman73 on June 28, 2009, 01:03:39 pm

I ordered some ps/2 to usb adapters and going to try that by leaving the keyboard plugged into the ps/2 port and hopefully the pc will recognize the card through usb after it boots up.

Be aware that not all PS/2->USB adapters are created equal. The passives require the PS/2 device to be USB aware and the er.... active encoders/adapters probably isn't really the best way to be handling that kind of conversion in that situation.

Sounds to me some kind of defect in how the PS/2 controller is seen by the PC on boot. It might explain why it works when you boot with the keyboard then swap them, but it won't work through a cold boot. I don't know enough about the PS/2 protocol and, hate to say it, don't really want to dive into that whole ball of wax. I can't really even think of anything to try. Maybe a different motherboard or find some way to supply power to the card before the boot process starts or even continuously through cold boots. Only problem is if you lose power, you're back at square one.

Maybe some kind of simplified KVM that presents a pseudo keyboard to the computer before the controller kicks in?

I have no idea.

Quote from: Ummon on June 28, 2009, 08:30:54 pm

Why aren't you hollering at him for customer support?

+1

Malenko · « **Reply #6 on:** June 28, 2009, 09:45:19 pm »

send em back and get a keywiz or ipac?

Dragonman73 · « **Reply #7 on:** June 28, 2009, 09:56:44 pm »

Quote from: Ummon on June 28, 2009, 08:30:54 pm

Why aren't you hollering at him for customer support?

We sent a email, haven't heard back yet. He was quicker to respond during the initial purchase. I'm going to set up another mame this week (for our youth building) and I'll post my finding then, same type of computer.

Dragonman73 · « **Reply #8 on:** June 29, 2009, 05:52:23 pm »

Still no reply back from the seller

Lilwolf · « **Reply #9 on:** June 29, 2009, 09:24:45 pm »

yeah, that sucks... but most ps2-usb ocnverters has the same problems as a keyboard itself...

It might be easier to get a motherboard with a ps2 adapter... Sucks... You might want to throw them up online, or sell them here to people with ps2 adapters...

btw, have yout ested to see if they work at all in a ps2?

severdhed · « **Reply #10 on:** June 29, 2009, 10:32:29 pm »

did you try this unit on another PC? it could be something wrong with the motherboard...or even a bios setting. check the bios to make sure "USB Keyboard support", or "legacy USB" is disabled. these settings can cause problems with ps2 keyboard devices

Dragonman73 · « **Reply #11 on:** June 29, 2009, 10:42:31 pm »

That's how I hooked it up was through the keyboard ps/2 port with no luck until the pc boots up. But it's a pain to switch plugs around after boot up.

I bought some of these in hope of leaving my keyboard plugged in and letting the pc recognize the card after boot.

Dragonman73 · « **Reply #12 on:** June 29, 2009, 10:43:23 pm »

Quote from: severdhed on June 29, 2009, 10:32:29 pm

did you try this unit on another PC? it could be something wrong with the motherboard...or even a bios setting. check the bios to make sure "USB Keyboard support", or "legacy USB" is disabled. these settings can cause problems with ps2 keyboard devices

I know legacy usb is turned on in the bios, I may try tunring it off and see what happens - Thanks!

severdhed · « **Reply #13 on:** June 29, 2009, 10:44:54 pm »

i dont know if it will help, but it is worth a shot. my friend bought an ipac 4, which connected via PS2. he had problems with it, and it was because of the legacy usb setting being enabled. once he disabled that setting, it worked just fine.

Beto · « **Reply #14 on:** November 17, 2011, 11:49:45 pm »

Msg from 3tronics

Hi, I don't follow these boards so its not a good way to get help from me. If you go to my website 3tronics.com you can email me and there is also a phone number. Not sure why the poster could not get me. I like holidays and I might have been soaking up the sun somewhere. I offer refunds so just ask me not the boards.

There are lots of things that can go wrong and most have workarounds. One in particular is that newer computers may not come with a ps2 driver and you have to install one. Usually if nothing else works then you might have to buy a $5 used ps2 keyboard and leave it connected instead of running the board stand alone.

Also I don't recommend ps2-usb convertors. I have USB cards also if you want USB.

drventure · « **Reply #15 on:** November 18, 2011, 07:39:39 am »

Quote

There are lots of things that can go wrong and most have workarounds. One in particular is that newer computers may not come with a ps2 driver and you have to install one. Usually if nothing else works then you might have to buy a $5 used ps2 keyboard and leave it connected instead of running the board stand alone.

hmmm, that sounds more like a badly designed product. If it was a decent keyboard encoder, it would BE the keyboard for a system, you shouldn't have to plug another keyboard in to get it to work reliably.

But legacy USB on +can+ mess with things. Definitely try turning it off.

notroubleclubber · « **Reply #16 on:** November 18, 2011, 10:15:02 am »

Quote from: Dragonman73 on June 28, 2009, 09:56:44 pm

Quote from: Ummon on June 28, 2009, 08:30:54 pm
Why aren't you hollering at him for customer support?

We sent a email, haven't heard back yet. He was quicker to respond during the initial purchase. I'm going to set up another mame this week (for our youth building) and I'll post my finding then, same type of computer.

Quote from: Beto on November 17, 2011, 11:49:45 pm

Msg from 3tronics

Hi, I don't follow these boards so its not a good way to get help from me. If you go to my website 3tronics.com you can email me and there is also a phone number. Not sure why the poster could not get me. I like holidays and I might have been soaking up the sun somewhere. I offer refunds so just ask me not the boards.

There are lots of things that can go wrong and most have workarounds. One in particular is that newer computers may not come with a ps2 driver and you have to install one. Usually if nothing else works then you might have to buy a $5 used ps2 keyboard and leave it connected instead of running the board stand alone.

Also I don't recommend ps2-usb convertors. I have USB cards also if you want USB.

Doesnt this say it all?

Always best to buy from a reputable supplier!

Dragonman73 · « **Reply #17 on:** November 18, 2011, 10:20:40 am »

Wow, this thread is two years old.

I've since sold all of those encoders and switched to a usb I-pac for my personal cabinet.

I do have a 48 input Ps/2 encoder that I am using on a mini-cab at our youth building....it seems to be working ok right now. I don't even have the encoder in question anymore.

GregD · « **Reply #18 on:** November 18, 2011, 10:27:23 am »

Two years to respond to the issue. That is some good customer service.

Dragonman73 · « **Reply #19 on:** November 18, 2011, 11:05:09 am »

Quote from: pinballjim on November 18, 2011, 10:35:49 am

Quote from: GregD on November 18, 2011, 10:27:23 am
Two years to respond to the issue. That is some good customer service.

He probably still ships faster than Paradise Arcade....

I've never had any problems with paradise arcades shipping, I think for something that comes from Hawaii to the lower 48 states the shipping is fine.

I have an another order on the way from them right now, it took a few extra days after I made the payment...but I got a prompt email apologizing to me that they were shorthanded at the moment....I'm cool with that.

Even the custom order I placed six months ago went pretty smoothly and quickly for what it was...less than two weeks for sure..maybe a week? Either way paradise responds quickly to my emails so i have no complaints with them

I have no complaints with 3tronics either, this thread is two years old

VanillaGorilla · « **Reply #20 on:** November 18, 2011, 01:04:04 pm »

Quote from: pinballjim on November 18, 2011, 10:35:49 am

Quote from: GregD on November 18, 2011, 10:27:23 am
Two years to respond to the issue. That is some good customer service.

He probably still ships faster than Paradise Arcade....

SNAP!

Gray_Area · « **Reply #21 on:** November 22, 2011, 09:40:24 pm »

Quote from: GregD on November 18, 2011, 10:27:23 am

Two years to respond to the issue. That is some good customer service.

How in the hell did he find the thread?...for what reason?

Ohhh, I remember this company. The controllers look like good products. They just lack the flexibility of older competitor products (which accommodate PS/2 and USB in one), and there is no 'shift' function (which some people don't care for, but I that I love). No prices on the site, either. www.3tronics.com

randjamal · « **Reply #22 on:** November 23, 2011, 11:45:05 am »

FWIW, I've got a 3tronics ps2 encoder. I bought it used from a BYOAC member for cheap. It works fine, and haven't had any problems with it.

Having said that, I would still buy a GGG or ultimarc encoder for my next project.


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