control pannel/winpac issue - please show me your mame wisdom

[omnivorism]

I've ran into a bit of a snag with my mame project.

I've got a dedicated pc working with a front end, 800 console/ arcade games, plus both hi and lo res versions of mugen.

I've got my control panel built with buttons and joysticks in, mostly wired, and a ipac 4 (even though im only using 2 players, it was the one on ebay at the time)

If i use the winipac program, i just get a time out error when i have it set to ps/2.  although oddly enough if i tell it usb, it starts to program, then says drivers loaded, programing failed.

with the older version of winpac it just says "jumpset set to mame"

the joystick is responsive and works correctly, but the buttons are whatever they are default so instead of SW1, SW2, SW3 being like A,S,D like i would like, they are weird defaults like Control C, x or whatever.

I think maybe the problem i am having could be software to hardware compatibility...

I saw something similar on another thread, and someone said maybe its just a missing plug in or dll.

any suggestions?

[surface tension]

Is it the older version with a jumper on it, and if so, is it set to MAME?

You probably would have tried this if you have the jumper, but if the above is true, move the jumper and re-program.

[omnivorism]

Honestly, im clear on what a jumper is.

But i got the ipac from ebay.  the ports on it, look different from the version on the ultramarc page because they are on opposite ends.

[omnivorism]

that was a typo. i meant i am NOT clear on what a jumper is.

[surface tension]

A jumper is a shorting link which will short 2 pins together.

I used to own an old ipac2, so if it's the same and my memory serves me correctly...

There are 3 pins to select between USB and PS2 and another 3 pins to select between the generic MAME key config and custom keys. So, select the appropriate interface and custom keys. If your ipac arrived without the jumpers (links), a friend that builds PCs should have some kicking about.

[mlalena]

This is an IPAC 2, but it works as an example
See those two red rectangles towards the right. Those are jumpers connecting 2 black pins together. There are 2 columns of 3 pins each.
As you can see from the text on the board, on the left side if you connect the top and middle pin it is in ALT mode. If you connect the bottom and middle pin it is in MAME mode.
On the right side, the top 2 pins are USB and the bottom 2 are PS2.


Newer boards don't have these pins. They can auto-sense PS2 or USB and they all default to a MAME configuration and the act of programming them changes the configuration

[omnivorism]

i see.

Well after looking, it seems i do have jumpers and it looks like its set to both Mame and PS2. I have PS2 Ports just like on the board shown. But as far as the controls go, I just wanted something kind of universal. such as player one being QWE,ASD,  for six buttons. I have Maximus arcade, Mame, mugen, and emulators for all your basic consoles. I know you can change the controls in those, but the default key config on the IPac is kinda wacky.

Well is the jumpset my problem then? or it is a software to hardware issue with a missing plug in or something?

[omnivorism]

alright. i switched the jumper from MAME to ALT.  ill give it another shot soon and see if that makes a difference.

[surface tension]

I know you can change the controls in those, but the default key config on the IPac is kinda wacky.

If the jumper is set to MAME, then the IPAC will be using the MAME defaults. So, it should behave with an untouched install of MAME.

[omnivorism]

That did not solve it.

Now the newest version of winpac still says "time out"

and the older version (1.0.16) tells me "programing IpAc Please wait.... resetting Ipac.... FAILED (page 1) Adust Download Speed"and "reconnect ipac".

I have tried varies speeds ranging from slowest to fastest and various ones in between.

Any ideas?

[omnivorism]

I know you can change the controls in those, but the default key config on the IPac is kinda wacky.

If the jumper is set to MAME, then the IPAC will be using the MAME defaults. So, it should behave with an untouched install of MAME.

I had already changed the defaults on every emulator I have so they were more universal.   

[omnivorism]

Strange.

I tried again, and as far as i know the only thing i did differently was highlight "debug mode" and it says "programed sucessfully".  The only bad side to this, is that i changed all the player 2 keys to none for now. so i will have to program it again.

[omnivorism]

Strange.

I tried again, and as far as i know the only thing i did differently was highlight "debug mode" and it says "programed sucessfully".  The only bad side to this, is that i changed all the player 2 keys to none for now. so i will have to program it again.

reprogrammed with player 2 also in mind.

I'll just have to go through and make sure my wiring is all good and see how well it works now.