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Encoder differences
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mr_doles:
Picking up a 3" happ trackball and had a question on buying an encoder to use with it.  What is the difference, other then price, for:
1)  Ultimarc - USB Opti-PAC Interface $43.00
2)  Ultimarc - Mini-PAC Opti. With Harness and USB cable $69.00
3)  GGG - Opti-Wiz USB "No-Solder" $16.95 + Trackball Cable for Opti-Wiz "No-Solder" $12.95 = $29.90

I would think that $29.00 would be the way to go but am I going to miss out on something that the others provide?  Are there other encoder options that I may be missing?  Looks like all are compatible with the Happ Trackball as well.

Thanks
AndyWarne:
Might like to add this to the list:

http://www.u-hid.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=15&Itemid=19
u_rebelscum:
Optipac: Connect up to two trackballs and 4 spinners at the same time.  Can use 2 TBs, or 4 spinners, to (if wired correctly) 1 TB & 2 spinners at the same time.  Each TB can have two buttons, and each pair of spinners can have two buttons.  Buttons follow matching device combos, so a max of 4 buttons can be used at a time.  A little more than needed if you're only doing one TB.

Mini-Pac: A mouse + keyboard encoder; connect the TB & two mouse buttons, and a bunch of keyboard stick & buttons.  Great for starting a new CP, a little more than needed if the joystick & buttons are already connected and you're only doing one TB.

Optiwiz:  3 mouse axes and 3 mouse buttons.  Probably more up your alley if you're adding the TB to an existing board already wired up.  But...

A) Did you get the USB/PS2 trackball?  If you did, you don't need any of the encoders.

B) U-HID Nano:  Very flexible.  Can connect the TB and 6 buttons, or TB and 8-way joystick and two buttons, or TB & analog joystick and 4 buttons, or TB & spinner & 4 buttons.  The buttons can be mouse, joystick or keyboard (with max 3 mouse buttons).  Might be more than you need ATM, but with its flexibility it might be more useful it you decide to make any more changes.  Or if the TB is going on a new "TB dedicated" board, might be better than the minipac.


So it partially depends on what you plan to do with the TB, and what you might do in the future.  I suggest either optiwiz or the U-HID Nano if you're adding to an existing board, the minipac if you're starting a new board with TB and sticks and buttons, and the U-HID Nano if you're doing a new TB limited CP.


And let me state again, if you got the USB version of the TB, you don't need any encoder as an encoder comes as part of the TB's boards.  Be aware, though; some (many?) people have had problems with the happs USB boards.
mr_doles:
It is not USB/PS2.  My mobo is dell so I can't use PS/2 and I did read a lot about USB issues, plus the price is right for this one.  I have the u360 for my joystick and buttons so I really only "need" the trackball but also "wanted" 2 more buttons to use.  So I am either looking at the OptiWiz or the U-Hid.  I like that the OptiWiz harness already has the Molex connector whereas the UHid harness would require some extra work.  Looks like I would also need the mouse button harness as well for the OptiWiz.

One more dumb question.  You said the optiwiz is 3 mouse buttons while the UHid is 6 buttons.  I assume that the mouse buttons can be mapped to be player 1/2 coin or player 1/2 start, or are they purely mouse buttons?  That may be the deciding factor.

Thanks for the input.
u_rebelscum:
Mame can use any type of button: keyboard, mouse or gamepad.  But mame also has default buttons mapped to each "emulated input port" (ie: player 1 button 1 has the left ctrl key, mouse 1 button 1, and gamepad 1 button mapped to it.)  So...

To use the mouse buttons as coin or start, all you have to do is map them to those buttons, and unmap from the player action buttons.  Or, if you use the U-HID, you can map the buttons to send mame the '1', '5', '2', '6' keyboard keys (mame's default start & coin keys).

So both will work, with some setup.  Which is easier/better is mater of opinion, IMO.


BTW, good choice in controls.  But, no admin buttons, or are you "shifting" those?  Or do you less than 6/7 action buttons?  (If you want individual admin buttons, U-HID might be better.)
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