multiple ipac

[duhh]

Hey gang, I am building a mame cab from scratch. I was looking to just get the IPAC VE for starters, perhaps the IPAC2. I have a feeling I will not get this right, so I am starting out with a dummy set for cheap Short term, I have this speced as a 2 player setup, but I have been considering setting it up for 4.

So, if I take the cheap route and add an IPAC VE right now, will I be able to just add a second IPAC2 or VE later? I believe these units actually just act as keyboard emulators right? How would mame handle that configuration. Wouldn't both units be sending the same key? Can the ipac software handle 2 units separately? Would 1 unit have to have a custom mapping setup?

Thanks all!

[bungy]

Yes, the IPAC is essentially a keyboard emulator.  You can use two at a time if you use the USB option, or one PS/2 and one USB.  The software is used to program each IPAC individually and the settings are written to the IPAC.  So IPAC #1 would control players 1 & 2 and IPAC #2 would cover players 3 & 4.  MAME wouldn't need any special configuration, just program the IPACs with the default MAME keys.  They will both need custom mapping, but it is easy with the IPAC software.

Personally, I would go with the IPAC4 right from the start, just to keep things simple and not burn an extra USB port.

[Turnarcades]

Yes, the IPAC is essentially a keyboard emulator.  You can use two at a time if you use the USB option, or one PS/2 and one USB.  The software is used to program each IPAC individually and the settings are written to the IPAC.  So IPAC #1 would control players 1 & 2 and IPAC #2 would cover players 3 & 4.  MAME wouldn't need any special configuration, just program the IPACs with the default MAME keys.  They will both need custom mapping, but it is easy with the IPAC software.

Personally, I would go with the IPAC4 right from the start, just to keep things simple and not burn an extra USB port.

You used to be able to daisy-chain the mini-pac boards so all you needed was one connection to the PC, but when they were revised earlier this year they unfortunately lost this function. 

[duhh]

Thanks all. This forum rules!

[Encryptor]

From the Ultimarc website.

USING TWO I-PACs TOGETHER: Two boards can be used for doubling the number of inputs. The second board can be connected to the pass-thru connector of the first. Or either connect both boards to USB or the first to the keyboard port and second to USB. Each board can be individually programmed with the required code set, then the two boards can be connected together as above.


Encryptor

[Turnarcades]

From the Ultimarc website.

USING TWO I-PACs TOGETHER: Two boards can be used for doubling the number of inputs. The second board can be connected to the pass-thru connector of the first. Or either connect both boards to USB or the first to the keyboard port and second to USB. Each board can be individually programmed with the required code set, then the two boards can be connected together as above.


Encryptor

Yes, but that info is out of date. You can plug loads in to various ports, but you can't daisy-chain them anymore into PS/2, which is what I liked to do.

[protokatie]

I'm still waiting for a daisy chainable USB based Minipac, but that wont ever happen as it would more than likely double the cost. I do wonder why Andy dropped the chainable PS2 ability, I am sure it wasn't a decision done unto itself, but more of a supply issue.

BTW, Craig, you are nearing LEET number of posts. Make sure your 1337 post is really cool, 'k?

[AndyWarne]

From the Ultimarc website.

USING TWO I-PACs TOGETHER: Two boards can be used for doubling the number of inputs. The second board can be connected to the pass-thru connector of the first. Or either connect both boards to USB or the first to the keyboard port and second to USB. Each board can be individually programmed with the required code set, then the two boards can be connected together as above.


Encryptor

Yes, but that info is out of date. You can plug loads in to various ports, but you can't daisy-chain them anymore into PS/2, which is what I liked to do.

The information is still accurate, you can daisy-chain I-PAC 2 boards.

[AndyWarne]

I'm still waiting for a daisy chainable USB based Minipac, but that wont ever happen as it would more than likely double the cost. I do wonder why Andy dropped the chainable PS2 ability, I am sure it wasn't a decision done unto itself, but more of a supply issue.

BTW, Craig, you are nearing LEET number of posts. Make sure your 1337 post is really cool, 'k?

I need to know what the requirement is, in terms of controls which need to be connected. The daisy-chaining of boards was never a very neat solution. The U-HID board has 50 inputs and If I know what combinations of switches and optical controls are required I can use this hardware base to produce a board which matches the requirements, provide the number of connections does not exceed 50.

[Turnarcades]

The information is still accurate, you can daisy-chain I-PAC 2 boards.

The I-Pac 2 is daisy-chainable but the advantage of daisy-chaining mini-pacs was the wiring simplicity of mini-pacs. On a 4-player panel there is a lot of wiring, and having 2 mini-pacs was handy (1 mini pac for player 1+2, 1 mini-pac for players 3+4, and just 1 wire to connect to the PC.

Andy, I will e-mail you directly about the feasibility and requirements of a possible '4-player mini-pac' based on the U-HID. I'm glad to report that the strange USB mini-pac/registry error that I used to frequently get does not happen with the new U-HID based mini-pacs so I'm now happy with these as a USB device, but one connection coming from the control panel would be great so if this is possible that would be great.