Advice on Sinistar 49 Way Control Panel?

[cpyne]

Hi,

My cabinet is based on an old Defender cab and I have it setup so I can pop in different control panels based on the game.  So far I have a standard 2 joystick / 12 Button panel and a Stargate/Defender panel.  For my next project, I'd like to see if I can make a 49 way Sinistar control panel, but I wanted to get feedback on how people have made out with these and how they compare to the original when it comes to control and feel.  For a conroller board, I have an IPAC2.  A few questions...

Is there any way to do this with an IPAC2?

What do you suggest for a joystick? (and controller if the IPAC2 won't cut it)

What can I expect for feel/control compared to an original Sinistar?

I should also add that Sinistar is the ONLY 49 way game that I care about.  Getting the control and feel as close to the original is much more important to me than flexibility for other 49 way games.

Any other advice would be greatly appreciated.


Thanks
Charlie

[ArtMAME]

Hey Charlie.  Welcome to the madness.

You need one of these:
http://groovygamegear.com/webstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=76_81&products_id=233

He's out of them right now, but you may be able to get one from a BYOAC member if you post in the Buy/Sell/Trade section of the forum.

As for the joystick, you will want a Williams 49-way joystick originally used in Sinistar, Bubbles, or Arch Rivals.  They pop up on Ebay occasionally.  Just keep an eye out.  That will really give you the most accurate feel for Sinistar.  I know this because I did the exact same thing for my MAME cabinet, a dedicated swappable CP just for Sinistar.

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=54556.msg534965#msg534965

If you have trouble finding a Williams 49-way, you could use a Midway 49-way used in Blitz games.  They are quite abundant, but you still need a Keywiz 49.

Or you could try Ultimarc's 360:
http://www.ultimarc.com/ultrastik_info.html

I have only used the Williams 49-way and I am very happy with it.  Hope this helps.

[cpyne]

Thanks for the info.  This is exactly what I was looking for!