Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum

Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: SNAAKE on March 13, 2013, 11:47:59 pm

Title: keyboard encoder for android?
Post by: SNAAKE on March 13, 2013, 11:47:59 pm
I am alive lol..just busy these days.. :hissy:

anyway my question is, anyone use those mini android pc for mame? my brother wants something very simple and functional(to play bad dudes and those 80s games). I bought one of these device and it kinda works fine but I need an arcade control setup for it. is there any tested encoder that works for android mini computers via USB? that ZD(zero delay) board probably works fine but if I understand correctly it registers as a gamepad and not a keyboard.
Title: Re: keyboard encoder for android?
Post by: SNAAKE on March 14, 2013, 09:21:30 am
HERRO ???

maybe move this to console section??
Title: Re: keyboard encoder for android?
Post by: RyoriNoTetsujin on March 14, 2013, 09:46:58 am
Which version of Android are you using? Everything above 3.1 supports gamepads over usb natively, if I remember correctly. In fact, i think it supports any HID-compliant device... ? (Could be wrong about that.)

I've plugged both a knock-off usb SNES pad, and my ZD encoder into my Transformer tablet, and have had no problems. Both TigerArcade and mame4Droid support gamepad configuration too, so that shouldn't be a problem.
Title: Re: keyboard encoder for android?
Post by: SNAAKE on March 14, 2013, 01:04:27 pm
its jellybean..I will check droid4mame later today  :cheers:
Title: Re: keyboard encoder for android?
Post by: SNAAKE on March 14, 2013, 08:05:08 pm
found my ZD encoder and it works great with my device. games run buttery smoove too  :applaud:
Title: Re: keyboard encoder for android?
Post by: CoryBee on March 14, 2013, 08:35:24 pm
Everything above 3.1 supports gamepads over usb natively

This is great to hear, I wanted to create a small arcade dock for a friend's android tablet on the cheap. Thanks for the info.
Title: Re: keyboard encoder for android?
Post by: RyoriNoTetsujin on March 15, 2013, 10:51:51 am
For posterity's sake, I went back and did a little research. Indeed, gamepads are supported natively from Android 3.1 (Honeycomb) and beyond... at the OS level.  However, that's not the only factor.

The device you're using must also have a USB port that is "USB Host" enabled. I found this out the hard way when I tried to hook my ZD encoder up to my gf's LG Motion phone (which, by the way, is running Ice Cream Sandwich). That device's hardware does not support USB Host on it's lone USB port, therefore, regardless of what the OS is capable of, I wasn't able to get the ZD (or any other USB HID device) to work.

This seems to be a rare occurance (most modern devices with modern Android OSes support USB Host) but it can happen. I have yet to see a tablet device that doesn't support USB Host, but again, it is possible, so check before you buy!

The good news here is that almost all devices support Bluetooth now, so one could conceivably fall back on that as a control option. Bluetooth controllers/keyboards are pretty common - though I have yet to see one that I personally would want to use...
Title: Re: keyboard encoder for android?
Post by: SNAAKE on March 16, 2013, 04:08:29 pm
quick question about wiimote, it works as a wireless mouse for android?
Title: Re: keyboard encoder for android?
Post by: ark_ader on March 16, 2013, 09:43:09 pm
quick question about wiimote, it works as a wireless mouse for android?

Not exactly.  You need to get some apps to make the wiimote work with android, as you do with the PS3 controller.

I use Bluez IME, Wiimote Controller and Sixaxis Controller.   I use the Zeemote with Bluez IME and it works a treat.

You need a lot of patience to get it all to work, but when it does it is really cool.
Title: Re: keyboard encoder for android?
Post by: SNAAKE on March 17, 2013, 12:45:42 pm
thanks. I dont mint installing a thing or two. as long as its "stable" and actually works :cheers:
Title: Re: keyboard encoder for android?
Post by: sharpfork on March 18, 2013, 01:49:43 am
I've used the keyboard and HID gamepad firmares on the KADE encoder on android 3.1+ with no issues.  If the ZD shows up as a gamepad and has the correct inputs, it should do the job just fine.  The wiimote works well on Android too.  The Wii RetroPad Adapter 2 is great for console emus too.

RetroArch is worth giving a look on the software side.