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Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: Willard_Bones on June 21, 2017, 03:16:32 pm

Title: Q about Joysticks and controller interface
Post by: Willard_Bones on June 21, 2017, 03:16:32 pm

 This is a RetroPi based MAME cabinet.  Here's the rundown on my control panel:

  Track ball
  Spinner
  2 4/8-way joysticks
  8 buttons
  4 admin buttons (12 buttons total).

  First question:  I am looking at using Ultimarc's Mag-Stik Plus, with the Ball-Top handle.  It converts from 4-way to 8-way by pulling up on the stick, and rotating.  But, it costs within a few dollars of the UltraStik.  The UltraStik has lots of capability that I don't really think I need. 

  Details:
1) The Mag-Stik Plus does everything I want.
2) Not sure if I can run the UltraStik with Raspberry Pi.
3) If using the Ultrastik, it can connect the buttons, but not the spinner and trackball.

  So, I'm leaning toward the Mag-Stik Plus, and I am wondering if there's something I'm missing?

  Second question:  I am pretty sure that if I use the IPAC2 that it can handle the inputs for everything I've listed.  Do you guys agree?

  Thanks!

Title: Re: Q about Joysticks and controller interface
Post by: GeoMan on June 21, 2017, 03:25:51 pm

Each Ultrastick comes with its own USB board attached and can support 8 buttons, but using the "shift" function you have 15 different actions (2 per button) so you can use these extra actions for admin functions.

If you buy the spinner and trackball from Ultimarc, they also come with their own USB controllers. They also support 3 extra buttons each.

In that case you don't need anything else.

Title: Re: Q about Joysticks and controller interface
Post by: Willard_Bones on June 23, 2017, 03:00:18 pm

GeoMan, if I do that, won't I have 4 USB cables to plug and unplug when I use this CP?  If I use an IPAC2, I'll have a single USB cable to deal with. Right?


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Title: Re: Q about Joysticks and controller interface
Post by: GeoMan on June 24, 2017, 08:13:29 pm

Quote from: Willard_Bones on June 23, 2017, 03:00:18 pm

GeoMan, if I do that, won't I have 4 USB cables to plug and unplug when I use this CP?  If I use an IPAC2, I'll have a single USB cable to deal with. Right?


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You can connect all USB cables to an internal USB HUB so only one USB cable goes out of the CP. I am using a TP-LINK 7 PORT USB HUB to connect 2 Ultrasticks, a Happ3" Trackball, a SpinTrak spinner and a U-HID controller board, all installed inside my (heavily modified) X-Arcade Tankstick CP... The hub doesn't need external power.

Title: Re: Q about Joysticks and controller interface
Post by: Willard_Bones on June 25, 2017, 12:01:17 am

Hmm, I like that!  Thanks, again!


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