Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum

Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: DogSlobber on April 12, 2004, 02:12:44 pm

Title: IPAC - OPTI - USB
Post by: DogSlobber on April 12, 2004, 02:12:44 pm
Howdy

Thanks to those who replied to my question about trackballs.

Now onto my next problem:

My PC has only two USB ports in the front, but it looks like I will  need three of them if I go with my proposed configuration.

I purchased a Tornado Spinner (USB)  and I plan on buying an IPAC and a OPTI PAC.  Total of three USB interfaces.

My first question is:  Can I daisy-chain the IPAC and Optipac together so that I only have one USB cable leading out of the controller to my PC?

Second question:  Can I hook my Tornado spinner directly to my Opti-pac and eliminate the tornado spinner USB connection?

Ideally I'd love to have just ONE USB cable leading out of my controller to my PC.  Two cables would be okay, but three just won't work without me having to dig behind the pc to get at the third USB port everytime I wanted to play a game.

Would sure appreciate advice on how others have dealt with having a full-featured controller (spinner and trackball) with only one or two USB cables.

Thanks!

                             .Dog.
Title: Re:IPAC - OPTI - USB
Post by: patrickl on April 12, 2004, 02:51:58 pm
Why not buy a USB hub? With these simple items I guess it could even be a passive USB hub (passive = without it's own powersupply) A 4 port passive USB hub shouldn't cost more than $15 (in fact they go for as low as $10). With it you could easily have just one cable coming out of the CP (just the USB cable going to the hub) and have up to 4 USB devices inside the CP.
Title: Re:IPAC - OPTI - USB
Post by: Brad Lee on April 12, 2004, 02:52:27 pm
Mini USB hub?
http://www.monotapu.co.nz/images/47156.jpg

Put the end with 4 usb inputs into your controller, plug your Opti & ipac & whatever else into it. Now you've just got one cable leaving your controller.



This one actually looks like it has a few good feet of cable. The one I'm using had only about 6", so I had to splice a longer usb cable to it
Title: Re:IPAC - OPTI - USB
Post by: Stingray on April 12, 2004, 03:16:26 pm
I've got a cheapie unpowered USB hub in my cab. Works great and moves those USB ports behing the coin door where I can reach them without having to go through the back panel.

-S