Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum
Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: Jakobud on November 18, 2002, 09:17:01 pm
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Yo guys,
Getting ready to start another project (I'll get a website going for my first arcade cabinet eventually), and I'm looking at the I-PAC's. For my last project I used a Hagstrom encoder.
Anyways, what I am wondering about the IPAC's is can they be hot-swapped? You know, with a PS/2 keyboard or mouse if you unplug it while the cpu is running and then plug it back in, it won't work. You have to restart. I noticed with the IPAC there is the USB option (and most USB devices are hotswappable). But it sort of looks like it's just a PS/2-->USB adapter. So I'm not sure. Is it hotswappable? Can you unplug it and then replug it back in and expect it to work (w/o restarting)?
Also, I'm wondering about daisy chaining IPAC's together. From what I read on the website I think this will work. Anyone know for sure? Also, back to the hotswapping thing, if I have one IPAC plugged in with my machine running and I take another IPAC and plug it in to my first IPAC (daisy chaining them) will the second IPAC be recognized?
Don't ask why please :) Lets just say I am brewing a unique project
jakobud
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Did you consider sending Andy Warne a quick email on this. He's normally very good at replying. I have read on his site that daisy chaining works but don't know about daisying without a restart ::).
Cheers
-cdbrown
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should work as long as you go USB.Email Andy then reply here with the result to clear things. ;)
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I'm not positive about all of this, so I'll answer what I can and I still recommend you E-mail Andy about the details.
Anyways, what I am wondering about the IPAC's is can they be hot-swapped? You know, with a PS/2 keyboard or mouse if you unplug it while the cpu is running and then plug it back in, it won't work. You have to restart.
Actually, I've hot-swapped PS/2 mice before also. I think it depends on what OS you are using. Actually, if I remember correctly, the way it works is:
Start machine with PS/2 mouse installed, unplug and plug in mouse - no problem.
Start machine with PS/2 mouse unplugged, requires restart, with USB, you could just plug the mouse in and go.
I noticed with the IPAC there is the USB option (and most USB devices are hotswappable). But it sort of looks like it's just a PS/2-->USB adapter. So I'm not sure. Is it hotswappable? Can you unplug it and then replug it back in and expect it to work (w/o restarting)?
I don't think the interface matters, I think the computer is always checking for activity on the USB ports, so it will detect a device when you plug it in. I would expect the I-PAC to be hot-swappable in USB mode.
Also, I'm wondering about daisy chaining IPAC's together. From what I read on the website I think this will work. Anyone know for sure?
You can daisy chain two I-PAC/2 (28-inputs) together in PS/2 mode for 55-inputs (IIRC, it seems like you lost one input when daisy chaining). Andy also sells an I-PAC/4 (56-inputs) for less money than 2 I-PAC/2's. I'm not sure if you can daisy-chain the I-PAC/4's, but I think so.
You also can use multiple I-PAC's in USB mode (up to the 101-keyboard key inputs). Be advised that the keyboard pass-thru port is disabled in USB mode, so you can't daisy-chain in this mode.
Also, back to the hotswapping thing, if I have one IPAC plugged in with my machine running and I take another IPAC and plug it in to my first IPAC (daisy chaining them) will the second IPAC be recognized?
As I said, definitely not in USB mode, in PS/2 mode I think you can, but I'm not sure, ask Andy.
Don't ask why please :) Lets just say I am brewing a unique project
Fair enough! Good luck!!!
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I've never had any problems hotswapping either PS/2 mice or keyboards. While testing my keyboard hack I switched keyboards on the fly repeatedly and never had a problem. It's worked for me in both Win98 and XP.
Ryan
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what you talking about :P?
win 98 cant do hotswap with mice or anything that is ps2 connnecter without restarting?
However... works perfectly on xp. :)
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I've never had any problems hotswapping either PS/2 mice or keyboards. While testing my keyboard hack I switched keyboards on the fly repeatedly and never had a problem. It's worked for me in both Win98 and XP.
Ryan
I don't think this is a problem as long as you have a keyboard/mouse plugged in when you start the system, but it will not be recognized if one wasn't available on startup.
Now I have a question. Why can't you use the keyboard pass through on the IPAC when using USB? I just don't understand that.
TM
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I've never had any problems hotswapping either PS/2 mice or keyboards. While testing my keyboard hack I switched keyboards on the fly repeatedly and never had a problem. It's worked for me in both Win98 and XP.
Ryan
Now I have a question. Why can't you use the keyboard pass through on the IPAC when using USB? I just don't understand that.
Andy E-mailed me that it was disabled. He didn't say why, however, if you have the I-PAC in USB mode, you can still use a PS/2 keyboard in the keyboard port. If you have a USB keyboard, you can use it and the I-PAC together, so I don't see any need for the pass-thru in USB mode.
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I've never had any problems hotswapping either PS/2 mice or keyboards. While testing my keyboard hack I switched keyboards on the fly repeatedly and never had a problem. It's worked for me in both Win98 and XP.
Ryan
Now I have a question. Why can't you use the keyboard pass through on the IPAC when using USB? I just don't understand that.
Andy E-mailed me that it was disabled. He didn't say why, however, if you have the I-PAC in USB mode, you can still use a PS/2 keyboard in the keyboard port. If you have a USB keyboard, you can use it and the I-PAC together, so I don't see any need for the pass-thru in USB mode.
Very good point. There you go, thinkin outside the box again! I don't see why you want to go, its always so warm in the box :)