Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum

Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: Tahnok on January 01, 2006, 09:08:24 pm

Title: What exactly do I need for the minipac?
Post by: Tahnok on January 01, 2006, 09:08:24 pm

Lately, I have been considering rewiring my original control panel. It was my first experience with arcade CPs and didn't turn out that great. A little while ago my trackball mysteriously stopped working. The mouse hack had always been a bit iffy; I have to wonder if a trace finally lifted. That along with the small, but livable, problem of the keyboard hack's buttons not being quite right (I misread the matrix) has pushed me to look into encoders.

The minipac looks like it will suit my need of switches and trackball (also Ultimarc brand), but there are a few things I don't understand.

This table...
http://www.mameworld.net/tigerheli/encoder/main.htm#THE_PLAYERS
...says that it can be as cheap as $29 or as expensive as $69 (the ultimarc catalog is down right now, so I can't actually look). Which of those harnesses and cables will I need if I don't have a problem with stripping and crimping my own connectors and I have the harness that came with the trackball? I'm planning on running in USB mode, though I hope that is just a standard USB A to B cable. I also need to be able to hook-up the player start lights.

Title: Re: What exactly do I need for the minipac?
Post by: markrvp on January 02, 2006, 12:53:00 am

$29 is for the minipac encoder only.

Title: Re: What exactly do I need for the minipac?
Post by: Tahnok on January 02, 2006, 05:45:32 am

Thank you. That is exactly what I was wondering. I hadn't seen that second picture yet, it helps a lot. What about going to the PC, what kind of cable is used there? I'm hoping that it too

Title: Re: What exactly do I need for the minipac?
Post by: markrvp on January 02, 2006, 11:10:42 am

If you want to use all the keyboard and optical interface capabilities you have to hook it up USB. 

If all you want are the keyboard encoder functions, then you can hook it up PS2.

Title: Re: What exactly do I need for the minipac?
Post by: dhansen on January 10, 2006, 02:05:09 am

So, do you need to get a PS/2 to USB cable?  I didn't know they made such a thing. 

I bought the mini pac last summer and am just now finishing up a buddies project and I must have misplaced the cable.

If anyone knows where I can order one of these (if this is what I need) please let me know...

Thanks,
Doug

Title: Re: What exactly do I need for the minipac?
Post by: Tiger-Heli on January 10, 2006, 09:46:35 am

Quote from: dhansen on January 10, 2006, 02:05:09 am

So, do you need to get a PS/2 to USB cable?