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Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: squirrellydw on February 23, 2006, 02:28:49 pm

Title: i-pac or keywiz??
Post by: squirrellydw on February 23, 2006, 02:28:49 pm

So what do you guys think is better, the i-pac or keywiz and why?  I am leaning toward the i-pac4 since I will need almost all the inputs.  I will also be getting an optipac or the one grooveygamegear makes.

Thanks

Title: Re: i-pac or keywiz??
Post by: deadkenndys1105 on February 23, 2006, 02:35:30 pm

Go with the i-pac. I just got mine in the mail today. I dont know anything about the other one tho. :P

Title: Re: i-pac or keywiz??
Post by: koolmoecraig on February 23, 2006, 02:38:58 pm

Quote from: deadkenndys1105 on February 23, 2006, 02:35:30 pm

Go with the i-pac. I just got mine in the mail today. I dont know anything about the other one tho. :P

Great advice. Go with the I-pac because he just got his in the mail today. Brilliant.

Title: Re: i-pac or keywiz??
Post by: miles2912 on February 23, 2006, 02:42:25 pm

Go with a mini-pac.  Mine came 6 months ago!


Serious tho.. there are a lot of questions you have to ask yourself.  How many buttons?  2 player of 4?  Trackball?  Spinner?   Design your CP and then buy or hack an encoder to meet your needs.

Don

Title: Re: i-pac or keywiz??
Post by: markrvp on February 23, 2006, 02:52:22 pm

That's kind of like, "Ford or Chevy"

If you need all the inputs of the Ipac4 then that is certainly the most elegant solution.  I've got both products and like them both very much.

Title: Re: i-pac or keywiz??
Post by: squirrellydw on February 23, 2006, 02:57:13 pm

OK, so there are no disadvantages over one or the other?  What about for trackballs and spinners?  I will have two trackballs and probably one but maybe two spinners?  Optipac will work for that correct?

Title: Re: i-pac or keywiz??
Post by: markrvp on February 23, 2006, 02:59:43 pm

Quote from: squirrellydw on February 23, 2006, 02:57:13 pm

OK, so there are no disadvantages over one or the other?  What about for trackballs and spinners?  I will have two trackballs and probably one but maybe two spinners?  Optipac will work for that correct?

Yes.  If that is the route you want to go, then buying both encoders from the same vendor makes sense. 

The Opti-pac is probably easier to set up for simultaneous 2-trackball games.  You are talking about 6 axes, and the Optiwiz is 3 axes, so you would need two Opti-Wiz encoders to handle all of those.

Title: Re: i-pac or keywiz??
Post by: AC. on February 23, 2006, 03:05:15 pm

Debbie! The Car!  Debbie! The Car!

Title: Re: i-pac or keywiz??
Post by: squirrellydw on February 23, 2006, 03:14:07 pm

I will be going with the i-pac and optipac.

thanks, you guys have been a big help again. 

Title: Re: i-pac or keywiz??
Post by: ChadTower on February 23, 2006, 03:31:53 pm

I went with a grilled cheese.  I'm having some issues with it but it sure smells yummy.

Title: Re: i-pac or keywiz??
Post by: Tiger-Heli on February 23, 2006, 04:02:27 pm

Quote from: ChadTower on February 23, 2006, 03:31:53 pm

I went with a grilled cheese.  I'm having some issues with it but it sure smells yummy.

Yep - this was the most non-sensible thread I have read in a long time.

See http://www.mameworld.net/tigerheli/encoder/index.htm - there are tons of differences between them.  Whether any of those matter for your application???

I doubt there's a valid reason you need all the inputs of an I-PAC/4, but I could be wrong.

If you do, the combination of a KeyWiz and a GP-Wiz, could be less expensive, if that works for you.

Ford, no wait, Chevy . . . Honda???

Title: Re: i-pac or keywiz??
Post by: kingflynn on February 23, 2006, 06:08:29 pm

I love the KeyWiz.  Easy to wire, well made, and it ships fast. 

Title: Re: i-pac or keywiz??
Post by: SurferMatti on February 23, 2006, 07:17:30 pm

Hi,
  Question about the Ipac and Mini pac...  I believe you can hook up 2 perfect 360's to the Ipac2 as long as you run in a 5v, correct?  Does the Mini pac also have a way to hook a couple of happ perfect 360's up to it?

Thanks

Title: Re: i-pac or keywiz??
Post by: markrvp on February 23, 2006, 07:29:29 pm

Yes, there is a 10 pin header with three 5v taps.

Title: Re: i-pac or keywiz??
Post by: SurferMatti on February 23, 2006, 07:50:47 pm

Quote from: markrvp on February 23, 2006, 07:29:29 pm

Yes, there is a 10 pin header with three 5v taps.

Ok cool thanks...  So in order to use the Perfect's with the Mini Pac must I have the Mini Pac w/ the optional Optical inputs (69$ one),  or is that only used for the trackball/spinner, and a Mini Pac Standard will work?

Thanks

Title: Re: i-pac or keywiz??
Post by: miles2912 on February 23, 2006, 08:38:41 pm

Quote from: markrvp on February 23, 2006, 07:29:29 pm

Yes, there is a 10 pin header with three 5v taps.

.

That 10 pin header plugs into the mini pac if you want to use a trackball and/or spinner.  If not then you can use it for whatever.

Don

Title: Re: i-pac or keywiz??
Post by: markrvp on February 23, 2006, 09:11:08 pm

Quote from: SurferMatti on February 23, 2006, 07:50:47 pm

Quote from: markrvp on February 23, 2006, 07:29:29 pm

Yes, there is a 10 pin header with three 5v taps.

Ok cool thanks...  So in order to use the Perfect's with the Mini Pac must I have the Mini Pac w/ the optional Optical inputs (69$ one),  or is that only used for the trackball/spinner, and a Mini Pac Standard will work?

Thanks

It is my understanding that there are no differences in the Minipac boards.  The difference is the harness which either does or does not have the connections for the optical devices.  If anybody can confirm this I would appreciate it.

Title: Re: i-pac or keywiz??
Post by: Tiger-Heli on February 25, 2006, 08:48:06 am

Quote from: markrvp on February 23, 2006, 09:11:08 pm

It is my understanding that there are no differences in the Minipac boards.  The difference is the harness which either does or does not have the connections for the optical devices.  If anybody can confirm this I would appreciate it.

That's what I've heard also.  I was told a future version might not have all the code embedded, but currently all the Mini-Pac boards are identical and only the harnesses are different.