Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum

Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: Wicked on July 14, 2006, 11:47:36 am

Title: Ipac and Optipac ?'s
Post by: Wicked on July 14, 2006, 11:47:36 am

Is the Optipac neccesary for the trackball and spinner or can they both be attached to the Ipac?

Title: Re: Ipac and Optipac ?'s
Post by: Unkis17 on July 14, 2006, 12:21:20 pm

The Optic-PAC is needed for optical decives such as a spinner and trackball.  The Opti-PAC can daisy chain off the I-PAC, but it only does this for the 5v of power.

If you don't own either of these boards you can opt to go with the Mini PAC that has the OPTI option built on, this way you only have one board and you can also buy it with a pre-crimped wiring harness.

I have run the I-PAC and Opti (daisy chained with track and spinner).  Right now I am working on running just the Ultra Stik with 8 button wiring harness (this is all done via joystick / gamepad, no I-PAC) and I will add an Opti-PAC to add a trackball to the system.  Although this method calls for modifing a lot of controller files in mame and modifing my Frontend, MAMEWAH to work with a joystick only and keyboard.

Title: Re: Ipac and Optipac ?'s
Post by: Wicked on July 14, 2006, 01:05:01 pm

Thanks,  I think my setup is pretty much finalized and I'm going to need an Ipac4 and a mini pac and druins interface.

Title: Re: Ipac and Optipac ?'s
Post by: RayB on July 14, 2006, 01:55:11 pm

Whoa, both an ipac4 and a minipac? That's ALOT of controls. How many joysticks and buttons are you planning???

Title: Re: Ipac and Optipac ?'s
Post by: shardian on July 14, 2006, 02:11:25 pm

I'm guessing he means an opti-pac.

Title: Re: Ipac and Optipac ?'s
Post by: CheffoJeffo on July 14, 2006, 03:25:04 pm

Quote from: shardian on July 14, 2006, 02:11:25 pm

I'm guessing he means an opti-pac.

I think he is confused ...

Wicked - slow down a bit - you need to understand what all the stuff does or you'll end up ordering too much stuff and/or stuff that doesn't do what you want.

You have mentionned in other threads that you are getting a PS2/USB interface on your trackball and a Tornado spinner, which also comes with a PS2/USB interface. These details are important. You don't need an OptiPac, although I am not sure how well those two interfaces coexist under different versions of Windows (each shows up as a mouse). This has been discussed quite a few times, although I don't remember the substance of the conclusions (perhaps a search on OptiPac and/or Tornado).

Right now, based on what I have read, the only additional interface board you need is the IPac4.

Cheers.

Title: Re: Ipac and Optipac ?'s
Post by: Wicked on July 14, 2006, 06:31:07 pm

 :banghead: I forgot that the trackball and tornado spinner used USB, I did get ahead of myself Chef, thank you for pointing that out. I think I do have it pretty much down, and I want to thank you guys for being patient with me and guiding me through this. I'm going to post the final specs in the other post and if I got it wrong let me know.

Title: Re: Ipac and Optipac ?'s
Post by: CheffoJeffo on July 14, 2006, 06:34:02 pm

You definitely get an A for enthuisiasm !

Cheers