Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum
Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: SephYuyX on January 15, 2010, 08:18:08 pm
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CP:
(http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs125.snc3/17236_520121053144_206302855_31169025_2760360_n.jpg)
Taking shipping and lowest cost into consideration ive come up with this list:
1 - IPAC2 (Ultimarc) $39
1 - U-Trak Trackball (Ultimarc) $79 +USB $14 +Trim $5
1 - SpinTrak Spinner (Ultimarc) $74 +Knob $14 +Flyweight $10
2 - Happ Competition 8 way joysticks $8.49 (GGG)
8 - Happ Horizontal Standard (Concave) Pushbuttons (GGG) $1.20
80 - .187 quick disconnects (GGG) $.10
1 - 4 way Ms Pac Man (TT) $20
2 - Happ 1p/2p Buttons (TT) $1.39
16 - Happ Horizontal Competition (Convex) Pushbuttons (TT) $1.44
1 - Pushbutton wrench $1.89 (TT)
Ill be getting 18~22awg wire from radioshack, and aside from that, im pretty sure I have anything I need, but id greatly appreciate it if I could have a few checks.
Thanks.
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How are you converting the SpinTrak to USB? I didn't think it had a direct USB harness like the U-trak trackball.
You might want to use a mini-pac instead of an ipac which would handle both the spinner and track ball. The mini-pac has 32 switches - same as the ipac-2.
You would also save the $14 on the USB cable for the U-Trak, but you probably want to get the mini-pac harness. I also believe that trackball tracking is supposed to be better if you use the mini-pac vs. a straight USB cable, although I haven't tried both myself.
Also, if you want different concave/convex buttons for the control vs. game buttons, I would personally use the concave buttons for the game buttons.
Not sure what "trim" is on the track ball. You probably do want the mounting plate, but I thought those were closer to $10 in price.
Finally, I'm not sure you will like this layout once you have it setup. The 4-way & spinner might be hard to reach. Just be sure to test the layout (I used a cardboard box) before creating the final control panel.
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Yeah, the SpinTrak does have a USB option, and by going USB with both UTrak and SpinTrak, and going with IPAC2 cuts down on cost, rather than going any other way, Plus I think it's a bit more simplistic. With the UTrak you dont need a mounting plate, and the 5$ trim is just a bevel to give it a better look.
I read a lot of the concave vs convex discussions, and while growing up on concaves, I think im going to give convex a chance since ive heard good things.
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I dont know if I over looked something, but I may have made a mistake.
I used this template for the joysticks.
(http://www.slagcoin.com/joystick/layout/horis36.png)
And I just realized when cutting it out, the gaps btwn buttons look quite small.. Do Happ buttons fit this scheme? I worked out the math, drew it out in ACAD, and it's reallly close o fitting, I think. Im bad with math, so who knows.
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That's a lot of buttons per joystick.
Are you including the 1P and 2P buttons with the others next to the sticks? Or are they admin buttons? The most you'd ever need for actual playing is 7 (for some Neo Geo games).
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I figured id just use all of the IPAC2 up, and the 1/2p buttons are in the top two rows of 4, and the extra 6 buttons up there could be used for anything, even non admin stuff. The reason I went with that set up is that it feels good playing UMK3, all 8 buttons used aside the top left most button. 4 attack, 2 block, 1 run, I know you dont need two block, but meh. I also went with 8 because ill be playing current and previous gen gaming systems, so instead of just using a usb controller can just use those. Yeah it seems like a lot of buttons, but im hoping itll work out fine. Too late now anyway :D
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Got QD's?
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Quick Disconnects?
Not yet, but ill be ordering them as well. 100pc of .187s for about 7$ at http://www.arcadeemulator.net/ (http://www.arcadeemulator.net/) which ive found out everything on my list is sold there.. so seems ill just buy it all in one place and save on shipping, and his prices are cheaper too.
As far as wire im looking at radioshacks 3 spools of 3 colors for under $10, yeah its radioshack, but it should do the job. I havent decided on what gauge yet though, 18 to 22 I see is the gauge to use for buttons and sticks, any specific recomendation?
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Get stranded wire (not solid core). The 22 ga is probably fine, but it might be tough to attach the QD's to.
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I dont know if I over looked something, but I may have made a mistake.
I used this template for the joysticks.
(http://www.slagcoin.com/joystick/layout/horis36.png)
And I just realized when cutting it out, the gaps btwn buttons look quite small.. Do Happ buttons fit this scheme? I worked out the math, drew it out in ACAD, and it's reallly close o fitting, I think. Im bad with math, so who knows.
Yes they will fit fine. Happ and Sanwa/Seimitsu action buttons have the same bezel diameter of 33mm. Try to drill them as accurately as possible as you will find the nuts very close together on the underside.