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can I make a complex control panel that connects via 1 single usb?
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zipdaman12:
Hello all,
I have a made a complete mame cabinet years ago and it has served me and my family very well. I am toying with the idea of making a control panel that I can connect to my Home Theater PC; using my HDTV as a monitor. I have the software installation complete leveraging the Gamex front end and I am using a wired xbox 360 controller but as you all know its notg the same as using actual joysticks and arcade style buttons.
Here is my question. I have an ipac (usb)_ as well as 2 usb interfaces to use with my Happ controls spinner and Trackball. I would like to build a control panel using all of these interfaces, but I don't want to have to plug 3 separate uysb cables into my PC. Is there a way to include a trackball, spinner as well as other buttons and joysticks and use only 1 usb cable to my PC? is a usb hub a viable option?
Any and all comments are appreciated.
Jack
Fursphere:
Mount a USB Hub on the panel, connect everything to that. Then have one USB cable that runs to the PC.
Might need to be a powered hub though - you'll have to test.
PL1:
An unpowered hub will almost certainly work for your setup.
Remember that unpowered hubs have a 100mA/port limit according to the USB spec, even though many hubs can exceed this.
I've been using the following on a test setup with no problems:
Belkin USB 2.0 4-port hub available here
Mini-Pac Opti w. U-Trak
TT2 Spinner + encoder
LED lighting circuit for trackball and admin buttons that draws ~86 mA
You can plug the hub into a Neutrik NAUSB-W-B with the "A" connector on the inside and the "B" connector on the outside of the enclosure. (undo 2 screws and reverse the barrel)
From there, one USB A-B cable connects your CP to the HTPC. :cheers:
You can solidly mount the hub using 5 screws and PEX plastic pipe -- details here.
Scott
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