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Keyboard Encoder Programming ( Similar to Ipac )
Nannuu:
--- Quote from: Minwah on October 29, 2004, 11:21:27 am ---
--- Quote from: Nannuu on October 29, 2004, 10:50:38 am ---And a gamepad hack requires a gameport which the really cheap old computers don't have.
--- End quote ---
What about USB gamepads? You can get them real cheap and even old P2's (& before) have USB ports.
--- End quote ---
I have been using DOS for speed but don't know how to get USB to work in there (program/drivers?). If it is reliable it would be worth a try.
HagHore:
--- Quote from: Minwah on October 29, 2004, 11:21:27 am ---
--- Quote from: Nannuu on October 29, 2004, 10:50:38 am ---And a gamepad hack requires a gameport which the really cheap old computers don't have.
--- End quote ---
What about USB gamepads? You can get them real cheap and even old P2's (& before) have USB ports.
--- End quote ---
Doesn't do much when you are wanting to just make a simple cab with a stick and a few buttons, running DOS on an old cheap PC. I also want to make cabs for family that will play the old classics that don't need simultaneous 2-player 6-buttons each and a bunch of control buttons. But I balk at paying $40 for a keywiz/ipac for these projects as I won't even be using a 1/4th of the inputs available. I love the keywiz but it is more than I need in most cases. I'd love to see a PS2 encoder with 12 inputs, no passthrough and based on the MAME defaults (P1 joystick, P1 buttons 1-3, Coin 1 & 2, P1/P2 Start and Escape). If there was an option like that for no more than $20 shipped, I'd be all over it.
daywane:
I have been away for a few days and just gut here.
I must say I think some of you were a bit harsh. I read the first post and I knew right off what he/she wanted to do.
BYOAC. he wants to build his own encoder, and offer his works at cost.
I think its great. I wish all the luck. I would love one of Andy's encoders but he only takes credit cards. I do not have one nor do I want one. ( I always get in trouble with one) I only use money orders
I went the game pad hacks. one arcade has 2 usb / playstations soon to be 4 pads
the other has 2 sidewinders
I have tried a keyboard hack 3 times and gave up.
If I knew how to program the chips I would help
as far as the cost of programing the chip I could burn the chips at work. ( I work 3rd shift) The supervisers owe me some favers.
No harm at all ment to Andy at all. There is nothing rong with wanting to build another version of a product unless you ask Bill Gates :D
Tiger-Heli:
--- Quote from: daywane on October 29, 2004, 12:51:28 pm ---No harm at all ment to Andy at all. There is nothing rong with wanting to build another version of a product unless you ask Bill Gates :D
--- End quote ---
If nothing else the wording could have been better.
"The I-PAC only uses $5 worth of parts, and I want to build and distribute them at cost, but I don't know how to program the Cypress chip that he uses", sure sounds like outright theft of the product, rather than another version, and doesn't respect the thought, time, R&D, beta-testing and all that went into the initial design.
"I plan to make a keyboard encoder. It is my own design, and I have decided to use the Cypress microprocessor, but I would like some guidance on how to program the chip to send keycodes when a button is pressed", doesn't sound nearly as bad, even though the basic result is the same.
RandyT:
I have to say that I meant no disrespect in my thinking that this was an attempt at humour.
Sometimes when something is absurd enough, it's difficult to think that the person saying it is doing so in sincerity. The parts that got me were the $5 parts total, and the notion that the programming was a minor portion of the work involved. For a point of reference, there is almost $5 in the cost of the KeyWiz's screw-connectors alone!
And, I spent a good 3 full months of several hours a night and weekends developing firmware and support software. Sourcing parts and designing the PCB was the easiest and least expensive part of the effort (good dev tools= $$$$.)
These are the things that many, without intimate knowledge of the process, don't realize go into developing what seems like a simple device from the outside. But if you're up to the task and have the investment capital, you are certainly free to risk it as others before you have.
Risk is a major portion of the free-market you speak of. If you intend to work for free, you've already resigned yourself to a net loss of more than your capital investment (even if it is a donation to the community.) That is, unless you place little value on your time.
Perhaps a more effective way to donate to the community is to do what I (and others) try to do and use the proceeds from one project to fund the development of other useful items. This is a niche market if there ever was one, and some of the things people ask for just aren't out there. And because of the small market potential, never will be unless a person dedicated to the "cause" uses their personal resources to develop it. I hate to say it, but by not patronizing vendors of your favorite goodies, you are all but ensuring that there will be fewer new goodies out there when you desire them.
This is not meant to discourage anyone from doing what they want to do, but you asked for a real reason so I thought I would try to give you one. :)
RandyT
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