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Need Mini-Pac Advice

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Rendour:
I am in the process of buying supplies for my first MAME cabinet build. I am using the plans from the Project Arcade book. I have decided to get a Mini-Pac as my encoder. I am a bit confused as to which version of the mini pac to get. I will have 2 joysticks with 6 buttons each, and a trackball with two buttons. I've read here that the wiring harness that comes with the mini-pac is not very good and longer wires will have to be used. I guess what I'm asking is would it be better to get a USB or PS/2 trackball and plug that right into the PC and go with the cheaper mini-pac just for the joys and buttons, or go with the more expensive mini-pac and an arcade wired trackball? Thanks in advance for any help.

sodapopinski:
trackballs that plug right into the pc via usb or ps/2 tend to be expensive. Look at happs, nice but too much.

dabone:
It will probally work out about the same unless you do a mouse hack for the trackball.

The main difference, if you want to add a spinner later, you would be able to connect it to your minipac and the minipac would handle both devices, disabling the one you are not currently using.

(much easier config, no multiple mouse devices.)

Also with the minipac, just 1 usb cable for buttons and trackball.


Later,
dabone

Tiger-Heli:

--- Quote from: Rendour on February 13, 2005, 02:07:12 pm ---I am in the process of buying supplies for my first MAME cabinet build. I am using the plans from the Project Arcade book. I have decided to get a Mini-Pac as my encoder. I am a bit confused as to which version of the mini pac to get. I will have 2 joysticks with 6 buttons each, and a trackball with two buttons. I've read here that the wiring harness that comes with the mini-pac is not very good and longer wires will have to be used. I guess what I'm asking is would it be better to get a USB or PS/2 trackball and plug that right into the PC and go with the cheaper mini-pac just for the joys and buttons, or go with the more expensive mini-pac and an arcade wired trackball? Thanks in advance for any help.

--- End quote ---
I know what you're asking.  You'll be surprised at the reply.  The cheaper Minipac (at least as of a couple of months ago) still has trackball support.  The more expensive one just has the harness for it.  So I would recommend getting the cheaper minipac and sacrificing an IDE cable.

And I agree, the wording on the ultimarc site is confusing.

sWampy:

--- Quote from: Tiger-Heli on February 14, 2005, 08:46:55 am ---
--- Quote from: Rendour on February 13, 2005, 02:07:12 pm ---I am in the process of buying supplies for my first MAME cabinet build. I am using the plans from the Project Arcade book. I have decided to get a Mini-Pac as my encoder. I am a bit confused as to which version of the mini pac to get. I will have 2 joysticks with 6 buttons each, and a trackball with two buttons. I've read here that the wiring harness that comes with the mini-pac is not very good and longer wires will have to be used. I guess what I'm asking is would it be better to get a USB or PS/2 trackball and plug that right into the PC and go with the cheaper mini-pac just for the joys and buttons, or go with the more expensive mini-pac and an arcade wired trackball? Thanks in advance for any help.

--- End quote ---
I know what you're asking.  You'll be surprised at the reply.  The cheaper Minipac (at least as of a couple of months ago) still has trackball support.  The more expensive one just has the harness for it.  So I would recommend getting the cheaper minipac and sacrificing an IDE cable.

And I agree, the wording on the ultimarc site is confusing.

--- End quote ---

Email andy and ask him before buying one and assuming it supports trackball.  A couple of months back he told me he was getting new ones in that didn't support trackball, unless you bought the trackball option.

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