Re: I-PAC vs. KE72T

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Posted by Andy Warne on 7, 2000 at 4:25 PM:

In Reply to: Re: I-PAC vs. KE72T posted by Retrocactus on 6, 2000 at 2:26 PM:

: Sounds great! Will this work with existing IPAC's or will it be incorporated in a newer model? I'm very interested.

It is standalone. I weighed up the various ways of interfacing trackballs and spinners and concluded the only viable one was the serial port. The alternatives were:

Ball movement sends keystrokes: I discounted this in a matter of minutes after hooking up a test. It is hopeless!

USB: Problematical with DOS which most people prefer for emulation. I think USB can only be offered in addition to an alternative interface as on the I-PAC board.

PS/2 mouse port: Probably already used for a mouse!

So it is a simple mouse-like circuit design which plugs into a serial port. This is also the method that works best at the application end (MAME).

Andy

: John
: aka Retrocactus

: : Hi,

: : I have designed a universal trackball/spinner interface for I-PAC. Actually it goes into the serial port (as does, I believe, the KE72 trackball interface correct me someone if I'm wrong here). I am just waiting for the PCBs to be made.

: : Cheers

: : Andy
: : : The only difference other than price between the two is the expandability. The IPAC can't do a trackball or spinner but you can do those with a mouse interface. The KE72 has the ability to use arcade trackballs and spinners but the IPAC is strickly a key encoder.

: : : I have an IPAC and cannot say enough good things about it. It would be nice to add the other controls but cost and space on the control panel figured into my decision which I don't regret at all.

: :
: : : : I've been hearing a lot about this new thing (the I-PAC) and want to know how it compares to a KE72T (other than it's cheaper).

: : : : I am looking at a console with a 2 8 way joysticks, 1 4 way joystick, 12 buttons (not counting esc, p, and the other MAME utility buttons), a trackball and a spinner. I need to know if the I-PAC is just as good as the KE72T for my particular layout or should I just spend the extra money and get the KE72T

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Comments:
: : Sounds great! Will this work with existing IPAC's or will it be incorporated in a newer model? I'm very interested. : It is standalone. I weighed up the various ways of interfacing trackballs and spinners and concluded the only viable one was the serial port. The alternatives were: : Ball movement sends keystrokes: I discounted this in a matter of minutes after hooking up a test. It is hopeless! : USB: Problematical with DOS which most people prefer for emulation. I think USB can only be offered in addition to an alternative interface as on the I-PAC board. : PS/2 mouse port: Probably already used for a mouse! : So it is a simple mouse-like circuit design which plugs into a serial port. This is also the method that works best at the application end (MAME). : Andy : : : John : : aka Retrocactus : : : Hi, : : : I have designed a universal trackball/spinner interface for I-PAC. Actually it goes into the serial port (as does, I believe, the KE72 trackball interface correct me someone if I'm wrong here). I am just waiting for the PCBs to be made. : : : Cheers : : : Andy : : : : The only difference other than price between the two is the expandability. The IPAC can't do a trackball or spinner but you can do those with a mouse interface. The KE72 has the ability to use arcade trackballs and spinners but the IPAC is strickly a key encoder. : : : : I have an IPAC and cannot say enough good things about it. It would be nice to add the other controls but cost and space on the control panel figured into my decision which I don't regret at all. : : : : : : : : I've been hearing a lot about this new thing (the I-PAC) and want to know how it compares to a KE72T (other than it's cheaper). : : : : : I am looking at a console with a 2 8 way joysticks, 1 4 way joystick, 12 buttons (not counting esc, p, and the other MAME utility buttons), a trackball and a spinner. I need to know if the I-PAC is just as good as the KE72T for my particular layout or should I just spend the extra money and get the KE72T

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