Author
|
Topic: Encoder Comparison Pages Back
Online (Read 608 times) |
|
|
Tiger-Heli
Full Member
Online
Posts: 2278
Ron Howard? . . . er, I mean . . . Run, Coward!!!
View
Profile | WWW | Instant
Message (Online) |
i would be interested in seeing an updated review.
i just got the Two-bit encoder and soldered a ps/2 splitter for it last night. i am now
waiting on my joysticks/buttons so i can test it out on a temp cp..
if you need more info on it, i posted a fairly informative email about it in another thread and am
willing to post whatever other info i have, (pictures, key map, etc.).
|
|
Yep, I'd like the info. Also, I was curious whether the grounds are common on it
(There are two grounds on each of the eight 10-pin Molex connectors). Are the
grounds on Connector 1 common with the grounds on Connector 8?
Having said the above, I would prefer to concentrate the updates more on the minipac,
I-PAC VE, and KeyWiz Max 1.5, as the two-bit encoder is about 40 units, NOS from the early
80's and only available on E-bay for probably the next six months, while the others are
current production models. |
The WISE gazelle knows he only has to outrun the SLOWEST member of the
herd to avoid being eaten by the lion. |
|
|
|
|
Bgnome
Full Member
Online
Posts: 172
Who's da gnome?
View
Profile | Instant
Message (Online) |
|
Re:Encoder Comparison Pages Back Online
« Reply #15 on: August 14, 2004, 09:44:09 AM » |
Reply
with quote |
i would be interested in seeing an updated review.
i just got the Two-bit encoder and soldered a ps/2 splitter for it last night. i am now waiting on
my joysticks/buttons so i can test it out on a temp cp..
if you need more info on it, i posted a fairly informative email about it in another thread and am willing
to post whatever other info i have, (pictures, key map, etc.).
|
|
Yep, I'd like the info. Also, I was curious whether the grounds are common on it (There
are two grounds on each of the eight 10-pin Molex connectors). Are the grounds on Connector
1 common with the grounds on Connector 8?
Having said the above, I would prefer to concentrate the updates more on the minipac, I-PAC VE,
and KeyWiz Max 1.5, as the two-bit encoder is about 40 units, NOS from the early 80's and only
available on E-bay for probably the next six months, while the others are current production
models.
|
|
i posted the keymap here:
http://www.arcadecontrols.org/yabbse/index.php?board=1;action=display;threadid=22871;start=msg188768#msg188768
original email about how it works:
http://www.arcadecontrols.org/yabbse/index.php?board=1;action=display;threadid=22851;start=msg186817#msg186817
pins 1 and 10 are common ground and connected to eachother on each bank, so you really
only need to hook up 1 ground wire. my best guess is that there are still over 60
left, but it is in short supply. also, judging by the keymap, A, E, F, and G are
repeated so that in essence only gives you 60 independent inputs. i havent gotten my
buttons in yet so i havent been able to do any thorough testing but i did manage to get at
least 36 keys pressed using strips of aluminum foil and my fingers. at the moment, i
am soldering wires to it and will be mounting it into a plastic vhs box from blockbuster,
(barely fits), along with barrier strips.
one thing i will note, but i dont know if it is just my setup. i am using it with a
laptop which has only 1 usb input and 1 ps/2 input. i soldered a ps/2 splitter
together according to a schematic i found online which lets me use a mouse and kb at the
same time. i have a usb kb plugged in the usb slot. my splitter works but my
encoder board seems to stop working sometimes. i have been testing the board by
pressing the f1 button that is directly on it. i am fairly certain the soldering job
is ok. but my trackball unit does have 3 superbright red leds in it so im wondering
if its just an issue of limited power supply..
|
|
|
|
Bgnome
Full Member
Online
Posts: 172
Who's da gnome?
View
Profile | Instant
Message (Online) |
|
Re:Encoder Comparison Pages Back Online
« Reply #34 on: August 18, 2004, 04:47:35 PM » |
Reply
with quote |
i would be interested in seeing an updated review.
i just got the Two-bit encoder and soldered a ps/2 splitter for it last night. i am now waiting on my
joysticks/buttons so i can test it out on a temp cp..
if you need more info on it, i posted a fairly informative email about it in another thread and am willing to post
whatever other info i have, (pictures, key map, etc.).
|
|
Yep, I'd like the info. Also, I was curious whether the grounds are common on it (There are two
grounds on each of the eight 10-pin Molex connectors). Are the grounds on Connector 1 common with
the grounds on Connector 8?
Having said the above, I would prefer to concentrate the updates more on the minipac, I-PAC VE, and KeyWiz
Max 1.5, as the two-bit encoder is about 40 units, NOS from the early 80's and only available on E-bay for
probably the next six months, while the others are current production models.
|
|
i posted the keymap here:
http://www.arcadecontrols.org/yabbse/index.php?board=1;action=display;threadid=22871;start=msg188768#msg188768
original email about how it works:
http://www.arcadecontrols.org/yabbse/index.php?board=1;action=display;threadid=22851;start=msg186817#msg186817
pins 1 and 10 are common ground and connected to eachother on each bank, so you really only need
to hook up 1 ground wire. my best guess is that there are still over 60 left, but it is in
short supply. also, judging by the keymap, A, E, F, and G are repeated so that in essence
only gives you 60 independent inputs. i havent gotten my buttons in yet so i havent been
able to do any thorough testing but i did manage to get at least 36 keys pressed using strips of
aluminum foil and my fingers. at the moment, i am soldering wires to it and will be mounting
it into a plastic vhs box from blockbuster, (barely fits), along with barrier strips.
one thing i will note, but i dont know if it is just my setup. i am using it with a laptop
which has only 1 usb input and 1 ps/2 input. i soldered a ps/2 splitter together
according to a schematic i found online which lets me use a mouse and kb at the same time. i
have a usb kb plugged in the usb slot. my splitter works but my encoder board seems to stop
working sometimes. i have been testing the board by pressing the f1 button that is directly
on it. i am fairly certain the soldering job is ok. but my trackball unit does have 3
superbright red leds in it so im wondering if its just an issue of limited power supply..
|
|
the creator has elaborated on some information in his ebay listing:
Additional Information. Since I have listed this item I have received hundreds
of E-mails asking some common questions. Here are the answers to some of these questions in
paraphrase format:
Does this encoder use a matrix, and how does it send key data to the PC?
This device encodes each input as a single keystroke. When the input pin goes LOW (pulled to
GROUND) the encoder will send the corresponding keycode ONCE, then remain inactive until the input
pin goes HIGH (open). At that time, the encoder will send the BREAK CODE to the PC. The encoder is
NOT typematic. The encoder operates on the SINGLE IDENTITY principle where each input sends only
the make code once. The encoder does NOT use a matrix, nor is it built around a matrixed chip that
has been "dematrixed" by external circuitry. This encoder will not ghost, block or drop
keystrokes. Since it is not a matrix, the problem with matrix key "duplication" does not
exist. This encoder was designed originally to be used on very expensive, very high end gambling
machines used in Las Vegas, Atlantic City, Monte Carlo and other famous places where gaming
machines are played. Therefore, since the board would be used in gambling and would be responsible
for handling REAL money, special precautions were written into the code to protect the single
identity operations and to be absolutely sure no keystrokes would drop.
Will this encoder overrun the PC's keyboard buffer and cause lost control of the buttons?
Since this encoder only sends the keystroke once (non-typematic) it is very difficult if not
impossible to overrun the PC's keyboard buffer (overrunning the keyboard buffer is a common
problem with MAME, the results is lost keystrokes, missed "moves" or the loss of
joystick control). Once the PC receives a key MAKE code and acts upon it, the keyboard chip will
remove the keystroke from the buffer. How the keyboard buffer overruns in the first place is
through the overuse of the typematic function, where too many keystrokes are sent too fast. Since
this board has ALL of the PC keyboard command interpreters on board, the encoder can interpret the
STOP command, where the PC tells the encoder to WAIT until a free buffer spot is open. The encoder
can hold up to 400 keystrokes in its buffer, so with the combination of the large keyboard buffer
and command interpreter, this keyboard encoder will not overrun the PC's keyboard buffer and thus
drop keystrokes.
I cannot "guarantee" the usefulness of this board for your particular application, but
when I used one of these boards to build myself a MAME play-all cabinet nearly 2 years ago, I
haven't had a single problem whatsoever with it, and I am playing complex control panel games like
Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter II, Time Killers, Gauntlet and a variety of others, and have plenty
of inputs left over for future expansion. When playing games like Track N' Field, the encoder does
not miss a single lick of the RUN button no matter how fast it is tapped.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|