j35u5 Posted October 16, 2003 Share Posted October 16, 2003 I want to build an emulation based console gaming system, and I have found good gamepad and lightgun controllers that interface via USB... but I can't find a USB paddle. Does such a thing exist? If not, any suggestions on getting a paddle-like controller hooked up to a PC? I don't want to use an analog stick or a mouse... as it is horrid to try to play paddle based games with either device. Any solutions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjk7382 Posted October 16, 2003 Share Posted October 16, 2003 In the AA FAQ section. there is a link that some Eduardo has turned a cheap pc mouse into a paddle. Maybe you could use this to modify a USB mouse? http://www.galeon.com/mousetopad/mousetopad.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveW Posted October 16, 2003 Share Posted October 16, 2003 You could try something like this. It's not like a paddle controller, it's more like a driving controller. http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/powermate/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PacManPlus Posted October 16, 2003 Share Posted October 16, 2003 I actually have that (above post) - it is the *best* - I know it works with MAME (although it takes some setting up). I have not tried it with PCAEWIN, but I don't see why it wouldn't work for that either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hepcat Posted October 16, 2003 Share Posted October 16, 2003 Hmm, when you say it takes some setting up, could your average Mame 32 user figure it out in a few minutes, or would it be a days long nightmare? I've been dying to play games like Arkanoid on Mame, but hesitate to buy any of the spinners out there because I doubt my ability to get them working properly. --Jason Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PacManPlus Posted October 16, 2003 Share Posted October 16, 2003 Sorry for the vague response earlier - it takes a few minutes; you have to assign a function to an application. I assigned the equivalent of the X axis of the mouse to the MAME32.EXE application. I say the 'equivalent' because they didn't word it that way in the drop down box for the function selections ... I'm sorry, I forget the term they used (and I'm at work right now), but it wasn't 'Mouse X Axis'. I'll look later... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Voch Posted October 16, 2003 Share Posted October 16, 2003 I've been wondering about the PowerMate myself for use on my arcade cabinet for both MAME and Atari emulation (although, admittedly, now that I'm collecting actual Atari hardware and software the actual use would be primarily for arcade games on the cabinet). I always assumed it "clicked" when turned (like a volume knob on some higher-end stereo systems, for example). Is it actually smooth like a spinner/paddle controller? Is it easily mountable or heavy enough to not move during, say, rough Tempest play? EDIT: I've read a few reviews and some folks complain about the extra turning resistance of the PowerMate when compared to arcade spinners. I'll have to try one for myself before making a purchase, I guess. Voch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PongHit Posted October 16, 2003 Share Posted October 16, 2003 I've been wondering about the PowerMate ... I always assumed it "clicked" when turned (like a volume knob on some higher-end stereo systems, for example). Is it actually smooth like a spinner/paddle controller? Is it easily mountable or heavy enough to not move during, say, rough Tempest play? I have a PowerMate. It's smooth -- no clicking. It can work reasonably well for SOME games, but the main problem with the PowerMate (for gaming) is: it doesn't do mouse emulation! It can only execute keyboard commands. I got a USB spinner from a guy on eBay that works MUCH, MUCH better... -PongHit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Voch Posted October 16, 2003 Share Posted October 16, 2003 I'm actually now looking at some of the items at Oscar Controls. My cabinet already has an internal Opti-PAC board for the trackball and I forgot that it has spinner hookups too. Voch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hepcat Posted October 16, 2003 Share Posted October 16, 2003 Ponghit, The USB spinner you got on Ebay, are using that on your PC or in a Mame cabinet? --Jason Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PongHit Posted October 16, 2003 Share Posted October 16, 2003 Ponghit,The USB spinner you got on Ebay, are using that on your PC or in a Mame cabinet? --Jason I'm using it on a Macintosh (along with my X-Arcade). It's self-contained, but could be mounted in a cabinet too. -PongHit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j35u5 Posted October 18, 2003 Author Share Posted October 18, 2003 The PowerMate shows the most promise so far. Does it have any limit to the number of times you can turn it around? That would be bad if it did. Also, is its only button used by pressing the entire dial? Can you guys post some more info about the USB spinners? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PongHit Posted October 18, 2003 Share Posted October 18, 2003 The PowerMate shows the most promise so far. Does it have any limit to the number of times you can turn it around? That would be bad if it did. Also, is its only button used by pressing the entire dial? Can you guys post some more info about the USB spinners? Thanks. There's no limit to the # of times you can rotate the PowerMate. But I don't reccomend the PowerMate because, like I said, it doesn't do mouse emulation. You'll really miss the analog control. The USB spinner I got was only around $35. -- for a real arcade spinner! Worth the $ for sure!! -PongHit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raindog Posted January 2, 2004 Share Posted January 2, 2004 Sorry to bump an old thread, but I picked up a Powermate at CompUSA the other night for 40 bucks and under Linux, it can be made to do mouse emulation. MadBomber (Bill Kendrick's updated version of Kaboom) rocks now but I haven't actually gotten it to work with MAME or Stella yet.... some SDL thing I suppose.... One thing I will say is that the control is quite coarse compared to the Atari paddle controller. I'd say you have to turn it about 2-3 degrees for it to generate an interrupt, but for most games like Madbomber and Tempest this would be pretty acceptable. I would be very interested in hearing more about the USB spinner you got on ebay. Is it the one from these guys? http://64.169.54.34/ Does it just plug in and act as a mouse or do they have funky drivers for it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PongHit Posted January 2, 2004 Share Posted January 2, 2004 ... I haven't actually gotten it to work with MAME or Stella yet.... the control is quite coarse compared to the Atari paddle controller. ... I would be very interested in hearing more about the USB spinner you got on ebay. Is it the one from these guys? http://64.169.54.34/ Does it just plug in and act as a mouse or do they have funky drivers for it? Paddle/dial games are very, VERY important to me... (Check my screename.) And I've spent a lot of time & money investigating this subject... At first, I thought the PowerMate was *almost* acceptable for Tempest -- but it is worthless for games that REQUIRE a mouse... For games like Super Breakout, Arkanoid, Kaboom!, etc., I found the PowerMate to be an exercise in frustration. I contacted the people at Griffin & they said the don't recommend it for gaming because it's incapable of using (analog) mouse drivers... the PowerMate is all digital! (You'd be better off using a mouse or trackball than a PowerMate, because they are analog.) Then, I got a real arcade spinner! By comparison, the PowerMate is useless (for gaming). And, yes, that's the type of USB spinner I got from eBay (I recognize the email address)... I love that spinner -- no, no drivers!! Totally plug & play! After you compare the PowerMate to a real spinner, you'll realize how lame the PM is. (Plus -- the PowerMate costs more!) -PongHit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raindog Posted January 2, 2004 Share Posted January 2, 2004 I agree, but it does have that nifty blue pulsating LED. I'll probably give it to my partner just to play Madbomber with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raindog Posted January 5, 2004 Share Posted January 5, 2004 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...79&category=170 Well, took the plunge.... same guy has another one up for auction (with a bid, so too late for buy-it-now...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PongHit Posted January 5, 2004 Share Posted January 5, 2004 Cool... Yeah, this is the same spinner I have -- built by the same guy. I suggest the extra $5. for the metal knob -- worth the money 4 sure! (I also got the steering wheel just 4 the heck of it -- haven't used it yet -- but I will someday...) -PongHit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raindog Posted January 5, 2004 Share Posted January 5, 2004 The metal knob actually looked less conducive to gaming from the pictures. Did you get one? If so, does it have any kind of texture on the outside or is it smooth metal like the powermate? What I'd really like is one of the anodized metal tempest controller replicas from oscar controls, but don't know if I'd be able to fit it onto this thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PongHit Posted January 5, 2004 Share Posted January 5, 2004 The metal knob actually looked less conducive to gaming from the pictures. Did you get one? If so, does it have any kind of texture on the outside or is it smooth metal like the powermate?What I'd really like is one of the anodized metal tempest controller replicas from oscar controls, but don't know if I'd be able to fit it onto this thing. Yeah, I got the metal knob & I love it. For me, it's size & shape is much better... It's not smooth -- it has ridges around the edge. The oscar controls are probably good (there's a Tron replica available too), & I'd assume it would fit, but I can't be certain. -PongHit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmileyDude Posted January 5, 2004 Share Posted January 5, 2004 I have a few PowerMates here at work, and I find them very flakey -- at least with the hardware we have here (standard Dell Dimension boxes, running XP Pro). For example, on my machine, the PowerMate will remain in sleep mode (the light on the bottom just pulses on-off), and I can't get it to work at all. On another machine, it will sleep sometimes, and other times it will work. As far as mouse emulation goes, it can emulate a mouse. Of course, it's only on the X or the Y axis. Also, you can push the knob itself. By default, this is tied to mute/unmute, but you can change it to emulate one of the mouse buttons. On another note, I was thinking of modifying a driving controller with the guts of a mouse to make it work over USB. Has anyone done this? I would really like to have the old Atari retro feel, but on my PC or Mac instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k8track Posted January 29, 2007 Share Posted January 29, 2007 ... I haven't actually gotten it to work with MAME or Stella yet.... the control is quite coarse compared to the Atari paddle controller. ... I would be very interested in hearing more about the USB spinner you got on ebay. Is it the one from these guys? http://64.169.54.34/ Does it just plug in and act as a mouse or do they have funky drivers for it? Paddle/dial games are very, VERY important to me... (Check my screename.) And I've spent a lot of time & money investigating this subject... At first, I thought the PowerMate was *almost* acceptable for Tempest -- but it is worthless for games that REQUIRE a mouse... For games like Super Breakout, Arkanoid, Kaboom!, etc., I found the PowerMate to be an exercise in frustration. I contacted the people at Griffin & they said the don't recommend it for gaming because it's incapable of using (analog) mouse drivers... the PowerMate is all digital! (You'd be better off using a mouse or trackball than a PowerMate, because they are analog.) Then, I got a real arcade spinner! By comparison, the PowerMate is useless (for gaming). And, yes, that's the type of USB spinner I got from eBay (I recognize the email address)... I love that spinner -- no, no drivers!! Totally plug & play! After you compare the PowerMate to a real spinner, you'll realize how lame the PM is. (Plus -- the PowerMate costs more!) -PongHit Sorry to resurrect such an old topic, but I've been wanting a decent USB paddle that actually works for the longest time. A few years ago I (foolishly) bought the Griffin Powermate and it is useless for paddle games on MAME. All digital, not analog. PongHit, are you still around? Can you (or anyone) tell me where I can get that good analog USB paddle controller? I would be extremely grateful. (A secondary question--can it be used for emulators on a modded Xbox?) Thanks, Kevin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris-in-NJ Posted January 30, 2007 Share Posted January 30, 2007 You and me both, k8track. I'd really like to play Arkanoid in MAME but find it impossible using a joystick, even if it's analog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Urchlay Posted January 30, 2007 Share Posted January 30, 2007 You and me both, k8track. I'd really like to play Arkanoid in MAME but find it impossible using a joystick, even if it's analog. You could get a Stelladaptor and plug a set of Atari paddles into that... it works great for Arkanoid in MAME, and is a lot easier than hacking up a mouse to build a spinner control. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k8track Posted January 30, 2007 Share Posted January 30, 2007 The very one that Raindog and PongHit described sounds absolutely ideal for me. I have a Mac with an X-Arcade (which I haven't been totally happy with either, but that's another thread for another time), and I would love an analog, plug-n-ready-to-go paddle that just sits on top. The link that Raindog provided is broken, and I've searched on eBay with no luck. I would gladly pay $35 for such a controller, in a heartbeat. I got the Powermate about three years ago, and was disappointed with it the very minute I tried it. You absolutely cannot play anything with it. It is useless to me. I can't remember what I paid for it, somewhere in the neighborhood of $40-45 I think. I really haven't even used it since that time, and sort of put playing arcade paddle games on the back burner. Recently, my desire has been renewed; hence, my resurrection of this post. PongHit or Raindog, if you're still around, please share the wealth and let me know where and how to get one of these--I (along with many others, I'm sure) would be most appreciative. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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