The I-PAC series (Interface for Pc to Arcade Controls) are boards which allow connection of arcade controls such as buttons and joysticks to a USB port on a PC motherboard. They are designed around the MAME emulator which supports over 1000 arcade games and can be used with other emulators.
It is designed to be used inside an Arcade Games cabinet with the PC motherboard also mounted inside, but could just as easily be used with simply a control panel without a cabinet.
Special shift function buttons mean that a normal keyboard is only be needed for game loading and configuration, not for gameplay. All key codes can be programmed but you dont have to as you can use the built-in default configuration which has all standard MAME codes for quick and easy installation. Programmed keys codes are stored even after power off.

•  Fully programmable key code set. Stored even after power off unlike some other interfaces which lose all data when powered off.
• Controls can be assigned to any keycode, gamepad button, plus mouse buttons, power, volume up/down, sleep or wake.
•  Wiring harness supplied for 32 input connections. Additional harness options for the other 16 inputs. Connections marked on the board.
• Trackball and spinner interface. When enabled these use a total of  6 of the available 48 inputs.
• Example configurations include: 2 player with trackball/spinner. 4 player without trackball/spinner.
• Self-Test LED gives an instant check of all your wiring. Can indicate which, if any, input has a problem.
•  All button inputs referenced to ground - no need to re-wire separate grounds to each button.
•  Supplied USB cable plugs into PC USB port.
• Using host software, an unlimited number of keycode configurations can be stored and downloaded on-the-fly. Retained on power off.
•  No separate power needed for controls.
•  Does not use a matrix - no ghost keys.
•  Does not use a scanning method which causes a variable delay. Each input has it's own dedicated connection into the on-board CPU .
•  Fast running interrupt-driven software gives much better response than a standard keyboard controller. Key debounce uses a state method for each key. No delays between keys depressed at the same time. (essential for fighting games).
•  2 operation modes. Either uses standard MAME keys or you can program your own character set.
•  Shift functions. Holding "Start1" and pressing other buttons sends a range of codes for MAME functions such as "escape", "Coin 1", "tab", "enter". This means no extra buttons are needed on the cabinet. In programmable mode any input can be the shift key and all keys can be programmed with a shifted code.
•  Special note for Windows MAME users! Shift key functions mean you can select and start games from the Windows interface without using the keyboard or mouse.
•  No special drivers needed. USB drivers are generic Windows. 
• Fully compatible with all Apple Mac (excl config utility).
• Supports the Apple Mac "command" key and the Windows "GUI" keys.
• Special board version available with Accelerometer on board. When enabled this sends "arrow" keys, responding to physical movement.

OUTPUTS
   

• 96 LED channels with 256 brightness levels for full RGB color mixing
• Can be used with single-color or RGB LEDs (RGB use 3 channels)
• Constant current negates the need for resistors for each LED
• Can be used with LEDs with inbuilt resistors if required
• 128-command flash storage for “attract-mode” or test sequences which run immediately on power-up with no PC present
• Supplied configuration utility allows customisation and storage of attract-mode LED sequence.
  
• Supports single-command fades with preset speed on-board. Multiple fades can overlap
• Comes with power cable for plugging into a PC disk drive power connector.
• Extensive software support including test application, Software Development kit for adding support to your own programs, and LedBlinky third-party software
• Compact modular connectivity. Our Ultralux RGB and ClassicRGB pushbuttons simply plug in. Other harnesses and connectors available. 
• 6 X 1 amp MOSFET drivers which are suitable for LED strips and other high-power LED applications.

Configuration Software

LED test and scripting utility	WinIPAC for reconfiguring controls

LED CONTROL APPLICATION SOFTWARE

In addition to our own test and script utility shown above, Ultimarc LED and output controllers have great software support, including PC and Linux software and our own SDK which enables easy addition of output control to your own programs.
Also a Linux library is available. See our Programming Page

    For Windows

    For Linux

There are more details and screenshots of third party software on our PacDrive page

LEDBlinky overview

This is a third-party application available in free or paid versions. It is actually a suite of programs enabling configurations to be stored, animations to be created, and has special MAME features.
Note that LEDBlinky supports direct control of the board via USB only. It does not support creation of scripts for storing on the board.
Version 5.0 required.

• With RGB LEDs, you can specify colors for individual controls or using a pre-defined colors.ini file. Colors or intensities can also be customized on a game-by-game basis.
• Use audio output (music or game sounds) to blink, fade, or animate LEDs – great for use with Jukebox software.
• Blink and speak front-end UI controls by pressing a pre-defined “Help” button.
• Blink and speak controls when pausing a game and/or play a LED animation (selected, random, random montage) or use audio output (music) to animate the LEDs. This is a MAME only feature.
• Flash start buttons when credits are available - this is a MAME only game dependent feature.
• Light start and coin buttons based on active player count for the current game.
• Flash all or active buttons when any is pressed.
• Full support for other MAME Outputs - light LEDs based on any output. Outputs can be linked to controls (P1_Button1, P2_Button2, etc.) or directly linked to a Device/Port.
• Extensive audio animation options let you completely customize how the LEDs blink to music or game sounds.
• When starting a game, LEDBlinky can play a LED animation (selected or random), speak the game name, speak each button “action” while blinking the button in its correct color, speak the primary controls, and speak a custom message. When speaking the game name or custom message, LEDs can blink in sync with the speech.
• While playing a game, LEDBlinky can play a continuous LED animation (selected, random, or random montage) or use audio output (game sounds) to animate the LEDs. The LED animation will only effect unused controls.
• See the LEDBlinky website for all details:  http://www.dndw.com/ledblinky/ledblinky.htm

Installation Information

The diagram below shows some examples of connected devices. For clarity only a few items shown.



Click here for switch wiring information

LED support works in an identical way to our PacLED64 except there are 96 LEDs instead of 64.
LEDs can be controlled using our SDK or the third-party LEDBlinky utility.
The board is supplied with a power cable which supplied 5 volts to the LED power black connector from a spare HDD connector.
Alternative power source can be used such as a wall-plug power supply. Voltage should be 5V for all LEDs supplied by Ultimarc. Current 0.02 amps per LED channel.
Ensure CENTER pin on the connector is 5V, BARREL is ground. Connector is 5.5mm diameter, 2.1mm pin.
The board is shipped with a pre-configured LED script which fades up all LEDs, then down, then enables each LED in turn, to one color, then cycles. You can change this script if you wish. The LED script runs from power-on even before the PC is running and stops running as soon as any control is activated.

Click here for LED wiring and power information

What to Order

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