Current concensus for multiple controllers via uSB

[eezetee]

Had a bit of an issue tonight when trying to test a previously known working n64 game. I move the PC (shutdown, start up) and I expected the N64 controllers to work. alas they did not.

Apparently because I had my aimtrak controller plugged in possibly. When I went into Project64 emulator, the controllers weren't visable. Closed the app, and restarted it manually and they were there.

Is the current consensus to leave everything plugged in all the time or is there a utllity (i've read many threads but all were quite dated) on how to manually set the ID's so that regardless of where (usb direct, USB hub) they always come up with the same arbitrator ID/Device ID and therefore I can avoid any issues?

Thanks

[damageinc86]

I leave everything plugged in permanently once I have everything set up in all the emulators. I have restarted the computer hundreds of times and have had hardly any issues so far.

[eezetee]

Likely a Windows issue with the device ID's/Manufacturer ID's/Names, etc. I have to wonder if there is an easier way.

So far I have

1 Aimtrak LightGun (plan to have 2)

2 N64 Controllers (retrolink)

2 Playstation Controllers (retrolink)

although they are USB powered, I don't see myself using them for a week at a time, depending upon how I have the system setup. Do you figure it's better to just leave them on then to try and look for a tool that can fix these issues?

[eezetee]

BTW, when you wrote "hardly any issues" - Can you advise what those issues were? remapping in MAME, etc?

[warpsycho]

I find to have the same issue. I have NES retro usb controller, Snes original controller with USB adapter, original n64 controller with adapter, 2 aimtrac guns, plus a PS3 controller. I will have everything setup working just fine normally unplug each on after using it. When I turn off my arcade and people come over and I want to show off it doesn't work. Then I have to open the emulator and reconfigure my controller.

I was thinking just after my Halloween party last night...is it possible to buy like 3 USB hubs to have like 12 jacks and keep everything plugged in or would that cause window issues?

[damageinc86]

First off, I'm seriously considering buying a mondohub (mondohub.com). And secondly,...I think a few times SSF, or another emulator might have forgotten the controller even though it was plugged in, and I had to remap it. But I really think that was the extent of my "issues". I haven't had to re-map MAME ever, once I have set the controls. I have an original NES controller converted to USB, and I haven't had to remap those controls in Nestopia ever either. Basically I haven't had to re-map anything since I have left them plugged in all the time besides that one slip of some emulator like 6 months ago.

[eezetee]

damanageinc86, Fair enough. Is it likely that the reason you don't have any problems is because you leave it plugged in so Windows is assigning the same ID"s all the time? I mean, it's a perfectly good solution. I'm just wondering if I should leave my 2 N64 and 2 Aimtrak's in all the time. Am I reducing their lifespan by running all the time?

I'm looking at this page and investigating the use of this utility.

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,108767.msg1154628.html#msg1154628

[connorsdad]

I leave everything plugged in and the ids stick as they should. With regards to dual aimtraks you need to have them plugged into separate usb headers on the main board, this way their ids will stick as long as you don't unplug them. For a game pad I use a wireless 360 pad, the usb wireless receiver stays connected inside the cab so no need to worry about ids changing there, and I can switch on/off the pad without it affecting my other controls.

[connorsdad]

damanageinc86, Fair enough. Is it likely that the reason you don't have any problems is because you leave it plugged in so Windows is assigning the same ID"s all the time? I mean, it's a perfectly good solution. I'm just wondering if I should leave my 2 N64 and 2 Aimtrak's in all the time. Am I reducing their lifespan by running all the time?

I'm looking at this page and investigating the use of this utility.

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,108767.msg1154628.html#msg1154628

That program is only useful for mame, if you have Sega model 2/3 on your cab with aimtraks these emulators will need manually reconfiguring if your ids change.

[eezetee]

connorsdad,

I think my last message got lost.

Curious if you use 2 controllers from the same wireless sensor?

Also, did you use this type of adapter?

http://www.amazon.com/Wireless-Pc-Gaming-Receiver-Xbox-xbox360/dp/B0076HD2W8/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1414923127&sr=8-10&keywords=360+controller+wireless

Thinking I may just avoid using these 4 controllers and go with a simplified version like you have which means I don't have USB wires and such dangling around.

Thanks for the suggestion. This deviceID issue just blows.

[connorsdad]

connorsdad,

I think my last message got lost.

Curious if you use 2 controllers from the same wireless sensor?

Also, did you use this type of adapter?

http://www.amazon.com/Wireless-Pc-Gaming-Receiver-Xbox-xbox360/dp/B0076HD2W8/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1414923127&sr=8-10&keywords=360+controller+wireless

Thinking I may just avoid using these 4 controllers and go with a simplified version like you have which means I don't have USB wires and such dangling around.

Thanks for the suggestion. This deviceID issue just blows.

At the minute I'm using an official Microsoft wireless gaming receiver with 1 controller. I have just purchased another controller plus I also have one of those adaptors as I want to open it up and try something, didn't want to destroy the official adaptor. I will report back here with my findings.

[eezetee]

Ohhh, this does scare me a bit. I really hoping the whole unplug/plug in issue with DeviceID's would have been solved with the wireless adapter being plugged in always. I'm concerned that have 2 of the same devices both plugged in will confuse Windows7.

Hoping you'll get some good resets.

[boohiss]

You can connect up to 4 360 wireless controllers with one 360 PC USB dongle . I've only ever connected 2 at once, but no problems with it.

[eezetee]

Boohiss,

Any idea if the DeviceID's change or because of the single wireless adapter, that it completes hides the device? I've got issues with my Aimtrak gun change ID and i have to go back into the emulator and set it. If I could avoid that i'd glady ditch thes existing Retrolink's and just go with 2 360 controllers!

[boohiss]

Not quite sure how to test that myself, but with 2 connected right now Device Manager only lists the USB receiver. Let me know how I might test it out for you if possible. Whichever controller is turned on first becomes player 1, and turned on second player 2. I leave the USB dongle connected all of the time, and xpadder has no problems assigning the first controller to a player 1 button layout and second controller to a player 2 layout.

[eezetee]

Could you shut down hyperspin and your emulator. Unplug one controller and check and see if the 2nd is still active?

Then close Hyperspin again, plug in the first controller back and see if the mappings stay.

This could be the solution to all my mapping woes and I think with the external receiver handling the USB/enumeration issues, I may be able to scrap all the other attempts I've had. Major help!!

[connorsdad]

connorsdad,

I think my last message got lost.

Curious if you use 2 controllers from the same wireless sensor?

Also, did you use this type of adapter?

http://www.amazon.com/Wireless-Pc-Gaming-Receiver-Xbox-xbox360/dp/B0076HD2W8/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1414923127&sr=8-10&keywords=360+controller+wireless

Thinking I may just avoid using these 4 controllers and go with a simplified version like you have which means I don't have USB wires and such dangling around.

Thanks for the suggestion. This deviceID issue just blows.

This adaptor worked fine when following the instructions from http://www.eurogamer.net/forum/thread/246585

[eezetee]

Will check back in a few days. Wife delivering new kid tmr. Guess i'll have some time to buy some 360 Controllers this weekend after all

[boohiss]

I "think" I get what you are asking with the ID. If I turn both controllers on, the first one turned on is detected as joy1, and second turned on as joy2. This does not matter if I turn controller A on first or controller B, first one turned on becomes joy1.

Now if I turn off joy1 (leaving joy2 on), joy2 becomes joy1. But not while still in the emulator (tested in MAME). While still inside of the emulator, if I turn joy1 off joy2 stays as joy2. If I leave the emulator and go back in with joy1 off, joy2 will become joy1 even if I turn the other controller on after starting MAME.

With xpadder, when you turn off one controller the other controller goes to the mapping for controller #1 (even if it was #2 when both controllers were on). Also to note, in xpadder it gives an ID for the dongle only, and says how many devices are connected to it (it said 2 when both controllers were on).

Essentially if you have one controller on at a given time, unless you are inside of the emulator already it will be joy1 no matter what. Second controller will become joy2, etc. The only exception is if you are in the emulator and turn one off while running said emulator, in which case they stay as joy 1 or 2 respectively until you exit that emulator.

Hope that made sense hahaha

[skrathe]

Found this when I was having problems with my light guns. Haven't tried to implement it yet. http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=108767.0

[connorsdad]

Found this when I was having problems with my light guns. Haven't tried to implement it yet. http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=108767.0

That program is only useful for mame, if you have Sega model 2/3 on your cab with aimtraks these emulators will need manually reconfiguring if your ids change.

[eezetee]

Boohiss,

Yes, what you described is one of the symptoms. The problem is that Windows auto allocates device numbers to devices in Alphabetical order. Which is why depending upon what I plug in, my Aimtrak gun sometimes changes, my controllers change even though they are joy1 and joy2. Not sure why.

What's interesting is this part of your comment

"With xpadder, when you turn off one controller the other controller goes to the mapping for controller #1 (even if it was #2 when both controllers were on). Also to note, in xpadder it gives an ID for the dongle only, and says how many devices are connected to it (it said 2 when both controllers were on)."

If inded the ID is for the tongle only, I don't see why the DeviceID for the joysticks change or why xpadder would swap joy1 for joy2. Do you have 2 different profiles, one for each controller? I'm assuming so if Player1 uses buttons ZXCV and player2 uses ASDF sort of thing.

Does your system ever break whereby you have to remap or if you keep both controllers connected to that single dongle, your all good?

[boohiss]

I honestly don't play much with 2 players on my setup to test it fully and see if things break. I do have 2 xpadder profiles set up, both linked to the "360 wireless receiver" as a controller. With both controllers on xpadder opens up a tab on top for each, and I can select a profile for it to load for player 1 and player 2 (whatever controller is turned on first is p1, second p2).

I only tested it out in MAME, which overrides the xpadder profile due to direct input enabled in my MAME compiled build. Basically it detects the gamepads as joy1 and joy2, rather than my xpadder profile. If I compiled it without that though then it would just read my xpadder profiles. The profiles I use are mainly for HyperSpin navigation or emulators that don't detect my gamepads and need keys set for input instead. I've never had problems with the controllers staying connected to the dongle, or with remapping. Hope you figure things out!

[eezetee]

Will have some time to test it out this weekend.

Many thanks Boohiss. Might just give it a shot this weekend. Debating whether I want to try and use 2 DualShock controllers or just buy the 360 controllers and go as you did with either direct or xpadder.

Thank you as well connorsdad.

[connorsdad]

After testing two wireless 360 controllers on my cab 1 of my aimtraks ids had changed. I updated the configurations of my various emulators and now all is good again

The 2 controllers, either on together or on individually only occupy 1 usb slot, once you have all your controls setup correctly the ids should not change.