Zero Delay Encoder, USB Hub, Random /dev/input/js*

elarson

That's what I was thinking too. I compared it to my blue joystick, which works fine, and they're identical (other than input_device name). I wired each of the controller sets up to the encoders the same way, skipping spots if they didn't have a particular button. But blue and red have the same buttons.

If I take out input_exit_emulator_btn, then it doesn't exit the emulator when I press red's start. But it also doesn't exit when I press both Select + Start. If I take it out of red's, but leave it in the others, it was exiting the emulator when I pressed Start on another controller (only tried one, not all of them)
input_exit_emulator_btn = "7"

input_device = "Joystick Red"
input_driver = "udev"
input_l_btn = "5"
input_load_state_btn = "5"
input_start_btn = "7"
input_exit_emulator_btn = "7"
input_down_axis = "+1"
input_r_btn = "4"
input_save_state_btn = "4"
input_right_axis = "+0"
input_state_slot_increase_axis = "+0"
input_select_btn = "6"
input_left_axis = "-0"
input_state_slot_decrease_axis = "-0"
input_up_axis = "-1"
input_a_btn = "0"
input_b_btn = "1"
input_reset_btn = "1"
input_enable_hotkey_btn = "6"
input_x_btn = "2"
input_menu_toggle_btn = "2"
input_y_btn = "3"

input_device = "Joystick Blue"
input_driver = "udev"
input_l_btn = "5"
input_load_state_btn = "5"
input_start_btn = "7"
input_exit_emulator_btn = "7"
input_down_axis = "+1"
input_r_btn = "4"
input_save_state_btn = "4"
input_right_axis = "+0"
input_state_slot_increase_axis = "+0"
input_select_btn = "6"
input_left_axis = "-0"
input_state_slot_decrease_axis = "-0"
input_up_axis = "-1"
input_a_btn = "0"
input_b_btn = "1"
input_reset_btn = "1"
input_enable_hotkey_btn = "6"
input_x_btn = "2"
input_menu_toggle_btn = "2"
input_y_btn = "3"

elarson

@mitu

I may be able to live with it. I over did it with the buttons and can wire a dedicated exit button. I can wire the exit button to player one and modify the config files to not have an exit button.

If you have any other suggestions, I'd be open. But otherwise, thank you for all your help with this!

mitu

The mapping is ok, so Start+Select should exit - I don't know why it wouldn't work. P1 is the only one able to exit or toggle the menu - that's how RetroArch works - but there might be some confusion on the RA's part because of duplicate inputs from the original controller and the virtual (xboxdrv) one.

mitu

One idea - to hide the original controllers - is to change the permissions on the /dev/input/eventX files corresponding to the original controllers - removing the input group read/write permissions on those devices.
That would work only if you start xboxdrv as root.

dsstrainer

@elarson
Go with Xarcade's encoder. https://shop.xgaming.com/collections/arcade-parts/products/x-arcade-build-your-own-arcade-control-panel-kit
It's a keyboard encoder and has a proper harness. $35 (for the 2018 model) and supports a full keyboard of keys which would give enough for 4 players as you can simply map up to 101 keys to movements. It's the same one used in their Tanksticks.

But don't use the xarcade userdriver found here as that just converts it into a joystick instead of keyboard, but retroarch doesn't allow as many features with joypads as it does with keyboards so its pointless and de-features it. Plus you can default keyboard as the primary device and it won't get confused as "just another gamepad" and get out of order. I did one of my units with that encoder and it's the best encoder I've used.

My second unit was with 2 ZD's and they work great normally.. its just when plugging in 2 additional gamepads... rpi gets confused suddenly one which is supposed to be index 0 and 1.

elarson

@dsstrainer

How can you hook up 101 inputs? There are only 54 (by my count) male connections, and 11 of those I assume are daisy-chained grounds.

elarson

@mitu

But the /dev/input/event* are random so I can't script it to disable those. I could probably do it for testing. Or if I was better a Linux...

mitu

Here'a one-liner that will provide the event device from an joystick input device (here for /dev/input/js0):

readlink  -f /dev/input/by-path/`udevadm info /dev/input/js0 | grep ID_PATH= | awk -F= ' { print $2 }'`-event-joystick

You can also check with cat /proc/bus/input/devices to see which event device is associated with a /dev/input/jsX device.

Jerrymrivera

@mitu
Any Chance you can break this down.
i am new to this and setup 1 set of controls with no problem but when i plug in second it neither one works.
noticed that its showing as same.

mitu

@jerrymrivera Please don't bump old forum posts.
Create a new topic and explain your problem, adding the relevant info about your setup, as explained in https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/3/read-this-first.