Keyboard Encoders

Keyboard Encoders offer the functionality of a keyboard hack in an easy-to-use form. They offer several benefits including reduction of ghosting, ease in connecting controls and time savings.

I-PAC2

I-PAC Encoder (PS/2 version)

Ultimarc's IPac2 was the first full-featured affordable keyboard encoder to hit the BYOAC community and quickly became the hook-up of choice. Up until it's release most people were still hacking keyboards, since most keyboard encoders came with a high price tag or were difficult to find.

It's still a very popular choice and comes in PS/2 and USB flavours.

Both versions have 28 inputs. They are all programmable and are designated as 2 joysticks, 8 buttons each, plus coin1, coin2, start1, start2. One of the inputs is assigned as a shift key to access an alternate code set (usefull if you want to keep administrative buttons to a minimum on your control panel). Both models also have connectors for NumLock, CapsLock and ScrollLock keyboard LEDs.The PS/2 model includes a very usefull keyboard passthrough.

I-PAC4

The I-PAC4 has 56 inputs. All programmable and designated 4 joysticks, 8 buttons each plus coin 1,2,3,4 and start 1,2,3,4. Two of the inputs are assigned as shift keys to access two separate codes sets covering the player 1,2 and the player 3,4 inputs.

KE-USB36

The Hagstrom KE-USB36 is a USB keyboard encoder and trackball interface.

Relevant Links:
Hagstrom's KE-USB36 Page