The Quad panel came in and I'm going to put a few pictures along with a brief explanation of each. First things first this thing is HUGE!
THE PANEL
Here is the panel in it's entirety. SlikStik offers you to customize your panel if you request it in the checkout section. The only thing that I changed was the yellow side which was orange at first. It's hard to find orange so you can be unique if you choose but I wanted the colors that were offered at the arcade...especially Gauntlet. When I first saw it I couldn't believe the size of this thing. The width span of the 4 player panel is just enormous. The layout is great 4 adults can play comfortably side by side.
THE UNDERSIDE
Here is the heart and soul of the panel. Wow it's a mess...well in a good way. The wire bundling is great and everything has a "clean" look to it. I think if I would have messed with this, the wiring would have been in shambles and I would be ripping my hair out remembering what went where.
IPAC
The IPAC is the brain of the control panel think of it as a keyboard encoder that mimics your original keyboard. Buttons are assigned and when inputted goes through your IPAC. This board can be setup to different modes USB or PS/2. Default the unit ships PS/2 but I suggest putting it in USB right away just in case you still have a PS/2 mouse/keyboard. Most motherboards still have only 2. The IPAC come with a keyboard pass through so you can use a keyboard with the panel. I do suggest that you not use the keyboard ext. that passes through your IPAC. In theory you can use the keyboard ext. and while it does work when you hit Windows it does not do DOS type commands from the start of your computer (BIOS). Just plug your keyboard into the PS/2 connector on the back of your machine like you normally would.
Plug and play is all you need to do with the panel. My first attempts were for nil and the reason was a faulty IPAC which slipped through the cracks. Replacing the IPAC was simple but oh so time consuming. I had to hold the old one up to the new and swap out 56 inputs and replace them. Took about 2 hours to do it. I also needed to "remap" the button layout in the WINPAC program (ships with the unit) to the correct input commands on the panel. Once it is setup it is balls on accurate.
THE BUTTONS/JOYSTICK
Simple 8 way joysticks are used as the main controllers. Very arcade accurate and brings memories back to the good old days. Some people may be turned off by the consant clicking made be all the mircoswitches. Turn the volume up on your cabinet if they bother you. I really do not notice it at all when I'm playing. People say they have trouble with the 8 way and get the 360 upgrade especially for fighting games...I can jam a fireball up Blanka's ass just perfectly with an 8 way.
Using a 8 way with older games is difficult because the diagonals confuse the game and crazy results happen. Nobody wants to play a game that inputs the controller movements incorrectly. That is why there is a 4 way joystick included for these games. It's basically the same thing just the movement is limited to...well...4 ways.
The buttons are simple competition buttons that can take a huge amount of pounding. Simple mircoswitch style...really not much more to say.
TRACKBALL
The trackball is used mostly for Crystal Castles and Marble Madness for me but it is also the main control unit of the panel. For a mouse it works extremely well and there really is no need for another mouse. Well, you really should have one because cutting/pasting with the panel is very difficult. It is lit up by a 5-volt blue LED that connects to the IPAC. You may have to change some settings in games because the sensitivity setting is lacking from the get go. The trackball itself spins good but I wish it spun a little longer. My guess is that is need to break in after time. Maybe the spinner spoiled me....
THE SPINNER
WOW! What a wonderful crafted piece of arcade bliss. I'm serious in saying that on a good spin the thing goes for at least 2 minutes if not more. How does that benefit you...well it doesn't it's just a nice addition that allows you to give it a good spin, cook dinner, and come back and it's still moving. The spinner works great and games that require it are a blast to play. Is this the best spinner? OH YEAH! Same thing here with the trackball you may need to change a few settings in games to make it more responsive.
IN CLOSING
The ship time for the unit was very quick (about a week). SlikStik stocks parts on hand and most panels are already pre drilled so the only thing needed is wiring. You can opt for a bunch of upgrades that offer even more control. You can get a 360 joystick upgrade that replaces the microswitch ones. Stainless steel joystick knobs. Rotary joystick add on...etc. It would have killed the color theme for me so I didn't get any upgrades with my panel. The only one that I miss is the rotary joystick for Time Solders and Ikari Warriors. Maybe one day I'll pick up 2 player one. Great Product A++++
