Solid non-mainstream arcade sticks

[CMPXCHG8B]

I kinda asked about this before, but this time the question has (mostly) changed...

I'm looking for a solid well-built USB HID based arcade stick. Something with good buttons and a higher-end stick like a Suzo 500 (hell, I'd go for a Suzo Induction if I could track one down). Preferably in a metal chassis with a decent controller PCB (not something hacked up to work, but something with proper plug/socket or screw terminals).

I don't care for being able to store extra parts inside the unit (and in fact, would prefer something without that ability- it's just cleaner that way). I'd even buy something custom-made if I could figure out who does good, solid work.

Thusfar I haven't really been able to find anything up to my standards. As stupid as it sounds, I hate the way the Hori units look on the inside, and there's just too much plastic on them. The one or two select units that I have found were unfortunately adorned with some seriously obnoxious game branding and I could really care less about that sort of thing.

Part of me almost wants to build my own- stick a fat AVR controller in there running some firmware written up in C linked to LufaLib (for USB communication), jam a nice 2x20 character LCD panel on there with an RGB backlight, buy some nice buttons and a Suzo Inductive, then design a solid metal case to hold the whole thing (which I think would consist of a whopping two metal panels with a few standoffs welded to the insides and a nice paint job).

But I'm not /that/ far gone yet, and I haven't modded hardware to that extent for years.

So I'm kinda wondering if anyone either sells a pre-built unit that I can buy, or does custom professional hand-made jobs where I can just specify what I want and where, then trust that they'll wire it up nicely and build it properly.

-CMPX

[Zapf]

There are a lot of people who do amazing custom work on the srk forum, you should check them out.

edit: most do work with sanwa/seimitsu sized sticks in mind, but there is at least one guy doing cases for larger sticks that I remember.

[Elixir]

Non-mainstream, maybe the Qanba or Eightarc lines?

[CMPXCHG8B]

Non-mainstream, maybe the Qanba or Eightarc lines?

Heh.

Yeah, I just found out about Eightarc.

At first, that Sapphire looked kinda interesting- but now that I think of it, the Onyx is probably more inline with what I want. No bullshit, just a solid unit all around, and everything looks easily upgradable too. Kinda wish it came with a better stick though, but I guess that's why it's replaceable.

-CMPX

[Elixir]

I'm not entirely sure if the Eightarc sticks are up to par with Qanba. Qanba's dual modded stick is $130 + shipping, Eightarc's dual modded sticks are $185 minimum + shipping.

They did have a sale a few days ago, the PS3 Ebony being at $99, I ended up passing because the international shipping is just ridiculous. Here's a link to the dual modded Qanba:

http://www.play-asia.com/Qanba_Real_Arc ... -482w.html

That Fusion Sapphire is really nice though. I was thinking of getting one and swapping the Seimitsu in my EX-SE with it. Expensive way of doing it though.

[CMPXCHG8B]

Yeah, IDK. I haven't really decided. I wish someone made a stick with either a Suzo, or something I could stick an Ultimarc 360 in. It would be killer if someone sold the metal chassis to fit N sticks and a standard 30mm button, and provided standoffs to mount a reasonably common GPIO <-> USB converter board on. Add your own parts and go.

Qanba and Eightarc seem to source from the same factory. I'm not really sure why Eightarc is charging what they are, but then again, the PS3 Onyx looks quite a bit better in piano black without that insane Viewlix-inspired paint job the Qanba Q3 has (which appears to be the original version the Onyx was based around). The internal guts are rearranged slightly and the cables don't look as tight in the Eightarc version though.

-CMPX

[kowal]

i have the same problem
very hard too find metal case for US/euro stick.
I have 2 stick and supergun on big metal case


best way DIY
find universal metal pulpit case on electornic market, cthulhu PCB and good crown/foraminifer drill (with carboloy knives)
http://www.kammar24.pl/karnasch-otworni ... -8608.html

[Cyarc]

Non-mainstream, maybe the Qanba or Eightarc lines?

Heh.

Yeah, I just found out about Eightarc.

At first, that Sapphire looked kinda interesting- but now that I think of it, the Onyx is probably more inline with what I want. No bullshit, just a solid unit all around, and everything looks easily upgradable too. Kinda wish it came with a better stick though, but I guess that's why it's replaceable.

-CMPX

I got my Onyx on Monday and I love it. Sorry I can't compare it with anything though, the only stick I had before it was a Mayflash POS.

[CMPXCHG8B]

I got my Onyx on Monday and I love it. Sorry I can't compare it with anything though, the only stick I had before it was a Mayflash POS.

Woot.

How is it, quality wise? Buttons mounted tight? Is the joystick loud?

Is the panel-mounted USB port on that thing really a type A plug? I kinda laughed when I saw that, because I've never seen an associated USB type A to type A cable (which would serve no practical use out in the real world, unless you're interfacing with a non-host device that has a type A socket on it for some obscure reason- that's what type B was supposed to be invented for).

-CMPX

[Cyarc]

I got my Onyx on Monday and I love it. Sorry I can't compare it with anything though, the only stick I had before it was a Mayflash POS.

Woot.

How is it, quality wise? Buttons mounted tight? Is the joystick loud?

Is the panel-mounted USB port on that thing really a type A plug? I kinda laughed when I saw that, because I've never seen an associated USB type A to type A cable (which would serve no practical use out in the real world, unless you're interfacing with a non-host device that has a type A socket on it for some obscure reason- that's what type B was supposed to be invented for).

-CMPX

Like I said, I really don't have anything to compare it to The buttons on mine are mounted tightly, but this guys video said the buttons popped out during shipping (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nN9oSA9p ... re=related). The joystick clicks but its soft and not loud.

The USB cord is Type A to Type A.

Also in your original post I noted you preferred a metal chassis, the Onyx doesn't have that but it does have a nice smooth glossy wood that's really comfortable and a felt bottom.

[CMPXCHG8B]

Like I said, I really don't have anything to compare it to The buttons on mine are mounted tightly, but this guys video said the buttons popped out during shipping (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nN9oSA9p ... re=related). The joystick clicks but its soft and not loud.

That's the Fusion, not the Onyx, and actually the reason why I asked- I wanted to know if the Onyx had the same quirky loose button issues as the Fusion (which frankly looks cheap, even though it's not). Judging from the two video reviews I've seen on Youtube (on the Onyx, not the Fusion)- this doesn't seem to be an issue at all, but they did complain about the buttons on the side being easy to accidentally trip.

The USB cord is Type A to Type A.

That is wacky. Then again, the connector is panel-mounted, so swapping that out for a custom panel with a proper Type B connector would be a 5 minute job.

Also in your original post I noted you preferred a metal chassis, the Onyx doesn't have that but it does have a nice smooth glossy wood that's really comfortable and a felt bottom.

I did say that, but it appears like 99% of the units out there are wooden with metal inlays/panels. The Onyx seems to be the simplest, no-frills unit that I can find irregardless of the material it's made out of (and I'm not very hot on the Etokki, since I've heard issues of the screws being stripped easily and the bottom being bowed).

I get this distinct feeling that I'll probably land up building my own in the new year anyways- because I kinda want to see what it'll take to build a hybrid PC/360/PS3 unit with a built-in character display for easily remapping the buttons on the actual unit itself. But that will require a fair amount of woodworking skills and painting, and it's far too cold outside to consider running a project like that out of my garage right now.

For christmas though, that Onyx is gonna rock.

-CMPX