29

Hmm…that videogamecentral.com stick is a MAS. It looks just like one. And if the shipping is $68 then you’re better off with a custom stick because it’ll come out to the same price. The only exception is that with a custom stick you get a lot of choice in what you want. The only real bonus for a MAS is the fact that they’re compatable with a lot of consoles because they have the proper cable for the respective console port.

Shop around the custom builders and find which one is the cheapest. Dreadedfist might be a good choice. Since you like Happ, the Happ custom will be much cheaper than what I paid for because my stick was all Sanwa parts and it was a small seimitsu style box.

Check his site and just do the math.

30

Not sure if you got that right…the stick is about $100 and the SHIPPING ALONE IS $68…:confused:

No way:wasted:

Anyway, see my last post in the stickmakers thread. Any suggestions there?
http://forums.shoryuken.com/showthread.php?t=122692

31

so yeah the SF:AC stick > x-arcade.

32

just going to share some experiences regarding the x-arcade. i own 2 solo x-arcade joysticks and i know a guy who owns their 2 player stick. (the old one, not the tankstick)

i bought my first one about 4 years ago (give or take, i can’t remember), and purchased a second one about 2 years ago. they are both the older style ones which have only a serial cable output, and use various different cord adapters to connect to PC, ps2, xbox and dreamcast. (i don’t think they do gamecube) I believe they recently switched to a format that actually has 2 cords that come out of the x-arcade, a usb and a console of choice, or possibly usb and ps/2. (which would be horribly redundant)

i use the sticks for primarily ps2, and also sometimes PC. my ps2 adapters (that’s playstation 2, not ps/2 pc port) have no input lag. i use them all the time to play all sorts of fighters, for example alpha 3. i also play alpha 3 in the arcade at my university, and there is no discernable difference. the stupid thing is the way the adapters are built, you have to buy 2 playstation 2 adapters, one for each stick. despite the fact that each adapter has a player 1 and player 2 thing to connect to the ps2, you can’t hook both sticks up through one adapter. if you have some sort of splitter mechanism, it might work, but i really really doubt it, x-arcade is like that.

the ps/2 adapters (that’s the keyboard port on PC for those who don’t know) also have no input lag. the x-arcade says it requires a keyboard to be connected to it to function, and i’ve experienced some weird results when the keyboard comes unconnected from it; sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t, sometimes your mouse and keyboard lock up and it’s a pain in the ass. another problem that can arise from this is the fact that alot of people don’t own a ps/2 keyboard, they have a USB keyboard. if this is the case, you’re going to have to buy a ps/2 keyboard if you want it to function correctly, or possibly one of those USB->ps/2 adapters, if those things are even for sale anywhere. also, you cannot hook 2 x-arcades up to one computer without i) their serial->USB adapter or ii)this really overpriced thing called a y-mouse adapter, which is what they recommend. i have no experience with the y-mouse adapter, but i can say that their serial->USB adapter is an abhorrent piece of shit. it has disgusting input delay, and diagonals register about 1/10 times. (a problem i have never noticed without this adapter) of course, alot of this is probably negated with the newer x-arcades that are USB out of the box instead of ps/2. another issue with using the x-arcade on PC is that you need a fairly powerful UPS for it to get full power. it will still function with a relatively low wattage UPS, but you’ll get weird effects like when typing with it connected occasionaly you’ll get dooublle leetterss, or for no discernable reason your shift key will decide it wants to be held down, and you have to mash the buttons on the x-arcade to fix it. for reference, this particular computer has a 420W power supply and experiences these phenomena.

i’ve never really had a big problem with the buttons and/or stick, although i’ve read alot about people defaming them, saying they’re not “official arcade parts” or somesuch. i have played in alot of arcades, and i’d have to say that if i’ve been using official arcade parts in these arcades, x-arcade beats the shit out of official arcade parts. of course, this is not the case, but in short, x-arcade buttons and sticks really aren’t horrible if you’re used to your average arcade, i guess. they are really loud however, way past the point of acceptibility. the buttons make this really annoying twang sound and the stick sounds like somebody playing that stupid keyboard ddr game. i don’t find this to be a huge deal, i actually like when i can hear the stick click a bit when i play, i think it helps me know when i’m doing what i want to. the problem is it’s just too loud, when i play with someone it’s a cacophony of twangs and clicks and taps, and that’s no good.

the wiring job inside is alright, fairly neat for a relatively larger scale product i guess. (relative to independent custom stick makers) i don’t know alot about pcb’s, but i know that on one of the sticks, the part where the serial cable port meets the pcb recently started being shitty and not connecting all the time, foring me to tuck the cord under the corner of the arcade to keep it connected. i think this is because that part became unsaughtered from the PCB. this is due to poor design that causes the cable to pull the serial port away from the pcb, leading it to inevitably separate from the board given enough time. for me, that is completely unacceptable; the product is supposed to be “indestructable” but in reality it’s inevitably going to malfunction. not cool.

the worst part about x-arcade bar none is their accessories, most specifically the cables that they sell. i went through about 5 of their serial cables before i got sick of that shit and found some real APC cables. their adapters, their cables, whatever, if it’s a cord with an x on it, it’s eventually going to short out, and you’re going to be pissed.

one final thing to add is my friend who has their 2 player stick says that “you’re so close to your friend when you’re playing that one of you is probably going to get pregnant.” that’s probably why they released their tankstick with the useless fucking trackball in the middle which adds about 6 inches of space between the sticks while simultaneously subtracting 70 more dollars from your wallet.

in conclusion, although i have 2 of their joysticks and it hurts to say it, don’t buy x-arcade, their buttons and sticks are average, their pcb is (probably) not very useful for modding, and their design and peripherals are horrible. (the xbox stick reputedly has the same input delay issues as the usb adapter) don’t buy it for use with your pc, ps2, or xbox, there are much better options out there.

33

If i was looking to buy the stick, i’d get the X-arcade solo(1-player). Unless they’re attaching it to custom build arcade cab, i don’t see why anyone would buy one of those GIGANTIC 2-player version sticks…:confused:

heh your description of the closeness of the 2-player X-arcade, sounds like the MVC2 cab at my college arcade. Where the player controls are so damn close together, players there are usually shoulder-to-shoulder when on it.

Anyway, for the most part it sounds like the x-arcade is a decent option and does fine for those who aren’t THAT picky.

However i think i’d rather buy a PS2 SF:Anniversary stick. I’ve done searches on it and not only do reviews seem slightly better than the X-arcade, its also a good $50+ cheaper, and it uses similar Arcade-style parts that can be switched out or repaired with Real happ parts if i ever needed to do so. Looks like the best option for those looking to go CHEAP like me:smile:

34

it’s not worth it to go cheap. you’re just gonna have to go with the best you can if you want it to last and perform well. i’d say just go with a custom happ, since it’ll probably be around the same price as an x-arcade.

35

the x-arcade lags for me and i was using their adapters.

36

and I read in the other thread you were looking for a stick $80 and you don’t care what it looks like as long as it works well.
ok here it is, you better get it. before it’s gone.
oh yeah, and this stick >SFAC>x-arcade

http://forums.shoryuken.com/showthread.php?t=122811

37

That looks NICE. I like the boxey, physical design of it. If i knew how to make a box casing like that, i might try to build a stick myself…

I’m not crazy about the red&yellow colorscheme though.

38

I don’t know why you would say this. You have various people telling you that there is input lag when using the X-Arcade with other consoles. If a stick has input lag, then it’s not “decent”, it’s terrible and useless. People who want a responsive joystick aren’t “picky”.

You made a good decision going with the SFAC stick instead. If you want a versatile joystick, GoPodular makes joysticks that work with various consoles, but they are expensive.

39

For those we actually bought one of these sticks, are there instructions or whatever on how to replace the stick/buttons?

I still don’t see any noticible lag…

40

Dammit, I should have used this site’s search function to research the X-arcade instead of just typing in “x-arcade review” into Google. And I should have done it before I spent $180 on a 2 player model and PS2 and Xbox adapters. D:

Here’s hoping the input lag isn’t as bad as it sounds. I guess if worst comes to worst, I can take advantage of x-arcade’s generous return policy.

I should have bought one from massystems, then? …and I’d have to get a set for each console I own?

Jeepers. What a hideous PITA.

41

One of X-arcade’s customer service folks called me after I put in the cancellation request.

The rep admitted that the stick was known to be laggy on the Xbox console, but swore up and down that it would be lag free on the PS2. He sounded sincere, so I ended up just cancelling the order for the Xbox adapter.

He said that I’d be able to return the stick if I’m unhappy with its performance on the PS2, I’d just have to absorb the cost of shipping.

Here’s hoping I’m not playing the chump. There are cheaper ways to humiliate one’s self.

42

i still use one for ps2 once and awhile, lag free. if it lags on your ps2, call the BBB or something.

43

Street fighter anniversary stick with happ mod, OWNS the X-Arcade any day of the week, Yeah!

Hella cheaper too.

44

jsheppar, do you work for X-Arcade company? OK, you don’t must answer, I know: YES.

My first arcade parts were X-Arcade (I still have one AS with X-Arcade parts but don’t use it). I have too: T-Stik, J-Stik (Sanwa JLW), P360, Ultrastik360, Seimitsu LS-32, Seimitsu LS-40. Buttons: IL Ultimarc, IL SlikStik, Sanwa, Seimitsu.
X-Arcade is weakest, no compare to my other arcade parts.

45

…my poor money. :sad:

Something like this happened when I bought an unscan converter. I bought the shittiest one I could possibly buy. But then, it was the cheapest one I could possibly buy, too. No surprise there, I guess

Well, I learned my lesson. I wasn’t going to skimp on my joystick, oh no! I was going to spend money on it.

So I buy the joystick that offered the worst dollars to shittiness ratio out there. I mean, I could have bought a cheaper joystick that sucked just as much as the x-arcade, but offered more shitty for the dollar.

46

I think there should be a sticky on sticks about what to buy and what shouldn’t even be named. Kinda of a n00b faq.

I’d be pleased to help. Anyone who likes this idea, pm me

47

Well, I’ve just finished putting an hour of Guilty Gear Slash in on the thing.

I used the X-arcade in port one and a PS2 control pad in port two to test it out on Slash. It seems not to suffer from any input lag at all, at least as far as the button presses were concerned; my HOSs seemed to be in perfect sync. The joystick was a bit trickier for me to test due to the problem I had with hitting the diagonals. If this thing suffers any input lag on the PS2, it’s gotta be in the joystick, and there’s not much of it at all.

Verdict: No to insignificant input lag on the PS2.

I don’t feel like pulling my Xbox out of the closet right now, but I’m sure the input lag that others here have noticed, and which the rep I spoke to on the phone acknowledged, will be waiting for me when I finally get around to testing it.

The diagonals are a bit tricky to hit. I think the makers of the stick envisioned people using it to play old school, 4 directional games, where diagonals can count as no direction being pressed at all. I might follow the advice of a reviewer I read and crack open the thing to adjust the contact leaf if I can’t get used to the diagonal sensitivity.

It’s not bad on the PS2. Not bad at all.

…however, it’s not as affordable as other joysticks out there, and it simply can’t be recommended to anyone looking for a joystick to use with their Xbox.

48

i don’t know why you would make that kind of assertation, clearly you haven’t read the entire thread.