Solved X-Arcade Tankstick hardware configuration

[PeezieWeezie]

Hey guys, long-time viewer, first-time poster. I swear I've searched the web high and low for my question and can't find the answer.

I have a I have an X-Arcade Tankstick and have a serial to USB converter going to my Pi3 w/ Recalbox Version 4.0 beta 5. The stick lights up, but the system doesn't recognize anything. I'm not sure if it's a hardware problem or a software problem. I've read some places that you must have a PS/2 plugged into your system and some others that they are using an adapter.

Is anyone able to tell me what the correct hardware configuration into the Pi is? Thank you!

[Nachtgarm]

Hi @PeezieWeezie

If you really have "searched the web high and low" you would have found this in a second: https://github.com/recalbox/recalbox-os/wiki/XArcade-configuration-(EN)

Especially, since it's in our own Wiki...

...and btw: https://forum.recalbox.com/topic/3647/before-posting <-- READ ME FIRST

[Substring]

Hey @PeezieWeezie
Why are you talking about a "serial to usb" ? The tankstick comes with 2 output cables that can be mapped to usb : one for the trackball, one for the stick and buttons. Read the wiki Nachtgarm pointed you out. It may happen that even by following the wiki it doesn't work. Then just say, i'll tell.you how to solve that

[PeezieWeezie]

@Nachtgarm Thanks for the response. I have read both of those links. Everything from a software perspective is complete, and the red light is active on the stick, but the stick isn't recognized by the Recalbox. So I'm not sure if it's something with my hardware configuration- that's my question.

[PeezieWeezie]

@subs Thanks for the help. On one end of the tankstick I have a USB output and a green mouse serial output, and the other end of the stick I have a DB9 and purple keyboard serial output. I've tried every combination of plugging these in. I've attached a USB to serial on the keyboard output going into the Recalbox. What am I doing wrong? How do you have your Tankstick hardware going into the Recalbox?

[Substring]

Tje tankstick is shipped with a db9 to usb cable
The purple ps2 is for programming keys
The lonely usb is the trackball

[PeezieWeezie]

@subs Awesome, thank you! That's what it was. My Tankstick wasn't shipped with a serial to USB adapter. I was buying them from my local store. I just got a hold of the X-Arcade converter and it works perfectly. Your answer helped me uncover a solution. Thank you!

[samash76082]

@Substring I have the tankstick. I've confirmed that the config file has the xarcade set to 1, so it should be enabled. The red light is on. I've got the trackball connected with the usb, and I have the serial output on the other end connected with a serial to USB that was shipped with the unit. I've rebooted, and it still does not recognize the tank stick. I try to configure controllers using a separate controller, and it only finds my separate controller - not the tank stick. What am I doing wrong?

[Substring]

@samash76082 the tankstick takes ages to initialize, so it leads to a timeout of the driver because it is started too early. You need to connect with putty to your recolbox and type : echo "/usr/bin/xarcade2jstick &" > /recalbox/share/system/custom.sh && chmod u+x /recalbox/share/system/custom.sh
Reboot, and it should be fine

[samash76082]

@Substring forgive me for being a noob. What does "Connect with putty to your rcalbox" mean? Do I just type that string into SSH, or am I editing a config file?

[Substring]

@samash76082 https://github.com/recalbox/recalbox-os/wiki/Root-access-on-terminal-(EN)

[samash76082]

@Substring I connected via ssh through mac terminal and copied/pasted the command you provided. I then rebooted. The tankstick still does not work. Am I supposed to program the tankstick first with a ps/2 keyboard? I've got it set to Mode 1, which is factory programmed.

[Substring]

@samash76082 you should use the default settings, yes
I think 1st gen tanksticks are supported. If not, i'f need you to do a few things for me

[samash76082]

@Substring said in X-Arcade Tankstick hardware configuration:

are supported. If not, i'f need you to do a few things for me

The interesting thing is that the trackball and buttons on the left/right side of the tankstick work, and can be programmed in MAME as mouse buttons. but the joystick and their corresponding buttons are what do not work. I'm on default settings.

[Substring]

@samash76082 do you know what keyboard keys they trigger if pressed ?
I'd need you to launch the /recalbox/scripts/recalbox-suport.sh script and upload on zippyshare for ex. the archive