USB arcade encoder: your joystick and buttons seen as a controller

Building a bartop, a control panel or an arcade cabinet calls for a part nobody notices: the board that connects the joystick and buttons to the machine. This zero-delay USB encoder does just that, and does it well. Plugged in over USB, it is recognised as a generic controller, with no driver to install, on PC as well as on Raspberry Pi.

What it does

• Driver-free recognition: the board identifies itself as a standard USB HID device. Windows, Linux and Raspberry Pi see it as a controller as soon as it is plugged in.
• Solder-free wiring: each direction and each button connects by hand to a wire fitted with a connector. Two connector sizes to choose from depending on your buttons, 2.8 mm or 4.8 mm.
• One or two players: the 2-player versions cover a full panel, with each player having their own wiring.

What it doesn't do

• It includes no joystick, no buttons and no panel: it is the control board and its wiring, nothing else.
• It does not work on home consoles that check whether the controller is genuine. It is a generic USB device, designed for computers and single-board computers.
• It does not plug into an original retro console: the output is USB, not a vintage controller port format.
• The “board only” variant comes without a wiring harness: only choose it if you already have your own.
• The two connector sizes are not interchangeable: a 2.8 mm wire won't stay on a 4.8 mm tab.

Compatibility

Designed for Windows PCs, Linux and Raspberry Pi: arcade emulators such as MAME or FinalBurn Neo, and the RetroPie, Batocera and Recalbox distributions. On the panel side, it works with standard arcade joysticks and buttons fitted with flat tabs (Faston connectors). Before ordering, check the size of your tabs: both sizes are in circulation depending on the manufacturer, so measure them or compare them with an existing connector. Current home consoles and original retro consoles are not covered.

Skill level required

No soldering, no cutting. Wiring is done one wire at a time: each cable in the harness pushes onto the tab of the matching button or microswitch, then the board plugs in over USB. Allow around thirty minutes for a one-player panel, with most of the time spent identifying each button and checking the mapping in the emulator. A pair of fine pliers helps with slightly tight connectors, but nothing is essential.

In the box

• 1 zero-delay USB encoder board, or 2 boards on the 2-player versions
• 1 USB cable to connect to the computer
• 1 wiring harness with connectors, in the chosen size (2.8 mm or 4.8 mm)
• “Board only” variant: the board alone, with no cable or harness

Listing checked on 19/08/2026. Delivery in 10 to 18 days · ships within 3 to 5 days · 2-year legal guarantee of conformity · 14-day returns.

Read before ordering: Retro peripherals