An encoder board is the translator between arcade hardware and your computer: buttons and joysticks are just switches, and the encoder turns their signals into USB input your games understand. Pick the right one and wiring a control panel is an afternoon with a screwdriver — no soldering, no drivers, no lag.
The two boards that cover every build
| Board | Best for | What it handles |
|---|---|---|
| GRS Zero Delay Encoder V2 | Single-stick panels, first builds | One joystick + buttons → USB HID; the proven, simple choice |
| GRS Universal Encoder Hub | Full panels | Sticks, buttons, spinners and trackballs together over one USB cable; screw terminals; add the 5V3A power adapter for fully loaded panels |
Wiring without soldering
Match the harness to your buttons' terminals: .187" harness for most GRS and Japanese-style parts, .110" harness for American-style buttons. Building around a GRS flight stick? The TS-TFS-01 harness kit connects it to the Hub directly. Everything's in the cable & harness collection.
Special case: Arcade1Up 12-in-1 cabinets
Arcade1Up hard-wired the 12-in-1's spinner and trackball together. The GRS 12-in-1 Interface Board converts both to USB so you can upgrade either — full details in the Arcade1Up compatibility guide.
Setup
- Plug in over USB — the board enumerates as a standard game controller (or mouse axes for spinner/trackball inputs)
- Map controls once in MAME/RetroArch and save; no drivers on PC or Raspberry Pi
- Zero-delay means what it says: switch-to-USB latency is far below a single frame
FAQ
Do spinners and trackballs need the encoder?
GRS spinners and trackballs are USB-native on their own. The Hub is for consolidating them with sticks and buttons into one cable — tidier builds, fewer ports.
Zero Delay V2 or Encoder Hub?
One stick + buttons: Zero Delay. Anything with analog controls or multi-device panels: the Hub.
Start with the encoder board collection, then plan the full panel with the MAME cabinet parts guide.
