00:00If you're building a custom fight stick or restoring an old cabinet,
00:03nothing ruins the fun faster than nasty input lag.
00:06You need a responsive, reliable brain for your controls,
00:10but you definitely don't have to spend a fortune to get one.
00:13I've done the digging and found the best deals on the top 5 arcade USB encoders for
00:17joystick modding so you can build the ultimate setup without breaking the bank.
00:22Kicking things off at just over $10, we have the 2-player wireless zero-delay encoder.
00:28What really sets this board apart is the wireless freedom,
00:31allowing you to run two full-player layouts to your PC, PS3,
00:34or Pandora box without cables stretching across the living room floor.
00:39Holding a clean 5-star rating with thousands sold,
00:42it's easily the top pick if you're building a two-player coffee table or a clean,
00:46clutter-free bar top arcade.
00:48Next up is Pure Budget Perfection,
00:50this two-player zero-delay wired encoder kit sitting at an unbelievable $4.88.
00:56It's specifically tailored for classic setups,
00:59coming ready to wire up 4-way or 8-way zippy joysticks and standard 4.8-millimeter micro-switch
01:04buttons. For less than $5, getting complete wiring and zero latency control for two players makes
01:10this the ultimate low-cost workhorse for any weekend retro cabinet project.
01:15If you're building a modern leverless hitbox controller,
01:17this Raspberry Pi Pico Zero board at $4.84 is an absolute steal.
01:23It runs open-source firmware that delivers lightning-fast, sub-millisecond response times,
01:28works across PC, PS4, and Switch, and even supports tiny OLED screens for status readouts.
01:34It gives you genuine tournament-grade performance for less than the price of a cup of coffee,
01:39which is why modders love it.
01:41Coming in at $9.71, this single-player encoder is designed specifically for anyone using authentic
01:48Sanwa hardware. It comes pre-packaged with the exact 5-pin harness you need to plug directly into
01:53a Sanwa JLF stick, saving you from tedious wire splicing and keeping your stick's interior super tidy.
02:00With a near-perfect 4.9 rating, it's the most hassle-free, plug-and-play solution out there
02:05for building a premium PC or Raspberry Pi fight stick. Rounding out the list at $6.47 is this
02:12versatile zero-delay board with legacy console support. Along with PC, it hooks directly into
02:18both PS2 and PS3 hardware, making it fantastic if you love playing on original retro consoles just
02:24as much as emulators. It comes with all the spade connector cables you need for your buttons,
02:29holds a rock-solid 4.9 rating, and gives older arcade hardware a fresh, responsive second life.
02:35You can find direct links to all of these encoders down in the description below so you can check
02:40them out for your next mod. If this breakdown helped you figure out the right board for your
02:45build, please give the video a thumbs up, drop a comment about what you're building,
02:48and hit subscribe for more arcade modding guides. Catch you guys in the next one.
