Best way to run launchbox as main OS without having to continuously fumble with controller support?

[Talmore]

Right now I have a dedicated emulation box that I run windows on in the background and start bigbox on startup.  My goal would be to never need a keyboard or mouse to run the system and that seems to never be doable with my current setup.  Controllers that have been unsynced for too long need re-paired.  Wired controllers that get plugged into different usb slots go unrecognized in most emulators etc.  Looking for tips or the best ways people have found to run emulation stations without the need for a dedicated keyboard and mouse.  

Edited July 18, 2022 by Talmore

[C-Beats]

In my cab I have a xinput encoder but I STILL run x360ce to help with a lot of weird controller issues. Also helps customize controls in titles I may not have been able to. I even use it to trick Big Box into thinking my controls are laid out differently than they are in other games so that I can navigate the menus seamlessly whether using the arcade control configuration or the side pinball buttons. Not sure it will solve ALL your problems, but it's helped make any issues I had far more manageable.

[k_rollo]

16 hours ago, Talmore said:

Right now I have a dedicated emulation box that I run windows on in the background and start bigbox on startup.  My goal would be to never need a keyboard or mouse to run the system and that seems to never be doable with my current setup.  Controllers that have been unsynced for too long need re-paired.  Wired controllers that get plugged into different usb slots go unrecognized in most emulators etc.  Looking for tips or the best ways people have found to run emulation stations without the need for a dedicated keyboard and mouse.  

Controllers are often problematic if you're using RetroArch under the hood. My controllers are configured inside the standalone emulators themselves so LB is never confused. Not having the RetroArch layer was a lot more smooth sailing for me.