Buzzur Doc Entertainment

Buzzur is a program that lets your laptop control USB buzzer systems, most notably the Buzz controllers for PlayStation 2. These controllers can often be found on eBay and other sites for less than $30, meaning you can use this system to have a fully functional buzzer set for much cheaper than a conventional quizbowl buzzer. It also experimentally supports even cheaper arcade control systems, read on for more info. Buzzur is a successor to PACEBuzz. It is written in Rust to be faster (and thus more fair) and now supports both Windows and Mac. Unlike most regular buzzers, it also supports a buzzer queuing mode ideal for shootouts where the moderator can move to the next person in the queue.

Buzzur waiting for a buzz. The banner turns into a big color-coded “PLAYER 3” the instant someone rings in.

Jump to: Download · What it does · What you need · Using it · FAQ

Download

Windows

macOS

What it does

• Lockout buzzing. The first buzz wins and lights that player's lamp; all other players are locked out until you reset with the spacebar.
• Spoken player numbers. Optionally, Buzzur reads the buzzing player's number aloud ("five player") so you don't even have to look. Toggle it on or off. This mode is ideal for using cheap arcade buzz controllers.
• Three modes. Lockout (classic first-to-buzz), Queue (buzzes line up in order; reset advances to the next player, and waiting lamps pulse to show their place in line), and Check (press each button to hear its assigned number, handy for setup).
• Multiple controllers at once. Plug in several Buzz! sets for more players; they're numbered automatically and detected the moment they're connected.
• Stays out of the way. A small, always-on-top window with a big color-coded "PLAYER 3" banner, a reset button, and a mode switch.

What you need

Buzzur works with off-the-shelf USB controllers. You don't have to build anything. The easiest path is a set of PlayStation 2 Buzz! controllers, which show up used for very little.

The easy way: PlayStation Buzz! controllers

A Buzz! buzzer. The big red button rings in; the four colored buttons are used in queue mode and buzzer check.

The Buzz! quiz games for the PlayStation 2 came with sets of four big-red-button buzzers on a single USB plug, each with a light Buzzur can control. They're perfect for this and turn up cheaply secondhand.

• What to look for: a "Buzz!" controller set with the USB receiver/plug. Both the wired sets and the wireless sets (with their USB dongle) work. One set = four players; plug in more sets for more players.
• Where to get them: search eBay for "PlayStation Buzz controllers", or check local secondhand listings and retro-game shops. Expect roughly $15–30 a set.

The DIY (cheaper?) way: arcade buttons + USB encoder

You can buy a USB arcade encoder and a few arcade buttons for as little as $25 (see this Amazon link). We're working on validating the cheapest solution that will support the lockout lighting you expect of a quizbowl system. But these are functional by calling out the buzzer number on the buzz, similar to some real quizbowl buzzer systems such as The Knot. Note that most of these systems usually come with very short wires. Once we have a system we're fully happy with, we'll update this page with a recommended set of plug-and-play things to buy.

How a DIY arcade buzzer is wired: each button goes to a USB encoder that the PC sees as an ordinary game controller.

What you need for a basic build:

• LED arcade buttons: the big 30 mm illuminated pushbuttons (a few dollars each). Each has a microswitch (the buzz) and a separate LED lamp.
• A USB arcade encoder: an inexpensive "zero-delay" board. You wire each button's switch to one of its inputs; plug it into the PC and it shows up as a game controller, no drivers needed.
• Wire and an enclosure: quick-disconnect spade leads (usually included with encoder kits) and a project box or 3D-printed shell to mount each button in a handset. Not strictly necessary but something you'll want to do to make this practical.

Two things to know about the lights:

• On the cheap zero-delay encoders, the button LED lights only while the button is physically held down. It can't be driven by software, so the "winner stays lit" light doesn't work. Use Check mode and the spoken player numbers to tell who's who instead.
• For software-controlled lights with arcade buttons you need a board that exposes its LEDs to the PC, such as an Ultimarc I-PAC Ultimate I/O or an Ultimarc PacDrive (added alongside an encoder just for the lights).

A controllable-lights version driven by a Raspberry Pi (buttons and LEDs wired straight to its pins) is in the works.

Using it

Plug in a controller and run buzzur.exe. The window shows READY until someone buzzes. Moderator controls:

• Space (or Enter): reset / advance to the next player.
• M: cycle modes (Lockout → Queue → Check).
• A: turn the spoken player number on or off.
• Q (or Esc): quit.

The same controls are available as on-screen buttons and checkboxes, so a mouse works too. New controllers are picked up automatically a second or two after you plug them in, with no need to restart.

FAQ

Does it work on Mac or Linux?

There are Windows and macOS downloads above. The Mac build is a universal app that runs on both Intel and Apple Silicon. Linux isn't packaged here but builds from source. The spoken-number feature uses each system's built-in voice.

Why does Windows warn me about the download?

Buzzur is signed, but not yet with a certificate from a commercial authority, so SmartScreen still flags it as from an unrecognized publisher. That's expected for small free tools. Choose More info → Run anyway. If you'd rather be cautious, scan it first.

How many players can it handle?

Four per Buzz! set, and you can connect several sets at once. Arcade encoders add as many players as you have buttons wired.

I have a question or found a bug.

Email me at bentley.michael.j@gmail.com. Updates will be posted here at www.doc-ent.com.