Golden Tee Track Balls for auction

[tuckerpup]

Didn't know if anyone was interested, but the following Golden Tee Trackballs are available for auction on eBay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=13716&item=3236540203

He has 3 of them (and a couple of kits).  These are not mine but I bought one from this guy (he is in my home town so I just walked in and bought one for $25; not off eBay).  I was happy with the purchase and with info I found on the web I was able to hack using an old PS2 mouse.  It works perfectly.  I keep an eye on his stuff since I don't have to pay shipping.

I have seen a few people ask about trackball hacks.  I realize I am still a "newbie" but if you get one of these Imperial trackballs I would be happy to help you with the hack (doesn't have to be from this guy).

Hope this helps someone.

[Zeitgeist]

Hacking tips are always appreciated!
I just won an auction for three 2.5" trackballs for $9.99 & was planning to attempt a mouse hack using the original TB optics.

[Chris]

Hacking tips are always appreciated!
I just won an auction for three 2.5" trackballs for $9.99 & was planning to attempt a mouse hack using the original TB optics.

Mouse hacks are really easy.  There are lots of guides available to help you through the process.  The hardest part is finding a non-optical, non-Logitech, non-expensive USB mouse, preferably one that also has a PS/2 adapter.  Small computer stores that sell OEM hardware are your best bet.

The hack basically comes down to:

- Get a mouse.  See my notes above.
- Get a 6-position female Molex connector from Radio Shack.  They're in the "Power Connectors" drawer in the components section in the back.
- Get some hookup wires, each about 8 inches long: one red, one black, one green, one purple, one yellow, and one.... what's the last color?  Orange, I think... the point is to match the six wires in the trackball.
- Get up to six more hookup wires, two for each mouse button you want.
- Open the mouse and take out the board.
- Where the cable connects to the mouse board, there will be 4 connections.  One of these is +5V, another is ground. Look at one of the mouse hack guides for more info on how to figure out which ones are +5 and ground.  Solder your black wire to the ground and your red wire to +5V.
- Find the two optical receivers.  These will be next to where the encoding wheels went; on one side of the wheel will be a 2-pin LED, and on the other side will be a 3-pin receiver.  Desolder and remove the 3-pin receivers.
- Attach the two wires for each axis to the corresponding outer pins on each receiver, ignoring the center pin.  Look at hoe the mouse would have rolled to figure out which receiver gets the X axis wires and which gets the Y-axis wires.
- Crimp on the molex pins and dry-fit them onto the corresponding pins on the trackball, taking care that none of them touch each other.  Plug it in and test.
- One or both of your axes probably spin backwards at this point.  For those axes that spin backwards, desolder and swap the wire connections.
- Try it again.  It should all work now.
- If you want mouse buttons, desolder the two or three mouse buttons and solder the pairs of wires for the buttons in their place.  Crimp .187 quick disconnects on the ends of these wires.
- Find a place on the mouse board that you can wrap a ZIP tie around, and ZIP tie all the wires to the board for strain relief.

If you like, stick the board back in the mouse shell as a case, with the wires coming out either the hole for the mouse ball or through one of the buttons after you remove the button plastic.

Or, buy Oscar's $9.99 prehacked mouse!

--Chris




If you have trouble hacking a mouse based on one of the guides out there, post and we should be able to walk you past iit

[ThePaul]

How hard are these Goldent Tee TBs to mount into a home made CP? I haven't been able to find any information regarding this exact TB and mounting.

Any help would be apreciated.

[Zeitgeist]

Thanks for the tips Chris!
Sounds easy enough.
I was looking into using the Kensington ValuMouse.
It looks like it fits the bill for being a USB, non logitech, non optical & non-expensive type.
Z

[Spaced Invader]

Thanks Pup! I need one of those...well...maybe not need.  

[u_rebelscum]

How hard are these Goldent Tee TBs to mount into a home made CP? I haven't been able to find any information regarding this exact TB and mounting.

Any help would be apreciated.

Easy, it's just like all other TBs (with two minor points).  Any info on the happs hip lip (aka golden tee TB) is valid except the betson needs a bigger cutout (~6" vs happs ~5.6") (the first minor point).

If it's a 3" TB, you can use happs normal 3" mounting plates (old style, or no bolt), available from happs or theRealBodRoberts.  If it's a 2 1/4" (which I doubt), use happs 2 1/4" mounting plate.  Mounting plates is the easiest for mounting on wood.  How to use the mounting plates have been repeated on the main forum many times.  The 3" betson models need a 6" cutout (actually, 5 7/8" cutout, if perfect, is all that's needed).  BTW, you don't need to use a mounting plate, but it makes it so much easier.

The second minor point: all TBs with the name "Golden Tee" seem to have 3/16" high lips (aka rims) around the ball.  This is 1/8" higher than the 1/16" older, normal, TBs.  You might need a 1/8" plastic shim/spacer; one comes with the TB if you buy new, but if it's not included in the auction, you can buy one from betson or happs for pretty cheap or make one yourself, or use a 1/8" lexan/plexi CP cover.  The happs golden tee TB (aka high lip) also has this 1/8" spacer.

Some threads on mouting TBs that are valid with this model:
Need help installing trackball
High Lip Trackball Mount Question
Some trackball questions.
Imperial trackball question
Just got my new TRACKBALL - Have Questions
Is the "Golden Tee" trackball any different?
Happs normal vs highlip vs highball TB first takes
cutting lexan for control panel top/trackball mount


And finally, a simple pic of cutouts for 3" TBs, w/ some measurments; gray = happs, blue = betson, red (and part blue) = wico.