Simple spinner with optical mouse + a round plate (HDD)

[nordemoniac]

Hi!

I'm thinking of trying out a new spinner project. This is supposed to be a low-cost/no-cost project.
Everyone can find a optical mouse laying around which they are not using. How about "inverting" the use of the mouse. Have the mouse stationary, and move the mousepad instead? F.ex. using a harddrive plate (works well as a fly-wheel) from a harddrive, and mount the mouse so that the optical sensor is hitting the outermost part of the harddrive plate? In theory the mouse would move a bit up or down when doing this (because it's a disc rotating), is that a problem? Is it possible to restrict the mouse to only go perfectly right or left? Anyways, 90% or more of the movement will be sideways.

This is just an idea I'm throwing out there. I need some opinions.
A "mouse" which will be perfect for this project is the finger mouse from dealextreme

[drventure]

Since a spinner would really only be driving 1 direction, even if you get a slight drift in the other direction, it won't matter because Mame won't be using that direction anyway.

Cool idea. I'd like to see how it turns out.

[RetroBorg]

Check this out:



http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=50654

And this one:



http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=113528.msg1206395#msg1206395

Another one here:



http://www.theidolsofthetribe.com/jim/pages/spinners.html

Plus this one:



http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=113528.msg1206904#msg1206904

Hope they give you some good ideas.

[Nephasth]

And this one:



http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=113528.msg1206395#msg1206395

  Didn't expect to see my crude mock up used as an example this morning.

[nordemoniac]

Thank you! Nice inspiration for my hack!

Seems like I must get better in searching the forums.

Still new around MAME, but me and a friend is planning to build a cabinet (on budget). That's why I'm thinking about a solution for a spinner. What's arkanoid without it?  
Btw: Supported the site by buying the book

Will post here when I get further in the project.

[Green Giant]

And this one:



http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=113528.msg1206395#msg1206395

  Didn't expect to see my crude mock up used as an example this morning.

I thought by definition a crude mock up must utilize cardboard.

That is more like an early revision.

[Nephasth]

I thought by definition a crude mock up must utilize cardboard.

That is more like an early revision.

Meh. I just threw together something from the extra crap I had laying around the garage. I was all out of cardboard at the time.