Replacement Encoder Wheels for 2.25" trackballs

[Zapf]

I bought a usb/ps2 2.25 inch trackball a while back on ebay, for a mame cabinet project.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-1-4-WHITE-TRACKBALL-W-USB-PS-2-INTERFACE-/120427304073?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c0a06d489

However, I am having backspin problems on games like golden tee. I read that getting a new encoder wheel could improve this - am I mistaken? is it more complicated that that (do I have to replace the optical sensor as well?) Is it possible to do on this trackball (it looks identical to the suzo-happ one).

[chopperthedog]

Can you elaborate on your backspin problem?


good day.

[Zapf]

Can you elaborate on your backspin problem?


good day.

I believe it is the kind where, when testing on the desktop, a hard enough push will make the mouse pointer stop moving midway across the screen for some time. I'm not near the cabinet until tomorrow unfortunately, so I can't confirm that.

[lilshawn]

sounds more like an encoder board issue.

a wheel is a wheel. it's not going to change. unless it's broken don't waste your time and money.

[Burn4Evr]

Check if your wheel is bent or warped, I've had issues on golden tees that were affected by this.... replacing the wheels with new ones improved things (wasn"t perfect but really helped)

[lilshawn]

i would be more inclined to check the actual emitter and receivers on the boards to make sure they were aligned properly. even though they are in a plastic housing, they can still be bent slightly out of alignment and not be ideal.

check the sensors overal and make sure they are flat to the board too. if they are tilted they won't pick up directions properly because the pulses won't be spaced properly.

[Zapf]

I was mistaken about the original symptom. The mouse goes to the top of the screen without issue.

Maybe its a mame issue (groovymame .147u3 i think)? I think we were playing the earliest golden tee, and it just felt like spinning the ball as hard as we can didn't lead to the fastest golf swing - perhaps I'm just ignorant in Golden Tee mechanics.

[JMB]

It is a pretty common problem with USB based trackballs. Here is one of several threads about it.

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,97586.0.html

It sounds like a 3rd party encoder with a non-USB trackball has better results. I have the same issues with my Happ USB trackball with a much older version of mame.

[chopperthedog]

Heh, kinda glad I was too cheap to by a real encoder back in the day. I did the ps2 mouse to Happ 3" hack 7 years ago. GT has always been solid on my machine. But I know what you're talking about now. I experienced that on someone's mega mame crap cab at a party once and it was really annoying and gave up at hole 7 and picked a different game.


good day.

[Zapf]

It is a pretty common problem with USB based trackballs. Here is one of several threads about it.

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,97586.0.html

It sounds like a 3rd party encoder with a non-USB trackball has better results. I have the same issues with my Happ USB trackball with a much older version of mame.

This has a ps/2 connection as well - would that work better?

edit: I guess I could also mess with poll rate as well

[JMB]

This has a ps/2 connection as well - would that work better?
[/quote]

Certainly can't hurt to try it. I think the encoder board may be the source of the issue though.

[Zapf]

This has a ps/2 connection as well - would that work better?

Certainly can't hurt to try it. I think the encoder board may be the source of the issue though.

Is this something I can modify on the current trackball (like buy an opti-wiz and replace internally)

[boudin4evr]

does anyone know of a Hi Resolution performance encoder wheel like at groovy game gear for a 2.25" suzo happ 2.25" ball?
so you won't have to spin it so much to get from 1 side of the screen to another?
thanks