GroovyGameGear TrackBall Help

[Yourname942]

Does anyone know how to wire up the trackball to an optipac? I bought the trackball that has quick connects to an opti-wiz but I don't know which wires connect to the optipac. If you know or have a diagram please let me know. Thank you.

[PL1]

This page has a list of the connections.

red=5v (2x)
black=ground (2x)
yellow/green and blue/purple = data line pairs

If an axis is working backward, switch the data lines for that axis.


Scott

[Yourname942]

the wire colors i have are blue black red purple yellow and green and a ground wire.

Do I follow the happ grid on that link at the top? (the ultimarc grid doesnt have purple)

[PL1]

The 2nd (Happ) is the one you want.

The ground wire should be attached to frame ground to dissipate static electricity.


Scott

[RandyT]

Trackballs (and other optical controls) are pretty simple beasts in general.  There will be 4 wires per axis on almost all of them, with the red and black being 5V and ground respectively. 

The remaining two wires will be the data pair.  On interface inputs, they may be labeled X1/X2, A1/A2, etc..., but they all do the same thing.  Connecting those remaining two wires to these inputs should result in cursor movement.  If they operate in reverse, simply swapping the position of those two wires will correct it.

On the trackball, the Purple/Blue are the Y axis, and the Yellow/Green the X-Axis.

The external shell ground wire is an optional connection, but connecting it to an earth ground (metal PC case, etc) will help to discharge the shell and ball to mitigate the build up of static energy, which would cause it to attract dust and dirt, which would then collect on the rollers and eventually affect performance.

RandyT