Has anyone converted a PC optical trackball to work with an arcade trackball?

[pcdoctor]

I wish they made optical arcade trackballs.
Has anyone ever converted a Microsoft or Logitech optical trackball to work with a 2.25" or 3" arcade trackball?
If so, please post pics!

[SirPoonga]

People have tried with different results.

Why?  Why would you want such a thing over IR optics?

[pcdoctor]

I just assumed that I wouldn't have to deal with ball bearings and such.

[crashwg]

I completely understand the idea that it would be better in some way.  I mean, my optical mouse works a million times better than any ball mouse I've ever used and I'm 100% sattisfied with the $50 I spent on it...   It was back when they first came out.

But, and there's always a but, you have to realize that the mouse optics won't be operating in the same way they were designed if you hook em up to a trackball.  First off, they are designed to read only flat surfaces, and second, they are supposed to be on a non-shiny surface preferably with some sort of pattern, just a few things that a trackball is definitly not.

Anyways, if you realy want to experiment with this I'd suggest going the route of optical trackball for the pc and take the guts out of that.  Just look for a trackball in your friendly neighborhood bestcircuit that has a red ball with black spots.  You may have some luck with that, but i'm certainly not guaranteeing anything.

[crashwg]

I just assumed that I wouldn't have to deal with ball bearings and such.

The ball will still have to sit on something...

[pcdoctor]

I also was comparing this with a pc non-optical mouse vs an optical mouse/trackball.
I have a Logitech optical mouse and was just wondering if anyone converted this over to a real arcade trackball?



I saw this guys cabinet and was just wondering if he was using a Logitech optical trackball.
http://www.mamefever.com/astral/astral.htm

[pcdoctor]

Thanks as usual guys!

[crashwg]

Judging by the bolts on the cp arround the tb it looks as though that is a real arcade trackball, probably a 2

[paigeoliver]

He has that marked as "Logitech Trackball". I have the model pictured and it does not seem to be very cab friendly. They do have some fancier models with larger balls that would be easier to adapt to use directly in a panel.

But, if you are wanting to use an off the shelf PC trackball, then I suggest either the CompuUsa crystal trackball or the Crayola kidsball (if you can find it).

The crystal one is fairly easy to deal with. I once did an install with one of those that had INVISIBLE buttons. Pressure sensitive areas on the control panel to the sides of the ball could activate mouse clicks (although that took me a long time, and involved foam, glue, and a plain black rubber overlay).

[SirPoonga]

I just assumed that I wouldn't have to deal with ball bearings and such.

There's still ball bearings to deal with, the trackball has to roll!


Some people have gotten optical mouse to work by mounting them near the tball, however, one direction will be opposite (which you can fix in mame, but not windows).  Also at fast speeds the mouse may not sense the tball very accurately.


I saw your other post, as suggested you need new bearings.

[Edgedamage]

Most of those t-balls have tiny dots which the optics pickup. I have tested a optical mouse on a normal trackball with a real dirty ball and it works ok but using a new ball the surface is too shiny. I guess in this case having shiny balls is no good.