Author Topic: Slik Stik Tornado Spinner doesn't work in DOS - UPDATE saved by Oscar Controls! (Read 4472 times)

maraxle · « **on:** October 20, 2004, 11:25:29 pm »

I'm trying to run a Slik Stik Tornado spinner under either DOS 7.0 (Windows 98 GUI-less) or FreeDOS with no luck. I am running it in PS/2 mode, since that's all DOS will support. I have tried CuteMouse 1.6, CuteMouse 1.9.1, CuteMouse 2.0, and Microsoft Mouse drivers with it. Unfortunately, regardless of which driver I use, the system either freezes completely or slows down to the point where it registers keystrokes after about a 3-5 second delay.

Has anybody else run into something similar? Any guesses as to what the problem could be?

Oh, and by the way, other PS/2 and serial mice, including a Happs trackball using the Happs encoder board work fine on this same system...

Thenasty · « **Reply #1 on:** October 21, 2004, 01:14:07 pm »

If I remember correctly, I had a problem w/ it with pure DOS.
I was goin gto use the PS2 Slick and get myself a diff Trackball (which is using PS2 also) and an Opti-pac so I can have Slick in PS2 and Trackball in serial/optipac, but problem with SLICK in pure dos so I decided to hack ihack SLICK and make into a serial and leave my trackball alone. I am using Cutemouse as the driver.

Buddabing · « **Reply #2 on:** October 21, 2004, 03:26:26 pm »

Quote from: maraxle on October 20, 2004, 11:25:29 pm

I'm trying to run a Slik Stik Tornado spinner under either DOS 7.0 (Windows 98 GUI-less) or FreeDOS with no luck. I am running it in PS/2 mode, since that's all DOS will support. I have tried CuteMouse 1.6, CuteMouse 1.9.1, CuteMouse 2.0, and Microsoft Mouse drivers with it. Unfortunately, regardless of which driver I use, the system either freezes completely or slows down to the point where it registers keystrokes after about a 3-5 second delay.

Has anybody else run into something similar? Any guesses as to what the problem could be?

Oh, and by the way, other PS/2 and serial mice, including a Happs trackball using the Happs encoder board work fine on this same system...

What did SlikStik say?

maraxle · « **Reply #3 on:** October 21, 2004, 07:37:17 pm »

Quote from: Buddabing on October 21, 2004, 03:26:26 pm

What did SlikStik say?

Nothing, yet. I wouldn't have asked here if I already had the answer...

maraxle · « **Reply #4 on:** October 22, 2004, 07:43:29 am »

Hmmm... Still no reply from Slik Stik. Also, I tried it with another PC, and had the same problem.

maraxle · « **Reply #5 on:** October 23, 2004, 11:51:54 am »

Well, Slik Stik got back to me a couple of hours ago. They told me to try using it in Windows instead. The spinner does seem to work on my Windows machine, but my cabinets don't, and won't, use Windows.

Has anybody gotten one of these things to work in DOS? It says on their website that you can, so I wasn't expecting problems like this...

Thenasty · « **Reply #6 on:** October 23, 2004, 05:02:32 pm »

before I purchased one, I ask him if it works in pure DOS w/Cutemouse and replied YES, so I bought one and find out that it did not work for pure DOS so instead of bitching, I just hack it (story above) and made it into serial.
When I loaded the driver and run EDIT, the mouse don't want to move at all.

Buddabing · « **Reply #7 on:** October 23, 2004, 05:52:08 pm »

Quote from: maraxle on October 23, 2004, 11:51:54 am

Well, Slik Stik got back to me a couple of hours ago. They told me to try using it in Windows instead. The spinner does seem to work on my Windows machine, but my cabinets don't, and won't, use Windows.

Has anybody gotten one of these things to work in DOS? It says on their website that you can, so I wasn't expecting problems like this...

I'm in the same boat you are. When I eventually go back to DOS, I don't want this to happen to me.

Here is a pretty thorough document describing a mouse hack.

maraxle · « **Reply #8 on:** October 25, 2004, 06:21:22 pm »

Building my own kind of defeats the purpose of buying this thing. I don't like that they advertised that this thing is DOS-compatible, when it clearly isn't. Now they have stopped responding to emails as well. So not impressed, and out $90...

wpcmame · « **Reply #9 on:** October 26, 2004, 06:50:02 am »

Have you tried USB with the bios "usb legacy support"?

maraxle · « **Reply #10 on:** October 26, 2004, 04:30:02 pm »

Quote from: wpcmame on October 26, 2004, 06:50:02 am

Have you tried USB with the bios "usb legacy support"?

I sure have! Still didn't work. Plus I tried a PS/2 to serial adapter with no luck either.

whammoed · « **Reply #11 on:** October 26, 2004, 04:43:45 pm »

Well, if you don't want to use a hack or optipac or something for it, I'm sure you could recoup most of your losses by selling it here and getting an Oscar Controls spinner and either hacking a mouse or using an optipac. Sorry its not the answer you are looking for.

Thenasty · « **Reply #12 on:** October 26, 2004, 06:12:53 pm »

you also cannot connect this to the Opti-pac.

maraxle · « **Reply #13 on:** November 05, 2004, 07:25:49 am »

Just an update for you. I ended up purchasing an optic board and mouse hack from Oscar Controls. I removed the awful Slik Stik optic board, and replaced it with the excellent Oscar Controls optic board, hooked up the mouse hack, and voila, a spinner that works in DOS.

If I had the space for it, I would have just purchased a Vortex spinner from Oscar Controls, which are excellent by the way, and ebayed the Tornado, but unfortunately space is at a premium on this control panel.

Anybody need an optic board for their spinner? I can sell you a Slik Stik one real cheap. It only works in Windows though...

Thenasty · « **Reply #14 on:** November 05, 2004, 08:25:05 am »

I always wondered how the oscars would work with the tornado spinner. Could you take a snap and show me and tell me whcih one to buy from oscar. TIA

Buddabing · « **Reply #15 on:** November 05, 2004, 05:08:09 pm »

Quote from: maraxle on November 05, 2004, 07:25:49 am

Just an update for you. I ended up purchasing an optic board and mouse hack from Oscar Controls. I removed the awful Slik Stik optic board, and replaced it with the excellent Oscar Controls optic board, hooked up the mouse hack, and voila, a spinner that works in DOS.

If I had the space for it, I would have just purchased a Vortex spinner from Oscar Controls, which are excellent by the way, and ebayed the Tornado, but unfortunately space is at a premium on this control panel.

Anybody need an optic board for their spinner? I can sell you a Slik Stik one real cheap. It only works in Windows though...

Good news. Do you have a link to the Oscar optic board?

What was your additional part cost to get the SS spinner working in DOS?

maraxle · « **Reply #16 on:** November 06, 2004, 02:06:50 am »

Here's a picture of the spinner with Oscar Controls optic board and mouse hack. You can get the optic board from their website for $7.50, and the mouse hack for $9.00. The mouse hack is USB, but works with those inexpensive USB to PS/2 adapters.

If I had it to do over again, I'd skip the Tornado spinner entirely and go with an Oscar Controls Vortex spinner. It would end up being less expensive, perform as well if not better.

maraxle · « **Reply #17 on:** November 06, 2004, 02:08:00 am »

Here's another (blurry) shot of the Oscar Controls optic board on the Tornado spinner. As you can see, it fits perfectly using one of the predrilled holes.

paigeoliver · « **Reply #18 on:** November 06, 2004, 05:55:48 am »

Slickstick interface still available? If so I'll take it for $10 shipped. PM me the paypal email address.

Thenasty · « **Reply #19 on:** November 06, 2004, 05:10:43 pm »

thanx maraxle but I was wondering if I could use my own MOUSE ( I need it to be serial) and connect it to thte optic board ?

OSCAR · « **Reply #20 on:** November 06, 2004, 08:25:38 pm »

First, thanks to maraxle for the post. I'm glad that you were able to get your spinner working in DOS as you had hoped.

Thenasty - Yes, I have done this many times. If you have any questions about interfacing one of my optic boards to a mouse, please email me and I'll do my best to help you out.


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