Can't get WinXP to see the Trackball

[JCKnife]

Using Opti-Pac Serial interface. Got it wired to the +5v on the IPAC with the supplied cable. Wired the TB per Ultimarc instructions. Jumpers seem to be set right. Checked with my multimeter and power IS getting to the Opti-Pac and to the terminals that power the TB. I even checked and found power on the TB itself where the red and black wires connect to the sensor thingies.

Go to the Win Control Panel and "find new hardware" always comes up empty. Hardware profiles says my COM1 port is working but I have no other serial devices to test with. Here's a pic of the wiring job...Oh, I currently have the TB green wires grounded to the GND port on the Ipac, but tried it without doing that, too. Nada either way.

Any ideas?

[TOK]

I had the exact same issue with the USB version, and never got it resolved. I was in a hurry to get the machine done, so after about a week and a half of jerking around, I ditched the whole mess and went with a Happ 3".
At first mine said new hardware detected, but called it an Unknown Device. After I messed with it, I just kept getting the message that there was a "Problem With The Hardware" in the toolbar.

One thing that struck me later is that I had some of the Services disabled on both XP machines that I tested it on. Did you do this? I put the parts aside to mess around with in the future. I'm hoping to use the Opti-PAC for a spinner in the future, so I'd also like to figure this out.

I put a little info on this problem on my web page:
http://home.comcast.net/~tok/mamecab/cp2.htm

Tim

[JCKnife]

I am using a Happ 3" ball and yes I did disable some services when I set up XP, but not that many. I'll try to review that possibility. Also looking to borrow a serial mouse from my office to test...

[TOK]

Please post your findings. Not sure I'll get a chance to mess with this before New Years day. I had my inital problem with the Ultimarc (Suzo) ball, so I don't think it's related to your Happ trackball.

[JCKnife]

Here's the latest: I tried it on my other, older PC running Windows 98. Again no recognition of new hardware. I even found and installed an MS Serial Mouse driver and still no recognition of the trakball.

I think this is going to end up being something really stupid like a bad serial cable or a jumper wrong. Still looking for any help but continuing to try things...

[TOK]

Well, that isn't what I'd hoped to hear! I was thinking the only thing I had not tried was re-enabling all of the Services in XP, and that was the common denominator of two Opti-PAC's not being identified on two separate machines.

I have the USB version and also tried it in serial mode before finally giving up.

[RayB]

I have a serial optipac and it required a couple reboots, plus also rolling the ball around at the same time and eventually it found it.

[JCKnife]

Okay, it seems I have a power problem. This may merit a new thread but I'll try this one, first.

1. I had been reading my multi-meter wrong, looking at the wrong row of numbers. What I though had been 5v was slightly more than 1v. Not enough to power the TB, so no wonder Windows wasn't finding it.

2. When I read the supplied harness coming off the I-pac pins (for the optipac) it reads nearly 8v (more than 7, anyway). But as soon as I hook it up to the optipac, or directly to one of my P360s, it again drops to between 1-2v.

3. Here's the really weird part: when I put my multimeter black sensor on an Ipac GRND terminal, and the red one on ANY OTHER screw terminal, I'm seeing almost 8v. I'm thinking this is a problem.

I'm at a loss here. Any advice?

[TOK]

Using the USB version w/digital multimeter, my numbers at the encoder were correct based on the Ultimarc page, 5v at the Opti-PAC power terminal and varying from .5 to ~ 5v depending on if the encoder sensor was blocked or not.
Seems we have different issues here. My problem was that everything appeared to be normal, except neither of my PC's would correctly recognize the Opti-PAC.   

[JCKnife]

Okay, problem solved here. I tapped into power from the PC psu and everything works fine. I guess I have a faulty IPAC but with a working solution, I'll leave well enough alone.

[TOK]

That was a weird one! Good fix.