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Anyone hacked a kidsball?

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Rocky:

cdbrown,

There are several sites that document mouse hacks. (links on this site)  That's how I learned how to attempt it.

The basics are:
1. desoldering the existing mouse optics
2. soldering wires into the place where the optics came out of
3. connect those wire to the proper pins on the trackball optics.

Basically, there are 6 pins (plus buttons if you want them): 5v, ground, 2 signals for the x-axis, 2 signals for the y-axis.

If the trackball works backwards, switch the 2 signal wires for the appropriate axis.

I used a multi-meter (plus looking at the traces) to figure out where to get a 5v source and a ground. The signals come from 2 of the 3 pins of the optic receiver.  On mine it was the 2 outer pins.

I learned to de-solder during my hack >:( Since the mice were only a buck each, I figured, dive in and see what I could do.

Anyway,  if you can get dmame to work you should be able to play 2 player trackball games anyway.


Rocky


cdbrown:

Thanks for the tips Rocky.

I have made the my first purchase for the cab
2 x genius kidsball AUS$53.00 each.  Well I guess I had better do some designing and work out what I want and where on each of the control panels.

I have some questions regarding the buttons that come with the kidsball - I'm planning on using the Happs horizontal buttons so is it a matter of removing the old butttons from the case and extending the wires out to the panel mounted microswitch buttons?

Should these buttons also be connected to the ipac as well or will this cause conflict??

Cheers
-cdbrown

1UP:

I don't see why you would need to connect the mouse buttons thru the Ipac--the mouse is providing the necessary interface!  You'd definitely get problems with that.  Just run two wires from each of your pushbuttons to the solder points for each microswitch on the Kidsball PCBs.  Doesn't matter which wires go where as long as the buttons are wired separately.  This is exactly what I'm doing.

1UP:

BTW, I meant it doesn't matter which contacts are wired from COM or NO from the Happ buttons to the PCB.  You still need to use COM and NO on your pushbuttons (not NC), the polarity just doesn't matter.  You know what I mean...   ???  Me sleep now...

cdbrown:

Cheers 1up thanks for the tip.  I'll have to remember this when I have all the parts for trial panels.

Cheers
-cdbrown

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