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Trackball Optical sensors & RandyT's high resolution encoder wheels
u_rebelscum:
--- Quote from: Level42 on September 30, 2005, 02:41:26 pm ---We're talking light here, and light is a lot faster then everything else. Only thing is the speed of the photocell....
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No, we're talking about the speed of the electrons & electronics. As you just stated, light is not the bottleneck, so we can almost ignore that. We have to look at the speed of the phototransistors and de-bouncer or other IC chips (if any) on the TB board.
--- Quote ---My guess is it won't be a problem.
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I agree.
RandyT:
Urebel is pretty much correct on this one.
If the trackball has a built in computer interface (Ie. you can plug it straight into the PC via the USB or PS/2 port) it's a bit of gamble. Some trackball interfaces, not the optical sensors, may not be quick enough to catch every pulse. And when the pulses are faster than the interface can count them, things get confused and problems like backspin and jumpy cursors start happening.
In short, I designed these specifically for the Betson with the PS/2 interface and they work great with it. They will probably be ok with the HAPP variety, as well as any other trackball they physically fit in. But, if they don't work, it'll most likely be the fault of the electronics receiving the pulses, not the ones generating them.
RandyT
specfire:
Wow, thank you for such thorough replies.
I have examined my TB's more closely and they are Atari, not Happ, so are likely 20+ years old. (AFAIK Happ uses the Atari design and so the TB's should be physically the same.) u_rebelscum, is there any reason I should be concerned about 20+ year old Atari phototransistors?
Another question, can anyone identify the parts circled in red from the exploded view image below of a 3" Happ TB? My Atari TB's don't have these parts.
Thanks again for all the help.
specfire:
Bump. Can anyone identify the parts circled in red?
u_rebelscum:
--- Quote from: specfire on October 04, 2005, 02:36:11 pm ---Bump. Can anyone identify the parts circled in red?
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If you look it up by part number (95-0555-140), it's copper foil, at least the bottom two. Those are "anti-static" stuff, electrically connecting the metal rollers to the metal screws holding the case together. The screws are grounded through the green wires (part# 95-0577-00) to some external ground. Many BYOAC people here don't hook it up, but others do. If you live in a dry area with a carpet, you might want to hook 'em up, otherwise ehh [shrug].
I'm not sure what the top two are, unless they're some more of the same?