PS2 betson imperial trackball questions

[2slk]

Is it possible to hack/Interface this trackball into the OPTI-PAC instead of using the PS2 connector? I'm planning to build swappable panels, using a DB25 connector from the panel to a unit housing a I-PAC/OPTI-PAC combo. I'll be going from the I-PAC/OPTI-PAC unit to PC via USB only so I want to avoid using a trackball that I can't interface to the OPTI-PAC. I find the HAPPS trackballs quite expensive so this could be a good alternative.

 Also, how well/easy do these trackballs mount in plywood?

THANKS IN ADVANCE!!

[rampy]

Is it possible to hack/Interface this trackball into the OPTI-PAC instead of using the PS2 connector? I'm planning to build swappable panels, using a DB25 connector from the panel to a unit housing a I-PAC/OPTI-PAC combo. I'll be going from the I-PAC/OPTI-PAC unit to PC via USB only so I want to avoid using a trackball that I can't interface to the OPTI-PAC. I find the HAPPS trackballs quite expensive so this could be a good alternative.

 Also, how well/easy do these trackballs mount in plywood?

THANKS IN ADVANCE!!

You certainly can wire em up to an optipac... you can also  mount them in plywood (although it helps a great deal to have the mounting plate either from happs/wicco/bobroberts.

good luck1

rampy

[eightbit]

Is this a 2 player panel? Count up your number of buttons. A DB25 cable works great for a 2 player ipac but your not going to have enough wires to also wire the optipac on the same plug. So your looking at multiple db25's. A 68 pin scsi cable could get you back to one plug.

The advantage to leaving the optipac plugged in would be hot swapping control panels with optical controls.

[2slk]

eightbit, good point thanks. I'm in the initial learning/planning/part gathering stage right now. I guess I would have figured that out the hard way without your help!

[mcleanjoel]

You certainly can wire em up to an optipac... you can also  mount them in plywood (although it helps a great deal to have the mounting plate either from happs/wicco/bobroberts.

good luck1

rampy

Rampy,
Are you sure about this? I thought the trackballs wired to PS2 connectors might require some "hacking/soldering" to make them work on the opti-pac?

[SirPoonga]

The ipac/optipac/jpac have screw terminals, no need for soldering.

[OSCAR]

Rampy,
Are you sure about this? I thought the trackballs wired to PS2 connectors might require some "hacking/soldering" to make them work on the opti-pac?

You are correct.  One of the boards in the trackball piggy-backs into the other one that has the PS/2 controller.  The board on the left should wire right up to an Opti-PAC no problem.  The board on the right will have to be "hacked" to bypass the PS/2 controller, but it shouldn't be too difficult because you can look at the other board to see what connections you need to make.

[rampy]

You certainly can wire em up to an optipac... you can also  mount them in plywood (although it helps a great deal to have the mounting plate either from happs/wicco/bobroberts.

good luck1

rampy

Rampy,
Are you sure about this? I thought the trackballs wired to PS2 connectors might require some "hacking/soldering" to make them work on the opti-pac?

I said it could be done... not that it wouldn't get your hands dirty...=P you didn't think you'd make your control panel without at least one burnet/maimed finger, did ya?

It'll work with an opti-pac you just have to bypass the ps/2 stuff (see oscars post) ...

You can probably even do the "hack" with "easy splice" clips if you don't like to solder...  you may also be sneaky with replacemnt PCB plugs/molexthingies i imagine...

*Shrug*

rampy

[mcleanjoel]

I said it could be done... not that it wouldn't get your hands dirty...=P you didn't think you'd make your control panel without at least one burnet/maimed finger, did ya?

It'll work with an opti-pac you just have to bypass the ps/2 stuff (see oscars post) ...

You can probably even do the "hack" with "easy splice" clips if you don't like to solder...  you may also be sneaky with replacemnt PCB plugs/molexthingies i imagine...

*Shrug*

rampy

Yeah - I figured it could be done - I just didn't know if it would require board replacements or how it easy it would be.

Thanks to Oscar for the details as I was wondering how it could work.

[2slk]

Thanks a lot OSCAR. On your confirmation that it could be done, I ordered the trackball. I'm sure to bother you again when I build the panel....

Thanks again.

[eightbit]

Thanks a lot OSCAR. On your confirmation that it could be done, I ordered the trackball. I'm sure to bother you again when I build the panel....

Why not order the trackball without the PS2 interface? Why use the opticpac at all if you have the ps2 interface?

Oh, my head hurts... so many questions... It just seems your making it harder than it has to be.

[Superdude]

The Imperial won't work in DOS Mame (ps2 connector).  It will work in Windows etc...  You need an optipac to make it work in dos.

[eightbit]

The Imperial won't work in DOS Mame (ps2 connector).  It will work in Windows etc...  You need an optipac to make it work in dos.

I find that very hard to believe Its just a mouse after all... but it must be true otherwise you would be pretty silly cutting off the plug and hacking it up to connect it to an additional $50 interface.

I use Dos every day at work. Our server staging boot disk is dos based. I won't use Dos for a mame cab. I could get into the whole "Why are you running DOS thing" but I won't go there. Your probably running an arcade monitor (get Andys video card) or an older PC (get a real PC) or some other reason for requiring DOS.

Oh man I went and did it, I went there after I said I wasn't going to...  

[2slk]

Eightbit, I didn't really have a choice for the connector. I bought it off EBay and as we all know, pickings are slim there compared to a few weeks ago. I had to take what I could get for fear that I'd have to drop two or three times as much on a HAPP device if I waited too long.

 I agree that I'm making things harder than they have to be but there's a purpose involved. My goal is to build swappable panels that use only one cable to interface with my separately housed I-PAC/OPTI-PAC. In this case, I plan to use a  SCSI cable. If I'm taking the trouble to tear apart SCSI cables etc., I figure that it is well worth the little extra effort to have everything in one neat package with fewer wires to mess with.

[eightbit]

Did you see theres about 10 recently posted happs and imperial used trackballs recently posted without the ps/2 connector? Perhaps you could get one that would be easier to interface and resell yours for a profit if you got a good deal on it.

I got 2 of the ps/2 imperials new in late November for $22 each. I used one and sold the other to my boss for cost. I should have listed it back on ebay I probably could get more for it now then I paid for both then.

[2slk]

Eightbit, I was able to find another T-Ball. Trackball with no PS2 stuff & molex connector on the way! I'll sell the PS2 one.

[Chris]

For how much?  

Incidentally, it should have worked in DOS with the drivers that come with the DOS MAME source... I used a PS/2 spinner with DOS MAME using those drivers just fine...

--Chris

[2slk]

Chris, if you mean how much I was selling it for, it's already gone. If you mean how much I bought the new one for, I was lucky enough to snatch one that had been newly listed with 'buy it now' for 29$, which is pretty good. It seems that the average going Ebay price for betson TB's that complete auction is about 45$. The seller doesn't have any more. I already asked