Kidsball

[striff]

Has anyone used a Genius Kidsball on their Mame arcade cabinet or have used one? If so could you provide feed back on what's it like. I thinking of using one these for my arcade cabinet project..Thanks

[Lilwolf]

I've heard they have a bad spin-back when spinning them fast.  They also don't have the weight.

I think you can replace the ball though with a true arcade tackball ball.

But I dont' think it's worth it myself.  You can get a wico trackball for 35 bucks these days (cheaper for the 2 1/4 ones).  Imperial has a good one with a ps2 connection.  Or go to ebay and look around.

btw, I got mine on ebay.  I thought when I bought it for 20 bucks I got a GREAT deal because it was a marbled ball.  Well, when I got it, it ended up being really really really dirty white ball... but I cleaned it up and it worked ok.  Then 10 bucks later I got new rollers.   btw, that was a happs trackball

[dgodwin]

Did the trackball you got on ebay have a wire harness?  I've been looking for a trackball, but the less expensive ones don't have a harness.  Is there a place where you can buy just the harness?  Thanks

Daniel

[1UP:)]

The kidsball works great.  I have one in my CP, with a translucent blue replacement ball.  Backspin probs are only in certain games, but are usually fixable thru the sensitivity settings in Mame.  Missile Command works fine.  

The biggest problem is how to mount it, given it's bloated, rounded-foo shape.  I cut away a lot of the housing and put it into a square project enclosure so it's easier to mount. If I'd known how cheap the imperial balls were, I might not have gotten the Kye, but it all worked out in the end.

[striff]

Thanks, for the info.
I'll probably go try the Kidsball only because I live in Australia and getting the Arcade versions, dealing with cross-rates and shipping becomes very expensive.
1UP:) You were talking about a replacemnet translucent ball, where can you get these? Excuse my ignorance but what is it exactly when you talk about the backspin problems?
Has anyone tried a billard ball for a trackball?

Thanks

[1UP]

Thanks, for the info.
I'll probably go try the Kidsball only because I live in Australia and getting the Arcade versions, dealing with cross-rates and shipping becomes very expensive.
1UP:) You were talking about a replacemnet translucent ball, where can you get these? Excuse my ignorance but what is it exactly when you talk about the backspin problems?
Has anyone tried a billard ball for a trackball?

Thanks

Trackballs are basically made of the same stuff as billiards, but pool balls are not quite big enough for the Kidsball.  My cousin had an 8-ball in his old Mac trackball, but those actually used cueballs in the first place!

http://www.therealbobroberts.com has replacement balls of many different colors and sizes, pretty cheap too.

BTW, you can see how I mounted my Kidsball at http://www.1UParcade.com.

Good luck!

[ErikRuud]

I have the Crayola version ov the Kidsball in my CP and I have had no problems with it so far either.  Sooner or later I will order a translucent ball, but so far the original ball seems to work great.