Can A Sega Trackball be hacked?

[AwesomeAlbert]

I bought an old sega trackball on ebay for 5 bucks (8 dollors shipping!). As soon as i got it i grabbed an old Packard Bell mouse and did the trackball hack on it.  IT DIDNT WORK !!! Looked for some info on sega trackballs and have found almost anything. Can they be hacked? Can Packard Bell mouse be used to hack trackballs?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=014&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&viewitem=&item=330036145728&rd=1&rd=1

[AlanS17]

Have you considered using the trackball with an off-the-shelf optical encoder like an ultimarc opti-pac?

[AwesomeAlbert]

I dont see the point spending 40 dollars for an optipac to see if a 5 dollar trackball works. Hacking a mouse seems more fun !

[Kremmit]

Most any non-Logitech ball mouse can be hacked.  I've never seen a trackball that wouldn't work with a mousehack, although I've never had a Sega.  It looks suspiciously like a Happ unit, which would work fine with a mousehack.  If you can post pics of the optic card on your TB, and of your mousehack, maybe something will stand out.

[AwesomeAlbert]

Bought a tested hacked mouse from a member here. waiting for it to be shipped.  lets see if its my bad job soldering; a non compatible mouse; or if sega trackballs cant be used with a mousehack. (maybe the trackball doesnt work) 

[AlanS17]

I dont see the point spending 40 dollars for an optipac to see if a 5 dollar trackball works. Hacking a mouse seems more fun !

I've never heard of an arcade trackball that couldn't be adapted for PC use with a proper encoder like an Opti-Pac. I can't say the same for mouse hacks. As long as the trackball isn't actually broken, there shouldn't be a problem getting it to work with the Opti-Pac. There's no hacking involved. You can't say the same for a mouse hack which may or may not work even with a perfectly good trackball.

[Kremmit]

I dont see the point spending 40 dollars for an optipac to see if a 5 dollar trackball works. Hacking a mouse seems more fun !

I've never heard of an arcade trackball that couldn't be adapted for PC use with a proper encoder like an Opti-Pac. I can't say the same for mouse hacks. As long as the trackball isn't actually broken, there shouldn't be a problem getting it to work with the Opti-Pac. There's no hacking involved. You can't say the same for a mouse hack which may or may not work even with a perfectly good trackball.

Have a look here:
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=59560.0

Admittedly, that optic wasn't from a trackball, and it was a minipac instead of an optipac.  But, AFAIK, the optical portion of the minipac is the same as what's on an optipac.  At any rate, that particular optic board worked with no mods on the mouse hack, but required some modification to get going on the "proper encoder".

Of course, I'm biased, since it's one of my mousehacks we're talking about, both in the other thread, and the one that's on it's way to Albert here.  I hope it works with his Sega trackball; we should know in a few days.

[AwesomeAlbert]

here are some pics.
maybe someone will see something "special" about a sega optic board.

[AwesomeAlbert]

Got hacked mouse today, hooked it up to my trackball and nothing!!!
i connected it 1  2  3 4 is this wrong? Maybe someone that can look at the optic board and tell me otherwise.
                   a +5 g b

i got a message from Crowquill, he also has two sega trackballs, he hooked them up to one of Oscar's hacked mouse he used to sell with no luck.

I dont think its an mousehack/optipac thing, either the trackballs are dead, or sega trackballs cant be hacked.

[Kremmit]

I'm really not an expert on circuits, but after looking at it, I think the pin assignments for that board would be:

1 = +5
2 =   G
3 & 4 = X1 & X2

??

[SirPeale]

I'm really not an expert on circuits, but after looking at it, I think the pin assignments for that board would be:

1 = +5
2 =   G
3 & 4 = X1 & X2

??

I'd be inclined to agree.  Possibly 1 and 2 could be switched, but I don't think so.

[AwesomeAlbert]

i think Kremmit is right, tried
1 = +5
2 =   G
3 & 4 = X1 & X2

didnt work, but if i rub x1 and x2 together i see some movement.

tried every other posible combination and nothing.

is there an easy way to test the trackball? i think i saw something around here, let me look around.

[Kremmit]

You hooked up both optic cards from the TB, and neither one works?  Bummer. 

Either those optics aren't compatible; they're broken; or something is hooked up wrong.  They look like pretty simple optic boards, so I'd be surprised if they aren't compatible.  You got the mousehack to work with a spinner, so you've probably got it hooked up right.  That leaves.. broken.  You might have toasted them before when you were hooking them up the wrong way, or they might have been dead when you bought the thing off ebay.  OR, I might be wrong.    Certainly wouldn't be the first time.  But danged if I know where to go from here, other than replacing the TB optic boards. 

There was somebody selling replacement boards in BST that got good reviews- I think they're linked in the "Master Vendor List" sticky post.  Beyond that, I'm not sure what else to do.

[Bluedeath]

Some usb mouse does not give enough power on the 5V line, i tried 3 mices to do my wico hack the one that ikno works for sure is the macally imouse standard.

[Crowquill]

I finally gave up on my two. They roll the smoothest out of any used trackballs I've come across, but I just can't get the electronics to work.

It looks like the circuit board is a bit different in mine. It only has one optical sensor versus the double on yours. I guess that explains the "-02" in the part number.

I tried to find a manual for a game that used one of these, but I'm at a loss as there are very few Sega games that use a trackball, and even fewer that use double trackballs (as the control panel I have). My CP appears to be from an Aero City candy cab (circa 1988). My best guess is Sonic, but being a Japanese-only release, finding a manual is extremely difficult.

My old post about this with details of my trackballs is at:
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=36311.0

[EwJ]

Resurrecting this old thread to provide info on pinouts in case of future searches on Sega Trackballs.

I have 2 Sega trackballs with the same optics as AwesomeAlbert's.
These are not the same as Crowquill's - so I  don't know if the
pinouts for those are the same.

Working well with a mousehack (microsoft ps/2 mouse).

Pinouts are:
1= +5
2= X1
3 = G
4 = X2

[AwesomeAlbert]

wow, it this thread came back from the dead !!! I going to go dig around to see if i can find that sega trackball.

thanks ewj

[EwJ]

Further info: (and request for info/parts)

While the Sega  2 1/4" trackball assembly looks identical to the Happ 2 1/4,
there are definitely some differences. 

Most notable are the optics, but the rollers and bearings are different as well (see pics below).

I don't have Happ roller bearings to compare to, but the I.D of the bearings for the
Happ must be larger.  (must be approx .250") (Sega bearing I.D.= approx .235").

If the Happ bearing O.D is larger, then the part of the trackball housing
where the bearings sit will be different between the two brands as well.

The Sega rollers are larger in diameter (than the Happ) where the ball sits and
smaller where they fit into the bearings.

Does anyone have a measurement for the O.D for Happ bearings for 2 1/4" Trackball?
Does anyone know where to find replacement rollers and bearings for Sega TB's?

I need at least 1 set of Sega Rollers (rollers are very worn on both Sega TB's I have here).
If anyone has the same TB's with some good parts and has extra rollers, but needs
other parts? 
Will buy Sega rollers.
Will trade 1 Sega TB with working optics (really worn rollers and maybe
missing couple of bearings) for 1 set of rollers. Crowquill? Albert? Anyone?
I also have 1 set of Happ 2 1/4" rollers for trade.

Edit; add - measurements below done quickly - good enough for these purposes but give or take a few thou.

[EwJ]

Confirmed - Happ bearings have larger O.D. (approx 0.625") (I.D. 0.248").
Same bearings are used for Happ 2 1/4" and 3" units.
The O.D. is too large to properly fit in the Sega housing.

Still looking for rollers and a couple of bearings (Sega) -
there appears to be no sources for these.
I'll give B/S/T a shot.