Trackball upside down..question

[twitami]

I recently had some Control Panels cut for me, and it turns out the Trackball hole was cut the wrong way. When the Happs Trackball is installed in the hole, the "MONITOR -->" indication points to the bottom of the Control Panel. I am just wondering if there is a software solution within MAME (or Windows or MALA for that matter) that would fix this problem without having to remake the CP?

Thanks!

[Kremmit]

You can re-map the TB axes in MAME, but that won't help you with Windows or other applications.  Rather than trying to do a software fix in each program you use, you can re-wire the trackball for it's current orientation. 

Just swap the signal wires around, leaving the +5 and ground wires intact.  If memory serves, switch the green and yellow wires, and the blue/brown (or blue/purple) on the other.  Voila! Left becomes right, and up becomes down.

[_) (V) (-)]

You could always put in a switch for windows mode / game mode, but that's a pain in the ass too. Rewire that sucker!

[twitami]

Hmm, rewiring sounds like the way to go. However, it is the USB version of the Happs Trackball...I don't see how that can be rewired.

[mvolke1]

Rewiring is the best bet. I had the same thing happen. It's no big deal. Good luck.

[Kremmit]

Re-wire inside the trackball, before the USB controller gets ahold of the signal from the optic boards.  Each optic board has 4 wires coming from it:  Red (+5volts), Black (ground), and either Yellow and Green, or Blue and Brown (or Blue and Purple, I forget whether Happ or Betson has the Purple, but it's one of those).  Cut the yellow and green wires, and cross-wire them, so that the Yellow lead now connects to the Green lead's pin, and vice-versa.  Repeat for the Blue and Brown.  Done!

(Just remember to un-do it if you ever pull that unit from the upside-down panel before it gets installed someplace else.)

[_) (V) (-)]

Or put a little note stating what you moved inside the trackball.

Then someday when you or someone else opens it up to see WTF is wrong with the thing, you can have a warm fuzzy little time capsule moment.