UK. cheap trackball in Argos! £10.

[custard80]

Just to let those in the UK know argos has the golden tee tv game in the sale for £10! The game itself is terrible but it does have a trackball and a ready made box if you have no room on your control panel like me!

It doesn't look like the best trackball in the world but looks like an easy hack. Ill be trying a mouse hack later this week.

Here is the link.
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/3693256.htm

Really i only want it for marble madness so £10 is perfect.

Hope it helps someone!

[Grasshopper]

Hmm, It's a good deal but only if they're carrying a significant amount of stock and you can actually get hold of one.

Unfortunately, a lot of Argos' offers are basically vapourware unless you get incredibly lucky, their Xbox plus 4 games offer being a case in point.

[custard80]

Just finished a mouse hack on this and it works a treat. Not the best trackball in the world but for £10 a bargain.

I managed to squeeze the mouse hack inside the box so i now have a great stand alone trackball/mouse for my cabinet complete with golden tee graphics.

If anyone wants to know the pin outs for the trackball they are from top to bottom.

+5v
up
down
+5v
left
right
Ground
+5v.

Got to do my brothers now.

Now to try some games out. 

[Grasshopper]

I bought the last one at my local Argos a couple of days ago. I wouldn't have bought one for the original £40 but definitely a bargain at £10.

The build quality seems pretty good. Definitely a cut above the usual p&p games.

[Level42]

Pictures ? (Inside please)

[canardo]

There is some in stock at Rugby(about 12 miles for me) Argos, unforunately not the one thats only about 1/2 mile

[Jess--]

sounds like you are just down the road from me canardo

I'm at Onley (on the A45 near dunchurch)

just looking at your cabinet, if you need any help with anything drop us a line, may be able to meet up and help out.

[IreM72]

how well will these play the popular arcade games in mame, like missile command etc.?

[custard80]

Tried it on Golden Tee pc version yesterday. Works a treat!

I will try and have a go on mame soon, my cabinet is still in a state but i have taken the pc out to test. I'll let you know but can't see why it wouldn't work.

I will post some pics when i get home tonight.
I used a Genius mouse for the hack as i couldn't get an intellimouse board in the box.

You really need a mouse with a circuit board that does not go around the ball!

Still some in stock in Maidstone, Kent.

[canardo]

Jess yep am in Daventry so very close to you! small world

[custard80]

got some photos before and after.

How do i post them? Or do i need to put them on a website.

If so anyone know a good free photo site.

[muzland]

Picked one up also. Seems to be good stock in the few stores I searched.

Not had chance to play it yet but it does not spin freely.

Muzland

[custard80]

Just tried it on Missile Command, Marble Madness and Crystal Castles.
Worked very well, Just need to adjust the sensitivity as it is not quite fast enough.

It doesn't spin very freely, not as freely as an arcade one but it's £10!

Obviously you get what you pay for but for the abbility to play a few extra games and an arcade themed box for it with no agro i'm well pleased.

Marble madnees brings back so many memories of days at Herne Bay and Folkestone.

Now to get that Dragons Lair working

[ark_ader]

Hmm, It's a good deal but only if they're carrying a significant amount of stock and you can actually get hold of one.

Unfortunately, a lot of Argos' offers are basically vapourware unless you get incredibly lucky, their Xbox plus 4 games offer being a case in point.

I have seen that offer and it is still on.  Plenty in stock in my area.  Got to play some postcode lottery and order it for home delivery.

[Level42]

got some photos before and after.

How do i post them? Or do i need to put them on a website.

If so anyone know a good free photo site.

Click on Additional Options, then select the photo files....Note the limits !

Sorry guys, looks pretty flimsy to me. The fact that it's not rolling freely says enough. I can understand people don't want to pay the high price of a Happ trackball for just an occasional game, but then you would be much better off buying Suzo's 2 1/4" trackball from (for instance) www.ultimarc.com

http://www.ultimarc.com/controls.html

It's only UKP 15 more than that Argos thing, but it's a lot more quality IMHO.

[Grasshopper]

Hmm, It's a good deal but only if they're carrying a significant amount of stock and you can actually get hold of one.

Unfortunately, a lot of Argos' offers are basically vapourware unless you get incredibly lucky, their Xbox plus 4 games offer being a case in point.

I have seen that offer and it is still on.  Plenty in stock in my area.  Got to play some postcode lottery and order it for home delivery.

Hmm, that's interesting. Did you get the Xbox and the games?

The reason I ask is that my local Argos has plenty of the game packs in stock but no Xboxes. However, the opposite applies online, the Xboxes are still available but not the games. From what I've been reading, this seems to be the situation over most of the country.

[ark_ader]

Yes there are Xboxes for £50 with those 4 games.  The 4 games are worth £50 at least!

Yes I have some in my neck of the woods.

PM me if you want the code to pick it up or have it setup for home delivery (if that is an option.)  Note I will be accepting Grasshopper only PMs for this info.  I want one too!

[Grasshopper]

I'm glad I picked up one of these when I did as it appears that Argos have now removed this item from their website following publication of their new catalogue.

Unfortunately, they've also removed the Xbox deal which I wasn't able to take advantage of. 

Ah well, some you win and some you lose.

Incidentally, what does everyone here think of the software? I haven't tried mine out yet as I haven't got any batteries.

[ark_ader]

I just got my trackball opened and getting ready to mouse mod it.  Incidentially I have a Marconi Trackball for use with a BBC with an RS423 connector on it.  Do you think I could mouse hack that too?