Happs Trackball + Ocsar Spinner

[Frobozz]

Currently, in my cabinet plans, I want to use both an Oscar Model 1 Spinner and a Happs 3" Translucent Blue trackball USB kit.

Since these both use USB, is there a problem with them both hooked up at the same time?  

I can see 3 possibilities with these. They are:

#1: Both can work at the same time.

#2: Only one will work at a time, windows will know how to switch back and forth upon movement like on a laptop.

#3: One will work, the other will not work at all.  

I can live with 1 and 2, but 3 will force me to change my plans a bit.    Anyone know how this works?  According to Andy (Ultimarc), Windows don't allow 2 USB mouse-like devices.  I don't know whether he meant "at the same time" or not.

[SirPoonga]

yes,  they will both work.  
What OS do you plan on running?

Read some of the explainations of 2 mice at http://urebelscum.speedhost.com

Basically they will be seen as one mouse, unless you run windows 95/98/ME and use analog mame.

[Frobozz]

I was planning on Windows 2000 Pro, because I LOVE the stability of it.  

What's Analog MAME?  

[SirPoonga]

goto urebels site I linked.
you can use win2k then and the trackball and spinner will be seen as one mouse, ie not seperate input.
That is not really an issue with that setup, sicne their are no trackball/spinner games that I know of.
You can even do two spinners then, as I believe analog mame can split the axis of the system mouse.  Urebel knows more, since he made analog mame:)

[Frobozz]

Ah, ok, so in windows, moving the trackball will move the pointer in any direction, and turning the spinner will make it move back and forth on the X-Axis (Unless I get the $2 extra Oscar that has a jumper for X&Y).  


And MAME will just see both as the same mouse, but analog MAME can differentiate between the two.

I gotcha.  Thanks for the reply!

[tellarite]

I realize you bought an oscar model one, but I just thought I'd tell you my setup:

I've got the 3" inch happs blue translucent trackball and a model 2 oscar hooked up to an optipac. This to me is the ideal solution, because with the optipac, the OS sees the trackball and spinner as one device (PS2 or usb), but the optipac has a feature where if you turn the spinner, the trackball is inoperable until you don't touch either the spinner or the trackball for 1 second. This way, you can play a spinner game or a trackball game without accidentally bumping the other control and having it mess you up.

You can see my new panel at: http://www.tellarite.net/new-cabinet.php

[Frobozz]

Actually, I havn't bought them yet.  My only concern with the Optipac is that it won't be long before the serial ports on motherboards go the way of the dodo and the ISA slots (from what I understand, by the end of the year, boards will be sold without them).

But the more and more I look into this (including a few emails to Andy concerning a USB model of the OptiPac and the problems involved with such a beast because Microsoft can't seem to do anything consistant), I'm thinking about buying one of his OptiPacs regardless (hey, there's always PCI dual serial port cards!)

Plus, Oscar now has their Pro spinner, which I think is really really keen, but they have no plans on making a USB model of it.