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Can you use any PC Trackballs with MAME?

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AtomSmasher:

Used trackballs are pretty cheap.  I picked one up off ebay a while back for $20 shipped and then got the opti-wiz from groovygamegear.com for $15 to interface it with the computer.  To me, a couple extra dollars is worth having a real arcade trackball.

DrumAnBass:

Yah in retrospect a "real" happs or betson would have been better than the kensington... I just didn't see any used 2 1/4 ones for sale at the time, and $89 for a new one was a bit more than I was willing to spend. Availability seems to be better these days.

If a 3" fits the bill, check out the ones that menace is selling in the b/s/t forum: http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=67768.0 then add an encoder board such as the opti wiz.

u_rebelscum:


--- Quote from: DrumAnBass on July 15, 2007, 09:49:57 pm ---I used a hacked Kensington Turbo Mouse 2 1/4 trackball...
--- End quote ---

Probably the best line of PC trackballs.  Real bearings, 2 1/4" ball, high quality PCB.  I have the USB version as my normal mouse on my desktop, and use it when I'm too lazy to haul out the arcade TB panel.  I don't know how well the current "Expert Mouse" is, but the models before that where all top notch.  If you go PC, go with these, IMO.


--- Quote ---... with a serial interface.
--- End quote ---

But with the worst (slowest) interface.  If you have a choice, go for USB, then, PS/2, then serial.


But as others said, used TBs or from other sellers can be found at very good deals.  Some models come with thier own interface so no optipac not needed with those.  (However I love my optipac, and personally avoid the models with there own interfaces, since I don't know the PCB quality, but many people here get them.)

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