Author Topic: Happs 3" Trakball, High or regular? (Read 2991 times)

onehawkeye · « **on:** April 29, 2003, 04:24:53 pm »

I am looking at getting a 3" trakball from Happs, they offer a standard model and a high model, referring to how far the ball extends above the CP, any opinions on which way to go?

ahofle · « **Reply #1 on:** April 29, 2003, 06:50:23 pm »

I was at Dave and Busters a couple weekends ago and they had a Centipede/Millipede rerelease machine there. It had a high ball trackball on the cabinet (I'm not sure if it's the happ one) and I couldn't believe how much better it felt. I actually almost broke 100K and I never do that well. It was much easier to control because you can keep your palm around it better for small movements, yet you can still let it rip for quick movements. I actually just ordered a high trackball from happ for this reason. I'm looking forward to trying Rampart with it where precise motion is needed.

Just my 2 cents.

Andy

skirge66 · « **Reply #2 on:** April 29, 2003, 07:59:05 pm »

I bought a highball myself, and I think it's great, I love the feel of it. can't understand why I don't see more of them.

shmokes · « **Reply #3 on:** April 29, 2003, 08:19:26 pm »

I decided on a highball and while it's not mounted yet, it does feel very nice. I've heard someone suggest that the highball trackballs would not be as good for games like Golden Tee where you wind up and give it a really good whack. I can't verify this since I've never even played Golden Tee period, but it seems to make sense.

Homebrew · « **Reply #4 on:** April 29, 2003, 09:24:22 pm »

FYI, according to happ's schematics, the only difference between the regular and the highball is the top half of the casing. I'm sure if you called happ you could get just that piece, or at worst the whole plastic case. Either way i can' t imagine it would be that expensive. Then you could have both and decide what you liked best. I'm considering that myself as i have the regular now. Here's the links to the schematics for each. You can see what part# is different.

http://www.happcontrols.com/trackballs/560110e.htm
http://www.happcontrols.com/trackballs/560100e.htm

-Kevin

Frostillicus · « **Reply #5 on:** April 29, 2003, 10:32:11 pm »

Quote from: Homebrew on April 29, 2003, 09:24:22 pm

FYI, according to happ's schematics, the only difference between the regular and the highball is the top half of the casing. I'm sure if you called happ you could get just that piece, or at worst the whole plastic case. Either way i can' t imagine it would be that expensive. Then you could have both and decide what you liked best. I'm considering that myself as i have the regular now. Here's the links to the schematics for each. You can see what part# is different.

http://www.happcontrols.com/trackballs/560110e.htm
http://www.happcontrols.com/trackballs/560100e.htm

-Kevin

That top bracket costs:

Item # In Stock Qty Description Prices Order Options
95-1266-00 Yes 3" TRACKBALL SHORT TOP BRACKET HIGH-BALL VERSION 1+: $ 3.55

The price diff between the reg and highball is like 6 bucks, FWIW.

u_rebelscum · « **Reply #6 on:** April 30, 2003, 02:19:38 am »

Quote from: Frostillicus on April 29, 2003, 10:32:11 pm

Quote from: Homebrew on April 29, 2003, 09:24:22 pm
FYI, according to happ's schematics, the only difference between the regular and the highball is the top half of the casing. I'm sure if you called happ you could get just that piece, or at worst the whole plastic case. ... You can see what part# is different.

http://www.happcontrols.com/trackballs/560110e.htm
http://www.happcontrols.com/trackballs/560100e.htm

-Kevin

That top bracket costs:

Item # In Stock Qty Description Prices Order Options
95-1266-00 Yes 3" TRACKBALL SHORT TOP BRACKET HIGH-BALL VERSION 1+: $ 3.55

The price diff between the reg and highball is like 6 bucks, FWIW.

Great info you guys!
The highlip is just the same as the normal except for the top half of the case.* It's also on sale until the 30th of april.

* I'm sort of guessing, because the links on the happ site show the normal exploded view for the highlip model.

Homebrew · « **Reply #7 on:** April 30, 2003, 05:56:03 am »

Actually its the golden tee trackball thats on sale. I'm not sure if its any different or not since happ just reused the schematic for the regular trackball on it. Hopefully theres no difference except the new redboard optics and the white trackball. Hey Frostillicus how did you find that on Happ's site? I did a search but came up with nothing.

-Kevin

Brax · « **Reply #8 on:** April 30, 2003, 08:14:10 am »

If I had the old optics board (green?) is it possible to "upgrade" to the red board somehow?

Frostillicus · « **Reply #9 on:** April 30, 2003, 10:14:22 am »

Quote from: Homebrew on April 30, 2003, 05:56:03 am

Hey Frostillicus how did you find that on Happ's site? I did a search but came up with nothing.

-Kevin

I have mad happ skillz, that's how

Heh actually just manually enter the parts # into the little dialog boxes they have. You may have to actually add something to your cart to find the right dialog box (should say "Enter part number:"), but you can always just delete it later.

Homebrew · « **Reply #10 on:** April 30, 2003, 03:30:34 pm »

I know the box you're talking about now. Thanx for the tip Frostillicus.

Brax: You can purchase the new "red" boards from happ at $19.35 a piece(need 2). Here's the link:
http://www.happcontrols.com/trackballs/a052101000.htm

I'm still debating on whether to try them myself. World class bowling still has issues for me, so i'm considering giving the new boards a whirl.

-Kevin

Magnet_Eye · « **Reply #11 on:** April 30, 2003, 04:45:21 pm »

what's with these new boards? They just replace the other ones and improve performance all around?

u_rebelscum · « **Reply #12 on:** April 30, 2003, 04:50:23 pm »

Quote from: Homebrew on April 30, 2003, 05:56:03 am

Actually its the golden tee trackball thats on sale. I'm not sure if its any different or not since happ just reused the schematic for the regular trackball on it. Hopefully theres no difference except the new redboard optics and the white trackball.

golden tee trackball == highlip ball (but not the highball)
Same as "normal" trackball except for the top half of the case and the optic boards. These have a 3/16" lip, normal has 1/16" lip.

Homebrew · « **Reply #13 on:** April 30, 2003, 08:30:32 pm »

Quote from: u_rebelscum on April 30, 2003, 04:50:23 pm

golden tee trackball == highlip ball (but not the highball)
Same as "normal" trackball except for the top half of the case and the optic boards. These have a 3/16" lip, normal has 1/16" lip.

Whoops thats what i get for not reading carefully. I honestly read it and thought highball. I now notice you clearly said highlip. Doh!

shmokes · « **Reply #14 on:** May 01, 2003, 01:34:22 am »

I just bought my highball (not high-lip/golden tee) a month ago and it has the green optic boards. Apparently they didn't "upgrade" all of their trackballs.

caykroyd · « **Reply #15 on:** May 01, 2003, 01:21:13 pm »

I believe only the golden tee trackball (the one that replaced their normal trackball) has the red boards right now. But I'm sure when they sell out of the others, the new ones with be fitted with the red boards.

By the way, I believe this high-lip golden tee TB is beter for CPs with lexan tops because now the lip will come flush to lexan rather than having a dip between the lexan and the ball. I will verify this in a few weeks when I finsih building my CP.

caykroyd · « **Reply #16 on:** May 01, 2003, 01:27:05 pm »

One more thing. It is true that the high BALL version will probably not be good for people who play golden tee. go with the high LIP version

Veto · « **Reply #17 on:** May 01, 2003, 01:33:02 pm »

Yeah I saw a GTG conversion not too long ago and they didn't have a high lip in it, so there was a gap since the plexi was higher than the lip. It didn't play as well as the ones that are flush mounted. Definitely don't go with highball for golf games. It would be good for missile command and millipede etc but not as useful all around. Another word of advice, make sure you get the good mounting plate, the one with no screw heads exposed.

Nikodemz · « **Reply #18 on:** May 01, 2003, 03:59:26 pm »

Can one of you folks tell me the difference among the regular 3" trackball, the 3" highlip for Golden Tee, and the 3" highball?

From what I can tell the regular and highlip versions are the same except for an additional plate that sits on top of the trackball casing. If that's the case, couldn't you just mount the thing without the plate and you would in essence have the regular trackball? If this isn't the case could someone tell me what the deal is? I'm planning on purchasing a trackball in the next few days and I'd like to get the one that fits my needs best.

btw, at the moment those needs are primarily classic trackball games like centipede and missle command but I would like to put in Goldgen Tee and others of it's ilk in the future. Because of this I'm pretty sure I don't want the highball, the profile is just too high for a golden tee style game, but I don't really know what to do with the other two. I like the sale on the highlip trackball but I also want what will work best because I'm going to be using the cp for a long time.

Thanks in advance.

-Will

shmokes · « **Reply #19 on:** May 01, 2003, 04:17:50 pm »

I think you're right on the differences between the high-lip and the standard. High-ball is just that. I think all things considered the price right now is the deciding factor. Pick up the high-lip and save $20 or $30 and if you don't like it convert it to a highball one using the info provided by u_rebelscum in this thread. Plus you'll get the new and improved red optic boards. I just barely bought my High-ball and I got green optic boards so you very likely will too at this point with anything but the High-lip. Remember, those boards cost $20 apiece so it would cost an extra $40 to upgrade another trackball. Putting it that way you are potentially saving $60 or $70.

Nikodemz · « **Reply #20 on:** May 01, 2003, 04:24:45 pm »

Thanks shmokes. I hadn't really done all the math yet. I think you're right. I'll just pick up the highlip ball and if for some reason I think the original would work better for me I'll just order the top part of the casing or find some way to hack it. The casing can't cost much more than the current discount anyway so all in all if I need to change I won't end up spending any more money.

AX · « **Reply #21 on:** May 01, 2003, 04:45:56 pm »

$3.50. buy it now just in case.

Homebrew · « **Reply #22 on:** May 01, 2003, 05:37:59 pm »

Here's a question. Anyone know if just the top half of the case on the high lip trackball is the only difference(besides the extra plate and red optics) between it and the regular? Thats the only difference between the regular and the highball. If thats the only difference, does anyone know the part# for that half? Again this is for the high lip, not the highball, we have the part# for that. You can't really go by happs site since they just recycled the schematic for the regular trackball.

-Kevin

Veto · « **Reply #23 on:** May 01, 2003, 06:36:13 pm »

I'm not positive but I think the ball probably sits a bit higher to compensate for the high lip. Otherwise there wouldn't be much ball sticking out the top.

caykroyd · « **Reply #24 on:** May 01, 2003, 06:51:09 pm »

Not sure about the high lip just being a top casing difference, but you are almost correct about the extra plate coming with the high lip being different. If you use the plate, it is the same as the regular old TB. If you don't use the plate, then you have the high lip version. The plate will mount under the CP to effectively reduce the lip. Hope this helps.

u_rebelscum · « **Reply #25 on:** May 02, 2003, 06:20:23 am »

Quote from: Veto on May 01, 2003, 06:36:13 pm

I'm not positive but I think the ball probably sits a bit higher to compensate for the high lip. Otherwise there wouldn't be much ball sticking out the top.

No, the highlip's top of the case is lowered 1/8", so the lip is 1/8" 'higher'. Only difference AFAIK. Well, plus you get the red board and the (optional) 1/8" spacer. The spacer makes the highlip a normal lip trackball.

AFAI can see from happs on-line exploded views, the highball's top of the case is lowered another 1/4" to 5/16" below the highlip's, making the lip radius need to be widened. Looking at my highlip, this can be done and still fit everything without needing any movements.

I think I'm going to buy that highball case top just for comparisons; thank's for the head's up about that homebrew.


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