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Control Panel Limitations *** 3 designs to choose from - opinions please
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ex_directory:
I would like to add a 2.25" trackball and possibly a spinner to my CP, problem is my CP is about the same size as a Centipede CP, 170mm by 660mm (6.5" x 26"), in reality the max usable space is 15cm deep.

Here is a pic of the top.


Here is a pic of the bottom, I have mounted my IPAC below the CP to gain space.


Side shot showing reduced depth.


The problem is in that using a trackball mounting plate that means I can't use any of the middle 15cm for any other buttons so the 1p/2p buttons will need to move left or right and obviously there is no space for the spinner.

At the moment I would be prepared to lose the spinner if I could get the trackball in.

Has anyone had similar problems which they have solved? Or any suggestions would be helpful.

Can I buy a trackball mount and then chop off the top and bottom so it is the same diamond shape as the trackball? Or otherwise fit it without a mounting plate?

Also, is there some way of assigning a couple of buttons to be mouse clicks with an IPAC?

Ex
paigeoliver:
With what you have going there I would suggest skipping the trackball. You could get a spinner in there decently, particularly if you got another piece of wood and moved your player 1 and player 2 controls right to the edge of the panels, but a trackball on that machine had problems beyond mere fit, it would be fine for slow trackball games like centipede or millipede, but more trackball games that require more high speed trackball action wouldn't work very well, you would be impacting the player 2 joy and the monitor glass far too often.

That fancy Ipac shelf you have going there is costing you some width that could be certainly used for a spinner or also used with a trackball (with the disclaimer that it is going to be a hand banger). Move the Ipac elsewhere in the cabinet and gain 1.5" of space between those controls.

If you REALLY want a trackball then reversing the player 2 layout to go right handed joystick would gain you some serious trackball clearance, at the cost of making player 2 a MUCH suckier position to play from.
ex_directory:
If anything happy to lose the spinner, but since cab gets a lot of use for non-arcade stuff too want to have the mouse option on the CP - currently the bottom angular shelf (see first pic above) folds down to reveal a pull out keyb and mouse which can be a pain.

The IPAC shelf came later after deciding the position of the joys, I have a lip on the side of my CP (see first pic again) and hence did not want controls to near the sides but you are right that real estate could be used by shifting the controls slightly wider, a new design for the ipac position is the easy part.

If I can mount the trackball without the trackball mount I think it is do-able. I see Andy Warne has a new wood panel mounted trackball on the way but looks to be 3" only.

Another option would be to go 4 button in this shape


Any experience on this - what are the downsides?
Franco B:

--- Quote from: ex_directory on March 12, 2008, 07:33:27 am ---Another option would be to go 4 button in this shape


Any experience on this - what are the downsides?


--- End quote ---

The obvious disadvantage is that you wont be able to play SF2, MK etc or other games that need more than 4 buttons. It depends if you can live withoiut those games, I personally couldnt. You also have to think about what people want to play when they come to yours, i would guess that 90% of the time SF2 would want to be one of the five games they want to play first.

I would suggest making a new panel with 6 buttons per player and a spinner in and then make an extension for the trackball, if done correctly it will look decent. The extension would give you room to mount the trackball in and also give you the extra spin room for Golden Tee etc.
ex_directory:
OK, taken on board suggestions so far... also found a great limited CP design post with a trackball by csa3d here...

Without a mount I think I can get it in...



Underneath would look like this...



No room for spinner and no obvious room for mouse buttons without it looking ugly so far though.
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