Problem with Trackball (Newbie Install)

[krisbee]

I am trying to wire up my trackball, and I am having no response...

I have an OptiWiz, set as device 2 (I have a spinner from GroovyGameGear set as device 1, and it works)

I am running linux, so some of this might be foreign to you... I looked, and the device is recognized, and the mouse buttons seem to work fine...  however, nothing on the x and y axis... I followed these wiring instructions from ultimarc:
Plug at "12 o'clock" position    Plug at "9 o'clock" position
Black    Red    Yellow    Green    Black    Red    Yellow    Green
GND    +5V    Y1    Y2    GND    +5V    X2    X1

So, what have I done wrong?  I have no response up down or left right... I tried a usb to ps/2 adapter to take any usb funkiness out of the equation, and it was recognized, but still nothing when I move the trackball.

I have the STC 22-0485  2 - 1/4" trackball, so it is a common trackball...

HELP!     The machine is almost done except for this, and trying to set the machine up without a mouse is SO HARD!

Thanks in advance!
Kris

[krisbee]

I added 2.2k resistors from the 5+VDC line to each side of the optical sensor wires (XA, XB, YA, YB)...  and, it barely vibrates (but does, ever so slightly)... however, if I put my thumb on the section where I connect the X and Y wires to the resistor and then to the opti-wiz, the trackball works...

This was from this thread here:
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?board=1;action=display;threadid=17541

Any suggestions?

[surface tension]

I've only ever used optipacs/minipacs, but things shouldn't differ too much.

The wiring for this is straight-forward and it looks like you have everything spot on.

The first thing I would suggest is to remove everything from the optiwiz and then add the trackball. If you have the red 5Vs and the black 0Vs in the right place, it should work. The polarity of the other wires (as long as they are paired correctly) will only cause the cursor to be inverted... at worst. You certainly won't need any resistors at 5v.

[RandyT]

If 2.2K gives you some activity, try the next lower value to see if it improves.  If so, keep doing that until it starts working.  Just don't go too low and make sure none of the components start getting hot or anything "not good" like that.  That Suzo TB is not standard in the sense of just about every other arcade optical control out there, and that's what is responsible for the difficulty.

RandyT

[krisbee]

Thanks Randy for encouraging me to keep going!  1k resistor did the trick...  I am not used to a trackball, so I am still not sure if it is working fine... but I believe if it is working, then, that's it... its' working.

I did get the Y axis wrong... pushing up on the trackball goes down, and down up... I assume flipping YA and YB will fix that, right?

Thanks a bunch again!