Trackball CHEAP

[speedklz]

check this out.. This out to work pretty well as a trackball for mame after a little hack.
http://www.hammacher.com/Product/73306?source=FROOGLE

[Beretta]

cool, you're right that looks like it would make a good trackball.

have you done it your self? please do a detailed write up if you would.

[speedklz]

Just looking for a cheap replacement and saw this I think I will get one just to play with.

[RandyT]

The balls in those things are little.  Look at the overall dimensions of the unit and then at how much room the ball takes up in that small panel.  The photo is a little misleading without knowing the supposed size of the monitor it's next to.

Someone has looked at these for this purpose in the past.  But they paid quite a bit less for them (about $10).  Do a search here for more info.

RandyT

[severdhed]

i got one at Kmart a while back on clearance for $12.  i brought it home, fired it up to see if it worked for about 2 minutes, then proceeded to gut it and interface it to the PC via a mouse hack.  i fully intended to use this as a trackball for a bartop i was going to build.  however the performance just wasnt there.  the ball doesnt roll easily.  if you roll it hard, it stops almost instantly after your hand leaves it.  the rollers are tiny metal rollers with rubber cushions on them.

i dont know how you would ever play any kind of bowling or golf game with it.  i played a little centipede with it, but it just wasnt anywhere near the same experience as playing with a real arcade trackball.

if you can get one cheap, it can be a fun little project, but dont expect this to be an arcade quality product, because it isn't

if you do plan on hacking it...this could be useful

[Beretta]

well, i'd say thats 3 strikes and your out..

i think we hit a dead end on this one.

[mvsfan]

well, i'd say thats 3 strikes and your out..

i think we hit a dead end on this one.

Just by looking at the thing (the ball sure looks small, and the price, Etc,

I would bet that thing just doesnt have the slam factor. When you slam a real arcade ball, it rolls and rolls and rolls. Thats one reason hardly anyone likes a hacked pc trackball in the End. it just doesnt have the weight.

Heres a bit of fun too. I have a friend who replaced his ball with a 9 ball. It had the same dimensions and weight as the original ball.

[mvsfan]

on another note the only thing ive ever liked with these all in one hook it up to your tv home arcade or retro console devices, are the Authentic sega genesis rereleases that have 3 or 4 games,

and those "nes in a controllers" are cool too.

bad thing about those though is they are made on the cheap with cheap components in china, just like this little "golden tee arcade-in-a-box is."