MAME trackball issue

[Deadly]

I have a HAPP USB trackball that used to work wonderfully. At some point and time it has become unusable with MAMEUI64. Unusable meaning playing Golden Tee sometimes the trackball works fine, sometimes the balls spins but then there's a delayed reaction on screen and sometimes the golf ball will act like it was barely hit. I tried swapping bearings and shafts with another HAPP trackball. Made zero difference.
Anything outside of MAMEUI64 appears to work fine. But I'm also not spinning the hell out of the ball either
In windows thumping around on the menus and so forth it works fine. I've tried uninstalling it, using different ports - still works like crap in MAMEUI64.
I am using X64 XP SPK 3 and I think build 0.128 of MAMEUI. Has anything in MAME been changed within the last ~3 releases that could've caused this behaviour to start?? It's been jsut about a year ago IIRC that this started and I'm wondering if the build of MAME has changed some how? I've attempted to alter the settings within the game to increase or decrease sensitivity and made no difference.
Making a mad dash to get it playing correctly for a Halloween party.

Thanks for any help.

[surface tension]

It certainly sounds like the issue is confined to MAME, so messing with the drivers and ports probably won't help.

I don't generally update MAME unless there's an essential update allowing new features. I may be incorrectly reading between the lines though. Do you have a backup of your existing MAME setup that you could access to check for the difference? I mean, to prove it worked ok on an older version.

You could also try it with the corresponding command-line version of MAME. It may not provide the clean interface for your guests, but (if it works fine) at least you'll have a way of playing it as time isn't on your side... though if you'd posted a year ago you'd have had more chance of finding a solution 

[Flake]

I have the same problem and I dont think its a Mame issue.  Its actually an issue with the USB interface on the happs trackball itself.  I have read some threads about this in the past but I dont think there is a "solution" per se.  Do a search and you should find some discussions about it.  I think URebelScum posted a reply in one of them detailing the issue.  I havent looked at fixing my issue because I dont play that much Golden Tee and thats the only game I smack the trackball that hard so I've let a sleeping dog lie for now.

However, if you do by chance find a fix please post it  .

Good luck

[LLUncoolJ]

Flake and I have the same software setup and similar hardware. I have the Ultimarc trackball and it is very responsive to GT. May just be an issue with Happ and MAME.

[Flake]

Yea I think its clearly an issue with the Happs USB trackball.  Specifically with the USB inteface.

[Deadly]

Thanks for all the replies people. While it makes me happy to have closure it upsets me that it's the hardware. I'm going to play around with it a tad tonight and see if command line mame is any better and /or view my BIOS settings to see what mode the USB is in. Just thought about that - and am wondering if at some time long ago that when I updated the BIOS possibly the settings reverted/changed.

I'm glad I posted before really diving in - I believe you guys saved me a few hours of my life   

I'll report back what I find.

BTW - I tried emailing Andy at Ultimarc and it bounced because his inbox is full and his site doesn't list a phone number. I think I'll probably suck it up and buy one of his tracballs. Does anyone know if the Ultimarc tracball  will mount up to my current happ mounting plate?

[u_rebelscum]

That sounds like it's an overflow issue: the ball is spinning too fast for some bottleneck point.

There are quite a few possible bottleneck points, but two I'd suspect the most.

One is windows/USB's poll rate; see if you can increase it, and if it helps.  The ability to up the mouse poll rate varies between OS versions, so make sure the method you use actually works on your exact OS (including its 64 bit size).  A bios or windows or mouse driver update could have caused the change.  (BTW, a fix was put in mame to help people who can't up the poll rate; it might help you if this is the problem.)

The other I'd be worried about is happs USB board getting old and not being able to handle the data speed anymore.  Old happs usb TB boards have a history of acting funny like this (or breaking more noticeably).  The fix for this would be to buy new boards.  You can get another happs usb board set, but I'd lean toward two happs arcade TB boards and an optiwiz or u-hid nano.

[AndyWarne]

One think to check is whether the problem happens in one axis direction only. If it does, then that optical sensor might be going bad. Its worth blowing the dust out of the optical sensors also.

[Deadly]

One think to check is whether the problem happens in one axis direction only. If it does, then that optical sensor might be going bad. Its worth blowing the dust out of the optical sensors also.

Thanks Andy. I ran across this from someone having Happ issues. Going to add it to the list of things I need to try:
http://www.softpedia.com/get/Tweak/System-Tweak/USB-Mouserate-switcher.shtml

[Deadly]

Wanted to post my results for future reads.

Checked BIOS settings - nothing new/changed

I loaded X32 Windows XP Pro with SRV pack 2 and used the drivers CD that came with the board to load audio and such. I also downloaded the video driver from ATI. Otherwise no windows updates applied.

Using the utility: http://www.softpedia.com/get/Tweak/System-Tweak/USB-Mouserate-switcher.shtml 
I tried all 3 settings and even used the option to revert to the original usbport.sys driver.

I also played with the sensitivity options in the analog settings of the game.

Tried old version of MAME32UI and latest ver.

I noticed that if I try not rallying the track ball, it works decent but not perfect. The track ball has been cleaned, the bearings are perfect shape.

Bottom line:
Without a doubt there is an issue with the track ball. I would believe there is something with the older HAPP USB track ball optic boards that
are causing this. I am going to throw mine away and buy one from Ultimarc as long as it'll fit in my current CP hole for the HAPP Track Ball. u

[Honkyharris]

This is disappointing. I too have a happ 3" usb trackball that I ordered about 1 month ago and was having the same problems. I'm glad I came across this thread as I have called and setup a return for my trackball.

Does anyone know if the standard happ 3" + an opti-pac (usb version) from ultimarc would have the same problem or would that fix the issue? Could I just buy an opti-pac and wire up this trackball to eliminate that problem? (Note i'm not sure that the happ 3" usb trackball has the wires need to hookup to a opti-pac although I'd assume it does.)

Thanks,
Honkyharris

[Deadly]

Does anyone know if the standard happ 3" + an opti-pac (usb version) from ultimarc would have the same problem or would that fix the issue?

QUOTE:
"Its not easy to wire the USB Happ boards to the Opti-PAC, but it can be done, soldering is involved."
 I am waiting for an answer back about using the NON USB HAPPS with the Optic-Pac. I'll post answers when they are received,

Answer for NON USB to OPTI-PAC:
"Yes that should work provided the optical boards are OK"

Because the Ultimarc Trackball won;t work with my CP I am forced to star with the HAPP style which luckily I have a NON USB model already.
SOLD!

[u_rebelscum]

The optipac was designed to work with the arcade happs TB (aka non-usb).  Optipac, optiwiz, u-hid nano are all good choices, and all were designed to work with the arcade sensor boards.  (There are others out there too.)  IOW, yes they will work with the arcade sensor boards.

Wiring the USB happs board is basically the exact ooposite of hacking a mouse to an arcade board.  As long as the problem isn't with the USB board's sensors (but with happs USB logic/circuitry), hacking it to one of the above will work.

[Honkyharris]

Thanks for the replies guys! I have my 3" usb happ trackball packaged and ready to ship back. I think I'll just go ahead and buy the regular 3" trackball and a opti-pac from Andy at Ultimarc. I'm glad I caught this today so I could still ship it back rather than a week from now where Happ probably wouldn't have accepted the item back.

Once I get the standard 3" hooked up through the opti-pac i'll be sure to update and let everyone know how it works.

Thanks again,
Honkyharris

[Dazz]

I just found this thread while searching for how to clean trackball bearings.  I was thinking of getting the USB interface for my 3" Happ since I am looking into moving my opti-pac to my pincab.

Is this still an issue with the USB sensors for Happ trackballs?   Or should I just stick with the 3" > Opti-pac and just order another Opti-pac for my next project?