Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum
Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: Sshado on January 14, 2004, 11:23:40 am
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I am thinking about making another Bartop arcade. Since it will be small, I may put in a 1.5" trackball.
Anyone know how or if you can connect the 1.5" trackball from Happcontrols to the PC using MAME without an optipac? It says it comes with a USB.
Sshado
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Well I would guess you buy the $131.95 1.5" trackball and connect it to the pc using the $41.55 USB cable they sell...
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I don't know how small you need it but you would probably be better off (moneywise, $15 for a USB ready TB versus $180 for the Happs 1.5") getting something like the MacAlly iBall, taking it out of the case, cutting a 2" hole in your cp, then mount the internals of the iBall via some spacers directly to the bottom of the cp.
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Well, I guess I decided to do without the trackball. It is outrageously expensive compared to the total cost of the project.
I can do without it as my other machine has one.
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look at ebay. you might find a brand new happs trackball for 40-50$. and buy a mouse for $0.01-$3 (or take on you have at home) and make an interface.. it takes about 20 minutes with multimeter checking, soldering, and "debugging" (if the pointer goes the wrong way you switch cables).
i dont understand why ppl even buy that usb crap. it works PERFECT with a mouse.
its the same thing the ipac/keyboard hack.. well i guess if you have money and dont want to spend some extra hours hacking the keyboard go for the ipac.. but otherwise get a keyboard and hack it. with switch diodes there wont be no masking/ghosting. and firmware blocking is rare on keyboards.
think about it. 100+ inputs at once. for a few bucks or even for free (in my case)
ps. actually ipac could be worth the money.. if it was $40 for that bigger one. 5x inputs. but that trackball interface should burn in hell.
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As for the trackball interface I agree 100000%. All the trackballs I have ever used have been happ ones. And for the interface I go to a used computer place and get a microsoft ps/2 mouse. I even use the +5v on the mouse board to run the trackball optics.
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I don't mean to sound dumb ??? , but what do you use as the actual "rolling" mechanism for the ball when you use the mouse as the interface?
I have an extra 3" Trackball from Happ and plenty of "mice" ;)
Sshado
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Go here to understand.
http://www.mameworld.net/massive/How-to/Trackball_Hack/trackball_hack.html
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I meant I have the ball only, which is why I asked what you used as the actual "rolling" mechanism.
The link provided to understand shows a full trackball setup and is basically showing you how to use it with a mouse interface rather than an OptiPac.
Sshado
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I'm going for the MacAlly iBall. It looked good on the Multiwilliams/Geekenstein cab. For that money at least I won't go broke trying it out :P