Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum

Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: jcoleman on June 04, 2004, 09:52:55 pm

Title: Help me hack my Imperial trackball!
Post by: jcoleman on June 04, 2004, 09:52:55 pm
I picked up an Imperial trackball on eBay last year.  It's got the mouse board inside, so it can be used as a PS/2 mouse.  Since then I've bought a MiniPAC, which is not specifically tailored to work with the Imperial trackball.  Since this trackball will be on a removable panel, I need to be able to connect/disconnect it at will.  Using Linux and an older motherboard keeps me from being able to disconnect the mouse with the power running.  Therefore I have hacked the optic boards so that they are both simple optical boards and have removed the mouse capability from the trackball entirely.  

What I have now are two Imperial (Wico?) optic boards.  I know one works fine, since I didn't touch it.  Unfortunately I've just learned (by hooking the dang thing up) that it won't work with the MiniPAC.  I know the MiniPAC's optic controls work as I've connected them to my Vortex spinner.  Everything is hunky dory on that end.

My question is thus:  what do I need to do to make these optic boards work with the MiniPAC?

Thanks for any help you can offer...Andy, if you're reading...I love my MiniPAC!
Title: Re:Help me hack my Imperial trackball!
Post by: paigeoliver on June 04, 2004, 10:01:56 pm
Well, it is going to be hard for anyone to tell you what boards you modified personally are capable of.
Title: Re:Help me hack my Imperial trackball!
Post by: jcoleman on June 04, 2004, 10:38:39 pm
Quote
I know one works fine, since I didn't touch it.

:)

The other is now wired identically.
Title: Re:Help me hack my Imperial trackball!
Post by: ErikRuud on June 06, 2004, 10:24:20 am
I am really curious about this trackball of yours.

I have an Imperial/Betson 3" PS/2 trackball that I bought directly from Betson. When I  look inside of it, there are only two boards. One is a standard optics board for one axis.  The other is a slight larger board that is the optics and PS/2 mouse on one board.

Was yours hacked by the previous owner?

Also, does your last post mean that it is working now?