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Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: Hurray Banana on September 30, 2005, 08:58:25 am

Title: Any Trackballs that will operate when vertical?
Post by: Hurray Banana on September 30, 2005, 08:58:25 am

I'm building a wall display at college using a PC in pieces (to show the components) with a tft screen display.

I want to use a trackball to control this setup. But I want to mount the trackball vertically.

I have experience of the Ultimarc trackballs, and they won't work too well when vertical.

Does anyone know of a trackball that will work when set in this position?

Cheers in advance

Title: Re: Any Trackballs that will operate when vertical?
Post by: Minwah on September 30, 2005, 09:34:36 am

Quote from: Hurray Banana on September 30, 2005, 08:58:25 am

Does anyone know of a trackball that will work when set in this position?

Not by name...but I have seen a gambling game in a local kebab shop with a trackball set up at quite a steep angle (probably not quite vertical).  So you could probably get one...

Title: Re: Any Trackballs that will operate when vertical?
Post by: quarterback on September 30, 2005, 11:11:19 am

It seems like you could get it to work if you turned it to the correct 'angle'.  You'd need some kind of software tweak to make "up" actually move the cursor up, but if the TB was resting on both of the controller rollers it seems like it could work

Title: Re: Any Trackballs that will operate when vertical?
Post by: u_rebelscum on September 30, 2005, 01:30:02 pm

If you want it absolutely vertical, I think you'd have to get an industrial TB.  Here are a few that are designed to be able to mounted vertically: CH Products (http://www.chproducts.com/oem_flash/track_p200.html) (only 2 inch though, I think), Industrias Lorenzo (http://www.industrias-lorenzo.com/bswebs.G3?log:pkid=2&log:company=29&log:contract=1&log:serviceid=1&menukeys=PRODUCTOS:PRODUCTOS&xtd:language=en&pkid=2&idcompany=29&idcontract=1&idservice=1&language=en&categoria=133555) (if you get the sealed version), NSI (http://www.nsi.be/pointing.htm) (again, the sealed versions).  I have no idea how good any of these are.

I think most arcade TBs are designed for up to ~ 15-30 degrees, but if you mount like quarterback suggested, you probably can go steeper, oh, about 30-50 degrees.

Or you can try to hack in another roller or two (or ball bearings) into the case.  The added roller should be positioned so it keeps the ball on the sensor rollers.  You might be able to bore 2-4 semi spheres into the underside of the TB case's lip and put ball bearings into them, but I'd bet you'd have to do the correct depth within a mm or so.

That's my guesses. ;)

Title: Re: Any Trackballs that will operate when vertical?
Post by: mahuti on September 30, 2005, 03:22:11 pm

There's also an industrial flush mounted trackpad that can be installed if you prefer. I looked into one for my cabinet once.

Title: Re: Any Trackballs that will operate when vertical?
Post by: Hurray Banana on October 02, 2005, 05:56:07 am

Thanks for the info guys