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Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: Chris on February 11, 2003, 04:12:14 am

Title: Trackball backspin
Post by: Chris on February 11, 2003, 04:12:14 am

I'm having problems with trackball backspin.  I'm using a Logitech Trackman trackball on the PS/2 port.  To reduce the resolution and thus the backspin problem, I broke out most of the little teeth on the encoder wheel, reducing the encoder to four (!) narrow teeth with four large gaps between them.  This reduced backspin but did not eliminate it.  I am using the latest Intellipoint drivers.

Do I need to:

- Change to a different driver?
- Increase the size of the teeth so the teeth and gaps are approximately the same size?
- Learn to live with it?

Do real arcade trackballs tend to have backspin problems?  Is this just a matter of cheap encoder or small encoder wheels?

Thanks...

--Chris

Title: Re:Trackball backspin
Post by: SirPoonga on February 11, 2003, 04:13:42 am

I have a happ trackball with the encoder wheel and mouse from teh oscar spinner.  I have no backspin issues.

Title: Re:Trackball backspin
Post by: Chris on February 11, 2003, 09:11:36 am

Is that just using the stock mouse driver?

Title: Re:Trackball backspin
Post by: RandyT on February 11, 2003, 09:54:02 am

Quote from: Chris on February 11, 2003, 09:11:36 am

Is that just using the stock mouse driver?

I seem to hear a lot about the Logitech mouse driver being used. There is a section in the driver thats called "polling rate", "report rate" or something lke that.  If you experiment with this setting, you might be able to improve your situation.

Generally though, this behaviour is the result of a slow processor and can be seen more on cheap mice.  I would think that the Logitech wouldn't fall into this category though.


RandyT

Title: Re:Trackball backspin
Post by: Chris on February 11, 2003, 10:00:19 am

Quote from: RandyT on February 11, 2003, 09:54:02 am

Generally though, this behaviour is the result of a slow encoder and can be seen more on cheap mice.  I would think that the Logitech wouldn't fall into this category though.

Well, I'm sure that at the time they designed it, Logitech never envisioned Golden Tee... :)

Thanks for your help!

--Chris

Title: Re:Trackball backspin
Post by: KevSteele on February 11, 2003, 01:24:10 pm

I've seen backspin on the Oscar Model 1 spinner, which used Logitech mouse circuitry.

I haven't seen any backspin on the Happ controllers, and the newer Oscar boards don't have any backspin, either.

One thing you can do to minimize backspin in MAME is to adjust the analog settings for the game where you're seeing backspin. If you up the key speed and lower the sensitivity, you'll generally see less backspin.

Of course, the best solution is to get rid of backspin at the hardware level...  :-\