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Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: Skadar on May 22, 2007, 12:07:20 pm

Title: Happ Trackball Fixed - Optic Board Replacement
Post by: Skadar on May 22, 2007, 12:07:20 pm
In March I posted a thread titled "Is my Happ trackball dead?".  Just wanted to post an update to this issue.

Background: I bought a SlikStik Classic with Happ trackball in September of 2005.  Earlier this year, the trackball began to fail.  It would no longer track vertically.  It died over a period of days.

I emailed SlikStik and they told me that Happ was issuing a replacement optical board for their trackballs.  The peeps at SlikStik sent me one at no charge.  I installed it in about 5 minutes and the trackball is as good as new!

So if your trackball has stopped tracking vertically, this may be the issue.

Cheers!  The Aladdin's Castle Arcade Machine is still going strong!
Title: Re: Happ Trackball Fixed - Optic Board Replacement
Post by: 2600 on May 22, 2007, 12:19:44 pm
I wonder what they changed.  Do you have any of the pics of the new and old board?
Title: Re: Happ Trackball Fixed - Optic Board Replacement
Post by: AtomSmasher on May 22, 2007, 12:22:05 pm
My trackball stopped tracking vertically a while ago, but is well past its warranty time (its almost 2 years old now).  I bought it from ponyboy, not slickstick.  Any idea how I could get a replacement too?

I was just planning on buying replacement optic boards and wiring harness, but getting it replaced for free would be nice  ;D
Title: Re: Happ Trackball Fixed - Optic Board Replacement
Post by: Skadar on May 22, 2007, 12:37:19 pm
I wonder what they changed.  Do you have any of the pics of the new and old board?

Shoot!  I wasn't particular enough to take pictures before I installed the new board.  I have the old one sitting right here, but that doesn't do any good.  :) 

For what it's worth, it was a perfect replacement with all three connectors in exactly that same spots.  The part number of the board I replaced is "55-0301-00" Rev. D at Happ.  Perhaps the new board is just the latest revision of that same board.

Title: Re: Happ Trackball Fixed - Optic Board Replacement
Post by: horseboy on May 22, 2007, 12:40:00 pm
My trackball stopped tracking vertically a while ago, but is well past its warranty time (its almost 2 years old now).  I bought it from ponyboy, not slickstick.  Any idea how I could get a replacement too?

I was just planning on buying replacement optic boards and wiring harness, but getting it replaced for free would be nice  ;D

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=48855.0 (http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=48855.0)

Absolutely perfect replacement. I don't see why you would need a new wiring harness either.
Title: Re: Happ Trackball Fixed - Optic Board Replacement
Post by: ahofle on May 22, 2007, 12:52:42 pm
That's great to know.  Have you had a chance to test it yet?  Does it pickup exactly the same as the Happ board?
Title: Re: Happ Trackball Fixed - Optic Board Replacement
Post by: Skadar on May 22, 2007, 01:02:01 pm
That's great to know.  Have you had a chance to test it yet?  Does it pickup exactly the same as the Happ board?

Not sure who you are addressing, but if it's me I'll tell you that my trackball now works exactly as it did before, which is to say... perfectly.  It just instantly started working after the replacement board was installed.

Cheers!
Title: Re: Happ Trackball Fixed - Optic Board Replacement
Post by: AtomSmasher on May 22, 2007, 03:04:05 pm
My trackball stopped tracking vertically a while ago, but is well past its warranty time (its almost 2 years old now).  I bought it from ponyboy, not slickstick.  Any idea how I could get a replacement too?

I was just planning on buying replacement optic boards and wiring harness, but getting it replaced for free would be nice  ;D

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=48855.0 (http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=48855.0)

Absolutely perfect replacement. I don't see why you would need a new wiring harness either.
I don't need a new wiring harness, I just figured it was only sold together.  Also, I have a ps2/usb mouse interface directly from the boards, so I don't know if the ones you linked to will work for me, unless I want to change it all around and buy a seperate trackball encoder.
Title: Re: Happ Trackball Fixed - Optic Board Replacement
Post by: ahofle on May 22, 2007, 03:09:38 pm
That's great to know.  Have you had a chance to test it yet?  Does it pickup exactly the same as the Happ board?

Not sure who you are addressing, but if it's me I'll tell you that my trackball now works exactly as it did before, which is to say... perfectly.  It just instantly started working after the replacement board was installed.

Cheers!

Good deal.  Actually I was referring to horseboy who provided the link to the non-Happ replacement boards.  Just wondering how well they worked (since we know they fit well).  If my optics ever die in my Happ TB it would be nice to have an alternative to Happ since my trackball is 4 years old now and long since out of warranty.