Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum
Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: GadgetGeek on July 31, 2007, 12:47:29 pm
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I've got a cocktail cabinet and I'm wanting to make a slick hookup for my trackball panel (like the x-arcade trackball, but from arcadecab.com) where I've got a ps2 port trackball installed.
My thoughts are to hook up something like the picture below (but the mouse port equivalent, and I guess female instead of male) under one control panels for a nice clean look. I've thought about pulling one from an old motherboard, but those are surface mount.
Any ideas? Thanks.
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I would not use anything that even resembles a power connector to hook up a trackball. If someone were to plug in a power cord your interface and maybe computer would be toast. USB ports are much smaller and can be used to hook up a device like a trackball. They also have usb ports for panel mounting and your ps/2 wires could be transfered over. There are also ps/2 connectors for panel mounts that could be used and no wiriing changes would be needed. A ps/2 extension cable end can be epoxied in a hole in your cab and the ps/2 trackball will plug right in.
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an AT (not ATX) style motherboard ps2 mouse port is what you are looking for. they usually used a ribbon cable to the motherboard and went either to the case itself or to one of the card slots on a bayonet. radio shack may also have just the ps2 port and you can wire it up yourself. i probably have one somewhere.......... maybe in the attic with all the other really old pc parts that will never be used again
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You can also google: "ps2 panel mount"
Something like this:
http://www.datapro.net/products/ps2-panel-mounting-coupler.html
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Yes, that is what I'm talking about. Actually the similar item link on that page (http://www.datapro.net/products/ps2-panel-mount-extension-cable.html) is what I'm after. Now to find one cheaper than that.
You can also google: "ps2 panel mount"
Something like this:
http://www.datapro.net/products/ps2-panel-mounting-coupler.html
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If you want cheap just epoxy the end of a PS/2 extension cable into a matching round hole in your cab. You will need an extension cable to get to your PC so this is a no cost way to do it if you have a bit of epoxy.
This was in my previous post but with alot of other suggestions.
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Half that price -> $7.00 here. (http://www.frontx.com/pro/p109_036.html) If you want it panel mounted. A regular extension with epoxy and snug fitting hole is probably the lowest cost method though, and just as easy to do.
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Depending on how the trackball CP is mounted, might you want something a little more durable? I've come across quite a few PS/2 cables living in peoples homes where the pins was either mangled, pushed in or simply missing.
Why not use a 4-pin XLR connector (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XLR_connector)? It's far more durable than a tiny PS/2 connector and gives your cab that durable look. Typically, I believe they price out at around $5 to $7 for each end. I've seen salvaged parts sell for as low as $2 or less each and an occasional eBay auction as low as $1 each. The panel mount female is ideal since they sometimes use solder cups (http://workmanship.nasa.gov/lib/insp/2%20books/links/sections/614%20Solder%20Cups.html) to connect the wire to. Which you can bolt into your cab.
I'm not aware of any specific high power applications that use the XLR, but with careful pin selection, inadvertantly plugging in the wrong equipment shouldn't do any damage.