Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum
Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: crashdmj on July 07, 2003, 07:07:40 pm
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Where is the cheapest place to find a 3" trackball housing.
I plan to get a spare 3" trackball from Bob Roberts and then one of those Oscar trackball to USB hack thingys. That is all I would need right?
Derek
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Do you mean the actual trackball assy. (the black thingy)? In almost all cases the trackball and housing come together as a unit so why buy another trackball? Cheapest are the refurbed WICO units.
BobA
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You could try Betson. I found this...
Trackball Case (http://www.betson.com/product.asp?dept%5Fid=13570&sku=IMP++47%2D4305+++++++++++++++++++++)
I am not sure what size it is but you could call them and find out. Good luck.
J_K_M_A_N
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Betson Part Number IMP 47-4300-01R
29.95 for a complete refurb trackball
(Case, Trackball, Optical Boards, Bearings, Wiring)
BobA
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So can I take the Betson refurb trackball and plug it into Oscar's USB mouse hack thingy?
What do most people use for trackball buttons or mouse buttons? Where do they generally place them as well (i.e. on top, sides etc)
Thanks
Derek
Can you take the ball out and replace it with another 3" one?
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id get a refurb myself but i want a colored ball.
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The trackballs use a standard plug for arcade games. This is the same as the one on the happs and should be fine with Oscars USB trackball hack. I don't know what the USB thingy uses for connection but it will definately work with the Betson.
BobA
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Bump for my couple Q's asked above
;D
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So can I take the Betson refurb trackball and plug it into Oscar's USB mouse hack thingy?
What do most people use for trackball buttons or mouse buttons? Where do they generally place them as well (i.e. on top, sides etc)
Thanks
Derek
Can you take the ball out and replace it with another 3" one?
Yes you can use oscar's usb mouse hack if you desire.
Yes you can replace the ball with another 3" one.
Totally up to the individual where to mount mouse buttons. somepeople incorporate them into their 6 or 7 button spreads in order to minimize clutter...
I put one on either side of my trackball (left and right mouse button)
Others put them at the top of their t-ball but that's my personal least fav *shrug* not sure why...
Good luck!
rampy
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How do you assign buttons as left mouse and right mouse button so that windows will know to use them as well as mame or emu's?
Derek
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Does the trackball plate at Bob Roberts or Happs work with or needed with the Betson Ball?
ss
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You simply phsyically wire the mouse buttons (either from the optipac, your own hack, or oscar usb mouse hack) to the buttons that are presumably physically positioned at say... stations player 1 button 3 and player 1 button 6.
You then map MAME to accept mouse button 0 and mouse button 1 to act accordingly as those buttons in games.
*Shrug* what is it that you wanted to konw again? =P
One, alternatively could wire mouse buttons and ipac buttons up concurrently but you'd probably have to figure out either a dpdt switching thing or maybe some sort of diode action to keep 'em separated/distinct circuits.
Rampy
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I wasnt sure if Oscar's usb hack had two spots for mouse buttons, so it does?
Sweet thanks rampy
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I wasnt sure if Oscar's usb hack had two spots for mouse buttons, so it does?
Sweet thanks rampy
jah, it does... be sure to ask him to have the headers put on the mouse hack buttons (unless it's now an option directly in the store)... it might cost an extra buck but it'll make it easier/quicker to utilize...
(if you don't ask for the header... you'll simply have to desolder the two microswitch buttons and run the wires yourself -- no big whoop)
Rampy
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Never mind last post, didn't dig deep enough.
New question though. If I used a translucent ball and wanted to light it, what problem are there when using the beston trackball housing? Is it possible or is there a bunch of stuff in the way to install a light below it?
ss
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Never mind last post, didn't dig deep enough.
New question though. If I used a translucent ball and wanted to light it, what problem are there when using the beston trackball housing? Is it possible or is there a bunch of stuff in the way to install a light below it?
ss
*shrug* there's a hole from which to point a light (and I imagine you can overpay for the little bracket to help you point a light at that hole that's there for that purpose... or fashion one yourself)
I'd highly suggest trying some high intensity LED's to light your trackball (else your tball will get warm to the touch, with an incadescent bulb)
YMMV,
rampy
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Well I just bought a refurb trackball as suggested. Anyone know the mounting dimensions so I can plan on how and where to mount. I plan to recess it so just the ball shows over art and thin lexan.
Derek
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So, if you go PS/2 with the keyboard encoder and PS/2 with the trackball, then what is the route to go to add the spinner since you're out of PS/2 slots?
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So, if you go PS/2 with the keyboard encoder and PS/2 with the trackball, then what is the route to go to add the spinner since you're out of PS/2 slots?
well, you could use a dpdt switch to switch, say... x-axis from the trackball to the spinner and versa vice... (oscar has a how to on oscarcontrols.com ) ... you could use a usb mouse hack (which oscar also conveniently sells) in parallel with the ps/2 trackball...
*shrug* if you are gonna get any fancier than that (i.e. adding optical rotary sticks or concurrent additional trackballs) one would probably be best served by getting an optipac...
Who were you refereing to re: the ps/2 ports? I'm confused or don't see the context in the thread.
does that help at all?
Rampy
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Not trying to hijack the thread, but I have a question.
If I were to get a trackball like the refurb mentioned in this thread, or any 3" for that matter, could that be hooked directly to an OptiPac? I plan on having a TB and a spinner on my CP, so would I be best off just getting an OptiPac and hooking both up to that? *if that's possible*
And also, does the OptiPac have contacts for 2 mouse buttons?
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Rampy- I have yet to pick the trackball up and was curious on which route I should go to have the trackball and spinner at the same time being that I'm going with the IPAC4 PS/2 for now.
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If I were to get a trackball like the refurb mentioned in this thread, or any 3" for that matter, could that be hooked directly to an OptiPac? I plan on having a TB and a spinner on my CP, so would I be best off just getting an OptiPac and hooking both up to that? *if that's possible*
And also, does the OptiPac have contacts for 2 mouse buttons?
the betson, suzo\wico\ultimarc, and happs tb can all be hooked to an optipac. both a spinner and tb can be hooked to an optipac (usb, i dunno about serial). nd optipac allows 2 buttons
Rampy- I have yet to pick the trackball up and was curious on which route I should go to have the trackball and spinner at the same time being that I'm going with the IPAC4 PS/2 for now.
an optipac usb can handle both a trackball and spinner
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thanks jake! ;)