Main Restorations Software Audio/Jukebox/MP3 Everything Else Buy/Sell/Trade
Project Announcements Monitor/Video GroovyMAME Merit/JVL Touchscreen Meet Up Retail Vendors
Driving & Racing Woodworking Software Support Forums Consoles Project Arcade Reviews
Automated Projects Artwork Frontend Support Forums Pinball Forum Discussion Old Boards
Raspberry Pi & Dev Board controls.dat Linux Miscellaneous Arcade Wiki Discussion Old Archives
Lightguns Arcade1Up Try the site in https mode Site News

Unread posts | New Replies | Recent posts | Rules | Chatroom | Wiki | File Repository | RSS | Submit news

  

Author Topic: how do you light up your see-thru trackball??  (Read 1498 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

stevodevo

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 113
  • Last login:March 07, 2022, 11:27:18 am
  • I want to build my own arcade controls!
how do you light up your see-thru trackball??
« on: June 03, 2005, 11:07:20 pm »
Sorry I'm at home with super slow internet so I'm being lazy and not searching tonight!

I'm talking brand names and websites people! I bought a "led cannon" off the internet and I'm still waiting for the cannon part...I have to turn the light off and squint before I realize the thing is even lit up!!

Any advice? Can I just hook up a spotlight to a car battery or something? :p

Thanks!
stevodevo

NoOne=NBA=

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2718
  • Last login:July 23, 2011, 08:59:16 am
  • Just Say No To Taito! -Nichibutsu
Re: how do you light up your see-thru trackball??
« Reply #1 on: June 03, 2005, 11:28:04 pm »
I got some 6v incandescent flashlight-style bulbs from Radio Shack, the bases for them, and a 6v power supply to run them.

At the moment, the bulbs are just taped to the bottom of the trackball case.
I may get around to actually mounting them properly someday, but they work for now.

DreamArcades

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 333
  • Last login:April 26, 2022, 05:36:40 pm
    • Dream Arcades, LLC
Re: how do you light up your see-thru trackball??
« Reply #2 on: June 04, 2005, 03:43:55 am »
I used LED's with good sauces. They are very directional, so make sure your LED is pointed right on the trackball. If this doesn't work you might have got a dim LED. I usually use three LED's.

I've done the 12 volt lamp as well. Both work fine.

stevodevo

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 113
  • Last login:March 07, 2022, 11:27:18 am
  • I want to build my own arcade controls!
Re: how do you light up your see-thru trackball??
« Reply #3 on: June 06, 2005, 03:48:38 pm »
Thanks guys!  I did move the led so that it was *almost* directly under the trackball (unfortunately that is where the hole is in my control panel box to let cords out) and that helped quite a bit.... still not as bright as some of the other guys control panels I've seen.

But that works for now!  I may try more leds or the 6v bulb solution in the future...getting married friday so i gotta save my pennies!

stevodevo

ahofle

  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 4544
  • Last login:August 30, 2023, 05:10:22 pm
    • Arcade Ambience Project
Re: how do you light up your see-thru trackball??
« Reply #4 on: June 06, 2005, 03:59:56 pm »
I have a super bright LED cannon.  It's a single LED and it's so bright, it shines through my green trackball and puts a spot on the ceiling.  I'm guessing either yours isn't a superbright, or something is wrong with it.  It hurts my eyes to look directly at it, it's that bright.

KevSteele

  • Trade Count: (+3)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 941
  • Last login:January 20, 2025, 11:29:37 am
  • Retrogaming Media Mogul in Rehab
Re: how do you light up your see-thru trackball??
« Reply #5 on: June 06, 2005, 04:38:28 pm »
I used LED's with good sauces.

Okay, I'm not familiar with this technique. Any sauces in particular...A1 perhaps?

 ;)

I used a 4-led cluster:

http://www.retroblast.com/reviews/lazer.html

Kevin
Kevin Steele, Former Editor and Publisher of RetroBlast! and GameRoom Magazine

stevodevo

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 113
  • Last login:March 07, 2022, 11:27:18 am
  • I want to build my own arcade controls!
Re: how do you light up your see-thru trackball??
« Reply #6 on: June 07, 2005, 01:03:15 pm »
yeah that saucy response kinda threw me off too!

namedos

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 263
  • Last login:July 16, 2025, 07:15:23 pm
Re: how do you light up your see-thru trackball??
« Reply #7 on: June 07, 2005, 05:39:37 pm »
12V super bright LED wired with a lead off a molex splitter.  I believe it is a five bulb red LED and it puts off plenty of light.