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X-Arcade Trackball for $70 + shipping = good deal?

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emerica:

--- Quote from: monkeybomb on September 01, 2006, 07:39:07 pm ---
 the parts are inexpensively made in china
--- End quote ---

I wouldnt be surprised if any of the happ line in manufactured in china. Most things these days are manufactured somewhere else for dirt cheap and then sold here (in the states) under a big named company. As for the feel and quality of x-arcade stuff, The joysticks never bothered me. I had them for a few years before I went with T-sticks. The buttons do have a different feel to them. The button seems to have more of a press than a happ button, if you can understand what I mean.

The trackball is probably fine you want something for your desktop but for an arcade solution you can get a betson trackball pretty cheap on ebay. I think I got my ps2 betson trackball for about 55 plus shipping. It all depends on how you are going to use this trackball.

RandyT:
HAPP buttons (the buttons GGG currently offers) are made in the USA.  I even know the name of the injection molding company where the tooling lives. 

As for button quality, the HAPP parts are definitely more solid in construction.  The X-arcade buttons have a somewhat looser hold on the microswitch, thinner walls on the plastic parts (this is most evident in the plunger part), a finer thread pitch (more turns required on the nut) and are shorter.  But the fit and finish are fine and with a good Cherry microswitch installed, one would not be able to tell the difference from above the panel in actual appearance or operation.

Are they "Real arcade parts"?  I think that might be a little bit of a stretch, but if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck.....

As for the X-Arcade trackballs, they seem to be very similar in appearance to the Betson Imperial.  The photos I have seen look almost identical, with only the Imperial name missing.  The square frame was still in the same spot, but without the name in it (*edit* Apparently it was a pre-production unit as the units carry the X-arcade logo there now).   One would really need to dissect the unit and compare the internal components to know for sure how the quality compares.  I've seen some poorly made 3rd party replacement rollers for the Betson trackballs, so the rollers would be a good place to start the comparison.

I haven't actually used one of the trackballs, so I can't comment on the performance. 

RandyT

 

ArcadEd:
The feel between an x-arcade trackball and a happ is a world of difference to me.  Which I prefer to use Happ trackball in my builds. 

With that said, the x-arcade trackball feels and looks a lot like a betson to me.  I have used them both, and I really couldn't find a difference.  Neither feels as good as a happ.  Just my opinion.

But you answer your question.  I think 70 bucks is a pretty good deal considering it's half the cost of a happ trackball alone.  If you go through happ.

torez:
I got X-arcade trackball and it does not take much space to store.  Trackball feels pretty good and is comfortable to use.  The only complain I have is the positioning of the buttons.  It's worst when you play Missile Command where you have three bases and you use each button alot in a game.  Basically it looks to me that it was designed for a very fat user (pardon my expression) where your elbows are positioned at 45 or more degrees away from your body.  After a while of playing my wrist gets tired of the position and I don't feel like playing like I have two watermelons under my armpits  :dizzy:.
Besides that, the four mounting bolts of the trackball could be sunk in a little bit (3-4 mm).

Overall, it's not a bad trackball for the price and with ps2 and usb adapter included, it adds to the value.  I use to play it on my computer, so using full size control panel is sometimes not the best option for me.  One thing I can't understand is why they don't add a spinner to their line.  Wonder if adding one by myself is a way to go.  Could then just piggyback 2-3 buttons that are already there and away I go :).  X-arcade, please change your silly button layout.  Yes, I know it would add to width of the board, so maybe left/right handed units would be a way to go?

mark shaker:

This post may be a bit late for the sale, but if it goes on sale again you will be ready. Here is the RetroBlast review:

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

   - Mark

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