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Anyone up this late? Looking for some trackball advice
Kevin Mullins:
--- Quote from: ropeadope on May 29, 2007, 08:14:28 am ---What happened to the "Build your own arcade controls" spirit? ;)
--- End quote ---
Oh it's alive and well all right..... ;D
BUT..... you just can't build what you are asking for and even compare it to what you get for the price of the X-Arcade trackball unit. Not when cost is a majoring factor. By the time you bought parts, buttons, wiring, wood, tools if needed, hardware, interfacing hardware, etc......
# Built Like A Friggin' Tank
# Authentic Arcade Parts Ripped From A Real Arcade Machine
# Dual Layout For Left/Right - Handed Players
# Nifty PS/2 and USB Support
# Functions As A Standard 3 Button Mouse
# Compatible With Any Mouse-Based Game
# Dual Left/Right Pinball Flipper Buttons
# Indestructible Arcade Design With Lifetime Warranty
# 15 LBS Of Industrial-Grade Retro Gaming Pleasure
# Limited Time Special Only $49.95
After $20 Mail-In Rebate
And yes, you will always find mixed reviews on the X-Arcade stuff. That argument comes up all the time. I personally have had one of the original dual stick units since the day they came out when they cost twice what they do now..... and we're still beating on the thing. So no, I personally have no complaints about their stuff. Others may have had a different experience or may just be more particular on button "feel", joystick "throw" or some other little issue. All in an opinion.
:dunno
ArtMAME:
I have gotten used Betson Trackballs for as little as $0.99 plus $6.00 shipping from Ebay. I had to remove the rust off the rollers, then oil the bearings. Then I took a Microsoft PS/2 Mouse that I had lying around and hacked it to the trackball optical encoders. I then incorporated it into my existing control panel. For the buttons, I took a USB mouse and wired 3 of the CP buttons to the 3 switches on the mouse PCB.
So it is possible to make a trackball controller for very cheap, you just need a little time and patience and spare materials.
Unless you have the following stuff already, you will have to purchase some or all of the following items:
Trackball plate (optional, but makes life easier if you have it) $14 plus shipping
Trackball repair kit if the old shafts and bearings are shot (optional) $30 plus shipping
3 arcade buttons $1.50 each plus shipping
Wire for hooking up buttons ?
Plywood, MDF, or particle board for CP top and sides $7 to $20 (depending on the quality)
Optional T-Molding (about 6 feet) $0.95 per foot (cheaper if you buy it in bulk)
Paint or Vinyl CP overlay (optional) $10 to $25
Soldering iron, solder, tools, etc... $???
Labor...$???
So it is up to you to decide how much it is worth to you to build your own, or get the X-Arcade package.
A final word about building your own. I had a new Happ Controls Trackball already in my control panel, but I swapped it with the $0.99 Betson that I hacked because I liked the feel of it better, it was "broken in" and rolled smoothly. It did not spin as long as the new Happ, which feels almost "too smooth" to me anyway. I was lucky enough to get a Betson that did not require a $30 trackball repair kit.
If you want to play classics like Centipede, Crystal Castles, Missile Command, etc. a used Betson would be good, but if you want to play Golden Tee, then you really need a brand new or barely used Happ or Betson, which would cost about the same, or more than a new X-arcade unit anyway.
Of course, I have been building for a while, and a lot of the stuff I had already. Plus I have a nicely equipped wood shop and experience with electronics and soldering. So, to me at least, it was worth it to build my own.
I don't mean to be a party-pooper, just letting you know what's really involved. But if you enjoy the challenge like I do, then hack away... ;D
CheffoJeffo:
So I type up a useful post, which is rare for me lately, and within that time frame, two new posts come up covering exactly what I discussed. :angry:
:cheers:
Bottom line is that you can build on the cheap with a little patience and effort, but I am guessing that the OP isn't necessarily so patient, so would have agreed with Kevin's initial advice.
Cheers
ropeadope:
Thanks for the replies everyone, very helpful. I think I'm going to save up and get an X-arcade trackball. The rebate is good as long as I purchase by 6-15, so that should give me some time to save up a bit, and will give me more time to think about it. Thanks again folks :)
CheffoJeffo:
I just realized that I forgot to do my mandatory wiki link for trackball interfaces, so ....
http://wiki.arcadecontrols.com/wiki/Optical_Encoders
Cheers
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