Posted by Capt Tripps on 6, 2000 at 7:57 AM:
I've had it and need your help. I've got a full size arcade cabinet (a/k/a the MAMESTEROIDS machine), with 14 buttons and 2 8-way WICO joysticks (for Robotron, of course)interfaced with KE-24 (direct input, non-matrix setup). Those parts work great....kicking Robotron's a$%....no problem.
I have gone through a series of store-bought trackballs, from Comp-USA $9.99 special to Kensington Expert $$$ trackball. Same problem each time. When you spin the trackball fast, no control. Instant death. Same problem with the (many) spinners I have made using the guts of serial mice. Spin them fast, poor response (jumps around, goes backward, etc) usually followed by untimely death. Presently I am using a real arkanoid spinner with the optics from a serial mouse.
I am now frustrated enough to buy whatever is necessary from Happs or WICO to get a REAL arcade trackball and to get the spinner working to the point where these problems do not occur at all. What should I buy? I would like the best possible solution (Assume that money is no object, within reason)
I have been looking at the 3 inch trackballs availiable from both Happs and WICO. Also looking at some of the interfaces availiable from Happs and at the small printed circuit board Happs sells for replacement with their trackball as a possible optical encoder for the arkanoid spinner (will this work??). How many controls can be connected at once using the Happs interfaces? I really want to have the trackball and spinner connected at the same time. I am using a PII 450mhz with 2 serial ports and a USB port, so either way, there should be no problem, and maybe the complete Happs interface kit isnt necessary, eh?