Posted by Andy Desak on August 25, 1999 at 18:12:56:
In Reply to: Re: optimal configuration for trackball and spinner on panel ? posted by Jon Wright on August 25, 1999 at 15:22:51:
: : - If you have a serial trackball and ps/2 mouse(spinner) or vice versa, you can plug them both in and have Windows look for new hardware. It will see the serial device and also the ps/2 device and you can use them both at the same time so you don't have to switch. The only catch is that the computer sees them both as the mouse so you can't use them for the same game at the same time. You really wouldn't need to do this anyway since you wouldn't need the spinner to play Tempest and the trackball too, only the spinner, so it works out very well. Hope this helped.
: another method of using both devices is to make up a simlple switiching device. Off the top of my head a standard serial mouse has 4 wires (not to sure) so if you had a 2-way, 4-poled switch you could wire them both to this. Then at the flick of a switch (mounted somewhere close at hand) you could selected either one!
What you are refeffing to is a 4-pole double throw switch and this will work. (To be sure you have the right switch...it will have 12 terminals on it) However I have never been able to find one cheap....( I think around $10-20....a little steep for a toggle switch.) You can also use a serial switchbox )this may be cheper)
-Andy Desak
Arcade Solutions