Posted by Just Michael on 2, 2002 at 12:31 AM:
In Reply to: About Happ rotary optical posted by MKL on 1, 2002 at 4:59 PM:
I am wondering why you don't get an Opti-PAC instead? Cheaper and lets you connect 2 trackballs or 4 spinners.
: As far as I can see, Happ *serial* trackball interface is no longer available. Then, if you want to connect a Happ rotary optical joystick to your pc you have to use the USB interface. The main differences between the two interfaces seem to be (as far as I can see):
: 1) Unlike the serial interface, the USB has no power supply connector and evidently needs no external power (is it really so??).
: 2) The serial interface directly connects to the two PCB’s of a trackball via two separate 4-pin
: connectors (one for axis X and one for axis Y). The USB interface is provided with a 6-pin female connector that connects to further harness formed by a 6-pin male connector (where you plug the female one) at one end and two separate 4-pin connectors that go to the PCB’s at the other. The latter harness does not come with the interface but with the trackball (in the following I’ll refer to this as the “trackball harness”). The 4 pins of each PCB are: SX, +5V, GND, DX. Evidently, the 6-pin connector has: SX1, DX1, SX2, DX2, GND, +5V, which means that the two +5V’s and the two grounds of the PCB’s merge together (is this correct?).
: As to the serial interface, it has been reported that you just had to plug its two 4-pin connectors onto the interface of two rotary optical joysticks and there you go (I wonder how this is possible since the rotary joysticks only use the axis X but the trackball also the Y). Does the same apply to the USB interface as well? I mean, if I get the “trackball harness” and plug one or both of its 4-pin connectors to one or two rotary optical joysticks, then they’ll work just as well?