Difference between revisions of "Trackballs"

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(4.5" Atari Trackballs (Missile Command, Atari Football))
(4.5" Atari Trackballs (Missile Command, Atari Football))
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== 4.5" Atari Trackballs (Missile Command, Atari Football) ==
 
== 4.5" Atari Trackballs (Missile Command, Atari Football) ==
These giant trackballs are sometimes known as 4-inch, but are actually 4 and a half inches in diameter.  They were some of the first trackballs put into use, and are designed to survive intense abuse.
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[[Image:bigballs.jpg|left|thumb|4.5" trackballs (w/o optical boards)]]These giant trackballs are sometimes known as 4-inch, but are actually four and a half inches in diameter.  They were some of the first trackballs put into use, and are made of machined aluminum; clearly designed to survive intense abuse.
  
 
[[Vendors|Happ]] sells a 4.5" trackball.  The ball itself is usable in an Atari 4.5" (a 4.5" diameter sphere is a 4.5" diameter sphere), but the mechanism itself is a different, less industrial design.
 
[[Vendors|Happ]] sells a 4.5" trackball.  The ball itself is usable in an Atari 4.5" (a 4.5" diameter sphere is a 4.5" diameter sphere), but the mechanism itself is a different, less industrial design.
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The original optical boards on these are fairly easy to interface with an [[Optical_Encoders#Opti-PAC|Opti-PAC]] (and therefore most other [[Optical_Encoders|optical control interfaces]]).  This is the pin-out for the 10-pin molex plug found on the optical boards:
 
The original optical boards on these are fairly easy to interface with an [[Optical_Encoders#Opti-PAC|Opti-PAC]] (and therefore most other [[Optical_Encoders|optical control interfaces]]).  This is the pin-out for the 10-pin molex plug found on the optical boards:
[[Image:Atari_Steering_Bd1.jpg|right]]
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[[Image:Atari_Steering.jpg|right]]
 
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On an Opti-PAC, the "A/HI" jumper should be set.
 
On an Opti-PAC, the "A/HI" jumper should be set.
  
There are a few [[Vendors|vendors]] that sell replacement bearings and roller-shafts for these, they are often referred to as 4" trackball rollers.
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There are a few [[Vendors|vendors]] that sell replacement bearings and steel roller-shafts for these (they are often referred to as 4" trackball rollers).

Revision as of 00:45, 3 March 2006



This page should contain brief descriptions of various trackballs available, and details of their setup. If any one portion of the page starts getting a little too long, a seperate page may be started for that topic.

4.5" Atari Trackballs (Missile Command, Atari Football)

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4.5" trackballs (w/o optical boards)

These giant trackballs are sometimes known as 4-inch, but are actually four and a half inches in diameter. They were some of the first trackballs put into use, and are made of machined aluminum; clearly designed to survive intense abuse.

Happ sells a 4.5" trackball. The ball itself is usable in an Atari 4.5" (a 4.5" diameter sphere is a 4.5" diameter sphere), but the mechanism itself is a different, less industrial design.

Any 4.5" diameter ball, particularly a candle-pin and/or duck-pin bowling ball, is a swap-out replacement for the 25+ year old originals.

The original optical boards on these are fairly easy to interface with an Opti-PAC (and therefore most other optical control interfaces). This is the pin-out for the 10-pin molex plug found on the optical boards:

Atari Steering.jpg
1 no signal
2 no signal
3 no signal
4 Axis 1
5 no signal
6 no signal
7 no signal
8 Axis 2
9 +5v
10 ground

There were a number of slightly different boards with this same pin-out.

On an Opti-PAC, the "A/HI" jumper should be set.

There are a few vendors that sell replacement bearings and steel roller-shafts for these (they are often referred to as 4" trackball rollers).