mcli@ur-tut.UUCP (Maurice Ling) (10/13/87)
Hello, I am interested in getting instructions to convert an atari 8-bit trackball to act like a mouse on the ST. If you have some detailed instructions that have worked for you before, could you email to me? If there is sufficient interest, I will post the best set of instructions to the net. Thanks, Maurice BITNET: MCLI_SS@UORDBV, MCLISS@UORVM UUCP : ...rochester!ur-tut!mcli
knutsen@aramis.rutgers.edu (Mark Knutsen) (10/14/87)
In article <238@ur-tut.UUCP> mcli@ur-tut.UUCP (Maurice Ling) writes: > I am interested in getting instructions to convert an atari 8-bit trackball > to act like a mouse on the ST. This is probably a hopeless cause, because the 8-bit trackball emulates a joystick, not a mouse. That is, it only gives information on absolute direction, not speed of movement. It's still GREAT for games, though. -- _________________________________ Jersey ||| _____________________________ ARPA: knutsen@rutgers.edu | Atari / | \ | GEnie GE Mail: M.KNUTSEN UUCP: {...}!rutgers.edu!knutsen | ||| Computer | The JACG BBS: (201)298-0161 --------------------------------- / | \ Group ----------------------------- "Yow! I'm the ONLY Atari 8-bit user at Rutgers University!"
bruce@ektools.UUCP (Bruce D. Nelson ) (10/15/87)
Following is a file downloaded from Delphi describing the modifications I used.
It turns out the trakball internally has the right signals; the extra circuitry
changes the pulses to joystick signals. The mod basically extracts the original
pulses to make it look like the mouse.
Bruce D. Nelson | UUCP: ...!rutgers!rochester!kodak!ektools!bruce
Eastman Kodak Company | Voice: 716-726-7890
901 Elmgrove Road | Company Mail: Dept 420 Technical Support Services
Rochester, NY 14650 |
----------------cut here ---------------
CX22MOD.TXT
The following instructions explain how to modify an Atari
trackball (model number CX22) to work like a mouse for the Atari
ST (complete with left and right buttons).
To start with, if the instructions here are followed PROPERLY
(and you don't fry a chip) it should work just fine, however, I
make no claims as to the accuracy of this file, nor do I guarantee
that this will work for you.
NOTE: This modification will NOT retain the original "trackball"
or "joystick" modes of the ball.
WARNING: The following ONLY applies to the model CX22 trackball!
The CX22 can usually be identified by its case (the case matches
the 800XL series computer) which is dark brown on top with a white
bottom. When in doubt, flip it over and look for a model number!
If you have the older Atari trackball (solid black case),
don't dispare, there is also a text file on modifying it to work
like a mouse. The file can be found in the Delphi Atari SIG if
you need it (search with TRACK as a keyword in the ST database).
Things you'll need:
* An Atari trackball, model CX22
1 A Radio Shack joystick extension cable (part # 276-1978)
2 A low-wattage soldering iron (15 watt, or close to that)
3 A Volt-Ohm meter (you'll need to trace some wires)
4 About 2 feet of wire (small gauge will be easier to work with,
such as the wire in the joystick cable)
Before we get into this, if you're not familiar with
electronics or soldering to IC's, PLEASE have someone else do this
for you. Also, DON'T trust the colors on the wires in the Radio
Shack joystick extension cord! Every one that I buy is different
(Radio Shack seems to use a random color coding... makes it tough
on us guys), so you'll need to trace the wires to see what pin on
the plug they go too (thats what the ohmmeter is for).
To open up the trackball, remove the 4 screws on the bottom of
its "wings"; it still wont come apart after that because there are
2 friction-fit posts inside it (both near the center of the case,
one at the top and the other at the bottom), pry it apart slowly
and gently to avoid breaking them. Once you open up the
trackball, remove the old joystick cable (it doesn't have all the
wires we need). Now get your Radio Shack joystick cable and clip
off the MALE end and discard it (the end with the metal pins
sticking out).
In case you don't aren't familiar with the the pin numbers of
the joystick cable (the Radio Shack cable doesn't have them
numbered, either), here's the layout:
Looking at the JOYSTICK end of the cable (female end):
5 4 3 2 1
9 8 7 6
Strip about 6 inches of the outer jacket off to expose the
individual wires (you'll need a little length to work with).
The only pin we wont be using is pin 5, so trace it first, and
clip off it's wire (now it's out of the way for good!). Next
trace all the remaining wires to their plug pin numbers and write
it down someplace.
Look at the IC's in the trackball. Find the one marked
LM339 (it's a 14-pin IC sitting away from the other IC's,
directly south of where the ball sits).
The IC's pins are numbered as follows (standard IC
numbering):
(looking at the top of the IC)
14 13 12 11 10 9 8
notch --> )
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Make the following connections to it:
(Plug pin # to LM339 pin #)
1 - 2
2 - 1
3 - 14
4 - 13
Connect the following wires to the connector that the
original joystick cable was plugged into (look on the PC board,
the connector's pin 1 is numbered).
(plug pin # to PC board connector pin #)
8 (ground) - pin 1 (closest to center of the case)
7 (+5 v) - pin 2 (to the left of pin 1)
Jump a lead from one connector of each fire-button pad
(right and left pads) to pin 1 on the PC board connector (in other
words, ground them).
Make the following connections to the other side of the
fire-button pads (we're going to separate the right and left
buttons).
(plug pin # to --- pad)
6 - left fire pad
9 - right fire pad
Now hook it up to the ST to make sure it works properly.
Before you close it up I recommend that you strain-relieve the
cord. The easiest way to do this is to tie a knot in the cord
where it exits the case (this will keep it from being accidently
pulled out of the trackball). Close it up and you're done.
Special thanks to Norm Weinress for info on the LM339 pinouts.
-Blake Arnold (Delphi 1BLAKE)dragon@oliveb.UUCP (Give me a quarter or I'll touch you) (10/15/87)
in article <1881@aramis.rutgers.edu>, knutsen@aramis.rutgers.edu (Mark Knutsen) says: > In article <238@ur-tut.UUCP> mcli@ur-tut.UUCP (Maurice Ling) writes: >> I am interested in getting instructions to convert an atari 8-bit trackball >> to act like a mouse on the ST. > This is probably a hopeless cause, because the 8-bit trackball > emulates a joystick, not a mouse. That is, it only gives information > on absolute direction, not speed of movement. > It's still GREAT for games, though. MY 8 bit trakball (which I picked up for $8 since they are selling them at every Kaybee toy store around here for that price) emulates a joystick and has a 'native' trakball mode. If one feeds the raw signals to the appropriate pins on the ST the trakball works like a mouse. It's much easier than the Wico trakball conversion. I'll see if I can come up with some step by step instructions. -- Dean Brunette {ucbvax,etc.}!hplabs!oliveb!olivej!dragon {ucbvax,etc.}!hplabs!oliveb!dragon-oatc!dean Olivetti Advanced Technology Center _____ _____ __|__ _____ 20300 Stevens Creek Blvd. | | _____| | | Cupertino, CA 95014 |_____| |_____| |__ |_____ 'Such a strange girl, I think I'm falling in love' --The Cure
pes@ux63.bath.ac.uk (Smee) (10/16/87)
Conversion of the trakball to look like a mouse is fairly simple, because the needed signals are present inside the trakball but are simply not brought out. Some time ago (probably nearly a year) I posted instructions for how to do a conversion which *adds* mouse mode so that the original 2 modes (joystick and tablet) still work. Unfortunately I'd had that file stored on our mainframe and it was lost in a disk crash; but if anyone still has a copy they could repost it. Someone else, slighly later, posted a conversion which *converted* the trakball (so it no longer worked in the original modes). A similar one was published recently in one of the UK computer mags. If things get desperate, I'll try to find a copy of my original to post. The conversion (and how the thing works in the first place) is sufficiently trivial that anyone who's donw 1st year digital circuit design, and an electronics catalog which tells what the 4 IC's inside the thing are, should be able to figure it out from first principles, with no test equipment. (Just follow the traces on the board.) Big problem with a trakball is that it is not as convenient as a mouse when doing things which require that you press or hold a button while moving the mouse.
wheels@mks.UUCP (10/16/87)
In article <1881@aramis.rutgers.edu>, knutsen@aramis.rutgers.edu (Mark Knutsen) writes: > In article <238@ur-tut.UUCP> mcli@ur-tut.UUCP (Maurice Ling) writes: > > > I am interested in getting instructions to convert an atari 8-bit trackball > > to act like a mouse on the ST. > > This is probably a hopeless cause, because the 8-bit trackball > emulates a joystick, not a mouse. That is, it only gives information > on absolute direction, not speed of movement. I think, though, that the joystick emulation involves putting EXTRA stuff into a standard trackball. If the trackball provides quadrature signals as its basic output, as most do, then that can be put through a couple of chips to look like the switch closure of a joystick. By removing the extra junk, and getting down to the quadrature level, you should be able to use the ball as a mouse. Didn't I see instructions to do that very thing on the net about a year ago? -- ll // // ,'/~~\' Gerry Wheeler {decvax,ihnp4}!watmath!mks!wheels /ll/// //l' `\\\ Mortice Kern Systems Inc. (519) 884-2251 / l //_// ll\___/ 43 Bridgeport Rd. E., Waterloo, ON, Can. N2J 2J4 O_/
knutsen@aramis.rutgers.edu (Mark Knutsen) (10/21/87)
In article <7095@oliveb.UUCP> dragon@oliveb.UUCP (Give me a quarter or I'll touch you) writes: > MY 8 bit trakball (which I picked up for $8 since they are selling them at > every Kaybee toy store around here for that price) emulates a joystick and > has a 'native' trakball mode. If one feeds the raw signals to the > appropriate pins on the ST the trakball works like a mouse. I stand corrected. I have a Wico trakball, which won't do this. Tidbit: the Wico trakball for the Odyssey II game system works perfectly well on the Atari 8-bits & STs as a joystick, and may possibly be purchased for amnormally pithy amounts from dealers who don't know this & think "almost noone has an Odyssey, I'd better sell that trakball cheap." --Mark K. -- _________________________________ Jersey ||| _____________________________ ARPA: knutsen@rutgers.edu | Atari / | \ | GEnie GE Mail: M.KNUTSEN UUCP: {...}!rutgers.edu!knutsen | ||| Computer | The JACG BBS: (201)298-0161 --------------------------------- / | \ Group ----------------------------- "Yow! I'm the ONLY Atari 8-bit user at Rutgers University!"