dlarson@blake.u.washington.edu (Dale Larson) (11/10/90)
i have just purchased an atari track ball (for $4.99 new!). I'd like to use it with my amiga as a mouse replacement, but just plugging it in to the mouse port doesn't work. Really I have two problems. 1) it doesn't move the cursor, 2) neither fire button seems to select or to pull down menus. Is there software to make trackballs work like mice? To make joysticks work like mice (the trackball can emulate a joystick with the flip of a switch)? Is there software other than MarbleMadness which supports a trackball? Is there a way to hack the hardware of the trackball to make it act like a mouse? Thanks for your email replies. I will summarize and post if the replies warrant it. -- -Dale Larson (dlarson@blake.u.washington.edu)
raible@cbmvax.commodore.com (Bob Raible - LSI Design) (11/13/90)
Let me preface this message by stating that instructions have posted many times on how to hack an Atari Trakball, hopefully some kind soul will email(I will if I can dig it up). Now for the bad news - I also obtained an Atari Trakball for $4 or so while on vacation and when I excitedly disassmebled mine and found to my chagrin that the posted instructions must have been referring to a different model. If this is the case email me and I'll try to re-create my steps. It turns out that Atari has a lot of logic inside to convert mouse(trakball) type quadrature signals into either joystick position info or some other weird encoded form, depending on the posiion of the switch on the back panel labelled JS/TB. The unit black and quite massive with a ball almost the size of a billiards ball. The only markings other than ATARI TRAK-BALL is "KM-483 8" on a paper label stuck on the underside. The two fire buttons are wired together, but I was easily able to bring both out with a cut and jumper. As a note of encouragement, I note that shoot'em ups such as Hybris and Battle Squadron greatly benefit from this nifty appliance!