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From: c60c-3ds@web-1b.berkeley.edu (John Kawakami)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: Trak-Ball/Parsec Pixel Plus
Message-ID: <21625@agate.BERKELEY.EDU>
Date: 14 Mar 89 23:54:12 GMT
References: <462@jarthur.Claremont.EDU> <432@ultb.UUCP> <1116@ur-cc.UUCP>
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I made one of these (cx22 mods), and here are some experiences I had.
First off, be careful when you solder to the chip.  I made a bad connection
and had to re-solder, which resulted in burning out the chip.  If I made
another one of these, I would use one of those DIP doohickeys that fit into
the socket, give you a short ribbon cable connected to the pins, and have
a socket on top for the chip.

Second, I would just forget about rewiring the original buttons.  It's better
to take the time to install new switches closer to the ball so you can use
the trakball with one hand.  I recommend those micro-switches that go "click"
when you push down on them.  I've see them at radio-shake for about $1.50
each.  With the regular trak ball buttons, you have to put the trakball on
your lap to use both buttons at once.

Last, don't get rid of the original cable.  The trakball still works as a
trakball.  You can plug the trakball-mouse into the mouse port, and the
trackball-joystick into the joysick port.  If you want to use a joysick,
you can stick a port onto the trakball enclosure for that purpose too.

John

                  John Kawakami    c60c-3ds@web.berkeley.edu