Trakball Maintenence?

[StanJr]

Ok, I managed to locate a trackball, but the thing is pretty dirty and doesn't roll the smoothest. I'd love for it to work again, but its going to need some attention.

 

Is it wise to crack that baby open for some good old fashioned cleaning? And if so, what should I be careful with or watch out for. I don't want to screw this up, and most of you know that I am a buffoon when it comes to this sort of thing.

 

Anybody know anything about fixing up an old trackball?

 

Thanks

 

Stan

[SS]

It's been a long time so I can't remember any specific details / guidelines to tell ya but my CX-22 was in pretty horrible condition when I first got it. Dirt down past the ball and into the unit it's self. I cracked it open and gave the whole thing a good cleaning and it worked pretty well after that. If I can do it then surely you can too. I'm pretty much a moron when it comes to these sorts of things.

[Christophero Sly]

CX-22s can be a little hard to open. After taking all the screws out, you might think there is still something holding the top an bottom together. You just have to force it somewhat.*

 

 

 

*Standard disclaimer.

[SS]

You just have to force it somewhat.*

 

 

*Standard disclaimer.

 

I cracked it open

 

[Kialan]

Err don't you mean the security bits?

 

I wanted to take mine apart to clean the buttons, took all the screws out, and found out there are two security bits holding it together.

[Christophero Sly]

Err don't you mean the security bits?

Umm... I don't know. What is a security bit?

 

My CX-22 is held together by four screws. After I took the screws out, the case halves were still very tight, such that I thought something might still be holding them together, but they cames apart when I applied a little extra effort.

 

Perhaps my trak-ball had been opened and the security bits removed prior to my ownership???

[Kialan]

Or you may have broken the security bits...lol

 

Security bits btw are the special kind of screws that Nintendo and Sega use for certain things. Look on the back of your NES games...

 

Here's a diagram...well, a picture with MS Paint modding

[Christophero Sly]

I thought those two deep tunnels might contain additional fasteners holding the case together, but there was nothing in either tunnel, and nothing appears to be broken. I guess my trak-ball already had the security bits removed before I bought it... and I'm glad it did.

[StanJr]

What games use the Trak-ball anyway?

[Out_of_Gas]

Crystal Castles

Centipede

Millipede

[bjk7382]

What games use the Trak-ball anyway?

 

I don't own a trackball, but I have read that none actually use the trackball feature except for Thomas' Missile Command TB (which is great)

 

I think the only way to use it with other games is to put it in joystick mode.

[StanJr]

Crystal Castles

Centipede

Millipede

 

Really? That would be very cool.

[SS]

What games use the Trak-ball anyway?

 

All of them can concievably use it in joystick mode because the rolling is just simulating the stick's movement.

 

If you mean what game uses the true trak-ball mode' date=' there is only one.

 

The Atari 8Bit version of "Missile Command" can use it in native mode as well. (Control-T, I believe.)

[StanJr]

All of them can concievably use it in joystick mode because the rolling is just simulating the stick's movement.

 

 

Ok, for an idiot, could you explain this more? And why was there a Trak-ball made if there are no games to use it?

[bjk7382]

I have the Amiga Mouse version of Missile Command and it is a difference like night and day. A hack worth having IMO.

[Out_of_Gas]

It's best with Centipede, or Millipede.

Crystal Castles is the same as the joystick.

[SS]

All of them can concievably use it in joystick mode because the rolling is just simulating the stick's movement.

 

 

Ok' date=' for an idiot, could you explain this more? And why was there a Trak-ball made if there are no games to use it? [/quote']

 

Unfortunately, no games were made for the Atari 2600 using true "trak-ball", or proportional, mode. There is a solution, however--the Trak Ball has a switch that toggles between "joystick" and Trak Ball mode.

 

The Trak Ball works well on games that were originally designed for use with a Trak Ball, like Centipede and Missle Command. It also works well on Space Invaders-type games(i.e. Space Invaders, Megamania, etc.). The games it doesn't seem to do well on are games where you need to have the joystick constantly in one direction or another. Pitfall is a good example--you are moving your man, but with the Trak Ball, to move him you have to keep the ball in constant motion to keep him walking.

 

The nice thing about the Trak Ball is you can use it either left-handed or right-handed. There are two fire-buttons to either side of the ball. Also, the ball is the exact size as a billiards ball, so if you don't like its whiteness, you could replace it with an 8-ball or something else creative.

 

As for why no games were released with true trak-ball mode options, who knows? Remember that the thing came out in 1982 when Atari was making stupid decisions across the board.

[bjk7382]

Maybe they didn't want to restrict a game to one certain controller. So if they DID make track ball compatible games, nobody would be able to play them with a joystick.

 

So they just made all joystick games and then sold the trackball with the joystick mode.

 

Sounds good to me

[StanJr]

WAIT A MINUTE!

 

I can swap out the regular ball with a pool ball? NO WAY. That is simply too cool and probably gonna happen!

 

Thanks for all the info, peeps! It'll sure help! Can't wait to clean this baby out and fire him up!

[SS]

WAIT A MINUTE!

 

I can swap out the regular ball with a pool ball? NO WAY. That is simply too cool and probably gonna happen!

 

It would be kinda nifty to have an 8-Ball in there, wouldn't it?

[Dolt]

I had to clean mine out a year or so back. The roller bars that track how the ball is moving had gotten all rusty from sweaty palms, I guess. They were leaving a brown residue all over the ball when you rolled it--which then got all over your hand. I got rid of it easily enough with some sandpaper lightly applied to the bars, but it took a while--maybe an hour--to do all of them.

 

Of course, when you put it all back together, you should douse the sucker in copious amounts of ArmorAll.

[atari_wizard]

my buddy had the track ball, i remember that it brought a whole new world of gaming to my eyes