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5200 Trakball Firebutton mod?


SRGilbert

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post-12780-1177976617.jpgI've seen a couple of pictures floating around of modded Trak-balls with arcade style fire buttons installed. Has anyone here done this and is there a write-up somewhere showing how to do it? I haven't taken mine apart yet (just got it today) but I'm already not crazy about the stock fire buttons! I know thatOSG does this, but how hard can it be? Do you have to solder right to the board or can you just splice into the connector?

 

On the subject, do any of the "official" Trak-ball games even use both buttons?

 

Thanks

 

Edit: Well, I decided to take it apart to clean it and man was it grungy inside. The 3rd bearing is a little rough even after a little pi-in-one oil. Anyone know where I can find replacement bearings?

Edited by SRGilbert
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I did this to mine a while ago, it wasn't very hard. You just have to locate a spot to drill/dremel out a hole to fit the button into, and splice the fire button wires into the correct spot in the wire harness plug. It was a pretty simple mod and makes it much more "arcade like" using an old-school leaf-spring switch.

post-41-1178127260_thumb.jpg

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You can splice to the connector for the buttons. I did on mine.

 

As for the bearings, I can't help you on where to find them. Maybe Best Electronics. I use a little CRC PowerLube on them about once a year or so and they always work fine.

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I did this to mine a while ago, it wasn't very hard. You just have to locate a spot to drill/dremel out a hole to fit the button into, and splice the fire button wires into the correct spot in the wire harness plug. It was a pretty simple mod and makes it much more "arcade like" using an old-school leaf-spring switch.
Thats EXACTLY what I want to do. Are you missing anything by not have two buttons? Do you happen to have a pic of the inside showing how you wired it up? Thanks.
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I did this to mine a while ago, it wasn't very hard. You just have to locate a spot to drill/dremel out a hole to fit the button into, and splice the fire button wires into the correct spot in the wire harness plug. It was a pretty simple mod and makes it much more "arcade like" using an old-school leaf-spring switch.
Thats EXACTLY what I want to do. Are you missing anything by not have two buttons? Do you happen to have a pic of the inside showing how you wired it up? Thanks.

 

I would have to say that I mostly use the controller for Missile Command, Centipede and Millipede, so just the one button in the right spot works great for me. The stock fire buttons require a single finger press to activate them, I prefer the multi-finger "slap", espeically for Missile Command!

 

I have not taken it apart since I did that mod a few years ago. I just followed the traces from the fire button on the PCB to the wire harness on the top and just spliced both wires from the new button in to the connector.

Edited by MrRetroGamer
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