Modded CX80 Trackball

[ILAH]

I got a CX80 Atari Trackball with the original packing an manual. It has been modded. The JS - TB switch has been removed. Two cables, 1 D-Sub 9 male and 1 D-Sub female leave the case on the left side.

The function is like an Atari ST - Mouse and a joytick can be plugged to the second cable an works properly. I took some photos from inside.

 

Was that a common mod by a third party? I would prefer a original behaviour with joystick / trackball mode.

 

Anyone interested in exchanging this one against a CX22 / CX80 or Wico trackball?

[+x=usr(1536)]

What's the correct name on the mod PCB?  I can make out something that looks like 'Traecase' or 'Raecase' followed by 'Computer' depending on the angle of the photo, but would appreciate a quick clarification.

 

It's an interesting mod, and looks to be fairly easily reversible with the addition of the joystick / trak-ball switch.

[ILAH]

A part of the writing is gone, the rest looks like (T)RAECHSLIN COMPUTER ExxINGEN?

[Fuji-Man]

I've modded a few CX-80 for Atari ST machines to be used as a trackball. It didn't require that much modding, cutting a trace or two and running a few wires at most.

[alex_79]

8 hours ago, Fuji-Man said:

It didn't require that much modding, cutting a trace or two and running a few wires at most.

That's true, but the complexity of the mod shown here is due to the inclusion of an automatic switcher to allow a joystick to be left always plugged in the same port. Normally you can't just plug them in parallel - e.g. using a simple Y-cable - as they would interfere with each other.

That's what the extra board is for, and I imagine it was taken from a third party switcher, as it seems it has been filed to make it fir inside the trackball case.

 

[ILAH]

Thank you for this information. I will keep the trackball in its actual form. The modification makes scence, and compensates the non original status, i think.