X-Arcade™ Trackball Support

How do I use my X-Arcade™ with MAME™?

NOTE: Before attempting to use the X-Arcade™ Trackball in MAME™, first be sure the X-Arcade™ Trackball is working as a mouse on your PC/Mac™. If it is not moving your mouse curser, then it will not work in MAME™. Also be sure you are using the newest version of MAME™.

MAME™ SETUP

1. In MAME™ choose the "Options" menu (at the top), and click "Default Game Options" from the drop-down menu.
2. Select the "Game Controllers" tab.
3. Click the box next to "Enable Mouse Support" to add a check mark (if it is not already checked).
4. If you have another mouse/touchpad connected to the PC, you may need to make the X-Arcade™ Trackball the default mouse. The easiest way to do this is to disable the other mouse/touchpad in Device Manager (The X-Arcade™ Trackball shows up as "Samsung" mouse), then reenable it. If you have a USB mouse, you can simply unplug it and plug it back in again. Otherwise you will need to change all of the default mouse buttons and movements to the X-Arcade™ Trackball manually.

All of your MAME™ games will work with that configuration.

MAME™ GAMEPLAY
After you start a game, use these Keyboard commands for MAME™

• 3 = Insert Coins
• 1 = Start Game
• Welcome Screen = Type OK
• You can change the controls for any game by simply pushing the "Tab" key while a game is already running to access the controls menu.
• "Input General" option allows controller settings to be applied to all games.
• "Input This Game" overrides the general input settings and adds custom controller settings for just the game being used.
• "Analog Controls", that offers sensitivity and other adjustments for analog devices like trackballs and joysticks. To adjust the trackball sensitivity, change the "Track X Sensitivity" and "Track Y Sensitivity" percentage to adjust the ball speed to what feels best for you in each game. If you roll the ball fast and find that you get backlash, you have the sensitivity set too high.

Click here to get some games, and enjoy classic gaming!

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How can I make the X-Arcade™ Trackball more or less sensitive on my PC?

Go to the "Mouse" section of your Control Panel in Windows™, under the "Pointer Options" tab adjust the "Select Pointer Speed" bar to faster for more sensitive movement, less for slower movement.

This menu may be slightly different if you have 3rd party mouse software installed. Remember that this adjustment will also effect any other mouse you may have connected.

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How do I use the X-Arcade™ Tankstick with GameTap™?

GameTap™ has X-Arcade™ support built in!

1. Click the ""controls" menu.
2. Click the "Edit Controllers" button.
3. Click the "Assign to Players" tab.
4. Under keyboard and next to player 1 and player 2 choose "Keyboard".
5. Click " OK".

We didn't make the rules, we just play along.

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How can I use more than one X-Arcade™ Trackball at a time on my computer?

Yes! You can connect one X-arcade™ Trackball in the PS/2 mouse port, and one in the USB port, or both in USB ports. They will both control the same in your operating system however.

For a 2-player dual trackball game in MAME™ (version 105 or higher) simply:

1. Press the "Tab" key while a game is already running to access the controls menu.
2. Select the "Input This Game"
3. Choose the player and dirction you wish to change, press enter, and move the trackball or mouse in the direction you wish to use.

More information is availble on the Unofficial Marble Madness™ Homepage.

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How can I use the pinball buttons with Visual Pinball or Future Pinball?

Unfortunately Visual Pinball and Future Pinball do not have native mouse button support for gamelplay. But this does not mean you can't still use the X-Arcade™ Trackball for these games, thanks to a program known as AutoHotkey you can! By creating a custom config file for use with these pinball emulators, we then created an easy to use program that you simply start before playing them.

Download the X-Pinball program. Simply run it before playing a pinball game and it changes the mouse buttons to keyboard keys like this:

Mouse Button 1 = 7
Mouse Button 2 = 8
Mouse Button 3 = 9

~ (Tilde) = Toggles Hotkeys on and off (tray icon will show 'H' when active, 'S' when suspended).

You will first want to open "Preferences, then choose "Keys", then change the left flipper to be number 7, and the right flipper to be number 8. You can use the number 9 middle mouse button for whatever you like.

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How can I use the X-Arcade™ Trackball on my game console?

The Playstation™ 2 console has USB ports on it, this may work for some games with mouse support.

Here are some PS2 games that may work::

• Atari Anthology
• Half-Life
• Unreal Tournament
• Red Faction 2
• Rune Viking Warlord
• Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings
• Soldier of Fortune
• Start Trek Voyager: Elite Force
• Resident Evil: Dead Aim
• Resident Evil Gun Survivor 2
• Police 24/7
• Endgame
• Dino Stalker
• Ninja Assault
• Virtua Cop Elite
• Gunfighter 2
• Starsky & Hutch
• EverQuest Online Adventures
• Silent Scope
• Silent Scope 2
• Silent Scope 3
• Time Crisis: Crisis Zone
• Time Crisis 2
• Time Crisis 3

For the XBOX™ you can get a USB-XBOX port adapter to connect the X-Arcade™ Trackball to the XBOX™, but no games support it. You can use this for XBOX™ Linux and other emulation software with mouse support.

The X-Arcade™ Trackball has also been tested and works with the "Smartjoy Frag™" adapters for the Playstation™ 2 and XBOX™. The Smartjoy Frag™ simulates the analog stick movement with mouse/trackball movement, therefore it will not work exactly like a mouse/trackball would on a PC. The X-Arcade™ Trackball will act like a mouse, and you will need to connect a keyboard or X-Arcade™ joystick into the keboard port of the adapter. We cannot offer support for this product however.

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A button is sticking or not working, what should I do?

Our trackball was made to be user serviceable, just like a real arcade. It does not void the Lifetime Warranty to open it.

1. Check to see if the X-Arcade™ Trackball itself is working as a mouse outside of a game. If the X-Arcade™ Trackball responds including all of the buttons outside of a game, then you may simply need to configure it properly for the game/emulator you are trying to use it with.
2. If it is not working even as a mouse outside of a game, check that your connections are securely plugged in.
3. If a button is still not responding:

• Open the X-Arcade™ Trackball using the instructions as outlined on page 14 of the manual, and check to be sure that the microswitch is firmly seated in the button's socket. If it is not, simply snap it snugly back into place.
• Be sure that there is nothing, for instance a wire, in between the microswitch and the button causing them not to connect properly.
• Check that the wires are firmly attached to the microswitch
• You can also try swapping another working microswitch with the one causing problems to see if it is a faulty microswitch.

If you need further assistance after trying these methods, please click here to fill out an online case support request form for further assistance.

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A direction is not working (ball only moves the curser in one direction).

The Horizontal Disabler button on the back of the X-Arcade™ Trackball disables the left and right movement when it is held.

Here are some other tests to correct movement:

1. If left/right movement is not working, be sure you are not holding the horizontal disabler button (the button on the back) against something while playing
2. Try connecting to your PC with the other connection (PS/2 or USB)
3. If possible, test movement on another computer
4. With the X-Arcade™ Trackball connected to your PC, go to www.WindowsUpdate.com and download all updates for your hardware. The X-Arcade™ Trackball should be using a Samsung driver found there.
5. Ensure no speciality drivers are installed for another third-party mouse
6. If connecting via a USB Hub, try connecting directly to USB port
7. If left/right movement is still not working, open the X-Arcade™ Trackball as outlined on page 14 of the manual and remove one of the wires from the Horizontal Disabler's microswitch. If the direction works this way, the microswitch may be bad. Try swapping it with another button to verify this.
8. PIC: If the steps above did not fix the issue or up/down is not working, check that the reader wheels are firmly screwed onto the rollers, these black plastic wheels should not move independently of the metal rollers.
9. Be sure that the 2 PCB boards are also properly seated in the slots in the housing for them.
10. Check that all wires are firmly attached to the PCB boards.

If you need further assistance after trying these methods, please click here to fill out an online case support request form for further assistance.

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My X-Arcade™ Trackball moves erratically or sticks, what can I do?

Your X-Arcade™ Trackball may need cleaned. See page 14 of the manual for details.

Our trackball was made to be user serviceable, just like a real arcade. It does not void the Lifetime Warranty to open it.

Input devices using mouse or track ball technology need to be cleaned periodically. Cleaning frequency for your X-Arcade™ Trackball is much less than a normal trackball or mouse due to it's design, but this depends on how you work with it, and can be affected adversly by spilling liquids on the ball or using it with sticky/dirty fingers. When moving the ball of the trackball feels slow or rough, it’s time for a cleaning.

To clean your X-Arcade™ Trackball:
NOTE: Do not open the plastic trackball housing upside-down (ball facing down) as this will cause all of the parts to fall out. It's not a huge deal if you do, but this will save you a 'D'OH!' moment.

1. Turn off your computer if using the PS/2 mouse port connection.
2. Unplug the X-Arcade™ Trackball from the computer
3. Turn the X-Arcade™ Trackball over, laying it on a surface so that it does not touch the ball. (example: between two books, or on your legs with the ball in between).
4. PIC: Remove the screws on the bottom of the X-Arcade™ Trackball that are recessed in the rubber feet. Your X-Arcade™ Trackball may have small rubber covers over the screws in the center of these rubber feet, if so just pop them out.
5. PIC: Remove the bottom wooden panel. This is easiest done with a flat object like a butter knife (careful not to cut yourself) or some other wide flat object. Simply pry in between the cracks of the X-Arcade™ Trackball base and the panel, being careful not to scratch that beautiful veneer.
6. PIC: Remove the 4 bolts holding the plastic trackball housing into the wood casing.
7. PIC: With a phillips screwdriver, remove the 4 screws holding the trackball plastic casing together. Do not attempt to open the trackball plastic housing in this step.
8. PIC: Grab the bottom and top part of the plastic housing with both hands, holding them closed/together firmly, and turn it over so that the ball is facing up.
9. PIC: Remove the top half (ball side) of the plastic housing.
10. PIC: Remove the ball, and clean it with tap water and, if needed, dishwashing detergent. Dry it with a lint-free cloth.
11. PIC: Clean the rollers and idler (the 3 metal cylinders that the ball sits on) using a premoistened cleaning swab or cotton swab with rubbing alcohol. Allow surfaces to dry completely before reassembling.
12. Reassemble following the above steps backwards.

Your X-Arcade™ Trackball is cleaned, and ready for action!

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How do I replace a microswitch?

To replace a microswitch:

1. Open the X-Arcade™ as instructed above.
2. PIC: Pull back the tallest plastic part holding the button in place.
3. PIC: Lift the front part of the microswitch back.
4. PIC: Remove the microswitch.
5. PIC: To remove the the wires from the switch, use your fingers or pliers if needed on the connectors. DO NOT pull on the wires.
6. PIC: To put a microswitch in, start by snapping the back of the new microswitch in first, then rock the front down and snap it into place as shown in step 2.

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If you feel like you still have a problem, please click here to fill out an online case support request form for further assistance.