confused about the opti pac

[katuuuz]

hey again, this should be my last piece of troubleshooting and i know you're all thinking i don't look into things before i post, truth be told i do. i'm just really not that bright with this kind of stuff, but am in love with the fact my machine's a few more hours from being finished, and i'm gonna be the proud owner (and constructer thanks to you guys) of my own arcade cabinet. it's been a dream since a kid, and now it's a reality. ok. my last problem...

i opened the opti-pac expecting it to be as easy to wire as the i-pac was... even though the i-pac looked intimidating as hell before i started tooling with it. i then visited the ultimarc website, and went to the opti-pac installation page. i understand the wiring, but am not sure what andy means by

Set the jumper to "A/LO". The GND and +5V from both plugs go to the same GND and +5V connections on the Opti-PAC.

i snapped a photo of my opti-pac incase one of you understands this, but doesn't know what the optipac looks like. i see where it says A/LO, but it's not an object i am familiar with. is it a switch? plug? if you can get me rolling on this optipac, i'd highly appreciate it.

thanks to you all. -mike

p.s. didn't realize how blurry the pic is... the A/LO object is the red bars up in the right corner.

[shbon]

hey again, this should be my last piece of troubleshooting and i know you're all thinking i don't look into things before i post, truth be told i do. i'm just really not that bright with this kind of stuff, but am in love with the fact my machine's a few more hours from being finished, and i'm gonna be the proud owner (and constructer thanks to you guys) of my own arcade cabinet. it's been a dream since a kid, and now it's a reality. ok. my last problem...

i opened the opti-pac expecting it to be as easy to wire as the i-pac was... even though the i-pac looked intimidating as hell before i started tooling with it. i then visited the ultimarc website, and went to the opti-pac installation page. i understand the wiring, but am not sure what andy means by

Set the jumper to "A/LO". The GND and +5V from both plugs go to the same GND and +5V connections on the Opti-PAC.

i snapped a photo of my opti-pac incase one of you understands this, but doesn't know what the optipac looks like. i see where it says A/LO, but it's not an object i am familiar with. is it a switch? plug? if you can get me rolling on this optipac, i'd highly appreciate it.

thanks to you all. -mike

p.s. didn't realize how blurry the pic is... the A/LO object is the red bars up in the right corner.

My unused Opti-PAC already has the jumper set in a right place - TO THE LEFT, so that there is an exposed pin TO THE RIGHT (when looking at the unit with the text the proper way up).

The jumper is a simple shorting plug to connect certain pins together to form an optional part of the circuitry. Pull the red plug off with your fingernails (there's a little groove at the top to help you). Exposed will be three pins (prongs). These represent TWO optional configurations. By inserting the plug you're sort of joining a pair of pins together, making a connection, but leaving the other connection open (not used). Insert the plug on the other pins, connects those pins instead for the other option. The bottom set of pins TBALL represents the trackball.

It is effectively a dip-switch!!!

I've personally enjoyed your posts, so I hope everything turns out as you dreamt it would...

BTW. There is a section in the install doc you mention (near the bottom) explaining A/LO A/HI settings!...

Regards

Shaun

[Atari800]

yeah - you gotta take a picture of it when your done too

[GotMame]

katuuuz,

I see that you have the serial/usb version. Use the USB if at all possible. I had an older serial only version and it wouldn't allow me to play any of the bowling or shuffle board games. I purchased the USB version and all the problems went away. I never tested if the serial on the new board did the same thing as the old board though.

Good luck.

[katuuuz]

thanks a lot guys, and you better believe i'll put a pic up here when i'm done. now i'm sorry, my red plug is set on the 2 switches to the left on trackball. the last one to the right is exposed... so i don't need to mess with this, or hook anything up to the exposed plug? ...even though i did remove the cap out of curiousity and it was kinda cool.

i plugged my opti pac into my computer via usb and it said "unknown usb device, and something about it may be malfunctioned. i have the 2 mouse pushbuttons daisychained together and then grounded in the GND screw switch on the same side as the inputs for the button 1 and 2 wires. both red wires from my trackball are twisted together and screwed into the +5v input, and both black from the trackball are twisted and screwed into input GND in the player 1 trackball section, then the yellows and greens are wired according to the chart on the opti pack installation page. the pin connector is screwed in to the player 1 side, and the usb is plugged into my pc. the red "slide cover" is put ontop of the 2 pins under a/lo on the trackball setting. i don't understand what i did wrong, and am out of ideas.

[gerble1000]

thanks a lot guys, and you better believe i'll put a pic up here when i'm done. now i'm sorry, my red plug is set on the 2 switches to the left on trackball. the last one to the right is exposed... so i don't need to mess with this, or hook anything up to the exposed plug? ...even though i did remove the cap out of curiousity and it was kinda cool.

i plugged my opti pac into my computer via usb and it said "unknown usb device, and something about it may be malfunctioned. i have the 2 mouse pushbuttons daisychained together and then grounded in the GND screw switch on the same side as the inputs for the button 1 and 2 wires. both red wires from my trackball are twisted together and screwed into the +5v input, and both black from the trackball are twisted and screwed into input GND in the player 1 trackball section, then the yellows and greens are wired according to the chart on the opti pack installation page. the pin connector is screwed in to the player 1 side, and the usb is plugged into my pc. the red "slide cover" is put ontop of the 2 pins under a/lo on the trackball setting. i don't understand what i did wrong, and am out of ideas.

did the device have an installation disk ,and did you use it ,and buy btw what operating system are you using.

thanx gerble1000

[shbon]

i plugged my opti pac into my computer via usb and it said "unknown usb device, and something about it may be malfunctioned. i have the 2 mouse pushbuttons daisychained together and then grounded in the GND screw switch on the same side as the inputs for the button 1 and 2 wires. both red wires from my trackball are twisted together and screwed into the +5v input, and both black from the trackball are twisted and screwed into input GND in the player 1 trackball section, then the yellows and greens are wired according to the chart on the opti pack installation page. the pin connector is screwed in to the player 1 side, and the usb is plugged into my pc. the red "slide cover" is put ontop of the 2 pins under a/lo on the trackball setting. i don't understand what i did wrong, and am out of ideas.

You're wiring descritpion seems fine. I'd mail Andy @ Ultimarc, katuuuz, he'll put you right if you get no joy at arcadecontrols...

did the device have an installation disk ,and did you use it ,and buy btw what operating system are you using.

thanx gerble1000

It should just recognise it as a mouse. No external drivers are needed...

[katuuuz]

You're wiring descritpion seems fine. I'd mail Andy @ Ultimarc, katuuuz, he'll put you right if you get no joy at arcadecontrols...

It should just recognise it as a mouse. No external drivers are needed...

craziest thing happened, i got it working this morning. i had to put one of the switch covers on the usb plugs instead of serial. now, i took the ball apart to grease the bearings, and upon putting it back together, it's unrecognizable again. WTF!!!

[shbon]

craziest thing happened, i got it working this morning. i had to put one of the switch covers on the usb plugs instead of serial. now, i took the ball apart to grease the bearings, and upon putting it back together, it's unrecognizable again. WTF!!!

The fact that it's recognised it once means it can do it again. Try this:

1. Unplug trackball from computer

2. From control panel, choose system, hardware tab, device manager button.

3. In USB controllers you'll probably see your 'unknown device' - that's the trackball

4. Uninstall it.

5. Reboot machine

6. Plug in trackball and see if you get it recognised.

You might try repeating a couple of times before trying something else...

Shaun

[katuuuz]

The fact that it's recognised it once means it can do it again. Try this:

1. Unplug trackball from computer

2. From control panel, choose system, hardware tab, device manager button.

3. In USB controllers you'll probably see your 'unknown device' - that's the trackball

4. Uninstall it.

5. Reboot machine

6. Plug in trackball and see if you get it recognised.

You might try repeating a couple of times before trying something else...

Shaun

it's plug and play, so there is no installation disk. it's supposed to pick up as a mouse.

[shbon]

it's plug and play, so there is no installation disk. it's supposed to pick up as a mouse.

You're not uninstalling IT, just the driver it tried to install. Have a look at 2&3 from above.., it's possible XP has ballsed up the USB recognition process, trying to discount that. We're trying to delete the mess and start again...

[katuuuz]

You're not uninstalling IT, just the driver it tried to install. Have a look at 2&3 from above..,

didn't work. im' at my wits end brother. if i had started unplugging wires while the trackball was still connected to usb could that mess it up? or how about if the plugged in opti pac was laying on the unplugged ipac?

[shbon]

didn't work. im' at my wits end brother. if i had started unplugging wires while the trackball was still connected to usb could that mess it up? or how about if the opti pac was laying on the unplugged ipac?

Possible to short something, but no damage should occur.

So there is nothing in USB devices saying 'unknown device'?

Only persuing this, because you've had it working once!!!

[katuuuz]

Possible to short something, but no damage should occur.

So there is nothing in USB devices saying 'unknown device'?

Only persuing this, because you've had it working once!!!

that's what i mean! yeah, i uninstalled, then upon rebooting it said found new hardware. i plugged in the optipac and it didn't automatically install like it did originally. so i "searched internet for driver" and it was to no avail. i can't believe this has happened. while i was unplugging the plugs out of the trackball my windows made the usb sound as if it were unplugged (i forgot to unplug the usb before removing these wires) and now when i go to put it back, nothin. it doesn't recognize it.

[shbon]

that's what i mean! yeah, i uninstalled, then upon rebooting it said found new hardware. i plugged in the optipac and it didn't automatically install like it did originally. so i "searched internet for driver" and it was to no avail. i can't believe this has happened. while i was unplugging the plugs out of the trackball my windows made the usb sound as if it were unplugged (i forgot to unplug the usb before removing these wires) and now when i go to put it back, nothin. it doesn't recognize it.

Found new hardware? What has it found? You've not got the Opti-pac plugged in at this point, have you!

How did you respond to the found new hardware message box?

[katuuuz]

Found new hardware? What has it found? You've not got the Opti-pac plugged in at this point, have you!

How did you respond to the found new hardware message box?

automatically install. it couldn't find anything. should i have had the optipac plugged in? i will try without now.

upon rebooting without the optipac plugged in, it said found new hardware, i tried auto install, didn't work. tried the option of searching the net, that didn't work. it said upon connecting to the net windows update will search. now i'm updating to service pack 2, but am not sure if this is the problem. you may hear of a grown man crying pretty soon.

[shbon]

automatically install. it couldn't find anything. should i have had the optipac plugged in? i will try without now.

No, that's what I'm getting at. Let windows stop playing with itself first (after it couldn't find anything) and then plug in the Opti. This should bring up another found new hardware cycle...

Edit: When it reports it can't find anything, cancel, it will say the device may not function correctly, blah, blah. Click OK, wait for things to settle and then plug in opti.

[katuuuz]

No, that's what I'm getting at. Let windows stop playing with itself first (after it couldn't find anything) and then plug in the Opti. This should bring up another found new hardware cycle...

Edit: When it reports it can't find anything, cancel, it will say the device may not function correctly, blah, blah. Click OK, wait for things to settle and then plug in opti.

stilled unrecognized . i may commit suicide.

[GotMame]

Katuuuz

We'll help you get this working, can you take another pic of the board installed? It would really help. I have one so, I can probably walk you through if I see how you have it wired up.

[katuuuz]

Katuuuz

We'll help you get this working, can you take another pic of the board installed? It would really help. I have one so, I can probably walk you through if I see how you have it wired up.

hey gotmame. i will be sure to include a picture tomorrow hopefully before work if i can get up and set aside time for it, otherwise around 8:30pm eastern time tomorrow. i can assure it's properly hooked up, because it was working until i unplugged it. i will include the pic anyways if it will help. did you have a problem where windows wasn't recognizing the opti pac?

[GotMame]

Katuuuz,

I know you shouldn't need to install a mouse driver for the optipac to work but go this page and select

http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/downloads/default.mspx

(1) mouse

(2) Basic Optical Mouse

(3) Your OS

(4) Your Language

Remove the mouse drivers that you currently have in your Device Manager and install this set of drivers.

I had to do this on an older system of mine when I purchased the USB version of the optipac to replace my older serial version. This may solve your problem if everything is wired correctly.

Good luck!

[katuuuz]

Katuuuz,

I know you shouldn't need to install a mouse driver for the optipac to work but go this page and select

http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/downloads/default.mspx

(1) mouse

(2) Basic Optical Mouse

(3) Your OS

(4) Your Language

Remove the mouse drivers that you currently have in your Device Manager and install this set of drivers.

I had to do this on an older system of mine when I purchased the USB version of the optipac to replace my older serial version. This may solve your problem if everything is wired correctly.

Good luck!

hey gotmame, thanks for the info, but my pc isn't old at all, and the mouse i use is usb anyways. i would try getting that driver and trying it, but i discovered on ebay a store that sells 3" trackballs for a decent price that don't need any interface at all. they come pre wired with 4 buttons and alls you do is plug iit in. so i've already shipped andy my optipac and 2 1/4" ball for a refund which i will use for that 3 incher.