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geekhack Community => Input Devices => Topic started by: esr on Sat, 16 April 2016, 13:06:20

Title: USB conversion for classic TrackMan Marble+?
Post by: esr on Sat, 16 April 2016, 13:06:20

I have three TrackMan Marble+ trackballs - the original style with white case, three buttons, and a PS/2 port.

I love these devices and want to keep using them, but I have not found a way to make them play nice with USB. (This matters because I'm moving to SFF systems that don't include legacy ports.) Passive wire-to-wire adapters don't seem to work, nor does the Blue Cube active converter.

Is there any known adapter or hardware mod that can salvage these devices?  I'm willing to solder...

Title: Re: USB conversion for classic TrackMan Marble+?
Post by: davkol on Sat, 16 April 2016, 13:47:18

So, it's the white model? I've found some random report of it working with a serial-to-USB adapter (https://forums.logitech.com/t5/Mice-and-Pointing-Devices/TrackMan-Marble-model-no-T-CL13-Revived-for-use-in-USB-port/td-p/421546).

Other than that, I do have a thumb-operated trackball from the same generation, and it works fine with a very cheap active converter (one of those $5 gray ones sold on eBay).

Title: Re: USB conversion for classic TrackMan Marble+?
Post by: Tactile on Sat, 16 April 2016, 15:20:22

I've had problems adapting PS/2 pointing devices, too.

The most reliable PS/2 to USB adapter I've used for mice/trackballs is the one built into these Wyse brand keyboards. I guess you could just gut the keyboard and box up the electronic parts. The PS/2 mouse port is on the right side of the keyboard below the lip

(scroll down for the photo)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Genuine-Wyse-Standard-104-Key-USB-Black-Keyboard-with-PS-2-Port-M-N-901716-06L-/301842980773

There are lots of these keyboards available at the moment.

Title: Re: USB conversion for classic TrackMan Marble+?
Post by: esr on Sun, 17 April 2016, 21:00:44

I've since learned that PS/2 pointing devices sometimes work with a passive  adapter if you enable "Legacy USB Support" in the BIOS and they're plugged in at boot time. 

Unfortunately, it's only "sometimes" and this option is disappearing on newer hardware.    So this isn't much of a solution.

Title: Re: USB conversion for classic TrackMan Marble+?
Post by: esr on Sat, 07 May 2016, 09:06:31

Problem solved.  Thus cheap adapter from Sanoxy

http://www.amazon.com/SANOXY-USB-PS-2-Adapter/dp/B00007AP2O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1462629080&sr=8-1&keywords=sanoxy+usb+to+ps+2+adapter

does the job and even hotplugs.

Title: Re: USB conversion for classic TrackMan Marble+?
Post by: esr on Fri, 03 June 2016, 12:02:38

Also of interest: My maker recipe "Converting a PS/2 TrackMan Marble to USB":


http://www.catb.org/esr/trackman-conversion/