Thread: shift knob w/ trackball

I´ve tried to build a device like that, but up to now it doesn´t work.
I used a part called digital potentiometer with 30 step per round and 2 outputs.
I did not manage to combine these 2 outputs in a circuit cause their signals are gray-coded and a don´t know anything about that.


But I´m workin on it

Originally posted by vap0r36
has anyone tried to make a shift knob w/ a trackball in it? i think this would be a very cool input device. any ideas on how to do it? or even to just remove the ball and required electronic parts from a trackball mouse and mounting it in part of your car, i.e. dash, armrest, door panel, etc?

i too have thought about it....but as to how

How about just buying a small trackball and ripping the guts out? They make small external ones for laptops and such. You'd need to make an entirely different shift knob, but that shouldn't be a big deal.

thats exactly what i was thinking. i made a shift knob but making the trackball fit will take way too long. now i want to mount a trackpoint in my car (the stick thing from a laptop keyboard). but i cant find one anywhere.

I was thinking about using one of those "finger-mouse" thingies and modifying it for use as a stick-shift trackball, but then I realized that the vibrations from the engine might cause the pointer to move around the screen.

A better idea, in my opinion, would be to use the eraser-head pointing device (like on toshiba and IBM laptops). It would resist the vibrations, and also take up a whole lot less space.

If anyone knows how I might go about getting an external version, lemme know.

Fellowes makes a number of different touchpads, which can even be found at places like compusa for like $20. And as far as the eraser nubs, the only ones that i seem to remember (that wernt in a laptop) were in a mouse a while back, you might try ebay for them, and just use the nub.

Originally posted by Loftus
Here's a cool wireless remote that i think you could use as a shifter, ( might have to mod it a bit but worth a look )

Sony RM-X6S Wireless Remote Control

I'd even settle for the cool wired remote that Sony release with some of their decks if I could make it talk to the pc to control winamp/video. Even better if for GPS as well.

soldering a ps2 connector is one thing - writing a thingy so the computer understands the output of the stick is another thing entirely (and I know my limits)

I think that someone has done this already under linux?

C!