bigclivedotcom | inside an optical trackball @bigclivedotcom | Uploaded October 2024 | Updated October 2024, 8 hours ago.
Having looked inside an odd analogue trackball, I decided it would be interesting to take my optical trackball apart and see what it looked like inside.
I have always preferred using a trackball instead of a mouse, as it stays in one position on the bench and is perfect for designing PCBs and other CAD applications.
This unit is quite old. I'd guess that modern ones will have the amazing mass produced single chip sensor and processor arrangement inside, and probably a different style of ball, as this one looks quite complex with its pattern of embedded dots that don't wear off.
The biggest surprise in this unit was that the sensing chip did not look directly at the ball surface. The lens was coupled to a prism arrangement that deflected the image 90 degrees. I wonder if that was to facilitate easier mounting of the infrared LEDs, or maybe just repurposing an existing optical assembly from a mouse, where the sensor was mounted vertically on a PCB.
Once I had cleaned and reassembled this unit it worked absolutely fine as it had before.
There are quite a few different trackball devices available online, mostly quite expensive compared to a mouse input device. It appears that you can buy replacement balls for prominent models on AliExpress.
If you enjoy these videos you can help support the channel with a dollar for coffee, cookies and random gadgets for disassembly at:- bigclive.com/coffee.htm
This also keeps the channel independent of YouTube's algorithm quirks, allowing it to be a bit more dangerous and naughty.
#ElectronicsCreators
Having looked inside an odd analogue trackball, I decided it would be interesting to take my optical trackball apart and see what it looked like inside.
I have always preferred using a trackball instead of a mouse, as it stays in one position on the bench and is perfect for designing PCBs and other CAD applications.
This unit is quite old. I'd guess that modern ones will have the amazing mass produced single chip sensor and processor arrangement inside, and probably a different style of ball, as this one looks quite complex with its pattern of embedded dots that don't wear off.
The biggest surprise in this unit was that the sensing chip did not look directly at the ball surface. The lens was coupled to a prism arrangement that deflected the image 90 degrees. I wonder if that was to facilitate easier mounting of the infrared LEDs, or maybe just repurposing an existing optical assembly from a mouse, where the sensor was mounted vertically on a PCB.
Once I had cleaned and reassembled this unit it worked absolutely fine as it had before.
There are quite a few different trackball devices available online, mostly quite expensive compared to a mouse input device. It appears that you can buy replacement balls for prominent models on AliExpress.
If you enjoy these videos you can help support the channel with a dollar for coffee, cookies and random gadgets for disassembly at:- bigclive.com/coffee.htm
This also keeps the channel independent of YouTube's algorithm quirks, allowing it to be a bit more dangerous and naughty.
#ElectronicsCreators
