Ordering Trackballs & IR boards

[Gary Dillard]

I have looked through all the documentation and can't find:

1) a part number, company or where to order trackballs.

2) a part number or anything I can use to search any of the 5 websites listed under "Where to get more" in the Kit of Parts manual for the IR board. The documentation says it is a modified TinyIR2 board; yippee - that gets me nowhere.

Hopefully when the FIRST store on the IFI site gets updated for 2008 (Tomorrow????) it will have them. If anyone has found where to order either please reply. Thanks.

[klrswift]

I have been looking for where more trackballs can be purchased also. I haven't had any luck finding them, but I have been told that they cost $220 - making us all afraid to touch it.

[Elgin Clock]

Fact: IFI did not develop the IR sensor board, Diversified Systems did.

Fact: I found a site that sells balls similar to the trackball, and the 40" balls themselves cost approximately $60 to $110. The covers for the balls cost $45, and the replaceable inner bladder costs $20.50.

I have no idea where you are getting the $220 price from, and I WILL NOT provide a link to my source until the source of the balls is made official, so you will just have to trust me on this one.

[klrswift]

Someone on team 910 said they saw somewhere that it cost $220. I have no idea where that price was found, but we aren't taking any chances.

[Gary Dillard]

Originally Posted by Elgin Clock

Fact: IFI did not develop the IR sensor board, Diversified Systems did.

That's why I said "FIRST Store" on the IFI site, not the IFI Store. IFI hosts the FIRST store for kit parts that aren't available elsewhere

[Elgin Clock]

Originally Posted by Gary Dillard

That's why I said "FIRST Store" on the IFI site, not the IFI Store. IFI hosts the FIRST store for kit parts that aren't available elsewhere

I did recall that after I posted, but forgot to go back and edit it. lol
Oops.

Sorry for the bluntness of my post , and if there is a FIRST store available through IFI, it may, as you stated, be available through there but we'll just have to wait and see I guess.

[ajlapp]

any luck with finding a trackball supplier??

seems odd that the information isn't readily available.

[Gary Dillard]

Grrrrrrrrrrrrr..... Another day zips by. No signs of life from on high yet.

Patience Gary, Patience.

Maybe I'll write a haiku

[MikeDubreuil]

This is reminiscent of the 2006 Poof ball fiasco, except this year we have no idea who the manufacturer is

[Raul]

Ga-ry sits Wai-ting
Do tel me how much lon-ger
Must Ga-ry stand by

[Stephi Rae]

I thought for sure I saw at least a company listed on the inventory sheet... I don't have one with me, but I will check at my earliest convenience... I may be mistaken.

[Cynette]

Originally Posted by Raul

Ga-ry sits Wai-ting
Do tel me how much lon-ger
Must Ga-ry stand by

Another day gone
No giant ball for Gary
While Raul writes poems!

Oh no! How do you say Raul? Real slow like Ra-ool? Or real fast in one syllable? I also wrote an alternate ending for the one-syllable pronunciation! Oh no!

(Two days after the game is announced, Cynette cracks under the pressure...)

[Gary Dillard]

Nylon Trackball Shell
with heavy duty zipper
and talon pocket

Grey Trackball bladder
inflate to 40 inches
Antiburst, they say

Search the World Wide Web
no one seems to supply it
tears form in my eyes

[Travis Hoffman]

C'mon guys - I know your investigative skills are better than this!

This ain't it but it's somewhat close...

http://cgi.ebay.com/48-Inflatable-NY...QQcmdZViewItem


And maybe....a 72" ball next year? http://www.wilderdom.com/store/index...c8bed59cb0d512

************

Ah, here, we're on to something.

Scroll down the page linked below. Oh look, a 40" Omnikin ball...for $159 bucks! Ouch. Maybe FIRST isn't publishing the source because they fear the response when teams find out what these babies cost?

233 take note - they even have a PINK ball.

http://www.schoolmasters.com/cageballs.html

Perhaps the term "Cage" ball or "Omnikin" ball will be a clue to finding the true identity of these mystical spheres....

Here is a replacement bladder for a 40" Omnikin #1014 ball, cost - $45.45:

(Disclaimer - I cannot verify this product is the same product we are using in the 2008 FIRST Overdrive game. This is just FYI only.)

http://www.cannonsports.com/product.php?model=1025


A little more searching and you get....

http://www.omnikin.com/en/home

and

http://www.omnikin.com/osc/product_i...&products_id=4

French Canadian, eh?


On a side note, some of our more zealous Team 48 mentors and students engaged in an impromptu dodge ball session with our trackball after we experimented with it using our 2004 robot. It held up to the abuse. I was surprised at this result, given the horror stories of popping other teams have shared. Makes me wonder what kind of evil dynamics to which these teams are subjecting their poor trackballs.

[Cynette]

Originally Posted by Gary Dillard

Nylon Trackball Shell
with heavy duty zipper
and talon pocket

Grey Trackball bladder
inflate to 40 inches
Antiburst, they say

Search the World Wide Web
no one seems to supply it
tears form in my eyes

The Master!