cccxmYes, you should be able to do the "extra switch" mod.
These CST trackballs are a nice upgrade over most consumer types. I still prefer Industrial trackballs with steel rollers and proper ball bearings. (My CST has greased POM bearings). This is also a great price.
In line with TheProfosist, I am in the process of adding a 8200 DPI laser sensor to my industrial trackball, though I am still hunting for a good ball. The ball makes a huge difference in the way a trackball feels and responds and should be replaced regularly once it starts to wear. I was amazed at the difference.
This is a great price and an excellent product, but I think I have too many trackballs already.
cccxmi don't think you can do the extra switch mod to this. from the pictures i can tell the port to be able to hook up the extra switches isn't there. now, there seems to be three versions of this trackball- one without any ports, one with two on the back where the cord comes out from, and the third, with three on the side. this trackball could be either the first or last i mentioned, but seems to be the first from lack of pictures.
QBONEBONEAs far as I am aware, this trackball does have the solder pads available so the mod can be done. It just isn't as straightforward as hooking up new buttons on the -5W model.
cccxmYes you should be able to. You should also be able to do right, left, and middle click as there are solder spots on the PCB. That is unless they have have removed them which is unlikely.
dorkvaderIf you eve get that worked out let me know I would be super interested, even more so if you managed with one of those new 7000 dpi optical sensors. But you would have to get a hold of one of those first...
TheProfosistI don't think it is possible to do the Ripster mod on this model without serious work. Ripster has the model with 2 front port plugs as Qbone said. All Rip did was hook into the pcb for power on his switches to make custom back lit cherry switches. I don't think he custom wired 2 new buttons into the board. If you have a 2 or 3 plug version you can buy pre made switches that don't require the power hook in mod and just plug n play. Or do the Ripster mod and wire up LED cherry switches utilizing the pre existing plugs.
dorkvaderWhich sensor are you using for this? I'd like to see if this kind of mod can be done on the CST one. Do you have any more details about your industrial trackball?
dorkvaderI'm also curious about the 8200 DPI laser sensor you may have found? I thought that laser sensors for trackballs were generally out of production (and hence why a LaserTracX is no longer manufactured)