Ball size: 2 11/64" (55.12mm)
Interface: USB wireless
USB ID: VID_0CD3&PID_320F
Product Name: Pretorian SimplyWorks
Year: 2007
Good cordless optical trackball, intended primarily for disabled people. My sample have "it-Roll" nameplate, relabeled to be distributed via Inclusive Technology company, but Pretorian sticker is also present. To prevent accidental clicks, the buttons are mounted below the surface. Also, left & right buttons have additional 3.5mm sockets to connect external buttons or foot pedals if needed. Middle button is hardwired as a LMB click lock and cannot be reassigned, unfortunately. Red sparkling 55mm ball is supported by 1.75mm grey ceramic beads, mounting holder is separate piece of black plastic.
Internal design is more or less typical, but with some unusual details. Device uses 9-volt PP3 block battery, and have Maxim MAX640-based voltage converter to reduce it to the common 3.3v level. Power switch is absent, so it's impossible to switch it off: trackball is permanently in working state as long as the battery is installed.
Button switches used are keyboard keys, and doesn't have distinct "click" feel. Apparently they're of Sasse series 25 type. Buttons (or more correctly in this case, key caps) are elastic, with rigid insert matching switch stem.
Sensor is Agilent ADNS-3040 ( 400/800 cpi resolution), radio link is based on Nordic nRF24L01 transmitter. The controller is inaccessible to identify, as it's blocked with radio daugtherboard permanently soldered over it, but I'd suppose it's some Cypress CY7C63xxx or similar.
There's no any internal connectors: all the electronic parts are connected by soldered wires:
USB receiver is an independent piece of hardware, not limited to this particular device:
Spoiler
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Trackball works in conjunction with Pretorian universal 2.4GHz SimplyWorks Receive E080025 bidirectional transceiver (FCC ID: VKL-E080025), that supports up to 6 devices connected simultaneously. The SimplyWorks product range includes various peripherals like joystick, keyboard, remote switches, audio devices etc. Device have pairing/activity LED, click-lock and caps-lock LEDs, but PCB does have a soldering points fot 3 more LEDs. One of them is obviously a num-lock indicator, installed in it-Receive-branded variant, and two others are unknown to me.
Transceiver is based on Cypress CY7C63613C-SXC controller, accompanied with ST 93C46WP serial EEPROM (apparently used to store the information about paired devices) and Nordic nRF24L01 radio transmitter.
Despite modern 2.4GHz band used, the receiver is quite big - similar to the 27MHz bulky receivers with USB cable widely used in early generations wireless devices like Logitech T-RB22 or Kensington #64329. There's also updated version, RECEIVE:2, with more modern USB dongle form factor.
Receive user manual:
https://trackballs.eu/media/Pretorian/R ... ECEIVE.pdf
Transceiver is based on Cypress CY7C63613C-SXC controller, accompanied with ST 93C46WP serial EEPROM (apparently used to store the information about paired devices) and Nordic nRF24L01 radio transmitter.
Despite modern 2.4GHz band used, the receiver is quite big - similar to the 27MHz bulky receivers with USB cable widely used in early generations wireless devices like Logitech T-RB22 or Kensington #64329. There's also updated version, RECEIVE:2, with more modern USB dongle form factor.
Receive user manual:
https://trackballs.eu/media/Pretorian/R ... ECEIVE.pdf
One quite funny thing about this trackball was, during disassembling I've found that sensor still have protective Kapton tape intact! The worker has forgot to remove it after soldering, but trackball was operational anyway. The tape was transparent enough for the sensor to see the picture through it. I've never seen such manufacturing flaws even on cheapest Chinese stuffs, so it's especially strange for expensive UK product. Interestingly, the device does not have common "Made in ..." marking at all - but I'd suppose it's made in Great Britain.
User manual:
https://trackballs.eu/media/Pretorian/S ... CKBALL.pdf
Overall impression is good. Despite simple flat shape of case, device is very convent to operate, except for the button location/design. Ball movement is perfect, except for the dented spots. Seems like excellent candidate for modding, either by installing normal thumb/pinkie buttons or using the internals for retrofitting some other casing, and a better ball from Kensington or Perixx.
As usually, this trackball was used to prepare & publish this article.