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Trackball Royale

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Trackball Royale is a wireless ergonomic pointing device with four programmable buttons. The trackball’s body is designed for a more natural hand position, helping to reduce strain during long computer sessions. The case is manufactured using high-precision SLA printing.

Overview

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  1. Power switch
  2. Button: single press — switch BT profile (0–5 in a cycle), double press (quickly) — clear current BT profile
  3. Button: single press — switch to BT profile 0, double press (quickly) — clear all BT profiles
  4. Button: single press — reset, double press (quickly) — bootloader
  5. Silicone feet

Connectivity

  • Trackball Royale works with devices running Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS
  • The trackball connects via Plug and Play (PnP); no additional driver installation is required
  • The trackball ships ready to connect to your device with the firmware current at the time of purchase
Wired connection
The trackball supports wired connection via USB-C. Use the included cable or any other USB-C cable that supports data transfer.
Wireless connection
  1. Enable Bluetooth on the device you want to connect the trackball to
  2. Turn on the trackball by setting the power switch on the bottom cover to the ON position — the trackball will enter pairing mode
  3. Search for Bluetooth devices on your device and find EH TB Royale in the list
  4. Connect the trackball to your device
Connecting additional devices
  1. Enable Bluetooth on the device you want to connect the trackball to
  2. Turn on the trackball by setting the power switch on the bottom cover to the ON position — the trackball will enter pairing mode
  3. Switch the BT profile on the trackball using button 2 on the bottom side
  4. Search for Bluetooth devices on your device and find EH TB Royale in the list
  5. Connect the trackball to your device

Charging and battery monitoring

Charging and battery monitoring work the same way as for ZMK-based wireless keyboards.

To charge the trackball battery, the power switch on the bottom must be in the On position.

Key configuration

You can assign any behavior to the trackball buttons using the keymap editor. For example, you can swap the Sniper and Scroll keys if that layout works better for you.

Configuration

All trackball modes can be configured in the file config/trackball_royale.keymap. The easiest way to edit it is through the GitHub web interface by clicking the Edit this file button.

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Open the file in your fork and scroll to the very bottom, looking for these lines:

&trackball { cpi = <1000>; };

&trackball_listener {
    input-processors = <&zip_xy_scaler 9 20>;

    scroller {
        layers = <1>;
        input-processors =
            <&zip_xy_transform INPUT_TRANSFORM_Y_INVERT>,
            <&zip_xy_scaler 1 32>,
            <&zip_xy_to_scroll_mapper>;
    };

    sniper {
        layers = <2>;
        input-processors = <&zip_xy_scaler 1 4>;
    };

    adjust {
        layers = <3>;
        input-processors = <&zip_xy_scaler 1 8>;
    };
};

Let’s go through all available settings.

Cursor sensitivity in normal mode

You can change the cursor sensitivity in normal mode in the line &trackball { cpi = <1000>; };. The cpi value is set in steps of 200 and must not exceed 3200.

In addition to cpi, a multiplier <&zip_xy_scaler 9 20> is also applied, meaning the actual sensitivity will be nine-twentieths of the base cpi value. This can also be changed.

&trackball_listener {
    input-processors = <&zip_xy_scaler 9 20>;

More about available input-processors can be found in the ZMK documentation: https://zmk.dev/docs/keymaps/input-processors

Scroll mode settings

The following settings are available for scroll mode:

scroller {
    layers = <1>;
    input-processors =
        <&zip_xy_transform INPUT_TRANSFORM_Y_INVERT>,
        <&zip_xy_scaler 1 32>,
        <&zip_xy_to_scroll_mapper>;
};

layers = <1>; — the layers on which scroll mode will be active. If you change the layer number, also update the behavior that switches to the scroll layer.
<&zip_xy_transform INPUT_TRANSFORM_Y_INVERT> — inverts scrolling. You can invert the Y axis, the X axis (<&zip_xy_transform INPUT_TRANSFORM_X_INVERT>), or both by listing parameters separated by commas: <&zip_xy_transform INPUT_TRANSFORM_Y_INVERT>, <&zip_xy_transform INPUT_TRANSFORM_X_INVERT>,.
<&zip_xy_scaler 1 32> — scroll speed is expressed as a ratio; by default it is one thirty-second. You can slow down scrolling by changing it to, for example, <&zip_xy_scaler 1 64>, or speed it up with <&zip_xy_scaler 2 32>.

Sniper mode settings

The following settings are available for sniper mode:

sniper {
    layers = <2>;
    input-processors = <&zip_xy_scaler 1 4>;
};

layers = <2>; — the layers on which sniper mode will be active. If you change the layer number, also update the behavior that switches to the sniper layer.
<&zip_xy_scaler 1 4> — speed multiplier for sniper mode. By default, the cursor speed is reduced to one-quarter in sniper mode.

The cursor slowdown on the adjust settings layer works the same way.

Firmware update

Firmware files and update instructions are available here

Care and maintenance

  • Periodically clean the case from dust and dirt with a dry or lightly damp cloth
  • Keep the ball, ceramic bearings, and ball socket clean
Do not use aggressive cleaning agents (alcohol, acetone, petrol, solvents, concentrated acids or alkalis)!
To remove the ball, pull it out in the direction opposite the base of the trackball. If it’s hard to grip, turn the trackball upside down and rotate the ball as you pull it out.
Do not allow liquid to get inside the device!

Support

Trackball Royale comes with a 3-year warranty and service support.

If you have any questions about setup, firmware, or operation, please contact the Ergohaven Telegram group or knowledge base