Sijun Forums :: View topic - Optical Mouse

Shadow-X- · Posted: Thu Oct 17, 2002 1:42 pm

Hey, My dad is convinced that optical mice are indestructible because of the teacher at this internet-training class told him so. So I showed him that they're pretty cheap nowdays, and that they're selling the new Microsoft Blue Optical mouse for 29 bucks at futureshop (and a free microsoft internet/multimedia keyboard). My Dillemma is this: I currently have both my USBs being used up, one for my Graphire, and the other for my scanner. I also have a digital camera, and whenever I want to download pics via USB, i have to crawl onto my knees and disconnect something to plug in my digi-cam cable. Now, I currently have a PS2 mouse and a PS2 keyboard. When I get the new mouse, I would like to use USB, but that would mean a lot of crawling on my knees since I would have to choose between using my wacom, scanner or digicam as long as the optical mouse is always plugged in. So if I decide to just put the PS2 adaptor onto it, would it deter from its sensitivity or anything along those lines? Or would it still be just as good (as in accuracy, which I usually cant tell among analog and digital mice anyhow...). I would consider getting a USB hub so that I could keep all of these plugged in, but the cash is on a low-fold at the moment.

Your thoughts?

Rob Why? · Posted: Thu Oct 17, 2002 2:05 pm

If there is a difference between usb and ps2 you probably won't notice it, and I look at it like this, the ps2 ports were made for a keyboard and a mouse, Don't deny them that mouse yo!

[Shizo] · member Member # Joined: 22 Oct 1999 Posts: 3938

In my experience the optical mice are convenient. But depending on your setup you might have problems. For example in my case, the monitor interfiers with a mouse so when i bring it close to it, it jitters (also wacom pen does this too).
It might not be a problem for you if you have a monitor that wount do that, or a lot of desk space.

Oh yeah i forgot to say.. If you're a gamer, optical really screws you over. Cause if you make jerky movements, the cursor will mess up and kinda flip out. Not good when there is a rocket coming at you and you gotta shoot that busta in the head QUICK

[ October 17, 2002: Message edited by: [Shizo] ]

Abulawn · Posted: Thu Oct 17, 2002 2:29 pm

As far as I know, the only real difference between PS2 and USB is the refresh rate.
PS2 mice default on someting like 40Hz, USB on something above 100Hz. You'll never really notice the difference until you do hardcore gaming or don't have a Wacom ;-)

There's some utilities on the net though which enable you to boost that frequency up to 200Hz.

PS2 will do just fine!

balistic · Posted: Thu Oct 17, 2002 3:26 pm

"Oh yeah i forgot to say.. If you're a gamer, optical really screws you over. Cause if you make jerky movements, the cursor will mess up and kinda flip out."

Not if you've got a good pad. I use Logitech and Microsoft 2-button opti-mice on a Rat Pad and I can rail anyone's head clean off.

I'm moving the cursor back and forth as fast as I can right now, and it's not getting skippy at all. It's all about using a pad your mouse can "see".

Regarding refresh rates, you can run your PS2 port pretty much as fast as you want, so there's no difference from USB. Look for a utility called PS2rate. I usually run mine at 140 Hz. Silky smooth.

I also recommend the Mouse Bungee. They look stupid, but they are seriously useful. Every computer I use has one.

I avoided optical mice for a long time, but after having found the right combination of mouse and pad, there's no way I'd go back to a balled pointing device.

I never want to worry about "hand salsa" again.

Shadow-X- · Posted: Thu Oct 17, 2002 3:36 pm

*Mouse not included*

Rob Why? · Posted: Thu Oct 17, 2002 10:41 pm

Wow... that mouse bungee is probably the best thing I've ever seen that I don't own yet!

Shadow-X- · Posted: Fri Oct 18, 2002 4:12 am

K, so I got it. And so far, i'm pretty impresed. The mouse is pretty damn smoothe! I wonder, is this the demise of the use of my Graphire as the daily mouse useage?!?!?!?!?
The keyboard I got is pretty nifty too, nothing too special, just a few buttons that open up my documents, my pictures, my music folders, msn messenger, homepage, mailproggie, etc... mah well, it came free with the mouse. Im happy!

[Shizo] · member Member # Joined: 22 Oct 1999 Posts: 3938

So does yours mess up when you make quick movements with it? And what kind of surface do you use it on if it doesn't?

Shadow-X- · Posted: Sat Oct 19, 2002 10:37 am

as far as "testing" it, I havent really done any hard-core tests. I just use it on my wooden desk, but sometimes put a regular mouse pad underneath it, just because im so used to its feel. I have yet to play a game with it, waiting to get UT2k3, but I prolly wont be able to play online w/ my 56k.... As far as problems, none so far!

Coaster · Posted: Sat Oct 19, 2002 5:25 pm

get a USB, you can get adapters to plug the USB mouse into a PS2 (both of my computers are using one right now)... so its getting both at the same time.

You will never ever ever ever notice a difference, if there is one.

Hyperi0n · Posted: Sat Oct 19, 2002 6:00 pm

I have one like the guy above says..it's sweet

johan_san · Posted: Sat Oct 19, 2002 6:19 pm

I got one of those too... only 10 bucks @ Fry's... (microsoft optical wheel mouse)

very good mouse...

[Shizo] · member Member # Joined: 22 Oct 1999 Posts: 3938

I have MS WheelMouse Optical, but mine is not very precise.
If i want to move mouse very very slowly, it jumps 2-4 pixels, where as with ball mouse i could do 1-pixel smoothly.

Coaster · Posted: Sat Oct 19, 2002 7:55 pm

there is no difference there either, in theory the opticle mouse would be more accurate, just try tweaking your settings.

Shadow-X- · Posted: Mon Oct 21, 2002 8:19 pm

I noticed something weird about my mouse today... My friend who has an original intellimouse optical, the light turns off once the mouse stands idle for a few seconds, you can see the glow turn off. It also turns off once you lift the mouse so that it has nothing to "capture" with its optical sensor. Well, my mouse turns off when it is properly placed on the desk, but when I flip it over, the optical light does not turn off. Is this normal to happen ?

Dr. Bang · Posted: Tue Oct 22, 2002 12:14 am

get an USB, cuz i my Microsoft Optical mouse comes with a USB-PS2 converter, so if you dont like USB u can switch back to PS2.

[666]Flat · Posted: Tue Oct 22, 2002 2:56 am

quote:
Originally posted by Shadow-X-:
I noticed something weird about my mouse today... My friend who has an original intellimouse optical, the light turns off once the mouse stands idle for a few seconds, you can see the glow turn off. It also turns off once you lift the mouse so that it has nothing to "capture" with its optical sensor. Well, my mouse turns off when it is properly placed on the desk, but when I flip it over, the optical light does not turn off. Is this normal to happen ?

NO IT INDICATES TEH PRESENCE OF ETERNAL EVIL HAVING INFESTED YUOR PERIPHERY -- THAT LIGHT HAS IT'S ORIGIN IN THE INFERNALLY BURNING SH0RES OF HELL...

Take advantage of that and save a lot of money on your next electricity bill.

Shadow-X- · Posted: Tue Oct 22, 2002 5:11 am

Shadow-X- · Posted: Wed Oct 23, 2002 3:20 pm

Ok, I dont know why, but I installed UT2003 last night (after weeks of delay, getting that DIRTY CD error), and just noticed that the light would turn off when I lifted my mouse. So i thought the problem was fixed.... and now, today, after I got home from work, I checked it out again, and blam...... its broken again. I lift the mouse off the desk (over 30 cms from anything from the optical light), and it stays on....... what the hell is goin on... POS Cursed Microsoft products.....

Shadow-X- · Posted: Thu Oct 24, 2002 12:15 pm

Alright, first off, I want to apologise to anyone who might get offended with my repeated posting in my own topic, but I just want to let others know, since I finally figured it out (no thanks to Microsoft support, support forums and Knowledge Database).

Much like my wacom tablet, the cursed vibrato, the optical mouse may function in similar ways if it is close to the monitor, just like if my tablet is near my monitor. I get the jitters with the cursors (i have yet to test this with either my wacom or my mouse plugged in one at a time), and the light on my optical mouse defies to go into energy saving mode when I lift it off any readable surface (for example, lifting it up) when it is near my 15" CRT monitor. I have tested my hypothesis by pulling the wacom and mouse (as far away as possible) from my monitor, and testing to see if the light goes off when I lift it off a readable surface. So far, kaboom, it works. So that is my only result. I guess I better re-arrance my desk and move my monitor as far away from the mouse/tablet as possible. Ugh, its gonna be hard to read text at a rez of 1152x864 when the monitor is far away...

Well, thats it for this post. If anyone else has any thoughts, or would like to prove my theory wrong, let me know!

[Shizo] · member Member # Joined: 22 Oct 1999 Posts: 3938

Dude you must be a jew.
15" monitor with 1152x864 res? I would recommend only 800x600 for 15". But do yourself a favor and buy a 17"-19" flat monitor, they're cheap nowdays