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Laser Mouse Recommendations? - 4/19/2011 12:50:01 PM

Lockit

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I have a laser mouse that is a year old and am having problems with the scroll roller. Sometimes it moves the right direction, sometimes it doesn't and sometimes it doesn't move or jerks. It is hindering me and I am getting impatient with it. I did some googling and am getting more confused than I need to be over a stupid mouse.

I am not doing any gaming and am unsure of what some of the terms mean. I just need a mouse that can be worked from my lap to my monitor up on the desk. (My desk is glass, but I would like to change to wood. Would this effect anything?) My mouse is a usb and not a wireless. I had no problems and all was working for a long while, but now it is acting up. I think it even clicked on something once when I didn't click it.

Any suggestions on a decent laser mouse and the pro's and con's of a wireless verses a usb? My old roller mouse's lasted for years and I didn't have these problems.

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RE: Laser Mouse Recommendations? - 4/19/2011 3:04:20 PM

LafayetteLady

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Yes, glass can make a huge difference. Use a mouse pad. Is the scroll wheel moving properly? If it is' and you are using a mouse pad, problem is probably with the laser.

Personally, I got a wireless laser mouse on clearance a couple years ago for ten bucks. Still don't know any of the specs, just know I move and click and it works. If you aren't into fancy computing or games, I would get an inexpensive one.

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RE: Laser Mouse Recommendations? - 4/19/2011 5:10:09 PM

HannahLynHeather

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what lafayettelady said. buy a cheap one, you don't need anything fancy. and yes glass will mess up an optical mouse, use a mouse pad, a book, or even a piece of paper. i would avoid wireless unless you really need it, batteries are just one more thing to go wrong.

hannah lynn

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RE: Laser Mouse Recommendations? - 4/19/2011 5:46:16 PM

DesFIP

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I love having a wireless one. When it starts having problems I get it a new battery, maybe once a month. Probably three years old now and still going strong. It's a logitech brand. They sell them at Radio Shack if you have one nearby.

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RE: Laser Mouse Recommendations? - 4/19/2011 6:33:51 PM

shallowdeep

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Is it the mouse's cursor tracking that's become erratic? Or is it the scroll wheel? The latter could just be dust or the like in the mechanism. I might try taking it apart and cleaning that up before buying a new one.

For basic use, pretty much any mouse's tracking should be adequate. Features like extremely high resolutions or report rates are of very limited benefit for general use. Most of the choice comes down to personal preferences with button count and the ergonomics – you might want to test a few out in a store. You did mention a glass desk, though. If you want to be able to accurately track on that surface, you'll need to look for something like one of Logitech's Darkfield laser mice; they are higher-end and carry the associated price tag. If you are content (or prefer) to mouse on your lap or a mousepad, the tracking technology isn't really much of an issue – any modern optical or laser mouse should suffice. Cloth and wood are much easier to track on than glass because, unlike glass, those surface have readily identifiable features an imaging sensor can pick up to judge motion.

The major pro of wireless is the lack of wires to get in the way and clutter things up. In some cases, you might also be able to save a USB port if you can use built-in Bluetooth wireless hardware rather than a dongle, but that usually isn't too much of a concern with desktops.

The biggest con is probably dealing with batteries, and needing to either recharge or replace them occasionally. The extra heft from batteries may be a pro or a con, dependent on preference. Also, a wireless connection may be somewhat less reliable than a wired one, but it's usually not much of an issue in practice - extremely dedicated fast-reflex gamers aside.

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RE: Laser Mouse Recommendations? - 4/19/2011 11:38:36 PM

soul2share

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While batteries have been mentioned, have you tried to change them? That's how I know that it's time, when things don't work as they should.

Celeste, you change your battery monthly? WOW, hun...I've had my logitech wireless mouse and keyboard over a year, and I just changed the keyboard battery about 2 months ago, I have yet to change the mouse. I use Duracell rechargeable ones in both. The first set of batts that I used in the keyboard I swiped out of a couple of remotes I had handy.....so they weren't new ones when they went into the keyboard.

Personally, I love the wireless stuff....the kittehs are always getting behind my computer and pulling cables and wires loose.....even when they knock the little sensor thingy down off the desk, it's stil close enough for the mouse and keyboard to work.

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RE: Laser Mouse Recommendations? - 4/19/2011 11:46:58 PM

GreedyTop

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I wouldnt recommend dismantling a laser mouse unless one is quite familiar with how they are put together, since they aren't as simple as ball mice. Looking at mine, there is no obvious way to take it apart aside from prying shit apart or smashing it against something.

Probably cheaper to buy a new one (mine is a microsoft, I've had it about 2.5 yrs, and it is USB. Not to mention it was pretty inexpensive.. around $15., if I am not mistaken), than to take it in to a shop.

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RE: Laser Mouse Recommendations? - 4/20/2011 1:18:43 AM

Termyn8or

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Nope. Glass is one of the very few surfaces on which an optical mouse probably won't work. It depends on alot of things but don't count on it. They might work on a gravel driveway but not on glass or a mirror.

It's not the end of the world, all you need is a magazine or a book. Once that's settled any of them will do. Get more DPI if you can. Don't count on any of them, even more expensive, to work on glass. It's simply because of how they work, not a performance thing really.

The four buck cheapie at Wally's works as well as the forty buck espe-ial extravaganza at Bouquet de sonesabichezzzz. If it works on glass fine, but an upgrade won't help.

T^T

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RE: Laser Mouse Recommendations? - 4/20/2011 5:31:54 AM

Arpig

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Hi Lockit.

Pretty much just echoing what other people have said. the performance difference between an el-cheapo mouse and the top of the line one will not be noticable to a person just surfing and doing office-type work. The best Mouse I ever had cost me $5, and it lasted around 5 years. When it died I was shocked, I had come to just assume that my mouse would last forever.

I agree with Hannah Lynn about the wireless, if you don't need it, I'd go without. Every extra piece of hardware and software that you put into the chain is another link that can fail. If you want wireless, by all means go for it, just I wouldn't go for the extra expense and complication just to have it for its coolness factor.

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RE: Laser Mouse Recommendations? - 4/20/2011 7:24:36 AM

DesFIP

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Soul, I really don't know how often I change it. Maybe every few months? Nothing very frequent. But I'm not using rechargeable and I will admit that the batteries I use in the mouse are the ones the digital camera announces are too low for it, so maybe only half charged still. Fresh batteries will last longer.

If you want to talk about battery eating things, the camera takes the cake.

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RE: Laser Mouse Recommendations? - 4/20/2011 7:27:36 AM

mnottertail

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que tips and alcohol and clean that eye!!!!!

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RE: Laser Mouse Recommendations? - 4/20/2011 8:01:21 AM

kdsub

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As far as your old mouse have you tried reinstalling the drivers? I would also use a mouse pad on glass they are cheap or free some places…By the way I use a laser mouse on wood all the time no problem if you were to change.

If you get a new mouse I am going to go against the norm here…I love a wireless mouse…hate those damn wires…always in the way.

I just use rechargeable batteries to save money… You can by a few batteries and a charger for less than $20.

Good luck

Butch

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RE: Laser Mouse Recommendations? - 4/20/2011 2:58:04 PM

Lockit

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Thanks everyone, you all are the best!

Basically, I have a glass table that my computer is on. I sit in a lounge chair thingy... kind of Cleopatra-like and the keyboard rests on my lap on a tray. The mouse is on a pad, basically on my lap and worked great until recently. It may or may not go through the glass table top. It worked this way before, but now must be a lil old mouse that needs to be retired.

I will look around and see what I can find based on a number of things you all said. I will also play with the mouse.. what could it hurt... it already doesn't work right! I have tried lifting it up higher than the desk for a direct shot, but no difference. New mousy here I come.

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RE: Laser Mouse Recommendations? - 4/20/2011 9:46:54 PM

HannahLynHeather

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quote:

If you want to talk about battery eating things, the camera takes the cake.

That's not what eats the batteries around here.

Heather

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RE: Laser Mouse Recommendations? - 4/20/2011 9:50:08 PM

Termyn8or

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And that's not what takes the cake around here.

T^T

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RE: Laser Mouse Recommendations? - 4/21/2011 9:10:30 AM

tiggerspoohbear

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I've been using a wireless mouse and keyboard for the last 3 yrs now. I finally killed the mouse (logitech) when I dropped it in a glass of orange juice. Don't ask.

I went to Wal-Mart, bought a cheapo $15 wireless laser mouse, and it works just as well. I use re-chargeable batteries for both the mouse and the keyboard and never had a problem.

The mouse is run from a small USB device plugged into a port. Mouse itself runs on 2 AAA batteries, I bought a set of 4 that fits into any re-charger regardless of brand and change them out every few months. A mouse will run down a battery a lot faster than the keyboard does.

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RE: Laser Mouse Recommendations? - 4/21/2011 3:44:34 PM

FullCircle

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Lockit
Sometimes it moves the right direction, sometimes it doesn't.

Are you sure it isn't pointing in the wrong direction? The buttons should be at the front not the back. (As you look at it).

< Message edited by FullCircle -- 4/21/2011 3:48:14 PM >

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