Annoying issues with MS optical trackball

Gullible Jones · 2005-12-13 00:22:52

I just recieved a Microsoft optical trackball of this model,[ purchased via eBay. Very nice, better than my old mouse... But there's a weird problem with it. Occasionally, the optical tracking seems to "slip" in some way, and the cursor fails to move as much as it ought to, or moves more than it should - kind of like what happens to an old-style mouse or trackball with filthy rollers. Both the trackball's cradle and the ball itself are intact and completely clean, and I'm sure I'm using the right driver (imPS/2). Yet the cursor is not moving in a smooth fashion, and sometimes fails to move at all for a few seconds. What the hell is going on? :shock:

(It's interesting to note that this "slippage" is more pronounced with vertical than horizontal motion. The horizontal motion is generally fine, but the cursor often moves a shorter distance than it should vertically - as I said before, just like what you get with a dirty roller-mouse.)

cactus · 2005-12-13 00:41:35

is the little laser detector thingy covered in oil or grime of any kind?

Gullible Jones · 2005-12-13 01:30:15

No, not as far as I can tell. The whole thing seems absolutely spanking clean.

Gullible Jones · 2005-12-13 02:52:50

Hmm... According to a whole bunch of reviewers, the little raised bumps that hold the trackball in the cradle (not very effectively, I might add) are positioned in such a way that they interfere with the ball's motion, and must be filed away in order for the thing to work properly. Ahh well, leave it to MS to make a mistake like that.

Is there anything else I should try before that, though?

Gullible Jones · 2005-12-13 03:43:23

Lubricated the trackballs, still stuck. Carefully cleaned the trackball cradle, still stuck. Filed down the little bumps, still stuck, and no wonder - the ball rotates fine, it just doesn't produce the right response. I wonder if something's screwy with the sensor.

(Remind me to always, *always* do tons of research on computer peripherals before buying them... :evil: )

Kern · 2005-12-13 10:44:59

ebay! Tssssssss
if you have chance, try the mouse on another pc/os just to discount driver or software problems.
after that it could be down the mechanical damage.
maybe the previous owner dropped the mouse and dislodged the sensor in some way, or if new, maybe a dodgy batch from QA's point of view sold off cheaply.

the vendor word at the front there always worries me on *any* product.

Dusty · 2005-12-13 10:55:28

Try it under *gulp* windows to see if it is a driver issue.

ExplorerPS/2 is probably a better protocol.

Next time get logitech :-D

Dusty

phydeaux · 2005-12-14 15:54:18

I have the exact same trackball and its been working fine for me for years. I purchaced it back when logitech downsized their trackballs and they were no longer comfortable for my big hands. I've been using this configuration for it in my xorg.conf for a while now and have had none of the problems you've mentioned.

Section "InputDevice"
        Identifier  "PS/2 Mouse"
        Driver      "mouse"
        Option      "Protocol"          "ExplorerPS/2"
        Option      "ZAxisMapping"      "6 7"
        Option      "Buttons"           "7"
        Option      "Device"            "/dev/psaux"
        Option      "SendCoreEvents"    "true"
EndSection

This article in the wiki is good for getting the forward and back button working as well.

Surpisingly its lasted alot longer then any of the logitech trackballs I owned before it. I would usually wear down the ball supports to the point where the ball would stick constantly in five or six months with the logitech balls. I've had this microsoft ball for about two and a half years now and its still going strong. I'm sure the fact that I broke my gaming addiction about two years ago has nothing to do with that though

andy

Gullible Jones · 2005-12-14 21:26:53

Tried using the ExplorerPS/2 protocol, didn't work - still skipping around like mad. My dad's using it under Windows now, though, and he says it works fine with the drivers provided...

What can I say, another piece of Microshit.

(Re wearing out trackballs, that's tough to do... I had an A4Tech one that I used for several years. I finally had to trash it when all three microswitches went wonky for some reason, and replacing them with fresh ones didn't help.)

Arch Linux

#1 2005-12-13 00:22:52

Annoying issues with MS optical trackball

#2 2005-12-13 00:41:35

Re: Annoying issues with MS optical trackball

#3 2005-12-13 01:30:15

Re: Annoying issues with MS optical trackball

#4 2005-12-13 02:52:50

Re: Annoying issues with MS optical trackball

#5 2005-12-13 03:43:23

Re: Annoying issues with MS optical trackball

#6 2005-12-13 10:44:59

Re: Annoying issues with MS optical trackball

#7 2005-12-13 10:55:28

Re: Annoying issues with MS optical trackball

#8 2005-12-14 15:54:18

Re: Annoying issues with MS optical trackball

#9 2005-12-14 21:26:53

Re: Annoying issues with MS optical trackball

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