Topic: Problem with my new optical mouse.

[Gibdo Master]

I recently bought my first optical mouse. It was this Microsoft one. I used this one for a couple of days and it worked fine except for two things. For one thing I felt it was a little too big and the bottom half was clear and glowed an obnoxiously bright red light. So I took it back and got this Logitech optical mouse. The first problem I had with this was that it too had a clear bottom half with a red glow. It's not nearly as bright as the Microsoft one though so I can deal with that. By the way why the hell doesn't it state on the box whether or not it glows? Anyway I've had some bigger problems with this one. Basically every once and a while the mouse cursor will instantaneously disappear off to one part of the screen. It usually hides at the bottom of the screen and gets stuck there and I have to somewhat violently move the mouse back and forth to get it out of there. So my question is why the hell is it doing this? Like I said the Microsoft one worked fine.

I was looking through the help section for the mouse and read that if the cursor is getting stuck it could be because of whatever surface the mouse is on could be interfering with it. Well, when I bought the mouse I also got a new desk that is pretty shiny since it's new and I'm not using a mouse pad. So do you guys think getting a mouse pad would fix this or should I take it back and get a different one?

[KDR_11k]

Reflective surfaces are the worst thing that can happen to an optical mouse. Try putting a paper under it, you'll notice the difference immediately.

[Grey Ninja]

Get a plain black mouse pad, and it will forever serve you well.  The problem is that your desk is either too shiny, or has varying colors on it, neither of which optical mice like much, and will usually move your mouse pointer all over the screen as a result.  The reason is that optical mice take thousands of pictures every second, and if the surface isn't stable, then it doesn't know what's going on.

I actually use the same mouse as you, and I love it to death.  

[Gibdo Master]

Thanks you guys. I'm using a piece of paper for right now as KDR_11k suggested. It feels better control wise but I'll have to use it for a while longer to see if it has fixed the cursor jumping problem. I kind of feel a little gypped though since everything you read about optical mice say you can use it on almost any surface with no problem. That's okay though since I like the optical much much better than my clunky old ball mouse.  

[Grey Ninja]

Well, you can use them on just about any surface.  I find that my jeans work quite well when my desk is too cluttered to hold a mouse, or I am too far from my PC to use it normally.  The thing is that it just won't be as accurate.

[nitsu niflheim]

I use a wireless MS optical explorer mouse.  Sometimes the cursor sticks to the desktop, but I think it is because the mouse has been sitting still for a while and I need to really move it to get it moving again.  Also whenever I put in new batteries I can hear the mouse squeal.

The only ball mouse I use is for my Laptop, only because it's too much of a pain to move my optical mouse between systems, and even though the price for my wireless mouse has come down considerably, I don't see the need to get another one.

And jeans work good, so does the wall.

[PIAC]

on the subject of mice, i have a microsawft intellimouse, and i really want todo a mod to it, basically because it's microsoft and i don't like the colour red, so my plan is... to... mod it in some way ;P and make it to not say microsoft anymore

anyone have any website's on mice modifications?

[Grey Ninja]

http://www.extrememhz.com/mouseled1.shtml

Be WARNED that changing the color may hurt mouse accuracy, and if you kill your mouse, there's no warranty for you.  (Well... Logitech sent me a new mouse after I complained over the phone, but you can't trust Microsoft not to screw you over)

[PIAC]

well, my plan was to still have a red circle at the bottom of the mouse, so not to screw with the IR, i just wanted to change the colour of the plastic at the back, maybe to blue perspecs, so the red light shining through would go purple or something

my hand feels dirty, filthy microsawft.

[nitsu niflheim]

why don't you just paint it?  Use a paint that isn't so rich with pigments that it blocks the light completely.

[PIAC]

i like the light but i do plan on painting the top half, hvaen't decided what colour scheme yet... but that LED replacement mod sounds awsome, just need some high intensity blue LED's

[CardBoardBox]

I like to shine it in my eye...i wonder if thats healthy  Optical mouses rule!!! I put the mouse on the wall sometimes and move  Painting the mouse? Good idea...sorta...

[nitsu niflheim]

no silly.

[Bill Aurion]

*slaps forehead in disbelief*

[cheers69]

just buy a mx500 and a func mousepad its the best combo out there

[Grey Ninja]

Quote
Originally posted by: PIAC
well, my plan was to still have a red circle at the bottom of the mouse, so not to screw with the IR, i just wanted to change the colour of the plastic at the back, maybe to blue perspecs, so the red light shining through would go purple or something

my hand feels dirty, filthy microsawft.

Why would you even buy a Microsoft mouse???  Logitech mice are not only better, but they are also CHEAPER.  

I have often considered changing my mouse's LED color to blue or purple, but I don't think I would like to risk my mouse, as I just love it too much.  I have one of the rare black optical mice, and I wouldn't want to harm it.

[Shift Key]

MX500? Bugger that. Go the whole hog and get the Logitech MX700!

I've got one, and its a brilliant mouse. I sometimes forget that it is cordless AND optical.
And it goes well with my Cordless Elite Keyboard. Mmmmm, black.

And the mod looks tempting, but I have a habit of taking things apart and not putting them back together.
*points to still-broken burner*