Trackball Mouse - Wired or Wireless?

[Deleted User]

Thinking about buying a trackball mouse to use on PS2 (Silent Scope) and for use on PC, but I can't decide which is better. I'd prefer wired though wireless seems fine too.

 

[FAST6191]

As a general rule if I could plug a HDMI cord into my eyeball or brainstem then I would. Wireless means interference, batteries and trying to get things connected (or proprietary dongles) where wireless tends to only mean configuration issues which happen regardless.

 

[Deleted User]

As a general rule if I could plug a HDMI cord into my eyeball or brainstem then I would. Wireless means interference, batteries and trying to get things connected (or proprietary dongles) where wireless tends to only mean configuration issues which happen regardless.

Thought as much.

The only time I make an exception for wireless, it's gaming controllers so I can casually play games more relaxed without any cables. Especially for PS2 and GameCube (not easy to find decent 3rd party wireless controllers).

 

[FAST6191]

I make sure I have a good chair to sit on or rearrange my room to better accommodate wires.

 

[Deleted User]

I bought this mouse. Looks like it'll do the job.

 

[Deleted User]

I've been using for a while now, and it's very easy and comfortable. However, I miss the scroll which other mouses have.

 

[FAST6191]

While I have met many that get along famously with trackballs I can't stand the things -- I would almost sooner use a novelty mouse (one machine I did some stuff on once was shaped like a strawberry and was about 20% than my gaming mouse which is already fairly chunky).

Scroll wise though is there not an option to hold one of the buttons to enable a scroll mode of sorts? Maybe a gesture on some of the newer ones?

Now if we are talking about peripherals I miss then 3dconnexion's space navigator/space mouse things for CAD. Had one of them where I was at once and it was great, really should find one for myself. That or a nice vertical mouse. Speaking of CAD there are traditional mice with a ball on them as well usually aimed at said market. If it turns out you really like the idea of a ball mouse you can get one of them, though you will likely pay something for it.

 

[Deleted User]

While I have met many that get along famously with trackballs I can't stand the things -- I would almost sooner use a novelty mouse (one machine I did some stuff on once was shaped like a strawberry and was about 20% than my gaming mouse which is already fairly chunky).

Scroll wise though is there not an option to hold one of the buttons to enable a scroll mode of sorts? Maybe a gesture on some of the newer ones?

Now if we are talking about peripherals I miss then 3dconnexion's space navigator/space mouse things for CAD. Had one of them where I was at once and it was great, really should find one for myself. That or a nice vertical mouse. Speaking of CAD there are traditional mice with a ball on them as well usually aimed at said market. If it turns out you really like the idea of a ball mouse you can get one of them, though you will likely pay something for it.

There's the trackball, left button, mini left button (previous page), right button and mini right button (next page). And that's it, no scroll available.

It's only possible to scroll manually by pressing the left button + trackball. Bit of a shame, but great quality!

 

[izy]

I make sure I have a good chair to sit on or rearrange my room to better accommodate wires.

okay boomer

wireless isnt as unreliable as you make it out to be, for interference you would have to be doing something major to cause that.
propriety dongles really dont matter you are paying for a good product of course it would be propriety if everyone used the same dongle i would imagine the interference then would be the same.

latency isnt an issue and its been shown that some wireless mice actually have less latency than cabled.
batteries pff most things last forever or are rechargeable in a fraction of the use time, hell most will work wired while charging.

also what configuration issues, what system are you using where a wireless is hard to config, everything has its own drivers/software regardless or wired or wireless and either way you would config it.

 

[FAST6191]

There's the trackball, left button, mini left button (previous page), right button and mini right button (next page). And that's it, no scroll available.

It's only possible to scroll manually by pressing the left button + trackball. Bit of a shame, but great quality!

Might be worth seeing about some macro commands or gesture commands as a third party program. You could even map an enable to something stupid like scroll lock on the keyboard.

okay boomer

wireless isnt as unreliable as you make it out to be, for interference you would have to be doing something major to cause that.
propriety dongles really dont matter you are paying for a good product of course it would be propriety if everyone used the same dongle i would imagine the interference then would be the same.

latency isnt an issue and its been shown that some wireless mice actually have less latency than cabled.
batteries pff most things last forever or are rechargeable in a fraction of the use time, hell most will work wired while charging.

also what configuration issues, what system are you using where a wireless is hard to config, everything has its own drivers/software regardless or wired or wireless and either way you would config it.

Random laptop bluetooth has less latency than my glorious ps/2? Also I would like to see that test -- I am betting on it being some super slick one gamed for it vs a USB 1.1 ancient thing that might have had a sister model in the range with a ball in it.

Config issues. I take the lead, I plug it in, job is jobbed unless I need to do something completely custom. I am sorry if you bought into the lies that said you need always on DRM to use your mouse.

Batteries are an issue. They last forever? Have you never had a laptop, phone, power tool or similar have its battery crap out on you? You stand a chance of finding a replacement one of those at least as well (or at least finding it is an 18650 you can solder a replacement in for) but whatever proprietary flat pack nonsense the fly by night peripherals manufacturers use I hold no hope of finding. Maybe I would be lucky and there is one of the same chemistry and the battery is self managed but I would first have to check that.

Proprietary dongles are an instant no buy for me unless it is some very expensive software with a professional purpose, and you know I will be looking for a crack before the download is even finished. They have caused that much hassle over the years that it is known standards or go home. Not to mention if I am down a USB port anyway...

Interference. It is better than it was but still eminently achievable and not even just by trying to run 30 different things at once on similar frequencies.


All this to not have a wire that already reaches most places (my wired mouse has metres of braided cable, and my headphones even more) and if not a 20p extension most of us have a dozen of will finish the job.

 

[Deleted User]

The scrolling issue that I had with this mouse is history. Once I downloaded this program and reconfigured a button, the scrolling became available.

https://www.highrez.co.uk/downloads/XMouseButtonControl.htm

Without scrolling, I'd give it: 3/5
With scrolling: 5/5

Cheap, comfortable and multi-task.