In article <duesh.62719$qO4.23011@newssvr13.news.prodigy.net>, notthisjoergsch@removethispacbell.net says...> Jim Thompson wrote: > > > Try turning off the machine. Plug in track-ball. Boot up. See if > > pointer moves. I'd bet that it will. > > > > Tried that on both machines. No trabajo :-(Do you have a Palm device? The Hotsync manager is notorious for grabbing the com port and not letting go... --Gene
Old trackball won't work on modern laptops
Started by ●January 19, 2007
Reply by ●January 20, 20072007-01-20
Reply by ●January 20, 20072007-01-20
On 2007-01-19, Joerg <notthisjoergsch@removethispacbell.net> wrote:> Since I have to do a largish schematic and won't be in the office the > whole time I wanted to connect my trusty old trackball to a laptop. This > old mouse still boasts a, gasp, 9-pin serial connector. But you know how > it is, when you get used to a tool no matter how ancient you don't want > to miss it. Just as I still miss that wonderful Fahrvergnuegen of my > first car... > > Tried it on two laptops, a Dell and a new Twinhead that surprisingly > also came with a RS232 serial port. Neither recognized that anything > "new" was connected nor could I find any setup in Windows (one is XP, > the other NT/2000). I am sure I can dig out the old mouse drivers but > they are from the days when Windows were still those glass thingies that > you use Windex on. > > How do you get an old serial port mouse working on a "modern" laptop?most likely is still com1: open com1 at 1200 bps 8 data bits, no parity, one stop bit in hyperterm or better and type move it round it should make symbols on the screen - this proves it's working.... What you need is a serial mouse driver for that version of windows that matches your trackball. It might be easier to replace the chip and cable with ones that do PS/2 instead of serial. or switch to linux which supports a greater range of mice. Bye. Jasen
Reply by ●January 20, 20072007-01-20
Gene S. Berkowitz wrote:> In article <duesh.62719$qO4.23011@newssvr13.news.prodigy.net>, > notthisjoergsch@removethispacbell.net says... > >>Jim Thompson wrote: >> >> >>>Try turning off the machine. Plug in track-ball. Boot up. See if >>>pointer moves. I'd bet that it will. >>> >> >>Tried that on both machines. No trabajo :-( > > > Do you have a Palm device? The Hotsync manager is notorious for > grabbing the com port and not letting go... >Nope. Haven't gotten this modern yet ;-) -- Regards, Joerg http://www.analogconsultants.com
Reply by ●January 20, 20072007-01-20
"Joerg" <notthisjoergsch@removethispacbell.net> wrote in message news:vTash.2588$O02.10@newssvr11.news.prodigy.net...> Since I have to do a largish schematic and won't be in the office the > whole time I wanted to connect my trusty old trackball to a laptop. This > old mouse still boasts a, gasp, 9-pin serial connector. > Tried it on two laptops, a Dell and a new Twinhead that surprisingly also > came with a RS232 serial port.Not all RS-232 ports are created equal. If the trackball only has a 9 pin serial, it likely is powered by drawing current from the serial port. This was a common practice, but had problems. On a desktop, especially older ones, the RS-232 was powered from the PC's +/-12Vdc supply, plenty of current from the drivers. On newer boxes, in particular laptops, the serial port may only be 5 or 6 volts and practically no current from the charge pumps in the drivers. Your trackball may not have any power. Jack Peacock
Reply by ●January 20, 20072007-01-20
On 2007-01-20, Jim Thompson <To-Email-Use-The-Envelope-Icon@My-Web-Site.com> wrote:> On Sat, 20 Jan 2007 00:18:41 GMT, Joerg ><notthisjoergsch@removethispacbell.net> wrote: >> Isn't there a simple adapter to convert between serial and PS/2?no, the protocol is different as are the voltages. some mice were designed to operate from either a serial port or ps/2 and shipped with an adaptor that merely changed the shape of the plug. it's possible that this trackball predates all that.> AND: Haven't you already wasted $50 of your time trying to be > cheap-ass, when a new track-ball can be had for $49 ?:-) > > I thought you would have learned that time is money by now ;-)well yeah, for that pricew he can almost certainly get a better trackball than the one he's got. Bye. Jasen
Reply by ●January 20, 20072007-01-20
Robert wrote:> "Joerg" <notthisjoergsch@removethispacbell.net> wrote in message > news:CRush.17372$Gw4.9435@newssvr23.news.prodigy.net... > >>Eeyore wrote: >> >> >>>Joerg wrote: >>> >>> >>> >>>>Since I have to do a largish schematic and won't be in the office the >>>>whole time I wanted to connect my trusty old trackball to a laptop. This >>>>old mouse still boasts a, gasp, 9-pin serial connector. But you know how >>>>it is, when you get used to a tool no matter how ancient you don't want >>>>to miss it. Just as I still miss that wonderful Fahrvergnuegen of my >>>>first car... >>>> >>>>Tried it on two laptops, a Dell and a new Twinhead that surprisingly >>>>also came with a RS232 serial port. Neither recognized that anything >>>>"new" was connected nor could I find any setup in Windows (one is XP, >>>>the other NT/2000). I am sure I can dig out the old mouse drivers but >>>>they are from the days when Windows were still those glass thingies that >>>>you use Windex on. >>>> >>>>How do you get an old serial port mouse working on a "modern" laptop? >>> >>> >>>Could you fit a PS/2 connector on the existing lead ? >>> >> >>Yes but the new laptop does not have a PS/2 port anymore :-( >> >> >> >>>Or how about this instead ? >>> >>>http://cgi.ebay.com/Microsoft-IntelliMouse-Trackball-PS-2-Serial_W0QQitemZ230080758747QQihZ013QQcategoryZ116301QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem >>> >> >>Too small. What I like about my old trackball is that I can roll the ball >>and keep the other fingers stretched out. It's much bigger and more >>healthy for the joints. >> >>-- >>Regards, Joerg > > > Have you seen the other large Trackballs? > > Kensington makes quite a few. > > Here are two of the large ones: > http://us.kensington.com/html/1436.html >These are good example of what they do wrong these days IMHO: The buttons are to the sides and much too close to the ball.> And then an even larger one with a 3 inch ball at: > http://www.askergoworks.com/shopexd.asp?id=936 >A little better but still, you'd almost have to operate the left button with the thumb. The old Logitech is different from all of these. You can roll the ball with the 2nd digit of your stretched out thumb and click the three buttons with you stretched out fingers. No finger bending, cramping, whatsoever. I can do that all day long and never feel any ever so slight pain or wear. With "modern" mice it gets to the point where the thumb joint crackles audibly, not good. -- Regards, Joerg http://www.analogconsultants.com
Reply by ●January 20, 20072007-01-20
On 2007-01-20, Joerg <notthisjoergsch@removethispacbell.net> wrote:> I do. But there comes a time when I need a little breather from staring > at a CAD screen or figuring out how to cram umpteen analog functions > into the space of about two quarters. Also, it's not about money, I like > this old mouse and I know it won't give cramps like most others. > > BTW, Logitech says on their site that their driver (MouseWare) will not > support serial mice under 2k and XP. Great. But they did say that 2k and > XP have native drivers for that. Question is, who knows where?Should be under add new hardware. generic serial mouse or similar. Bye. Jasen
Reply by ●January 20, 20072007-01-20
On Sat, 20 Jan 2007 21:00:23 GMT, "Robert" <Robert@yahoo.com> wrote: [snip]> >Have you seen the other large Trackballs? > >Kensington makes quite a few. > >Here are two of the large ones: >http://us.kensington.com/html/1436.htmlThat "Orbit" model bears a striking resemblance to a vintage Logitech I had around 1990. Loved it.> >And then an even larger one with a 3 inch ball at: >http://www.askergoworks.com/shopexd.asp?id=936 > >Can't find a website for that one directly but there seems to be a lot of >distributors. > >Robert >...Jim Thompson -- | James E.Thompson, P.E. | mens | | Analog Innovations, Inc. | et | | Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus | | Phoenix, Arizona Voice:(480)460-2350 | | | E-mail Address at Website Fax:(480)460-2142 | Brass Rat | | http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 | I love to cook with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food.
Reply by ●January 20, 20072007-01-20
Jack Peacock wrote:> "Joerg" <notthisjoergsch@removethispacbell.net> wrote in message > news:vTash.2588$O02.10@newssvr11.news.prodigy.net... > >>Since I have to do a largish schematic and won't be in the office the >>whole time I wanted to connect my trusty old trackball to a laptop. This >>old mouse still boasts a, gasp, 9-pin serial connector. >>Tried it on two laptops, a Dell and a new Twinhead that surprisingly also >>came with a RS232 serial port. > > Not all RS-232 ports are created equal. If the trackball only has a 9 pin > serial, it likely is powered by drawing current from the serial port. This > was a common practice, but had problems. On a desktop, especially older > ones, the RS-232 was powered from the PC's +/-12Vdc supply, plenty of > current from the drivers. On newer boxes, in particular laptops, the serial > port may only be 5 or 6 volts and practically no current from the charge > pumps in the drivers. Your trackball may not have any power.Yes, this was already pointed out and I guess you may be right. This trackball was designed in the days where RS232 was truly 12V, or at least more than 9V. The puzzler is that a Wang laptop from the late 80's and also a Compaq Contura laptop from the early 90's were running that same trackball just fine. -- Regards, Joerg http://www.analogconsultants.com
Reply by ●January 20, 20072007-01-20
On Sat, 20 Jan 2007 21:26:34 GMT, Joerg <notthisjoergsch@removethispacbell.net> wrote:>Jack Peacock wrote: > >> "Joerg" <notthisjoergsch@removethispacbell.net> wrote in message >> news:vTash.2588$O02.10@newssvr11.news.prodigy.net... >> >>>Since I have to do a largish schematic and won't be in the office the >>>whole time I wanted to connect my trusty old trackball to a laptop. This >>>old mouse still boasts a, gasp, 9-pin serial connector. >>>Tried it on two laptops, a Dell and a new Twinhead that surprisingly also >>>came with a RS232 serial port. >> >> Not all RS-232 ports are created equal. If the trackball only has a 9 pin >> serial, it likely is powered by drawing current from the serial port. This >> was a common practice, but had problems. On a desktop, especially older >> ones, the RS-232 was powered from the PC's +/-12Vdc supply, plenty of >> current from the drivers. On newer boxes, in particular laptops, the serial >> port may only be 5 or 6 volts and practically no current from the charge >> pumps in the drivers. Your trackball may not have any power. > > >Yes, this was already pointed out and I guess you may be right. This >trackball was designed in the days where RS232 was truly 12V, or at >least more than 9V. The puzzler is that a Wang laptop from the late 80's >and also a Compaq Contura laptop from the early 90's were running that >same trackball just fine.A "real" analog engineer would build an adapter box and supply external power... perhaps even add circuitry to convert to USB ;-) ...Jim Thompson -- | James E.Thompson, P.E. | mens | | Analog Innovations, Inc. | et | | Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus | | Phoenix, Arizona Voice:(480)460-2350 | | | E-mail Address at Website Fax:(480)460-2142 | Brass Rat | | http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 | I love to cook with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food.
