inside an optical trackball

Having looked inside an odd analogue trackball, I decided it would be interesting to take my optical trackball apart and see what it looked like inside.
I have always preferred using a trackball instead of a mouse, as it stays in one position on the bench and is perfect for designing PCBs and other CAD applications.
This unit is quite old. I'd guess that modern ones will have the amazing mass produced single chip sensor and processor arrangement inside, and probably a different style of ball, as this one looks quite complex with its pattern of embedded dots that don't wear off.
The biggest surprise in this unit was that the sensing chip did not look directly at the ball surface. The lens was coupled to a prism arrangement that deflected the image 90 degrees. I wonder if that was to facilitate easier mounting of the infrared LEDs, or maybe just repurposing an existing optical assembly from a mouse, where the sensor was mounted vertically on a PCB.
Once I had cleaned and reassembled this unit it worked absolutely fine as it had before.
There are quite a few different trackball devices available online, mostly quite expensive compared to a mouse input device. It appears that you can buy replacement balls for prominent models on AliExpress.
If you enjoy these videos you can help support the channel with a dollar for coffee, cookies and random gadgets for disassembly at:- www.bigclive.c...
This also keeps the channel independent of KZbin's algorithm quirks, allowing it to be a bit more dangerous and naughty.
#ElectronicsCreators

[@wtmayhew]

A friend uses this model Logitech trackball at her office. The first one lasted about 20 years until electrical failure. I got lucky and found one new in box at a local flea market for a few Dollars US just when she needed it. On line, this model commands a high price. This model is discontinued and the newer models just aren’t as well made. I don’t know from what the ball and rollers are made, but they looked brand new even after 20 years of use. Thumbs up to the mechanical engineers who created the robust design.

[@nexaentertainment2764]

Fwiw, I have a newer one (couple years before discontinuing them) and it's as solid as my older ones. Maybe you got unlucky, or maybe I just happened to get a good production run. But at least my newer Trackman is excellent. God I must've bought this in like... 2018? Edit: Though to anyone in the market, don't pay the new old stock or exorbitant used prices. There are other models out there that are better imo. Trackman is a nice mouse but not worth current pricing as it's discontinued.

[@kuni45]

Because of a lack of space in my domicile I moved to trackball mice, the Logitech units were very expensive so I picked up a Kensington Orbit for $30 USD new about 2 years ago and it rocks! No comment as to whether it'll last 2 decades, that depends on how clumsy my cat and I are primarily, but it's a solid responsive mouse that's already taken a few beatings.

[@MichaelJantzen42]

I have one of these but tbh the one thing this one misses is the scrollwheel.

[@RedwoodRhiadra]

Yep, the Marble Mouse is my favorite trackball, and unfortunately all their newer models are made for right-handed use only, so they're useless to me. Unfortunately the button switches eventually wear out. I finally had to get a Kensington Orbit (the closest competitor) a few months ago, when my last Marble Mouse wore out, and it doesn't fit my hand well at all..

[@crunchyfrog555]

Don't whether I'd agree the newer ones aren't as well built. Or rather, whether they're as reliable, because they are from my experience. I'm disabled, and I've done work for a variety of disabled groups so I've receommended and bought these for people galore. I've had two fail and they were from the same era of around the 2007. They both had a communication failure with their wifi or power thereof. I've got 5 of these personally from the older than this featured model to the current model. Most of them have textures that are worn completely smooth with us because they are all reliable as heck.

[@feynthefallen]

As a matter of fact, what you have there is one of the first generation that used optical tracking. Earlier, optomechanical versions didn't need the texturing, and later, flat-angle surface scanners like we have now did away with the need for a visually textured surface. Incidentially, that's why the ball was red, because that gave the necessary contrast with the IR light it used.

[@alext3811]

Do the newer ones use the same sensors that modern optical mice use? That would make sense, as a flat-angle surface scanner is how I would describe modern mouse sensors that are basically computers in their own right.

[@patrickreuvekamp]

@@alext3811 The sensor in my MX Ergo certainly looks very similar from the outside. It does still have a somewhat textured ball though, but this is far more subtle than with the trackball shown in the video. (I have actually also had that one, but I prefer thumb trackballs.)

[@tbelding]

I remember the pool ball sized track balls. (shades of Centipede) The balls they used were generally a bit lighter, but they were the same size as pool balls, which meant people would replace them with 8 balls, etc. I used a thumb track ball - rectangular, three buttons, ball to the left.

[@kendauer9781]

I liked the big trackballs. I put a 13-ball in mine, just for laughs.

[@nexaentertainment2764]

Where I live, pretty much all the Government museums and exhibits etc used those! Anytime there's like an interactive computer display, there would be one of those gigantic pool cue trackballs lol! I think some of them might even still use them. But the tech is ancient and almost entirely superseded by touchscreens and capacitive pads. Those trackballs had their hayday in the pre 2010s imo. Fuck I'm nostalgic now... 90s and 00s edutainment software just hits so different.

[@tbelding]

​@@nexaentertainment2764 - There's a benefit to using them. When built right, they're next to indestructible, where a touch screen and capacitive pads can both be easily damaged.

[@wdavem]

I tried using a track ball as a cue ball. Not enough weight to it, couldn't do a good break with it. It tended to go flying off the table.

[@RonParker]

I had a home version of one of those pool ball sized track balls. It was a commercial product, intended to be used with a Commodore 64. Can't remember who made it, though. The whole thing was in a very chonky plastic box with a couple of buttons on it, and I believe it was wired to emulate an Atari 2600 joystick. I don't think it worked the same way as the Commodore mouse that I used with GEOS, though, so it was really only useful for a handful of games. (Just googled - it was a Wico Command Control Trackball.)

[@edfromnc7660]

I have 2 of these exact models and been using them for 20+ years. Once every few years I will remember to pull the ball out and dust off the inside of the recess. I haven't ever needed to go inside the case, but thanks for showing me what is in there. I am atypical in that I use both a mouse and a trackball on a machine at the same time, best of both worlds.

[@dragonbutt]

I have one of these somewhere as well, they're just so smooth and comfortable to use!

[@groundcontrolto]

My first PCB design was a carrier board for an optical mouse image sensor. I liberated the required components from some "spare" mice from the office. Mounted on a small robot it worked quite well measuring the distance travelled.

I was clicking on the video using this very trackball :) Using this thing since it came out, it never failed. It takes some time to get used to it, but then you have a beautiful device that needs no free space on the cluttered desk. Also it is very sensitive yet it cannot be bumped like a mouse, once you let go of the ball, the cursur is locked into position, I like it.

[@jamestappin4741]

I've disassembled many a trackball/mouse. The real dirt magnet is if you have a wheel, the slotted wheel that interrupts the beam to allow the rotation to be detected accumulates everything, and when the slots get blocked the wheel doesn't work any more. Also the spring and plastic pivots of the wheel all want to go their separate ways. Warm water and a cotton bud are, I find, the best way to clean the opto-mechanical parts (just keep the water out of the electronics).

[@DrHarryT]

As a pre-teen taking things apart to see what made them tick I learned quickly that the object was for them to still work when I put them back together.

[@Sashazur]

One way around that is to only take apart things that are already broken. Then as a bonus you might get them working again!

[@GothGuy885]

Yup I did the same! my father was not pleased when I ruined something he had just bought for me, but my curiosity was always stronger then my fear of punishment 😀

[@bigclivedotcom]

Did it lead to a future technical career though?

[@dizzy2020]

The "failing to get it back together" bit is what makes people into really good repairers If it was easy - everyone would be doing it. Mine was a radio with a winding tuner mechanism which had snapped - it blew my mind trying to work-out which way the string would have taken! :)

[@rgbii2]

That trackball was my favorite for many years, until the price shot up. :( Yea, trackballs are great when your desk is messy and no room to move a mouse around :)

[@Conservator.]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="203">3:23</a> Clive is ashamed that he doesn’t regularly vacuums the inside of his trackball like everyone else does. 🤣

[@johnclavis]

I've used this model for years, it works great and helps avoid carpal tunnel

[@clopedia89]

Having tried several, this is by far my favorite trackball too! I own 2: one as my main pointing device on my primary computer at home, the other is in the theater on the PC running MagicQ to control our stage lighting. As any fellow theater nerd will confirm, there is never enough table space in the control booth, so this trackball is perfect! I can quickly and accurately get my pointer from the first monitor all the way over to the third monitor in one smooth motion. Sadly, it's pretty useless for most games, having no scroll wheel. As a side note: I bought my first one somewhere around 2008-2009 to use on my laptop running windows Vista. Ever notice the little arrows on buttons 4 and 5? If you installed the official drivers that it came with back then, those buttons defaulted to scrolling! You could also click left and right at the same time for a middle click. The software wasn't terrible, but it annoyed me enough I never bothered installing it on later computers, leaving me with just standard buttons 1, 2, 4, and 5, with no scrolling or middle click. I'm not even sure if they still offer anything similar for modern Windows. As for reliability, well, I'm still using that original unit daily over 15 years later! I've gone thru about 4 computers in that time, but the trackball always sticks around lol

[@JesperD87]

I like these too, also have several and using one of them daily for many years. Very reliable indeed! I'm running Linux, and I've assigned one of the small buttons as autoscroll: holding it whilst moving the ball replaces the scroll wheel nicely for me. Middle click works too: pressing both big buttons simultaneously does the trick. Not sure if that's a standard feature or if it depends on the driver/settings though.

[@haraldclark6206]

I switched to these years ago, and will never switch back!

[@doublepinger]

I first got mine around the same time! Did you get yours from Wal-Mart? They stopped carrying it, a shame.

[@markwatson9816]

Looks like Logitech has stopped making these😢

[@fallenstard]

I also have one of these as well and it's much more comfortable than the large flat style common now, but it's useless to me without a scroll wheel or the ability to scroll by rotating the ball.

[@TechGorilla1987]

@<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="381">6:21</a> - To be honest, they specifically help us out as all of our monitors are 55" displays. It helps to traverse larger distances faster. We also use the wireless version which makes placement and usage very versatile. I've already been cold in the winter and operated the trackball from inside my sweatshirt pocket.

[@TheLOD2010]

They are used a lot in semiconductor fabs, because the tables must have holes in the clean room to let the air flow. Normal optical mice are useless on surfaces with holes but this track ball ones from Logitech are standard in clean rooms. Also keyboards with integrated track balls are common.

[@ShadowzGSD]

The Logitech Marble Mouse is the best trackball ever made.

[@ronwalters3868]

I've been a daily user of the Marble Mouse for 25 years. It's the best pointing device I've ever owned. Most trackballs require your thumb to aim, but this one uses your pointing finger making it very accurate.

[@RousePartridge]

Please Don't use WD40 on balls. Even if it makes you Whizz.

[@joesshows6793]

How did you make this comment 2weeks ago when this video is 11min old????

[@brandonroeder2461]

​@@joesshows6793 early access?

[@katrinabryce]

@@joesshows6793 Patreon subscribers get early access.

[@mxslick50]

I use aloe lotion on my balls, smells nice and keeps 'em rolling smooth. 😂

[@prawnk1ng]

@@joesshows6793 P

[@geoffhetzel9691]

I used to use these at work, still have them in storage having, moved on to other input devices. Really helped prevent Carpal Tunnel Syndrome from heavy mouse usage.

[@Robothut]

Same trackball I used back in the 1990's. I loved it as no one else in the company could just walk up and use my computer since they were all Mouse bound trained.

[@NarmyHiiragi]

I just got a trackball a couple of weeks ago to try and replace my regular mouse and I didn't even know you could pop the ball out of its socket to clean, thanks for the tip.

[@doublepinger]

In a year or two the mouse buttons can start failing, though surely it depends on use. Just a 'heads up'

[@bonivuselderheart2716]

@@doublepinger That's what doomed my M570; Sure, I could have replaced the microswitches on them, but the surface of the thing was getting pretty nasty, and I had it for quite a long time.

[@DanielLamando]

I've replaced the switches in my M570 a few times now, yes every couple years once it starts double-clicking. Well, it's an excuse to keep a soldering iron around anyway :) And otherwise it's been a pretty reliable pointer.

[@zebo-the-fat]

I have been using that exact model for at least 20 years, works perfectly. Don't loose the ball though, they cost more than the whole device! (I use the small buttons for forward and back when web browsing)

[@MikeLeFish]

Good old Logitech MarbleMouse! I have mine still tucked away in the desk drawer, comes in handy occasionally for photo work where I need finer control than my regular mouse affords.

[@scottbc31h22]

I've had three of this exact model for over fifteen years. Each one has required disassembly for cleaning (and once to re-solder the micro switches). well built, and relatively easy to service without breaking. And they go back together nicely.

[@PeterDalling]

I still use these trackballs, have been for at least twenty years. Very difficult to find at a reasonable price now.

[@ZeedijkMike]

This just gave me an idea for an experiment. I recently bought a new 3D printer (Bambu A1) With it came a "build your own mouse" kit. So practically a circuit board some small parts, and you print the housing your self. So if I have to print my own housing, why not try to make it a trackball... as an experiment.

[@doublepinger]

There was a guide, some time ago: using a cheap tiny portable mouse from online, and then flipping it over, mounting it, and using that as the ball sensor. In Linux it was easy to directly reverse the Y-axis, so it tracked properly. Not sure if it 's do-able one Windows, but at this point, it may be necessary.

[@UberAlphaSirus]

I have a microsoft one. I don't use it often anymore. But I used to fold up a piece of tissue and put it in the hole at the bottom. It wipes off finger juices as you use it and keeps it running smooth for ages.

[@williamkapp1110]

I had one similar, in 2008. It was so much better than a mouse.

[@michaelhorton6166]

I have both a Logitech M570 and a M575. I haven't used a mouse in YEARS! I started down the trackball path with the Logitech Trackman+.

[@cho4d]

m570 is good!

[@XNLFutureTechnologies]

@@cho4d TRUE! And a really reliable workhorse. I still have 6 of them in use in my electronics lab. My own pc i have the MX Ergo now. It's MUCH more accurate, faster and also has a high precision mode for example... HOWEVER, the enclosure quality is A LOT less than the M570 (the Ergo has the 'fancy rubber padding' which WILL degrade and de-laminate over time for example)

[@SevenCompleted]

​@XNLFutureTechnologies id love to see you play counterstrike with a trackball 😂

[@erinw6120]

@@SevenCompleted I used to play Quake 2 and the OG CS with a Logitech Trackman Marble FX (the big alien-looking trackball). People *hated* me for pulling off wild 180° shots, and sniping with pistols.

[@XNLFutureTechnologies]

@@SevenCompleted Well I seriously think you underestimate someone using (and playing games) with a trackball for over 20 years mate 😉😂 I HAVE played stuff like CS:GO, CoD's and all other games including the UT (All the way back till the 90's GOTY era) with GREAT results tbh 😂 Sure I do 1000% agree that it's not for everyone, but those who can? Yeah, then can be really fast (if addicted enough to game like I was back then😂)

[@Zadster]

Logitech stuff, particularly of this era, tends to be very serviceable indeed. Simple screws, clips, USB on a plug and socket. When you have done it once, they are easy to strip down and clean.

[@JulianMakes]

Ive always loved these balls! I use this exact model. They last a long time but they do wear out or at least stop working, they are Super for a messy desk! Very interesting to see inside one and learn how it works. It make me think I can cannabalise my old ones to make a better shaped one. Cheers.

[@tomasbengtsson5157]

Used to have a similar version where your hand was tilted to the right. Very good for long hours of coding without getting problems with my hand or wrist. The best input device I ever had ❤

[@IFIXCASTLES]

😊track ball is the best!!

[@MarinusMakesStuff]

I'm happy to see I'm not the only one who stripped off insulation of the screwdrivers because they were not allowing me to reach deep enough into the holes.

[@albanana683]

Ah trackballs. I felt transported back a few decades, standing in front of a Missile Command console.

[@tbelding]

Centipede :)

[@Slikx666]

Clive. Thanks for this video, ive got the same one, so much better than a mouse for me. At least I know how to clean it now. 😀👍

[@jasonl800]

Just cleaned and serviced an ADB Kensington Turbo Mouse trackball from 1989 for a classic Apple Macintosh system. Once the rust was polished off the steel bearings the ball runs on, and with some sewing machine oil it works really nicely. Chunky with a 2” ball! 😊

[@stevenspmd]

I had that exact one. Its good once you get used to it; though coworkers get annoyed by it.

[@mina47879]

I have a thinkpad which only has a track point (nub mouse thingy). That thing is great for handing to people and watching them be extremely baffled how to operate it. I like it a lot personally but definitely not for everyone.

[@albanana683]

​@@mina47879I'm a trackpoint guy as well. Trackpads annoy me so I always disable it - more confusion for anyone who tries to use it.

[@kc9aop]

I have that exact model. It's decades old and still in service. The trackball I primarily use is branded Microsoft and is older than the Logitech. It is still going strong. Works a treat. Cheers

[@richardparker679]

I also have had this track ball for about 20 years. I find it more accurate when doing CAD than a mouse and a lot more comfortable. HOWEVER a lot of websites assume you have a scroll wheel and become unuseable with this.

[@SenileOtaku]

I still have one of these. I used to have one at work, and it was amusing to see someone start moving the whole unit around the desk trying to move the pointer on the screen, and wondering why it didn't work. But yes, I did use the extra buttons, I had the extra left button mapped in X11 to the "middle button". But those nubs are notorious for gathering lint, and you'd have to scrape it out periodically.

[@sussexpropertyphotographer]

ive always love track balls, so much quicker and easier to use , ive worn 3 out and currently love my Logitech MX Ergo Advanced Wireless Trackball expensive though but its a work tool so worth it

[@junker15]

I have this model, and a whole bunch of M570s and M575s (the M575 works with Bluetooth as well as Logi unifying receiver). I've used trackballs for a very long time because my desk is the usual desk that is constrained for horizontal space even when clean (or the usual workbench that NEVER has free horizontal space)

[@MoseyingFan]

I've killed a bunch of M570s thanks to Logitech's love of using tactile switches instead of micro switches that handles 5x more button presses. They used sturdier tactile switches for everything on M575, we'll see how long they will last. My old beige Trackman Marble sans scroll wheel still works but is tucked away in a storage box somewhere.

[@CollectiveSoftware]

I had so many logitech trackballs similar to this (thumb spinners for me) but never actually opened them up to see what was in there. Getting extras of those little bearings was always important. I probably still have a bag of them somewhere about.

[@bigclivedotcom]

I looked at the thumb ones, but always felt it would be more fatiguing than the traditional ones.

[@ingenalls1721]

Using a few of these for many years(20+), always in leaf hand configuration. Always great fun back in the days when the IT guys walked in to provide support… 😂

[@dean5263]

Great video, thanks again for your time and know how.

[@rarbiart]

Those "non VDE compliant" screwdriver mods are all over my toolbox

[@ketas]

you can buy slim ones tho

[@richardbrobeck2384]

I have had one for many years they are handy at times !

[@chuckthetekkie]

You can tell how old this item is based on the type of wire cables they used to connect the PCBs together and boy are they stiff. Then of course the PCBs themselves look old school too. I love how the insides of electronic devices from 25+ years ago look. I miss that look.

[@bigclivedotcom]

I don't miss the wires randomly popping off PCBs though.

[@josephking6515]

*Thank you* for the video Clive. I've never had a trackball so was pretty cool seing inside of one. 👍

[@imranahmad2733]

I remember at my old work place they used to give these to people that had disabilities and IT accessibility issues, I bought one years later for a computer that didn't have much desk space.

[@adamcordingley2572]

I knew you were a deviant, Clive, but I never would have called this! Trackballs of all things! lol just kidding, that exact trackball was also my late father's favorite computer-machine-control-mechanism. Thanks for sharing as always

[@gorloxian]

that particular one is my favorite

[@killerbee.13]

I bought a trackball (a thumb one) hoping to keep my minor RSI from getting worse, and it somewhat helped but it put a lot of strain on my thumb instead of my wrist/forearm. I ended up alternating between it an a vertical mouse, which worked fairly well. I bought a thumb one despite knowing it would be less ergonomic because it's basically the only way to get a trackball with a scroll wheel for less than like $100 (and those tend to have rather odd scroll wheels that may not be clickable, which is also an issue) and that was an absolute requirement for me. Unfortunately, my cat threw up on it and I never did disassemble it to clean it, so I've been using just the vertical mouse for a couple years, and honestly it kind of sucks for a bunch of reasons. And the buttons are wearing out now too. So I'm gonna have to get a new mouse/trackball soon regardless, and I'm not looking forward to it because the 'ergonomic tax' or whatever you wanna call it is quite significant.

[@westleydill558]

I uses this model for over 10 years lost the ball after moving to my new place. best trackball I've ever used

[@cyberhornthedragon]

clive i love my trackballs been using them for ages ive rebuilt them replaced switches ect they are great if you just dont like swinging a mouse around a desk i sit in a recliner with my monitor on a swing arm wireless keyboard an trackball

[@wryyyy]

Used to work in a silicon wafer cleanroom and one of the quite curious aspects of trackball mice is that they rely heavily on greases that come off people's skin. In a cleanroom, where everything is obviously clean and people use gloves, the trackballs functioned horribly. The ball would stick all the time and not roll in anysort of smooth manner.

[@doublepinger]

Of course I know what's inside a Trackman Marble! I've had to take it apart like 8 times because the switches keep failing. I wish they'd release a higher sensitivity & lower jitter model, and of course higher durability. Also, I got one when I was 16-17 because I thought it looked cool and turns out I have carpal tunnel issues... never stopped using it. Been using the same design for half my life now 💦

[@Acamperfull]

Never had a better mouse than the Kensington "Turbo" trackball with ADB (Apple Desktop Bus) interface that I used in the 90's !

[@VarionJimmy]

I have a very similar trackball (mine is just wider) that I still use from time to time. It’s nice when I have migraine. I put it on the armrest and relax while only moving my thumb.

[@richardwernst]

I really liked the early one where the ball was under your thumb and you had 3 buttons, not just two. I'd always set the middle to a double click. Seems silly but it was VERY handy.

[@laptop006]

Yep, I use the MS version of that to this day on all my desktop machines.

[@michaeltempsch5282]

Logitech still makes them. Use it exclusively at home (space) and mix it up at work with a std mouse as well as a vertical one. Never got along with the trackbar/mousetrapper thingy.

[@richardwernst]

@@michaeltempsch5282 Thanks. Not as expensive as I thought they'd be, but 3x the rechargeable one I got on Amazon and like.

[@chrishartley1210]

I have a smallish wireless keyboard with built in trackball which i use for my HTPC. The ball is held in place by a retaining ring which can be removed simply by twisting (I wish I knew that the first time I removed it and I wouldn't have broken one of the retaining tabs). As far as i can see the ball is just plain grey. It's good to clean your balls, especially if you haven't cleaned them in a while.

[@kimvibk9242]

😆

[@dogwalker666]

That type is an inverted mouse, The two friction wheels have pulse encoders.

[@chrishartley1210]

@@dogwalker666 No, it is optical, the ball rides on 3 rollers at 120° spacing with an led tranceiver below.

[@dogwalker666]

@@chrishartley1210 so a mini ccd camera like a normal mouse.

[@chrishartley1210]

@@dogwalker666 or, like a trackball 😁

[@BonkedByAScout]

Found one of these at a thrift store a few years back (same exact model), had to replace the cable but it works great.

[@RamshakleRetro]

Since that technology was proprietary, the company I work for had to take a different, and somewhat more rubust route. We used an rf technology to locate the ball in three vertical planes. No issues with dust, the ball receptacle could be flushed through with water and wear on the ball surface didn't impact the performance. The were so good they got used on the side bridges of ships (don't know the term for it but the ones they use when they come along side docks) as the salt spray wasn't an issue. (would attach a picture, don't know how)

[@krabkit]

i wish this model was still made, best trackball mouse I've used. the newer ones just dont last or work as well as that one

[@carrionpinata7163]

Indeed, Clive, you are missing an anti-skid pad on the heel of the unit. After many years of use, these tend to require replacement of the two switches under the left and right mouse buttons. It's a cheap and easy fix.

[@scottbc31h22]

I have three of this model. I use a piece of no slip pad (such as the rubber like pad used to keep a table cloth from sliding, drawer liner), cut to fit the shape of the mouse.

[@carrionpinata7163]

@@scottbc31h22 I use a piece cut from a yoga mat.

[@minirock000]

Logitech Wireless Optical Trackman is the best civilian trackball that hasn't been in production for years. Usually list for $300 - $400 new, I buy used and repair if I can.

[@DogsBAwesome]

One of my customers who has passed now could only get on with a rather large trackball as he had giant hands.

[@DimasFajar-ns4vb]

wow its red color sir and the white color version is amazing for me but most people dont own it like myself

[@joesshows6793]

Long live the track ball!!!! Still use one

[@truglodite]

Reminds me of the Logitech Trackman FX I had in college, which was touted for CAD users. I have to agree it made drawings less painful, and it allowed a lot more room for notes on the desk. Your video is making me want to buy a usb-ps2 and get it out of the closet. ;)

[@DejitaruJin]

For some reason this surprised me. Like I had just assumed trackball mice were still using the same arrangement of X/Y encoders from the old-school ball mice.

[@MoseyingFan]

I've always used trackballs since Logitech introduced the Trackman Marble. Nowadays I'm using the M575 , that's good enough for me. When I reviewed the M750 14 years ago, I noted that there were no Bluetooth connected trackballs available. When I buy new android phones/touch pads, I immediately connect Bluetooth mouse/trackball to it. When the touch sensor dies, I can still use my device via the mouse.

[@RonParker]

I have exactly that trackball sitting here on my desk and yes, there is supposed to be a third rubber pad at the end opposite the cable.

[@AlbiDartanan]

i used that similar trackball when i worked on/with X-ray (it was mostly used for moving PCB boards in X ray) ...

[@ScottGrammer]

Logitech has made that particular trackball since about 1998. Back then, it was white, used polished steel balls or rounded pins as the bearing surfaces that ball rolled on, and it had a PS2 plug. At least, the first ones I had back then were that way. The new ones are silver (like that one), use plastic nubs to support the ball (way more friction) and they are USB. And of course, there are a bunch of annoying buttons on the sides, which I hate. But I still love that trackball!

[@Stefan_Van_pellicom]

I have been Logitech trackballs since they launced the first cabled one. I then switche to a wireless one, which I recently had to replace. Great devices!!

[@hattix6713]

I had the older model of this, the "Logitech Marble Mouse USB". For whatever reason, it stopped appearing on the USB bus, even a new cable soldered in didn't fix it. It didn't have the inserts on the two main buttons, but was otherwise the same body and ball. I used to spray it with a very fine mist of vegetable oil for lubrication, the thing flew but made my fingers a little slippery!

[@bigsky1970]

I suspect the black dots, which look really neat on the ball, served a purpose of letting the sensor detect which way the ball is moving thus moving the mouse pointer in that direction. I had one of the first generation track ball pointers back in the Windows 95 days, I could never get used to it as I was used to using a regular mouse on a mouse pad. So when optical mouse pointers came out I bought a Microsoft branded optical mouse, which was truly plug and play by the time I upgraded to Windows 98 as 98 had the device drivers on the Windows 98 installation CD.

[@VesoHomeLab]

Hi, I changed all of my mouses to this favirite model a long time ago and the pain in my hand disapire :) Very durabble I was change couple of swiches for the buttons and that it. For ne like a sysadmin this is the best choise. p.m. this comment is writed on virtual keybord with exact same model :}

[@CNCmachiningisfun]

As I see it, these are the ONLY way to mouse up a computer :) . Been using them for years, and I never wanna go back!

[@wdavem]

Those were the good ones! I keep an old PS2 one like that. We should be fighting over them.

[@harnesshouse]

I had to get a device like that for a coworker back in the late 90's who only had a thumb and a forefinger on her right hand.

[@voltare2amstereo]

15 years ago i was given one. 2 weeks later i was on site at a customer's house and his had failed. Where i wanted it for the novelty he needed one because he was a quadriplegic with very limited hand movement. He ended up with mine for the price of the call-out, i never replace it.

[@middyjohn]

I still keep this one to this day, I dont do any autocad or graphic stuff but it got me through my entire uni. I already bought a great duckyfeather mouse on a great deal, would love to go back to trackball after this mouse fully served me.

[@XNLFutureTechnologies]

I have been using trackballs for decades now (the first one was even a serial mouse by Genius if I recall correctly). I have used the one you have/use in college (it was the only trackball alternative they offered compared to the 'dragging mouses'). But personally I just can't get the same accuracy with this design. I don't "hate it", but would not buy it on purpose either (if you understand what I mean)😂. If it would be my only alternative to the "draggers" then I would definitely prefer this one though. Then for years I used the M570 by Logitech (a true workhorse tbh), and a few years I switched to the MX Ergo, and while it has a MUCH higher accuracy, speed and additional buttons which are programmable (which is SUPER handy when doing lots of CAD (electronics), 3D modeling and editing), the overall quality of it is significantly lower than the previous ones (as with most Logitech stuff these days unfortunately). The latest model has some nast rubbery grip/layer on it, which WILL degrade after several months or years of use, and you will even have to skin the damn mouse like a hunting trophy to keep it usable 🤷🏽‍♀😂. I do still love the accuracy and usability upgrade enough over my M570's (of which we still have about 6 of them in use in my electronics lab). I've even been using my Trackball for high level gaming, and I always love it when a friend comes by and asks something like:" HOW THE HECK can you be that fast and accurate with that stupid trackball!? My gaming mouse has ...... DPI, costs three times more bla bla bla"😂 when they see me at the top of the match. Once you get used to them they are a true miracle in my opinion😊

[@R.Daneel]

Ooo. Blow air through that hole and get air bearings with integrated hand cooling and deafening white noise to aid concentration. ;-)

[@carneeki]

I had a similar looking but far cheaper trackball, I miss that thing so much!

[@s1gen]

My favourite basic trackball mouse, last a long time

[@amorphuc]

Thanks Big Clive. I never could get used to a track ball, just mice for me. I once got something called a Space Orb 360 that was a 6 axis sort of gaming controller. I never mastered that one either but it sure seemed like a cool controller. I still have it. It has a 9 pin serial connection which has been phased out for quite a while. I think you can still find serial add on cards. I have an add on card for a parallel port which communicates to my ancient HP 1100 LaserJet which still works like a champ. Sorry, rambling off topic here.

[@doublepinger]

I found the larger ones tend to have heavier balls. I wasn't expecting it, I got an L-Trac 1600 which on purpose should've been better... but the ball had too much inertia and the mouse was exceedingly large. Marble Mouse has a very relaxed-palm design

[@oh2mp]

Interesting. I have two of those exactly similar trackballs. I got them long time ago from one of my previous workplaces. They were about to be scrapped, and I saved them :)

[@hairypaulmm7wab195]

Still got an original Microsoft trackball with optical tracking that is basically the same internals as an early optical mouse. The 3 contact points for the ball are steel ball bearings. It is so old and has had so much use the case has patches where the outer coating has worn away so much You can feel it is thinner in those areas. it is on its 3rd USB cable but the unit itself has been the most reliable Microsoft product I have ever seen. Funny thing is it has been mostly used on PCs running various flavours of Linux as the Microsoft software and OS is somewhat less reliable than the trackball. Cheeky Grin

[@crunchyfrog555]

I've used these Logitech ball mice for years (since about 1998ish). They are incredibly reliable. I currently have 5 of them of various models and they are absolutely fantastic. I couldn't use a regular mouse.

[@thepagan5432]

Ahhh the humble mouse, I honestly do not know how many I have taken apart and 80% of the time put back proprerly after cleaning/maintenance. Probably started in the early 80s, after dumping my Amstrad CPC464, which used cassette tapes for software. Best mouse I had was a Razer and I used a Razer Tartarus controller with the mouse to play War Thunder. I never took those apart. Good post, thank you 👍

[@TwistedD85]

I got one second hand for a couple bucks after I began to feel some RSI coming on. It's not great, but it's not bad. The DPI isn't that great for modern displays, but mouse acceleration actually helps with that. At least the wearable bits, the switches, are easy to replace. I was told that after you clean the ball the bearings you just take it and rub the ball against your forehead a little, rolls smooth after getting "greased". Sounds gross, but it works. Plus if anyone insists on using my computer even after seeing they have to use a trackball and a tiny keyboard I can just tell them about the forehead grease to get them to go away.

[@matsv201]

I used one of those ålaying bf1942 back when most peiple use mechanical mice. Was acused of chesting quite a few times.

[@stuartm8335]

i have worked through three of these and worry about when they are not available anymore. Cleaning with a toothpick around the buttons is a good thing to do and a brush where the ball sits every few weeks is worth it to clean out the "window". I also velcro it to the laptop table i use to keep it where it should be

[@lateforwork2922]

I had the Logitech M570 for years now I think I bought it back in 2011 for $25, the middle button no longer works and now the left click is starting to stop working but im still using it, excellent ball mouse!

[@MoseyingFan]

Middle button is a (Omron, I think) standard tactile button, left/right buttons are normal micro switches and the forward/back buttons are SMDs on a separate PCB.

[@danman32]

I have that trackball except mine is white. Still use it. When I first got it years ago, my dad tried to use it as a mouse (flipped it over).

[@andyking894]

The bearings are probably synthetic ruby. I have a reasonably priced Amazon one, and it has ruby bearings.

[@NiyaKouya]

Trackballs are great, I've been using them for many years (think my first one was a Microsoft Trackball Explorer), the last few were all from Logitech and my current one is an MX Ergo. The only thing I don't like about them is that Logitech uses microswitches that tend to have issues (clicks get registered either twice or not at all) after a few years of use. The MX Ergo got a switch swap a month ago and now works perfectly again ^^ As others already said, most Logitech mice/trackballs are quite serviceable. A switch swap can just be a bit tricky because you have to heat up all 3 legs of the switch at the same time.