Computer mice are often inexpensive and basic, but some of them boast all kinds of extras. In this Anatomy feature we'll dig into the guts of one inexpensive mouse and one Logitech MX model to see how the two compare on the inside.
Anatomy of a Mouse
- Thread starter neeyik
- Start date
Farkinell
Posts: 245 +399
Great article, love this anatomy series. I had always wondered how some mice are able to be switched from notch to free-wheeling and now I know, ditto regarding how some can be used on smooth glass and others not. Good stuff.
Uncle Al
Posts: 10,172 +9,651
Excellent article! These kinds of dissections need to be put together in a large group so new computer users can better understand the inner workings of their computers. Personally, the simpler the mouse is, the better I like it. With arthritis starting to show up I simply no longer have the manual dexterity to use all those buttons, but for those that do, go forth and conquer!
mbrowne5061
Posts: 2,158 +1,362
Small correction: I am pretty sure that is not a potentiometer ("pot", for short). Pots usually have hard limits on their rotation, and they are usually less than 360 degrees apart. Instead, it is more likely to be a simple, non-addressable rotary encoder: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotary_encoder, more specifically, its probably an incremental encoder https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incremental_encoder. These don't have hard stops on them usually, and can rotate more than 360 degree. I supposed you could do the trick with a pot, but I am not sure why you would since it would probably be easier to do with an encoder since that would likely already be digital (and a pot would require an ADC somewhere in the system).
Thanks for the feedback - I should have done a proper autopsy and pulled all of it apart (which I've just done so!), and you're right: it's a rotary encoder.
I'll add a comment to the article to reflect this. Thanks once again
lazer
Posts: 484 +151
Read with interest the article since I just replaced a great expensive wireless mouse that the wheel started to miss the clicks with a cheap WIRED no name mouse.
The cheap mouse works as good as my former expensive one, so I bought a second back up for when this fails. Let's see how long this works....
The cheap mouse works as good as my former expensive one, so I bought a second back up for when this fails. Let's see how long this works....
Yeah. Just remembered. What about the balls?Not complete until you cover roller-ball mice!
valoryea
Posts: 17 +12
Having to pop the ball out occasionally to clean off dirt on the rollers. The performance boost thereafter was so satisfying. Nowadays? Mice working consistently all the time? Unacceptable!
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