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Thread ID: 31030 2003-03-09 21:06:00 Optical Mouse on Serial port francist (3322) Press F1
Post ID Timestamp Content User
126936 2003-03-09 21:06:00 Can an Optical mouse be used with an adaptor on a serial port?
I have not had any success so far.
francist (3322)
126937 2003-03-09 22:12:00 Do you mean a USB mouse because I have not had any joy either. An optical mouse is just a mouse without a ball and uses optics to gauge movement. mikebartnz (21)
126938 2003-03-09 22:17:00 More than likely, the serial port cannot deliver enough current to power the led in the optical mouse. wuppo (41)
126939 2003-03-11 10:20:00 > ....... the serial port cannot deliver
> enough current to power the led in the optical mouse.

Well, I'm using an A4Tech Optical mouse connected to a serial port and it has been working perfectly for more than 6 months now.
bk T (215)
126940 2003-03-11 20:12:00 > Well, I'm using an A4Tech Optical mouse connected to
> a serial port and it has been working perfectly for
> more than 6 months now.

A4 Tech opticals are USB but come with an adapter for PS2, never seen one with an RS232 adapter though.

Are you using a ps2 to RS232 adapter as well?
godfather (25)
126941 2003-03-11 23:42:00 A serial to PS2 adapter won't work on all mice. The mouse itself will have to support serial because they are different protocols which is why the adapter usually get included with a mouse. bmason (508)
126942 2003-03-12 00:29:00 If it says on the box it will work on a serial port it should work. If it doesn't say so on the box, it almost certainly won't.

The mice on the two machines here are marked"Microsoft Wheel Mouse Optical USB and PS/2 Compatible" on the bottom. I would not bother trying them on a serial port. Especially because the next line on the label says: "5V 100 mA". There's no way you will get 100 mA from a serial port.
Graham L (2)
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