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geekhack Projects => Making Stuff Together! => DIY Discussions ARCHIVE => Topic started by: ch_123 on Wed, 29 July 2009, 19:04:15

Title: M4-1 Opening Up and Trackpoint Repair?
Post by: ch_123 on Wed, 29 July 2009, 19:04:15

Nice work. I have to try this out on my defunct German-layout M4-1.

Title: M4-1 Opening Up and Trackpoint Repair?
Post by: huha on Wed, 29 July 2009, 20:51:10

Have you tried checking if the resistors still work as they should using a multimeter?

If they do, I'm pretty sure it's the cable. These cables are quite bad; my Endurapro had some problems because the cable came loose.

-huha

Title: M4-1 Opening Up and Trackpoint Repair?
Post by: lowpoly on Thu, 30 July 2009, 05:49:38

Did you check the mouse buttons for continuity with the cable removed?

And you could measure resistance on the trackpoint module, also with the cable removed. Not sure if you've already done that.

Title: M4-1 Opening Up and Trackpoint Repair?
Post by: lowpoly on Thu, 30 July 2009, 10:13:36

The one in my mini (a Trackpoint IV) looks completely different. So do the capacitve samples I have. Any hint on the manufacturer?

Edit: here's the capacitive one:

(http://img22.imageshack.us/img22/6797/pointingstickpcbyl4.jpg)

Title: M4-1 Opening Up and Trackpoint Repair?
Post by: rdh on Thu, 30 July 2009, 10:45:47

Quote from: ripster;105571

So is that how a trackpoint works - those maze like things on the size somehow sense movement and vary resistance??

Exactly.  Here's a Wikipedia article on strain gauges (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strain_gauge).