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geekhack Community => Input Devices => Topic started by: Pacifist on Thu, 13 March 2014, 21:54:00
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I want to delve into trackballs, but don't know where to start.
I'll probably need something with a decently sized ball.
My 11800 has a built in trackball, but there are some issues I hate. 1. Tiny ball--way too small and insensitive. 2. Up and down buttons: would like them on the right and left
Would like it sub $35, as if I like it, I'll get a better one later
How good is Kensington orbit with scroll wheel? http://www.amazon.com/Kensington-K72337US-Orbit-Trackball-Scroll/dp/B002OOWB3O/ref=zg_bs_172499_5
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http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=30131
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I was told this (http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-910-001799-M570-Wireless-Trackball/dp/B0043T7FXE/ref=pd_bxgy_e_img_z) one may fit the bill. It is wireless though, maybe you do not want that. I have used a trackball some years ago, i will get it a try again. This appears to be thumb drive, which may mean less stress in the wrist.
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I would go with the Kensington orbit. It was a great trackball, and I still use it on and off every now and then, but I'm a mouse man at heart. One thing strange I found about trackballs though, is that I used them with my left hand even though I'm right handed and use a mouse with my right hand. It just felt like the natural way to use it.
EDIT: Amazon Link (http://www.amazon.com/Kensington-K72337US-Orbit-Trackball-Scroll/dp/B002OOWB3O/ref=lp_172499_1_5?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1394848835&sr=1-5)
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I would go with the Kensington orbit. It was a great trackball, and I still use it on and off every now and then, but I'm a mouse man at heart. One thing strange I found about trackballs though, is that I used them with my left hand even though I'm right handed and use a mouse with my right hand. It just felt like the natural way to use it.
EDIT: Amazon Link (http://www.amazon.com/Kensington-K72337US-Orbit-Trackball-Scroll/dp/B002OOWB3O/ref=lp_172499_1_5?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1394848835&sr=1-5)
Yeah I did that, used the trackball to move and the mouse to click.
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I would go with the Kensington orbit. It was a great trackball, and I still use it on and off every now and then, but I'm a mouse man at heart. One thing strange I found about trackballs though, is that I used them with my left hand even though I'm right handed and use a mouse with my right hand. It just felt like the natural way to use it.
EDIT: Amazon Link (http://www.amazon.com/Kensington-K72337US-Orbit-Trackball-Scroll/dp/B002OOWB3O/ref=lp_172499_1_5?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1394848835&sr=1-5)
Yeah I did that, used the trackball to move and the mouse to click.
Oooh that gives me an idea
Trackball on the left, techkeys card on the right binded to mouse keys.
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Can someone share her experience with index and thumb operated trackball?
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Can someone share her experience with index and thumb operated trackball?
Yeah. Because thumb-trackball buttons are operated like those on a mouse, clicking hurts my index finger. Moreover, no thumb trackball fits my hand like a glove... maybe if there was something with a shape of the nostromo... that's actually an interesting idea! Keypad under fingertips + thumb trackball.
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Can someone share her experience with index and thumb operated trackball?
Like I said earlier, I used the Kensington Orbit, which is a index finger trackball. It took me a little while to get used to it, but it didn't feel unnatural. Honestly, if I could get the same precision with the Kensington Orbit that I get with my Zowie FK I would still be using it.
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I use a thumb operated trackball and have done for the past year or so. I find it to be comfortable for me and fairly accurate for everything I do. At first I found it to be a bit strange but I soon got used to it and now I cannot stand using a mouse. I have not tried a finger operated trackball, to compare how I feel about it though.
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Can someone share her experience with index and thumb operated trackball?
Yeah. Because thumb-trackball buttons are operated like those on a mouse, clicking hurts my index finger. Moreover, no thumb trackball fits my hand like a glove... maybe if there was something with a shape of the nostromo... that's actually an interesting idea! Keypad under fingertips + thumb trackball.
Isn't that precisely the configuration of this one?
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I use a thumb operated trackball and have done for the past year or so. I find it to be comfortable for me and fairly accurate for everything I do. At first I found it to be a bit strange but I soon got used to it and now I cannot stand using a mouse. I have not tried a finger operated trackball, to compare how I feel about it though.
What about your wrist torsion? The main issue with a mice is the awkward and unnatural position your wrist should have to operate it, does the thumb operated trackball have a more ergo position for your wrist?
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Can someone share her experience with index and thumb operated trackball?
Like I said earlier, I used the Kensington Orbit, which is a index finger trackball. It took me a little while to get used to it, but it didn't feel unnatural. Honestly, if I could get the same precision with the Kensington Orbit that I get with my Zowie FK I would still be using it.
Thank you for sharing...aw that sounds like an AA sessions phrase, lol.
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Can someone share her experience with index and thumb operated trackball?
Yeah. Because thumb-trackball buttons are operated like those on a mouse, clicking hurts my index finger. Moreover, no thumb trackball fits my hand like a glove... maybe if there was something with a shape of the nostromo... that's actually an interesting idea! Keypad under fingertips + thumb trackball.
Isn't that precisely the configuration of this one?
Absolutely not, mosty due to short-travel buttons and a ****ty wheel.
I mean the nostromo or MS SideWinder Strategic Commander (modded to better buttons) with a thumb ball.
I currently have the MTO and Logitech TrackMan Wheel. My hand slides off either, although MTO is a bit better. OTOH, the hand rest on Belkin n52te or the handshoe mouse are about perfect.
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Logitech Trackman Marble (http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-910-000806-Trackman-Marble-Mouse/dp/B001F42MKG/) (formerly aka Marble Mouse). But skip the OEM config/driver software and just use X-Mouse Button Control (http://www.highrez.co.uk/downloads/XMouseButtonControl.htm) (Windows) or USB Overdrive (http://www.usboverdrive.com/USBOverdrive/News.html) (Mac) instead, much more flexible button-assignment options that way.
When using this trackball, you just rest the pinky edge of your hand on your desk alongside it and then "drape" your hand over it. It's a fairly neutral wrist position, though you may want to put it on top of a cushy mousepad for comfort. It's also symmetrical, so you can switch hands if one gets tired; I use X-Mouse Button's layers feature to define mirror-image left-handed and right-handed button assignments and switch between them easily. An issue with thumb balls is that they're always asymmetrical and thus almost always right-handed.
As an aside, the old Kensington TurboBall was a similar design but IMO even more ergonomic, as the body was taller and the ball slightly larger, allowing a hand draped over it to remain more vertical, and it also had a scroll wheel along with 4 larger buttons that could be "chorded" (2 buttons clicked together could have their own button assignment); however, it was let down by tiny mechanical ball-tracking rollers that constantly got gunked up and needed frequent cleaning, as well as somewhat fragile internal construction. If Kensington ever re-released an updated TurboBall with optical tracking and maybe a scroll ring around the ball, it would be well-nigh perfect.
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ended up getting a orbit scroll which arrived today, will do a review later on it
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I want to delve into trackballs, but don't know where to start.
I'll probably need something with a decently sized ball.
My 11800 has a built in trackball, but there are some issues I hate. 1. Tiny ball--way too small and insensitive. 2. Up and down buttons: would like them on the right and left
Would like it sub $35, as if I like it, I'll get a better one later
How good is Kensington orbit with scroll wheel? http://www.amazon.com/Kensington-K72337US-Orbit-Trackball-Scroll/dp/B002OOWB3O/ref=zg_bs_172499_5
don't get that orbit; the scroll wheel will rot within 2 years and you will hate that feel.
methinks it is actually better to start with the better ones. Go for Kensington Expert - I believe for $50 you can get them secondhand in very good condition; for 80 shipped you should be able to find NOS NIB.
Just don't go for the older (white) models, because their drivers are not always compatible with Windows 7 and 8.
This would be $under 70 even if you do BIN.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Kensington-Expert-Trackball-Mouse-Optical-Model-K64325-Shortly-Used-Nice-LOOK-/161260730761?pt=Mice&hash=item258be37989
You know what? Exceeding your budget of $35 won't matter if you really like that trackball. It would be entirely worth it and you won't need to buy a second one for years. And if you find you don't like that Expert, I guarantee you I will buy it from you used for $40 shipped conus. I bet lots of people on this forum will buy it from you for $50 shipped conus. But if you buy a crap $35 trackball and hate it, reselling will be hard.
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It's not like the wheel on the Expert is anything spectacular either, unless you really enjoy the grinding sounds.
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I use a Kensington Orbit at work, had it at least 2 years; no issues.
I do wish someone would come out with a Trackman Marble FX like trackball - I went through 3 of those over the years ; still my favorite.
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I would go with the Kensington orbit. It was a great trackball, and I still use it on and off every now and then, but I'm a mouse man at heart. One thing strange I found about trackballs though, is that I used them with my left hand even though I'm right handed and use a mouse with my right hand. It just felt like the natural way to use it.
EDIT: Amazon Link (http://www.amazon.com/Kensington-K72337US-Orbit-Trackball-Scroll/dp/B002OOWB3O/ref=lp_172499_1_5?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1394848835&sr=1-5)
Yeah I did that, used the trackball to move and the mouse to click.
A video, or never happened :p