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geekhack Community => Input Devices => Topic started by: Kavik on Mon, 25 March 2019, 22:51:48

Title: Mouse is Emitting Digital Tones
Post by: Kavik on Mon, 25 March 2019, 22:51:48
I just noticed tonight that my mouse is emitting a digital or electric series of tones when the sensor is in use. When the mouse is sitting on the mousepad, the sound is a constant tone (I can't think of another term for it. It's not a buzz or a hiss or a beep). When I lift it, it stops. When I put the mouse back down or cover the sensor with my finger, I hear a series of three tones of different octaves (notes? they not full octaves, just higher and lower notes) and then it holds the last one.

At first, I thought it was my keyboard since I recently got a new cheapo wireless one, and actually, the keyboard is also emitting a noise from the side close to the mouse, but it's not the sound I noticed. The keyboard is making more of an electric whine or hiss, not quite as clear or loud as the mouse.

I have had the mouse for over a year and never noticed this, so it must be something new (I am sensitive to sounds like this). I rebooted my computer without the new, noisy keyboard attached (via wire or wireless), and even plugged the mouse into a different USB port to no avail.

Is this a mouse issue or a computer issue? I powered my PC off completely (not a reboot) and turned it back on. My computer is connected to a UPS, so it should not be interference from the wall power outlet. The only recent change is that keyboard; maybe it's not FCC compliant and interfered with something(?), but I have no idea what I'm talking about in that regard.

Anyway, what gives? Is this one of those communist sonic attacks I keep hearing about?
Title: Re: Mouse is Emitting Digital Tones
Post by: tp4tissue on Mon, 25 March 2019, 23:26:33
this is normal, everything from mx500 to mx518 made a low squeak.

Newer mice squeak too, because they got more powerful processors than before, and run high frequencies.


if it's coming over speakers,  could be a poorly designed amp in your sound loop

if it's coming from cpu or gpu chip, then it's the high interrupt rate.



For PC audio, always use optical if you can. 

If you care about ultra precise jitter, you can try the schiit audio products, they provide isolation ,  buhhhh IMHO,  optical is cheaper, and you can't really hear jitter over spdif.. (Unless you're looking for it)
Title: Re: Mouse is Emitting Digital Tones
Post by: Kavik on Tue, 26 March 2019, 01:14:48
this is normal, everything from mx500 to mx518 made a low squeak.

Newer mice squeak too, because they got more powerful processors than before, and run high frequencies.


if it's coming over speakers,  could be a poorly designed amp in your sound loop

if it's coming from cpu or gpu chip, then it's the high interrupt rate.



For PC audio, always use optical if you can. 

If you care about ultra precise jitter, you can try the schiit audio products, they provide isolation ,  buhhhh IMHO,  optical is cheaper, and you can't really hear jitter over spdif.. (Unless you're looking for it)


It's definitely not coming through the speakers. I can tell it's coming from the mouse directly when I put the mouse to my ear.

I plugged in my old G500, and it also makes a noise, albeit quieter. I then plugged the mouse in question (EC1-B) into my laptop and still heard the noises; however, after having tested it on the laptop, it now seems much quieter connected to my desktop than it did before. Not sure what that's about, but I guess you are right that mice just make these noises. I'm not sure why I just now noticed it; maybe the combination of the keyboard's whining and the mouse's noises just raised the volume enough to be noticeable.

This is going to annoy the crap out of me from now on.
Title: Re: Mouse is Emitting Digital Tones
Post by: dr_derivative on Tue, 26 March 2019, 09:28:58
I also have an EC1-B. Apparently it's a known issue that some mice emit a high pitched wine, although not all of them are affected. Personally I never really notice it because I always have headphones on.

I've been meaning to try to fix it by putting some sound damping material inside the mouse or something, but I haven't tried it yet.
Title: Re: Mouse is Emitting Digital Tones
Post by: Sintpinty on Tue, 26 March 2019, 09:45:03
I just noticed tonight that my mouse is emitting a digital or electric series of tones when the sensor is in use. When the mouse is sitting on the mousepad, the sound is a constant tone (I can't think of another term for it. It's not a buzz or a hiss or a beep). When I lift it, it stops. When I put the mouse back down or cover the sensor with my finger, I hear a series of three tones of different octaves (notes? they not full octaves, just higher and lower notes) and then it holds the last one.

At first, I thought it was my keyboard since I recently got a new cheapo wireless one, and actually, the keyboard is also emitting a noise from the side close to the mouse, but it's not the sound I noticed. The keyboard is making more of an electric whine or hiss, not quite as clear or loud as the mouse.

I have had the mouse for over a year and never noticed this, so it must be something new (I am sensitive to sounds like this). I rebooted my computer without the new, noisy keyboard attached (via wire or wireless), and even plugged the mouse into a different USB port to no avail.

Is this a mouse issue or a computer issue? I powered my PC off completely (not a reboot) and turned it back on. My computer is connected to a UPS, so it should not be interference from the wall power outlet. The only recent change is that keyboard; maybe it's not FCC compliant and interfered with something(?), but I have no idea what I'm talking about in that regard.

Anyway, what gives? Is this one of those communist sonic attacks I keep hearing about?
Jokes on you i have a ball mice, i don't hear those lines of noise  :))
Title: Re: Mouse is Emitting Digital Tones
Post by: Nerd on Tue, 26 March 2019, 09:49:50
I kinda do. It depends. I have a total collection of 3 months.
Title: Re: Mouse is Emitting Digital Tones
Post by: Baron on Tue, 02 April 2019, 19:45:38
the cheap chinese mouse that i had awhile ago made a noise just like what you described

it was fixed when i changed the color and pattern of the RGB lighting, i believe its pulse width modulation noise from the chips that drive with the LED

its probably due to the LED that the mouse is using to help see when its against the desk, i've had mice that turn that LED off when you lift them