Author Topic: Upgrade from Logitech Trackman Marble FX to ??? (Read 12394 times)

loofa · « **on:** Sat, 13 June 2009, 22:50:06 »

Hi, Nice to find a forum with HID aficionados. :typing:

I'm curious if anyone has used one of these devices for an extended period of time and found something they like better. If so, what is it?

(Ignore the MS Natural kb. It's on its way out; being replaced by a Filco 10keyless with Cherry blues.)

Rajagra · « **Reply #1 on:** Sun, 14 June 2009, 08:29:11 »

I don't think there's anything around that can match the feel of this classic.
Some people recommend the Kensington Expert Mouse Trackball.
The Logitech Cordless Optical Trackman has similarities with the Trackman Marble FX, but you'd have to try it out to see if it feels anywhere near as good.
The newest Trackman Marble might be worth trying.

Trouble is every time I try trackballs out in shops they just feel like crap compared to the Trackman Marble FX. Modern manufacturers just suck the joy out of everything they make.

o2dazone · « **Reply #2 on:** Sun, 14 June 2009, 13:16:40 »

I've been using an MTO for many years. By far the best peripheral I used (but have yet to use an Expert yet). You might like the MTE as it's similar to the layout you have right now.

wheel83 · « **Reply #3 on:** Sun, 14 June 2009, 14:15:51 »

I also LOVE my MTO, but I think the MTE is more similar to what you are used to. I would say give either a shot. People who have either swear by them.

CX23882 · « **Reply #4 on:** Mon, 15 June 2009, 12:04:24 »

I have the Logitech Cordless Optical Trackman and it is let down by two flaws:
1) The trackball gets gummed up very quickly. In exactly the same conditions, my Logitech Trackman goes several times longer before requiring a clean.
2) The tracking is off-axis by approx 45° (you roll the ball sideways and it goes shooting off diagonally). Sure, you can compensate for this by installing the Logitech software, but then it's not as plug-and-play as it should be and it also introduces glitches to the Vista volume control for example.
The battery life and build quality on the other hand are excellent.

If you can live without having a "middle button" then I would recommend the Logitech Trackman Marble instead. It is a nicer product and it feels good in your hand. The newer models have two additional buttons which can be mapped to scroll up/down, but for that you'd need to install the Logitech software and so you may as well go for the Cordless Optical Trackman instead! (and you will need to install it because the axis is so far out by default)

wheel83 · « **Reply #5 on:** Mon, 15 June 2009, 12:08:46 »

bill gates 4 lyfe!

Rajagra · « **Reply #6 on:** Mon, 15 June 2009, 14:44:12 »

The MTE is like the Marble FX - used prices are insane! So it probably is good. With the bonus of the scroll wheel.

The Cordless Optical Trackman doesn't have a great feel from what I've read, especially the scroll wheel. See the YouTube reviews.

The Logitech Trackman Marble seems better in feel, but does lack a scroll wheel. But for the money it looks like a fine product. And being ambidextrous you can plonk it to the left of your keyboard.

I found some links for making the Marble FX more usable under XP so I might just reinstate it's use.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q149228/
http://www.hardcoreware.net/downloads.php
[ http://www.hardcoreware.net/files/mouse_fix.reg ]

chimera15 · « **Reply #7 on:** Wed, 17 June 2009, 08:30:54 »

I used a trackman marble fx for years, until I moved on to the Trackball Explorer. The main problem with the fx is that it doesn't have a scroll wheel, and I dislike the scroll button. It's also only really 4 button, so you can't have full navigation, especially if you use the red button for scroll. The tbe is 5 button and has back, foward, scroll, right, middle, left fully functional. They're still out there occasionally for reasonable prices, you just have to keep watching.

I recently bought a tbe for $20.... heh

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&item=270382073121

microsoft windows · « **Reply #8 on:** Thu, 18 June 2009, 18:08:20 »

You should replace your keyboard and trackball with a keyboard with a built-in trackball! Look on Ebay for an IBM M5-2, or if you're very lucky, an M5-1.

chimera15 · « **Reply #9 on:** Thu, 18 June 2009, 18:18:57 »

Quote from: microsoft windows;97516

You should replace your keyboard and trackball with a keyboard with a built-in trackball! Look on Ebay for an IBM M5-2, or if you're very lucky, an M5-1.

nice name.... lol

bigpook · « **Reply #10 on:** Thu, 18 June 2009, 19:06:26 »

Its not the key, its the logo on the key : )

microsoft windows · « **Reply #11 on:** Fri, 19 June 2009, 19:13:24 »

Why do people care so much about the Windows and Right-Click keys on some keyboards? If you don't like them, you don't have to use them. It's not hard to find a keyboard without them...just look in any business' computer trash and you're bound to find one.
If you don't want to get an old keyboard, you can always disable the keys or just don't use them. They really don't get in the way unless your fingers are too wide to type thigs normally.
You can also find software to reprogram the keys to do other things like open Microsoft Word or something. What's so bad about having a few extra keys?

wheel83 · « **Reply #12 on:** Wed, 24 June 2009, 05:43:26 »

microsoft windows can you give some money to unicomp to build an m15 please?

IBI · « **Reply #13 on:** Wed, 24 June 2009, 08:33:14 »

Quote from: microsoft windows;97771

Why do people care so much about the Windows and Right-Click keys on some keyboards?

Because there's no way to tell if you've hit a windows key or the key you were aiming for and they also tend to shrink the alt and control keys.

shrap · « **Reply #14 on:** Wed, 24 June 2009, 20:15:07 »

Quote from: IBI;98784

Because there's no way to tell if you've hit a windows key or the key you were aiming for and they also tend to shrink the alt and control keys.

There's an easy way to tell - if the Start menu or right-click menu comes up!

I actually love these keys (no way I'm going to open the Start menu with all that unnecessary mouse movement), but I think the fact they're sandwiched in between three "modifier" keys probably makes people hate them more, since they don't act like those two keys. When people press the F-keys they probably expect weird things to happen, but not on that area of keys.

microsoft windows · « **Reply #15 on:** Thu, 02 July 2009, 07:11:29 »

Well, personally, I have used my keyboards which date from the early 1990's (along with most of my other computing equipment) and I have used newer keyboards with the windows keys and there's really not much of a difference. I have large fingers but I never get them confused. However, I don't really like the shortened space-bar too much since they eliminated the area where I sometimes press it. But that's the only thing I don't like about them.

Rajagra · « **Reply #16 on:** Thu, 09 July 2009, 08:14:23 »

Quote from: Rajagra;96202

Trouble is every time I try trackballs out in shops they just feel like crap compared to the Trackman Marble FX. Modern manufacturers just suck the joy out of everything they make.

I'll have to eat my words. I bought a Logitech Trackman Marble cheap on ebay, and I have to say it is pretty smooth. I put some light oil (Ballistol) on the bearings, and now it is as smooth as the FX, even if it doesn't have the same mass.

The software doesn't handle universal scrolling properly, I'll have to look up that 3rd party solution someone mentioned. If I can hold down (not toggle) one of the small buttons to use the wheel to scroll in both directions then I'd be quite happy without a dedicated scroll wheel.

shrap · « **Reply #17 on:** Thu, 09 July 2009, 15:44:42 »

For some reason Logitech jacked the prices on the Marble from $20 to $30 in the past 6 months. If you see the $20 ones, you should grab them quick. I don't think there's any difference between the two.

I never looked into how the scrolling was supposed to work. If it's how you say, forget it - clicking and dragging is hard enough.

Rajagra · « **Reply #18 on:** Thu, 09 July 2009, 16:24:35 »

Quote from: ripster;101862

Third part software (windows) is here.

Nice, works just how I wanted - holding down one of the small buttons makes the ball scroll in both directions.

Would be good if you could adjust the horizontal scrolling speed, but it's OK like this.

It did play up a bit in IE 8 when I did a test, but who uses that eh?

Quote from: shrap;101907

I never looked into how the scrolling was supposed to work. If it's how you say, forget it - clicking and dragging is hard enough.

Logitech's software needs you to push a button as a toggle. Then the ball acts as Universal Scroll (moving ball causes scrolling) or AutoScroll (moving ball causes continuous scrolling in the direction you moved.)

Universal Scrolling is the "normal" type I wanted, but (1) you have to toggle the feature on and off, and (2) it sometimes failed to scroll horizontally in some apps.

The software linked above fixes those problems.

CX23882 · « **Reply #19 on:** Sat, 11 July 2009, 14:43:11 »

Quote from: ripster;101862

Third part software (windows) is here.

Cool! :dance:

In Stereo! · « **Reply #20 on:** Sat, 09 January 2010, 06:00:15 »

How much is a Marble FX really worth?

Maybe I could get one for 15eur, which is really cheap ... right?

ch_123 · « **Reply #21 on:** Sat, 09 January 2010, 07:18:32 »

I'd get it if you can get one for that price. If you don't like it, you can probably sell it for a good deal more than that.

In Stereo! · « **Reply #22 on:** Sat, 09 January 2010, 07:32:24 »

Yeah, but how much exactly? I see some offers for as much as 277$ :s

D-EJ915 · « **Reply #23 on:** Sat, 09 January 2010, 11:59:14 »

you should be able to get 50-70$ easy

Rajagra · « **Reply #24 on:** Sat, 09 January 2010, 21:32:25 »

The price of the Logitech varies a lot, unlike the MS Trackball Explorer which seems to be consistently expensive.

ricercar · « **Reply #25 on:** Sun, 10 January 2010, 02:36:04 »

Quote from: In Stereo!;149427

How much is a Marble FX really worth?

I bought three in November. My first was $5 at a flea market. The other two were eBay auctions, ending at $52 and $71 USD.

In Stereo! · « **Reply #26 on:** Sat, 16 January 2010, 13:57:35 »

Now that I have it, I can say it is a very nice pointing device. Does anyone have the newer, cordless one?

ricercar · « **Reply #27 on:** Sat, 16 January 2010, 16:44:08 »

I have a cordless FX marble, but it stopped working the first week, when I disassembled the ball unit. I paid all of $5, but it is still disappointing. Simple opening of a case and closing shouldn't damage a device meant for human interaction.

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Author Topic: Upgrade from Logitech Trackman Marble FX to ??? (Read 12394 times)