USB v. PS/2 for Intellimouse Explorer

[jeremy806]

Hi everyone,

I have a Microsoft Intellimouse Explorer (optical). The mouse is USB, comes with a USB to PS/2 adapter.

What's better, using USB or PS/2?

Now, I use it as PS/2, 200Hz sampling rate (via Powerstrip).

And:

Windows2000
AsusP2B
128M
CLAP2
SBLiveMP3
and other stuff.

Thanks,
Jeremy

 

[pyr]

personally I like USB over PS2 if only because it means I free up an IRQ to assign to something else. USB is also nice because if something doesnt work for whatever reason you can just unplug it and replug it back in and it will work again. one down side is that if you have to boot into windows in safe mode you will have to use the keyboard since the USB ports will not be supported.

 

[JellyBaby]

Using USB mode on that mouse may mean extra memory resident drivers to support the extra mouse buttons. PS/2 mode doesn't add the extra drivers but you have extra button support. This is true of the Intellimouse Optical at least.

 

[jeremy806]

Thanks fellas. Keep the commments coming.

Jeremy

 

[PCAddict]

I have my Intellimouse Explorer and my MS Internet Keyboard Pro on USB to free up the IRQ as well.

 

[Erasmus-X]

My Explorer mouse was a bit finicky when I was using it with USB (cursor would skip and jump around during heavy hard disk access and didn't like getting along with devices on the same IRQ), so I switched it to PS/2. I didn't notice much a difference in precision from USB, so this is how I keep it now.

In my experience, USB isn't exactly the ideal bus for a device that is used so consistently such as the mouse. It's fine for printers, scanners, digital cameras, etc. though.

 

[pyr]

you must have a goofy mouse. I have a logitech USB wheelmouse and its perfect. I dont have any wierd jumps or glitches. of course logitech mice are superior to MS mice anyways so maybe that is it......

 

[Crayon]

I attach my MS Intellimouse Explorer to PS2 port, because I don't have USB port in my Pentium MMX 200 system. It works fine and seemlessly in Windows 98. Anyway, I will be getting my P3-700 system on this weekend, so I can have the mouse attach to the USB port now!

 

[ravedave]

I have an intellimouse, I use USB works fine for me. I havent tried ps/2 yet. I heard that UBS works at a higher sample rate??

besides I have these spiffy USB ports i need to use them for something!!! ESP since i pain $10 for the USB header.

 

[Kjazlaw]

my intellimouse explorer is using usb. all the buttons work without having to install additional memory resident drivers. i don't notice any skipping around or any weird anomalies.

 

[Shudder]

I just wish you could set up two separate mouse softwares. I use my mouse on the left side of the keyboard for the most part, but I want my Logitech FX Trackball + or whatever the hell it is on the right side.. I can have both connected and use both, but not with functional buttons the way I want them.

However, I use Ps2 simply because I use linux quite a bit. With IMOptical you can change the rate I believe, or maybe that's just Win2k.. at any rate (no pun).

 

[JellyBaby]

<< I heard that UBS works at a higher sample rate?? >>

Ravedave, PS/2's default sampling rate is, I think, 40hz, depending on your OS. USB's default rate is, I think 100 or 120hz. You can &quot;overclock&quot; the PS/2 port to bump its rate up to 200hz so technically it offers the highest polling rate.

 

[AMB]

I use it with USB, I had a problem with PS/2 where the red light would stay on whilt the computer was turned off

 

[Shukaido]

Speaking of safe-mode, am I the only one who thinks it's ridiculous that Microsoft sells USB mice and keyboards, but they can't be bothered to get USB working in safe mode?

I'm not talking about the entire USB driver hierarchy. That can't be loaded. That's why it's called safe-mode. Just some minimal HID USB mini-driver to use a USB mouse and keyboard in safe-mode.

I support USB! When will Microsoft?

 

[JellyBaby]

Who needs safe mode? All M$ OSes work reliably 100% of the time. You should never even see safe mode.

But I'm bitter. I just had to reinstall Winny and after two days of reconfiguring everything I'm finally up to speed again.