What I think the computer industry needs

[wildwolf]

Just a real quick look, I didn't see one around, so I thought I'd post this.

I play a lot of games with a Kensington Expert Mouse Pro --> Excellent optical mouse with scroll ring and 4 buttons and with a CH Products Fighterstick --> Excellent joystick with 4 hatswitches & 4 other buttons with trim controls.

My problem: I have a mouse I surf with along with my keyboard. Both are wired: I don't like any other mouse to surf with (MS Intellimouse USB optical).

All four of my devices are USB. What would be nice...would be some company to make some "generic USB converter" for keyboards and/or mice (and, in my case, trackballs and joysticks would be great as well...).

I figure overall, it can't be that difficult. Not sure how many "signals" can be sent via USB....but there are a lot. Perhaps the "plug into the joystick" thingy would guide user though "mapping" every button press....and the "plug into corresponding computer" thingy would read those impulses and convert back to correct signal to send to OS.

Anyways..I know, pipe dream, but thought it'd make my world easier. Too many wires, not enough options that make me happy, and too little desktop real estate.

 

[Zepper]

Hard to decipher what you mean here. You should be able to install drivers to control your whatever and work thru the specific USB port the device is attached to. Each USB port has its own address no matter whether it's on the PC itself or on an external hub. Perhaps USB isn't as well sorted out as I thought or is it the device drivers that are still in the stone age and can't discriminate which port its device is on?

.bh.

 

[zerocool84]

wrong thread

 

[mpilchfamily]

Are you haveing to change out items to use them? Is that the problem your having? A lack of availible USB ports?

If so thats what USB hubs are for. You can have all of your controlers and input devices plugged in at once. You can even have multiple mice plugged in at the same time. Though it would be pointless. Same goes for keyboards.

 

[Zepper]

It wouldn't be pointless to have several pointing devices as normal mice are better for gaming and something else may be better for normal tasks like surfing the Web, doing Office-type apps, etc. If I was a gamer, I'd still use my Logitech Marble Mouse (trackball) for anything but gaming and would have a gaming-grade mouse for that.

OP,

If what you need is a USB hub, I have a nice, self-powered, 4-port USB 2 rated hub in my FS/T listing linked below.

.bh.

 

[wildwolf]

LOL, I see I left off the one very important keyword.

This is how my "what would be nice" statement should have looked.

"What would be nice...would be some company to make some "generic USB wireless converter" for keyboards and/or mice (and, in my case, trackballs and joysticks would be great as well...)."

I'm fine with having multiple pointing devices, joysticks, etc....but it would be nice to get rid of some of the clutter that I have going on with cables. I have limited desktop real estate and when I want to game, I move joystick/trackball setup over in front of me & keyboard out of the way. When I'm doine, I have to swap back. Sometimes....like the "old phone cords syndrome" I keep getting wires tangled up. =)

Sorry for the confusion.

 

[Jeff7181]

The wired devices have to be wired into something... whether it's a PC or a "generic USB wireless converter." Unless you propose ripping the cord out of a keyboard and shoving this converter into it...

 

[smb]

they make wireless usb hubs, but they are expensive, and the technology is new, so it may not be that good.