Best mouse surface

[DrWho]

My sister had a mouse pad made just for a laser mouse, it had a fine grid pattern engraved on it. I made one that did just as good, get a piece of card stock (Plain paper will work, but the card stock lasts longer) and print a fine grid pattern on it. I used a free website that had printable graph paper and did one with the finest grid pattern.

The laser mouse, reads the texture of the pad, not a pattern printed on it. It reads in thousandths of an inch.
If a grid pattern makes you feel better, then use it, but the laser mouse couldn't care less. It will read the grain of the paper, not the grid lines. Sorry!

The Doctor

PS: Track Balls? They drive me crazy! Every bit as bad as the Touch Pad on a laptop, which also drives me nuts.
So to maintain my sanity and get some speed, while working on customer's PCs that have either of the above, I always
carry a USB Laser Mouse, with a PS2 adapter, in my "Kit". I also carry a mouse pad, as mentioned previously.

[Mike Feury]

the best mouse surface to use for a laser mouse that will allow the most accurate cursor movement

That would be the Zero Gamers Mouse Pad.

I've used buckets of standard pads, plus dark desktop, but the Zero is noticably better than anything else. The dark side is for accuracy, the light side for speed, and it's considerably larger than normal pads too--I like that as it got tiresome sliding off normal pad edges, but you do need extra desk/lap room.

Today:

Overstock $7 http://www.overstock.com/Office-Supp...1/product.html
Amazon $13 http://www.amazon.com/HandStands-Dul.../dp/B000LI5X7G

[Just Plain Fred]

The laser mouse, reads the texture of the pad, not a pattern printed on it. It reads in thousandths of an inch.
If a grid pattern makes you feel better, then use it, but the laser mouse couldn't care less. It will read the grain of the paper, not the grid lines. Sorry!

Hi Doc.
Have to agree... I use a Logitech Performance Mouse MX ....Sometimes even use it (If I'm reclining) against my pants leg .. works on anything! Regards Fred

[Banyarola]

I tried a piece of cheese because a mouse loves cheese but I had to refrigerate it every night...

[mricks01]

I use one of those teflon sheet cutting mats (about as thick as heavy weight paper) that you can buy at WalMart in packs of 5 for a couple of bucks, cut to whatever size i need. Works great, mouse slides perfect and you can clean them a couple of times before they get too dirty to use

[RetiredGeek]

Mike,

Could you provide the exact name of the product and the department where it is located?

Thanks!

[aloarjr810]

What's the grid spacing ?

I used the Plain Graph Paper PDF Generator at:
http://incompetech.com/graphpaper/plain/

PDF Document Size: 8.5 x 11 inches
Minimum Border: .5 inches
Grid Line Weight: .05
Grid Spacing: 16
Grid Color: Black

[Banyarola]

I can make that on my CAD program and then print it out..
I'll give it a try today..

[Mike Feury]

Mike,

Could you provide the exact name of the product and the department where it is located?

exact name: Zero Gamers Mouse Pad
Overstock dept: Office Supplies - Computers & Accessories - Mice & Accessories - Mouse Pads
Amazon dept: Electronics

[RetiredGeek]

Mike F,

Thanks for the reply. However, I was refering to the other Mike (I should have quoted the post) with the Wal*Mart solution.

[Banyarola]

I had an Optical mouse that came with a metal pad with a grid on it.
I still have it someplace.
It's from the early 90's..

[ibe98765]

I hate normal mice! For almost 20 years, I have used touchpad mice exclusively. I just move my finger to control the cursor, scroll, magnify, etc.

I use the Smart Cat Pro mouse here:
http://www.cirque.com/desktoptouchpa...-overview.aspx

[cosmlou]

I believe the optimum for laser mice would be the finest you can achieve. I have personally used a white paper printed with a uniform medium-to-light-grey shade printed at 300 dpi on a B&W laser printer. 600 dpi would also be OK, maybe even better, though I doubt many of us have fine-motor-muscle control in our hands that can fully utilize 600 dpi. I also get good results with the heavier paper used in many wall calendars; just cut off a piece with a large photo and tape it to your desktop. When it gets torn/dirty, replace it. The actual picture doesn't seem to matter much.

Laser mice can use infra-red (invisible to the eye) or red light, but either can work just find on anything but a specular reflecting surface, such as clear glass or shiny metal. Frosted glass would be excellent, I imagine, as long as you use the frosted side, and not the other (shiny) side.

[A1ex]

Like many others I dislike track balls and touch pads.
I have an NC10 netbook with a useless touch pad, but I use Microsofts Mouse Without Borders software, available from MS Garage, which allows me to use my PC mouse, a Logitech MX, on both computers at once. Excellent software.

[CLiNT]

I believe the optimum for laser mice would be the finest you can achieve. I have personally used a white paper printed with a uniform medium-to-light-grey shade printed at 300 dpi on a B&W laser printer. 600 dpi would also be OK, maybe even better, though I doubt many of us have fine-motor-muscle control in our hands that can fully utilize 600 dpi. I also get good results with the heavier paper used in many wall calendars; just cut off a piece with a large photo and tape it to your desktop. When it gets torn/dirty, replace it. The actual picture doesn't seem to matter much.

Laser mice can use infra-red (invisible to the eye) or red light, but either can work just find on anything but a specular reflecting surface, such as clear glass or shiny metal. Frosted glass would be excellent, I imagine, as long as you use the frosted side, and not the other (shiny) side.

Yes, anything that is glossy or reflective is a bad surface for a laser mouse.