RF Interference

[Sky]

I get frustrated with my logitech mx3200 set. First, it's got a range of about 6-8'...which means even though it's "cordless", there's a cord running from the pc to the coffee table. Ok, I've learned to deal with that (after losing both front USB ports to my heavy spastic cat tripping over the cord).

But every now and again, and now is now, the keyboard and the mouse actually seem to interfere with each other. It's been like that since the weekend, keyboard works fine, mouse is having about 70% on single left clicks and left click-drag is basically useless (so dragging something from one inventory bag to another is not happening). Move the keyboard about two feet away from the mouse and the mouse works perfectly.

Given that last bit of info, I'm assuming it's interference between the two devices and not some external interference or distance to the receiver, or batteries (I even bought a tester which is such a great thing to have). I've tried changing the channels, which actually seemed to work for a couple hours last night and then suddenly it was back to being wonky and changing channels did nothing to fix it. Home at lunch today, same shit.

I'm about out of ideas, just wondered if any of you folks had any.

[slog]

I opened this post thinking that it was some new Game like R-Factor.

[Furiously]

It could be something odd like a neighbor having a baby monitor or a cordless phone that switch channels. There really isn't that much frequency out there.

You could just wrap your whole house/room in chickenwire...

[Goreschach]

I'm assuming you're just using a regular wooden desk, or something like that. If so, try taking some duct tape and taping the receiver under the desk, around where you use the mouse.

[Ingmar]

It's Sky, so his desk is probably a cat or his lap or something.

[Sky]

I don't have any pictures of the current setup, but here's my setup when I was in the ghetto.


Anyway, placement of the receiver has already been eliminated as the issue. It's got to be something between the keyboard and mouse, as if one is acting unshielded or crossing freqs or something.

[Engels]

Dig the groovy 70s shag bro.

[Sky]

Shag, panelling and flowered wallpaper. I miss that place so much. 

[Nerf]

That is an awesome TV stand, 2 chairs?

[WayAbvPar]

My back hurts just looking at that. Do you lean forward to use the keyboard/mouse, or is there a way to lean back and still reach everything?

[NiX]

Shag, panelling and flowered wallpaper. I miss that place so much. 

Sad thing is, the minute you said "Ghetto" I recalled that picture in my head before clicking the spoiler link.

[Salamok]

Time for an upgrade, the newer unifying nano-dongle stuff works much better than the 4 year old stuff.  I just bought the logitech mk710 set and so far it is working great.

[apocrypha]

I had a similar problem with a logitech wireless keyboard & mouse combo (um, Wave Pro set). One of the cats vomited on the keyboard one night (thanks cat) and it died (the keyboard, not the cat) so I bought a new keyboard, which then wouldn't work with the mouse at the same time. Either of them would work on their own but using both at once made them both go bonkers.

Ended up returning the keyboard and getting an entire new Wave set, and now use the mouse & dongle from the first set and keyboard and dongle from the 2nd set, which was the only way to get it all to work together properly. Pain in the arse.

[Sky]

That is an awesome TV stand, 2 chairs?

Two plastic end tables, like you see with plastic adirondack chairs. I have real furniture now.

My back hurts just looking at that. Do you lean forward to use the keyboard/mouse, or is there a way to lean back and still reach everything?

It's just on the coffee table because I'm not using it (I was playing MUA before taking the screenshot and had just set down the controller). I've said my setup many times, pillow/book/mouse, keyboard on lap.

Anyway. I grabbed a couple usb extenders and daisy chained them to the coffee table. At this point I'm considering just getting a USB hub and wired key/m, since I have to string a cable most of the way already. Wireless, it's disappointing technology. After 8 years you'd think there'd be a wireless key/m tech that could work from 10' away without drops.

Sal, how mushy are those keys? By 'works better' does that mean 10' away with zero drops in a fairly noisy EMI/RF environment? Also, that mouse looks small.

[Jeff Kelly]

Like everything else those cordless mice and keyboards also use the 2.4 GHz frequency band. So they compete with everything from WiFi, Bluetooth to baby monitors and wireless headphones. 2.4 GHz can be pretty crowded in metropolitain areas.

Additional problem is that those systems use low transmit power (< 0 dBm vs. +24 dBm of WiFi) and don't offer the necessary protocol features to survive on an overcrowded frequency band (as opposed to bluetooth for example).

I usually don't get more than maybe 3 - 4 meters out of them. The one in my living room only works to about a distance of 1m.

[Sky]

I see three options.

1) Keep the dongle on my coffee table. This has the attraction of being free, but also means snaking a cable across my living room floor, which the cat has already proved a bad idea twice.

2) Get a new wireless keyboard and mouse. I see this as option 1 but more expensive.

3) Since I am running a wire to the coffee table anyway, mount a USB hub under it and get a wired keyboard and mouse. Downside is more wires (cat), upside is illuminated keyboard and responsive mouse.

I'd like suggestions for 2) and 3). Cursory search says the Logitech G15 and MX518 would be a pretty standard way to go. Are the Razer Lycosa and Imperator any good? I looked at the Razer Mamba, but I like wireless devices that use standard batteries.

The thing that bugs me most is that my xbox 360 controller and shutter glasses both work great and I keep them right in the center of the EMI cloud (both currently unplugged to reduce sources in troubleshooting). There's not a ton of 2.4 devices in my house, the WiFi and the two aforementioned periphs, I live in an urban but not metro area.

[Goreschach]

I used to have an mx518. It was a perfectly fine mouse except for the fact that it was way too large. If you're one of those misguided people who thinks you need to set the sensitivity low enough that you have to move your entire arm to control the mouse and therefore palm it, or if you have unusually large hands, then it would probably be what you're looking for.

[Mosesandstick]

MX518 isn't wireless AFAIK. At least the one under my big hands isn't 

[rattran]

I killed a couple Lycosas in fairly short order, they both started to repeat keys with a single press.

[Goreschach]

MX518 isn't wireless AFAIK. At least the one under my big hands isn't 

I'm pretty sure he knows that. He asked about a wired set.

I'd go ahead and recommend at least trying out a trackball, but everyone makes fun of me whenever I do that.

[Mosesandstick]

Ugh, you're right. Reading fail, missed out a line. The MX518 is the only mouse I think I'll ever use. Just has the most comfortable shape for me.

[Salamok]

If you are going to go wired get the new Razor keyboard over the Logitech and tell us how it works out.  The description makes it sound like a hybrid between a g15 and an IBM model M 

[Sky]

I used to have an mx518. It was a perfectly fine mouse except for the fact that it was way too large. If you're one of those misguided people who thinks you need to set the sensitivity low enough that you have to move your entire arm to control the mouse and therefore palm it, or if you have unusually large hands, then it would probably be what you're looking for.

I mostly fingertip, but I use the palm enough I want a big mouse. I've always been a fan of logitech ergo designs, the more it rolls your hand to the right to ease stress on the wrist, the better, imo.

I was looking at the new Razer board, but at $130 for a keyboard without wireless? Add in $80 for an Imperator and it's getting pretty spendy, I'm not an fps junkie. Not to mention I'll probably need a new pc next year anyway, this one is finally starting to show it's age after moving to the 1080p monitor.

I dunno, I think I'm going with option 1) spend nothing and be inconvenienced. After putting together different hardware scenarios, I will probably buy a longer USB extension cable. Right now I have about a half dozen of those ludicrously short Apple USB extenders (which they tried to make proprietary lol pliers).

[Sheepherder]

I've had problems with my old Logitech wireless not detecting clicks correctly due to a screw holding the mouse faceplate stripping and the entire thing lifting away from the switches.

[Sky]

I've got the MX518 in the shopping cart at newegg right now. Got fed up last night and plugged in my fiancee's cheap MS optical mouse. Hate the light wieght and slow scroll wheel, but I hadn't realized how frustrated I was with shitty RF reception. Looked at the Razer stuff, but the price markup, button layout and LEDs all led me away from that. Going to keep the wireless keyboard, I just like the feel of it and hadn't realized how much I use the little palmrest built into it as a lever, using a keyboard without it is almost impossible on the couch.

Also, newegg is running a sale the next couple days on Logitech stuffs, fyi. The MX518 is $15 off ($30 shipped), the G15 is tempting at $20 off ($50 shipped), there are a few others on the MIR sheet. I am tempted to get the G15 for the backlit keys, but after my experience not having the built-in palmrest of the MX3200 (iirc) keyboard, I'm a bit shy about trying another one. I guess I could just return it, $50 is  pretty good price for the G15....

[Sky]

Just to put a closer on this for now: I love the egg. Put in the order for the mouse and a new router, some various cabling. It's at my house right now, no tax no shipping. Went with the MX518, just tired of shitty RF performance after all these years. 95% of the time it's fine, but that 5% is ragey, and I don't like ragey in my life. Back to wires für mich.