Gpx-compatible Mice ?

[ak_]

Hi, i have a USB host cable and i'd like to find a mouse that works on my gp2x without requiring external power from a hub. I tried my Microsoft mini optical mouse : doesn't work without external power. My desktop Logitech optical mouse : same thing.

Then i decided to try mecanical mice, as it requires less power than optical ones. So i bought a PS/2-USB adapter and plugged my old mecanical mouse and then it worked (but then i found myself with two cables and a big mouse and it's not very handy). Then i wanted to show my girlfriend (who didn't care AT ALL but i had to show someone) that i could use a mouse on my gp2x, so i plugged her mecanical mouse and it didn't work.

After spending three days walking in the streets and asking the sky "why, oooh why ?", i decided to ask you guys.

Does anyone know any (preferably optical) USB mouse that works for sure with gp2x, without requiring external power ? Did someone already tried one of those HERE ? I ran into one of those in a local store and almost bought it, but my fear of facing the same old problem was stronger.

I'd really love to use one of those micro-mice on my gp2x.

Thanks a lot for your answers.

 

[nubie]

You need to send 5 volts to the mouse.

maybe find a way to do that from the GP2X.

I don't have any clue where a 3.3 volt compatible mouse might be.

OR, you could stuff button-cell batteries or AAA batteries into the mouse and put a switch on the bottom, one way= normal power, the other = batteries inside.

 

[ak_]

Thanks for your answer.

Actually, maybe i'm wrong but i think the gp2x does send 5v to to usb port. Some time ago, as i saw no mouse was working, i tried to plug my wacom tablet (5v / 40mA) to see if it would get some power from the gp2x, and it did, the led turned on (of course, i wasn't hoping to do anything with the wacom).

So right now, i really don't know how to be sure a device will work on the gp2x as i tried 2 optical mice and 3 mecanical ones, and only one worked (a mecanical one).

 

[Titcher]

You could try looking at the power requirements of the mice, if I remember rightly you can get around 100mAh from the ext port.

 

[ak_]

Titcher> yeah, i thought so but i've got two 5v / 100mA optical mice and they don't work. And power requirements are written in the back of the mouse, never on the box or on the websites. That sucks ...

 

[nubie]

Titcher> yeah, i thought so but i've got two 5v / 100mA optical mice and they don't work. And power requirements are written in the back of the mouse, never on the box or on the websites. That sucks ...

Unless someone has a screenshot of a multimeter with 5volts coming out of the EXT I don't believe it.

I had a mk2 and it only had the 3.3 volt. Many devices may indeed work on 3.3volts, aka a keyboard maybe, or a simple standard mouse.

But, an optical mouse must power a bright LED and a camera, so I would be willing to bet they don't like the 3.3 volts coming from the EXT.

Get one of these: http://www.batteryspace.com/index.asp?Page...amp;ProdID=2112 and use it to power your devices. With 4 NiMH batteries I got 4.7 volts, I powered a USB 4-port hub with a Kingston Flash and a creative flash mp3 player and an SD to USB adaptor and transferred files between them, so it does work.

Or, get two of these: http://www.rei.com/product/47849487.htm and stick them *inside* your mouse.

Then you will have two devices, a GP2X and a mouse, each supplying their own power.

 

[Blah]

Wireless mouse maybe?

 

[ak_]

Nubie> well, i really suck at electronics, so i don't think i'll be able to do such things. Thanks a lot for your answer anyway.

Blah> well, i thought about it, but i guess it would need a special driver. I mean it surely wouldn't be recognized by software like ScummVm or Qtopia and i don't have a clue how to install a driver on a gp2x as i'm a really poorly-skilled Linux user.

 

[nubie]

Wireless mouse maybe?

Nubie> well, i really suck at electronics, so i don't think i'll be able to do such things. Thanks a lot for your answer anyway.

What are you using for a USB port then?

Blah> well, i thought about it, but i guess it would need a special driver. I mean it surely wouldn't be recognized by software like ScummVm or Qtopia and i don't have a clue how to install a driver on a gp2x as i'm a really poorly-skilled Linux user.

Anyway, assuming a wireless mouse will run on that amount of power, it should just show up as a plain old mouse to linux, no driver necessary. IE, not a bluetooth mouse, a regular wireless mouse.

Maybe you can get a salesperson to let you try a Targus mini-mouse, if it doesn't work don't buy it, they are $15 at Staples I think.

If that doesn't work I think there are some USB ball mice around, if you are in the US you can try Newegg.com, but for a $3 mouse you will pay $5 shipping.

 

[ak_]

What are you using for a USB port then?

Well, for example i plugged my 30gb mp3 player and it worked just fine, and i still hope i'll be able to plug a mouse without having to open its guts up Actually i originally bought the usb cable to plug my mp3 player.

Good news for the wireless mouse, it could be a solution, i'll take a look. I'm not in the US, i'm in France. I found a usb ball mouse on a french site but as a few ball mice i tried didn't work, i'm not very confident.

Anyway, thanks (again) for your answers, that's very helpful.

 

[nubie]

What are you using for a USB port then?

Well, for example i plugged my 30gb mp3 player and it worked just fine, and i still hope i'll be able to plug a mouse without having to open its guts up Actually i originally bought the usb cable to plug my mp3 player.

Good news for the wireless mouse, it could be a solution, i'll take a look. I'm not in the US, i'm in France. I found a usb ball mouse on a french site but as a few ball mice i tried didn't work, i'm not very confident.

Anyway, thanks (again) for your answers, that's very helpful.

Question still stands, what USB port are you using?

 

[ak_]

Errrr, i'm not sure i'm getting your question right. If you wanna know what device i use to have a usb port on gp2x, then the answer is : i use the usb host cable from artaylor.co.uk ...

 

[nubie]

Errrr, i'm not sure i'm getting your question right. If you wanna know what device i use to have a usb port on gp2x, then the answer is : i use the usb host cable from artaylor.co.uk ...

Thanks, that was what I wanted to know. It just wasn't obvious where you got USB without a Breakout Box or electrical skills.

I am afraid that is how it is right now, either buy the BoB and an extra power adapter to power it or learn about electricity the fun way.

To get a properly running mouse you will likely have to connect a device to tell you what the power drain is from the mouse and what voltages it is getting. Then with the mice that do work, you will know if it is enough voltage or enough power getting to the mouse.

I would really like to see a battery pack providing the mouse (or whatever) power, if you can velcro it to the back of the GP2X then you can remove it and use the GP2X without.

 

[ak_]

"learn about electricity the fun way" >> ah, i'd love that

But how ? And where to start ?

 

[nubie]

"learn about electricity the fun way" >> ah, i'd love that

But how ? And where to start ?

I don't know about France, but I just got broken things and played with them, maybe from a relative or the junk bin, also maybe get a beginners book on electricity experiments. The kind that makes you play with a bit of wire, some light bulbs, a few batteries and make simple circuits to help you understand electricity.

In the US you can get a cheap Digital Multimeter (a device for measuring electricity) for about $5, and a USB extension cable for $1 to $10.

I would cut the USB cable in the middle, then re-join all the wires (they have a color), wrap all but the red and black ones in Tape (vinyl electrical tape, or clear office tape). The black wire is like the minus - side of the battery, and the red wire + is like the other end of the battery. Turn on the multi-meter, it will have a dial, set it for DC Volts, on the 20 volt scale if it offers that option. Use the multi-meter to touch the metal part of the wire (multi-meters have a red probe and a black probe, very convenient). You will see a number that will tell you how much voltage the device is getting. 5 volts is best, the USB on any computer should also make 5 volts (you can use this cable to test that too).

Next you can check how much power the device is using. Wrap up the Red wire in tape. Then disconnect the black wire in the middle. Wrap one side of the black metal wire around one multi-meter probe, then wrap the other side of the black wire around the other multi-meter probe. Put the probe in the AMPS jack on your multimeter and turn the multi-meter to the AMPS setting. Then turn on the GP2X with the device plugged in and you will see a number telling you how much energy you are using. 0.05 or less should be working, if the voltage is up to 4 or 5 volts.

 

[ak_]

Cool, thanks a lot. I'll bookmark this post for the day i try to work something out.

 

[Zeladin]

To get a properly running mouse you will likely have to connect a device to tell you what the power drain is from the mouse and what voltages it is getting. Then with the mice that do work, you will know if it is enough voltage or enough power getting to the mouse.

hmm, well I got a mini optical mouse running on the GP2x via the BOB without external power. It worked in Qtopia, I think, and definitely in a particular version of dosbox (There are at least three for the gp2x) which didn't hide the linux mouse (Totally useless of course for using as an input device of course..) Also Djwillis was talking a while back about mouse support for Scummvm, not sure if that ever happened though.

I'll have a look around to see if I can find it online, as far as I remember I bought the mouse in maplin.

 

[ak_]

Wow Zeladin that'd be great, thanks.

 

[Zeladin]

http://www.dabs.com/productview.aspx?quick...bcef7323de8e78d

This one looks exactly the same, mine is maplin branded though. It might just be using the same 'box' so I wouldn't get carried away - on the other hand it is only £7 or so...

I checked one the maplin website and they don't seem to have it any more. It definitely powers it fine by the BOB, I can't be certain about these cables by ARTaylor though.