I’ve had several optical mice, so I’m not new to the technology, but my question has never come up until recently…

I just bought a new desk for my new apartment…one problem, it’s all glass. I know optical mice are not supposed to work on a mirrored surface, but will it work on a glass surface? I checked logitech’s site and couldn’t find anything on the subject.

I usually use a trackball for my main PC, so thats not an issue, but I am about to order Logitech’s BT Optical mouse for my TR and it would suck if I needed a mouse pad…god I hate mouse pads.

Thanks,
Erik

No. Optical based on DSPs that effectively compare images per interval. Transparent glass doesn’t give much of an image to compare. I have a friend who has a glass table and he needs a mousepad.

Sorry to say that but my experience is that it doesn’t work on glass.

My optical mouse even doesn’t work on my white desk. So i always have to use a mousepad.

Hope this helps

rec

Most likely it’s not going to work.  From past experience with a wireless Logitech optical mouse on a glass surface, I had to put a piece of paper underneath the mouse for it to work.  I believe the mouse need to have the infrared beam bound back in order for it to calculate the movements.

Thanks everyone, I figured as much. For some reason it didn’t occur to me when I bought the desk, but it hit me last night when I was ordering the mouse. Now I need to decide if I want a BT mouse with a mouse pad or a trackball with no mouse pad.

Touch choices…

Erik

I have tried using it on a tinted glass surface..but it didn’t work. Infact they even refuse to work on my black color dell mouse pad. When I contacted logitech about it (thinking the mouse was faulty) they asked me to place a piece of white paper just above the mouse pad.

Yeah, my logitech mice work fine on my black desk (even though I heard some people have problems.

I was thinking of mounting a piece of paper under the desk for the mouse to reflect off of. It won’t look pretty, but I won’t have to deal with a pad…

Erik

I’d be surprised if that worked. I’ve got two optical mice, a Logitech and a Microsoft, they both stop working if i lift them more than about 3mm off the table.

So… I’m guessing your glass table is thicker than 3mm.

Still, strange things do happen, so if it works let us know. :D

[quote author=“Excession”]I’d be surprised if that worked. I’ve got two optical mice, a Logitech and a Microsoft, they both stop working if i lift them more than about 3mm off the table.

So… I’m guessing your glass table is thicker than 3mm.

Still, strange things do happen, so if it works let us know. :D

It’s a real cheap table :wink: im not sure what my GF would think about a paper stuck to the desk, but it might be cool to try and just see if it works.

I move in August 2nd…I’ll post August 3rd if it works :shock:

Erik

Or…get these matching wristrest/mouse pads from Rain Designs…

http://www.raindesigninc.com/irest.html

They’re white and comfy. The only thing is you need to keep your hands clean when using them as they stain easier than dark ones. However, they probably still look a little nicer on a glass desk if you have to have them there.