Wireless mouse for Altium Designer - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: maxpayne
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 11, 2017, 09:03:35 am
content: What should be the a good productive wireless mouse to use with Altium Designer ?I am thinking about buying this onehttp://gaming.logitech.com/en-us/product/g602-wireless-gaming-mouseWondering if someone have experience with it to share.Or what would you suggest in the price range under 150 USD.

author: ajb
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 11, 2017, 05:28:15 pm
content: I use a Logitech M510 (three, in fact, one each at work, at home, and in the laptop bag). I've never felt the need for anything fancier for any sort of CAD, so personally I'd put the extra $125 into a Space Mouse if you don't already have one.One adjustment I did make for the sake of Altium was going to a keyboard without a numberpad, and placing a separate number pad to the left. That way, from left to right, I've got Space Mouse, numpad, keyboard, mouse all in a row, but within a comfortable width. Having the numpad on the left makes it easy to change routing widths or layers without taking my hand off of the mouse or reach across. It's fairly easy to get used to using the left hand for numeric entry in general as well.

author: hammy
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 11, 2017, 05:51:45 pm
content: +1 for 3DConnexion SpaceMouse Wireless

author: maxpayne
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 12, 2017, 07:34:40 pm
content: The Spacemouse seems interesting to me.But I guess it has advantage only in Altium 3D mode. right ?

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 12, 2017, 08:14:32 pm
content: spacemouse also works in 2d mode for zoom/pan/scroll. perfect while routing

author: julianhigginson
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 13, 2017, 12:34:55 pm
content: interesting... I had a space navigator (which seems like mostly the same thing as space mouse) years ago (used with AD10?? AD11?) when I worked in a company that had a lot of mechanical engineers doing 3D CAD in Solidworks and very tiny electronics team, so a space mouse was a standard part of an "engineers PC" there.I kind of liked playing with it, but I never found much use for it with Altium. It was amazing for positioning and spinning a 3D board view around, and very cool for grabbing some progress "glamour shots" of a board quickly, but I don't spend that much of my day doing that.Now I want to see what it's like for normal zoom/pan/scroll.... I never even tried it for that when I had it.... But it'd be useful to be able to pan about when the mouse is already active (like, dragging something). I can already zoom in and out while dragging with the good old page up/page down buttons, but needing to zoom out then in while dragging parts around to replace a simple workspace pan is a bit blah.The main thing this discussion has made me want is a numpad keyboard to the left of my normal keyboard.... that would save a lot of left arm movement.As for what mouse I would recommend.... Really - get something you like the size and feel of and use it. chances are it's fine. you roll the mouse, the cursor moves. you click the button, button click events get dispatched, it's all good, as long as you don't have a ball mouse full of fluff or an old first gen optical mouse on an incompatible surface.For years I used to stick with basic USB professional and gaming mice with laser sensors... One day, needing a more mobile solution to match a CAD laptop that I was travelling a lot with, I got my first wireless mouse. I went with a microsoft BT mouse. I wasn't sure what to expect with Altium, but in my experience even this is actually OK for use with Altium, the batteries last maybe 6 months or so of daily use? It *can* be a bit laggy - seems related to other radio interference... but that's relatively rare. Most of the time it does everything I want and doesn't annoy me. The occasional lagginess is traded off for convenience and usability anywhere... when my last wired mouse cable went intermittent, I didn't replace it and the BT mouse came out of the laptop bag onto the office desk and became my daily driver.At some point I'll probably get a new USB connected desk mouse again, I guess.. looking at the 3dx site, they have a "cad" mouse that looks pretty good, and is hopefully solid and well made, and not just an expensive logitech rebrand.

author: maxpayne
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 13, 2017, 02:35:29 pm
content: I am going with Logitech M570

author: ajb
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 13, 2017, 04:56:41 pm
content: Quote from: julianhigginson on July 13, 2017, 12:34:55 pmWhere it becomes most helpful is when trying to do 3D positioning and measurement on 3D models. Usually the 3D orbit works okay, but for some reason when certain 3D commands are active you can't change the view with the mouse anymore. This is especially problematic when trying to take a measurement between two 3D bodies, where you often have to get the view just so in order to get the snap point you're after. The space mouse always works, though, so it's a big help.

author: julianhigginson
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 13, 2017, 11:24:45 pm
content: Quote from: maxpayne on July 13, 2017, 02:35:29 pmoh! a trackball.That's a bit of a flip. but if that's what you're happy with I'm sure it'll do fine too.

author: maxpayne
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 31, 2017, 06:20:01 am
content: So eventually I bought Logitech M570 and G602 both. Now I am using them both to find out which one is more suitable. Sharing my experience..M570, First I thought in addition to the trackball, there would be a bottom sensor as well. But when I got the mouse in hand, I discovered that no sensor on the bottom and only trackball to control the position. My idea was to use the bottom sensor for movement and trackball in the 3D mode and use them both to better control and view in 3D. Anyway movement with trackball is a bit new to me and Logitech does it fairly well with control and build quality.G602, I liked it more than M570 due to its ergonomic design, and mostly 8 programmable keys, which is helping me to increase the productivity. Also the battery life is exceptional if you change the mode from performance to endurance. This is the one probably I will stick with

author: mairo
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 02, 2017, 01:59:09 am
content: I use SpacePilot Pro 3D on my left side, keyboard in the middle and Logitech G700 (G700S is the current version) on the right sideThe G700 can be both wirelesses or wired with a good number of programming keys on it.

author: maxpayne
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 02, 2017, 05:59:25 am
content: Quote from: mairo on August 02, 2017, 01:59:09 amWhat type of job you do in Altium using " SpacePilot Pro 3D" ?

author: mairo
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 04, 2017, 05:09:12 am
content: I guess just the usual schematic and pcb type design work and all things that are related to it - footprints, BOMs..The Spacepilot I use mainly for its 3D mouse and support for the hand, but also use most of its keys which are programmed to shortcuts in Altium (including the programming keys on the mouse in the other hand).I do not use the LCD.

author: Jeroen3
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 04, 2017, 05:52:06 am
content: I have a Logitech MX Master. The automatic switch between clicked and free scroll wheel is genius.You might not like the small amount of hotkeys, but you may like the additional thumb wheel. If Altium knows how to use it, CircuitMaker did not.It also has the laser that works everywhere, and you can pair it with 3 computers.