USB MOUSE/KEYBOARD

[Abomb97]

So I am tweaking my XP to a lean mean PT machine. I have only seen a few brief comments on using a MS intellemouse with the PS/2 adapter as opposed to the USB connector. Why should I do it this way? any performace perks?

Thanks guys..this place is soo helpful its awsome!

J

[Booyah]

Don't think its going to help much if you have a modern system, stay with USB if theres no IRQ conflicts with your Firewire or 001 card (whichever you may have).

One thing I've learned is to not move the mouse around when recording because it uses some CPU, more when dragging windows around, we need every bit of CPU for PTLE, ReWire and other plugins...etc, disabling this option in XP will help too: "Show windows contents while dragging".

I loose the thumb button fuctionality on my Logitech USB when using the PS/2 adapter, u?

[Abomb97]

OK, will do thanks!

[Calvin]

The only real reason why to stay with ps2 is a compatibility issue. Say for some reason windows won't start(not too hard to imagine is it) and you have to use a boot disk to get into dos, or into your bios. If you have a USB keyboard you flat out won't be able to use it because it hasn't loaded the usb driver for it. A usb mouse dosen't really matter since there really aren't many instances that you would want to use a mouse and a driver hasn't been loaded for it. However I would still get a PS2 keyboard, or atleast have an adapter for it handy incase you need it. Many of the USB keyboards will come with the USB to PS2 adapter.

[Booyah]

The only real reason why to stay with ps2 is a compatibility issue. Say for some reason windows won't start(not too hard to imagine is it) and you have to use a boot disk to get into dos, or into your bios. If you have a USB keyboard you flat out won't be able to use it because it hasn't loaded the usb driver for it. A usb mouse dosen't really matter since there really aren't many instances that you would want to use a mouse and a driver hasn't been loaded for it. However I would still get a PS2 keyboard, or atleast have an adapter for it handy incase you need it. Many of the USB keyboards will come with the USB to PS2 adapter.

Good point but if its a modern motherboard then it emulates PS/2 mode for both keyboard/mouse, would you believe my USB mouse works in Windows NT4 (2x buttons only) eventhough there is no USB support or drivers? yup, no kidding.

Do a test, bootup to DOS/win9x/winme floppy and see if you have keyboard?

[nikki-k]

Hi!
I had both usb keyboard and mouse on my main system 'til a few months ago.

On boot, keyboard works fine (needed to use it to install XP ), mouse did not.
During XP install, mouse started working, as drivers were loaded for it during install.
I use an Intellimouse Explorer (have had the original, and now ver 3), works the same USB or PS/2 for me. I also use the older Intellipoint software (ver 4, current is 5) as it allowed different mouse button/wheel assignments in each application chosen. IE, set one thumb button to swap between edit/mix in PT, same button is undo in Photoshop, same button is refresh with Internet Explorer, etc- you get the idea. Ver 5 of Intellipoint does not have this (or I could not find it ).

I am about to go back to both USB on the main system tomorrow or Fri- Ill try to remember to post experience. Really want to see if USB really interferes or not.

[The Weed]

Hi Nikki,

I emailed MS support about losing the program-specific settings for my IntelliMouse when I upgraded to v5. I was told that they took the program-specific option out because people didn't want it. Most people didn't even know it existed and it was an OPTION, not something you had to work around. Even the tech I emailed back and forth with didn't know about it, but when he realized what it did, he thought it was a great idea and couldn't figure out why they deleted it. He gave me the link to the version just before 5 that still had program-specific assignability and asked me to email the mouse guys and put it on their "wish list". They shouldn't let coders make marketing decisions and vice versa.

Cheers,