Blue LED'ed logitech mice!!

[PhoenixMDM]

I read about modding a logitech mouse to use a blue LED instead of a red on these forums. Can anyone give me any pointers/instructions on doing this? I have a Logitech Wheel Mouse Optical. Ya know, the pre-iFeel one. Also, I can sauder if ABSOLUTELY nessicary! My saudering iron is so old, it's actually considered an antique.

So any photos/diagrams/e$timate$/suggestions are needed!!

~Phoenix

[fuzzba11]

It's really easy, I did my iFeel a few weeks ago...

You take out the single screw on the bottom(you need a skinny screwdriver to do this). Then all you have to do is look where everything is, remember that as you take the pieces out. There's a clear thing over the actual LED, which you have to lift up, and gently but firmly pull the LED straight out. Set everything except the main pad which is attatched to the LED, and unsolder the points connecting the LED itself. *REMEMBER WHICH 'DIRECTION' THE LED WAS FACING* because you need to put the new one in the same way. There's one metal part inside the plastic that is wide, and one that's skinny, remember which side both were and put the new one in the same way.
Eye the length of the LEDs by putting them together and cut the new one down, then you just need to put in in the previous holes, solder it carefully, and put everything back together. Really easy!

The only part which is eternally frustrating is getting the red LED out, you might want to ask someone to pull on it while you hold the soldering iron to the solder points.

LED Specs:

Specs
Forward voltage: 3.7 typ. 4.5 max
Forward Current: 20mA typ. 30mA
Brightness: 2600mcd
Viewing angle (deg): 30
Lens Color Clear
LED Size 5mm

[Über~PhLuBB]

Originally posted by PhoenixMDM
I read about modding a logitech mouse to use a blue LED instead of a red on these forums. Can anyone give me any pointers/instructions on doing this? I have a Logitech Wheel Mouse Optical. Ya know, the pre-iFeel one. Also, I can sauder if ABSOLUTELY nessicary! My saudering iron is so old, it's actually considered an antique.

So any photos/diagrams/e$timate$/suggestions are needed!!

~Phoenix

Alot of people say you shouldn't use a blue LED for the optical sensor. And for good reason, blue light is on a different wavelength then red. About as far from red as you can get.

The optical sensor is built to "see" red light. If you use a light that operates at a hugely different wavelength, you will have jumps and studders in motion.. It's reccommended you use a color similar to red. Orange, yellow, and white (trahsparent) work best. Green not so well.

Make sure you find an LED that operates at the same general wavelength as the one you're extracting, and you'll be fine.

[Crazy Jayhawk]

Originally posted by PhLuBB


Alot of people say you shouldn't use a blue LED for the optical sensor. And for good reason, blue light is on a different wavelength then red. About as far from red as you can get.

The optical sensor is built to "see" red light. If you use a light that operates at a hugely different wavelength, you will have jumps and studders in motion.. It's reccommended you use a color similar to red. Orange, yellow, and white (trahsparent) work best. Green not so well.

Make sure you find an LED that operates at the same general wavelength as the one you're extracting, and you'll be fine. But then if you look at the entire electromagnetic spectrum, you'll see that they're not so far apart after all. Don't mind me, just want to throw in my opinion. :)

[Über~PhLuBB]

Originally posted by Crazy Jayhawk
But then if you look at the entire electromagnetic spectrum, you'll see that they're not so far apart after all. Don't mind me, just want to throw in my opinion. :)

No, they aren't THAT different, maybe 50 nm. But that's 50nm out of 400 - 600nm. It's sufficiently different to cause minor problems like a jumping cursor and "mis-reading" by the pick up, but not different enough to not work at all. If you can stay within 20 or so nm of the original wavelength, you should be aite.

[oc jason]

Why the hell does my mouse sometimes look straight down/up and spin in circles n shooter games, i gotta pickitup and set it back down

[BrianCapps]

I've been running my iFeel witha blue LED for a week now, and have not noticed a single skip, jump, ar misread. Also, I took the red LED out by cutting the leads and then holding one with a pair of pliers (sp?) and then melting the solder and just yanking that sucker out.

Also, on the clear plastic thing, dont just pull the red led out, look closely at it and you will see a kind of clip. Pry that up gently and the red led will just come out.

[anarki_gr]

hey Jason, i have the exact same problem with my micro$oft intellimouse optical. when i play, lets say, max payne it sometimes looks up or down and then spins in circles. this can be lethal in some games :) it doesn't happen very often and doesn't bother me since there is save + load :)

[Rob Cork]

My intellimouse optical jumps and skips with the standard red LED, I guess changing to blue couldn't make it much worse :rolleyes:

I'll probably do it when I get back to college.

*EDIT* actually I think the plastic underbelly is red coloured as well, so maybe I won't.

[Rob Cork]

Originally posted by anarki_gr
hey Jason, i have the exact same problem with my micro$oft intellimouse optical. when i play, lets say, max payne it sometimes looks up or down and then spins in circles. this can be lethal in some games :) it doesn't happen very often and doesn't bother me since there is save + load :)
Actually (having just made my previous post) I remember when the skipping was getting really bad I looked underneath and there was a fair bit of dust and fluff in the recess that the LED sits in - I cleaned that out and it's been doing it a lot less - hasn't quite stopped though :(

[anarki_gr]

heh, i guess all micro$oft products are crap not just windows :)
i just touched my mousepad (yes i'm using one even with an optical mouse, i kinda got used to it :) ) and it's really warm. i guess it's from the sensor's led but it's kinda strange.

[el]

isn't the 2600mcd blue LED a lot brighter than the other LED? I would like to play around with this when I get my LEDs and I will try and make a blue ass out of glass that will replace the butt on the regular MS optical mouse.

[PhoenixMDM]

Actually, blue lights are on a higher frequency, so wouldn't a mouse using a blue LED track better? The refresh rate would be higher too, so less jumps and skips would occur. Well, I haven't opened up the mouse yet, but i'm assuming that a souldering iron with a tip of 1/2 inch (yes, a .5 inch tip) would be way to big to do this with. How much would a nice, tiny one (that could possibly be used for other circuitry purposes :D) be? I'm gonna open my mouse later tonight and check it out, see if it's do-able for me.

~Phoenix

[fuzzba11]

I would imagine the "spinning anomaly" would be because of the surface you're using it on...it might be slightly reflective, see through, or uniform in pattern. Try using it on one of the original mousepads they started making years back, or a specially designed one for optical, they work best :p

[Über~PhLuBB]

Originally posted by fuzzba11
I would imagine the "spinning anomaly" would be because of the surface you're using it on...it might be slightly reflective, see through, or uniform in pattern. Try using it on one of the original mousepads they started making years back, or a specially designed one for optical, they work best :p

EXACTLY, RIGHT on the nose! It's a shame I didnt get here a few hours ago, or I would have said the exact same thing...

No mirrors, no metal, no one color mousepads, no "3M Mousing Surface" pads. Just your standard, foam rubber mousepad.

[Wa11y]

Originally posted by PhLuBB


EXACTLY, RIGHT on the nose! It's a shame I didnt get here a few hours ago, or I would have said the exact same thing...

No mirrors, no metal, no one color mousepads, no "3M Mousing Surface" pads. Just your standard, foam rubber mousepad.

I have a Logitech optical wheelman, and I've used it on a somewhat shiny surface (polished wood) and a single color foam rubber mouse pad, and other than the occasion millimeter twitch, there's nothing wrong with it. No major freaking out, no losing control. So I doubt it's the surface.

[PhoenixMDM]

I use an old one from waaaaaaaaayyyyy back when Compaq bought out Digital. It's like one of those foam ones, but smooth like glass because of a peice of plastic on it. It's made so you can change the design of your mousepad as much as you want. The only bad part is that it says "Microsoft / Digital ALLIANCE" in the upper left corner. Everyone knows Microsoft is the devil. Lol, almost every computer thing I own is from when Compaq bought out Digital and wanted to dispose of anything with the old name on it. Hehheheh, great deal for me! Free laser printer, network hubs, a laptop, software, monitors, you name it! Except it's all obsolete. Arg.

I'll take a pic of my mousepad sometime soon, I want to know if they still make them like mine...

~Phoenix

[Über~PhLuBB]

Originally posted by Wa11y


I have a Logitech optical wheelman, and I've used it on a somewhat shiny surface (polished wood) and a single color foam rubber mouse pad, and other than the occasion millimeter twitch, there's nothing wrong with it. No major freaking out, no losing control. So I doubt it's the surface.

lol It isn't just speculation that shiny and uniform surfaces cause problems with optical mice. Read these pages at

Logitech: http://www.logitech.com/cf/support/1034.cfm
(I'm wrong, you can use it on some single color mousepads, and white paper)

And Microsoft: http://support.microsoft.com/directory/article.asp?ID=KB;EN-US;Q258785 (It's under "Connect a PS/2 IntelliMouse to your computer")

[Pinky]

Originally posted by PhLuBB


lol It isn't just speculation that shiny and uniform surfaces cause problems with optical mice. Read these pages at

Logitech: http://www.logitech.com/cf/support/1034.cfm
(I'm wrong, you can use it on some single color mousepads, and white paper)

And Microsoft: http://support.microsoft.com/directory/article.asp?ID=KB;EN-US;Q258785 (It's under "Connect a PS/2 IntelliMouse to your computer")

I bought an optical mouse pad, a little costly at $20, but I have had zero problems.

My vote is for any sort of reflective services causing this issue.

[eh?]

i can't figure out how to take my m$ mous aprart. I can't see any screws on the bottom......

[PhoenixMDM]

I got the pics of my mousepad. I also took one of the mouse, on the mousepad, with my desktop (literally) in the background.

Never posted pics on this forum before, so might not work...


C:\windows\desktop\DigitalMousepad.jpg
C:\windows\desktop\DigitalMousepadOpen.jpg
C:\windows\desktop\DesktopLOL.jpg

[PhoenixMDM]

Yes, I know, my camera is a peice of trash. My grandma got one of those LegoMindstorm ones thinking that I own Legos... Ah, it works good enough, and has a 15ft cord, so it's fine for me. Only crappy part, besides it being Lego, is the resolution... Oh well, I think the pics worked, someone tell me if you can't see them!

[fuzzba11]

Pics aren't showing...there should be one screw near the very back of the mouse which is the only thing holding it together...that's how it's arranged on my iFeel, anyway.

[Über~PhLuBB]

Alot of mice have the screw covered by the sticker on the underside. There should only be 1 screw. Press firmy on the sticker. When you feel a hole behind the sticker, you could poke through that area, but if you break a hole right over some important model or serial numbers, you may regret it. Try peeling the sticker off.

[BrianCapps]

Originally posted by PhLuBB
...If you break a hole right over some important model or serial numbers, you may regret it. Try peeling the sticker off.

Why? You have voided your warrenty by doing this, so they aren't important any more:D

[PhoenixMDM]

Ok, back to the mouse subject...

How much does a new souldering iron (that is actually good) cost? And can you get a decent one at Radio Shack? I'll check out the radioshack site later, but I'd need a reccomendation on one...

[dimmreaper]

Blue LEDs will work OK, for two reasons:

1.Blue is a higher frequency than Red, not the other way round.
2.Blue leds also emit some white light(or every kind of light including red light), as well as blue light. They just don't emit nearly as much white light as blue light.

[fuzzba11]

Originally posted by PhoenixMDM
Ok, back to the mouse subject...

How much does a new souldering iron (that is actually good) cost? And can you get a decent one at Radio Shack? I'll check out the radioshack site later, but I'd need a reccomendation on one...

Doesn't matter...you can probably get one for under $10, so it's not going to cost you a lot. They have some cool little butane powered ones(so there's no cord) at some radioshacks, which looked really handy, but they cost quite a lot, and you have to buy the little butane containers :/

[PhoenixMDM]

Went to radio shack tonight. Bought one of those 30-watt soldering irons. And a 5.0v, 5mm blue LED. Followed your instructions. WORKS LIKE A DREAM!!!!!!

Only 2 things i don't like about it:

1. Not as bright as my red... Not NEARLY as bright...
2. Dosn't work with my all-powerful Digital mousepad. Works better than anything imagingeable on a normal pad though.

Heh, didn't think it would be that easy. Too bad radio shack didn't carry any lesser-volt LEDs. Then i think it'd be brighter. And for those of you who think that red tracks better: YOU ARE SOOOOOOOO WRONG!!!!!!!! heheh, i advise everyone to change to at least a yellow or orange :D . Ahhhh!! I can't belive how cool it looks!! Just wait'll my freinds see this little rodent!! :D

Thanks to all you who told me what to do!! HEHEHEH!! coolness...

[fuzzba11]

Hehe, great to hear it! I know what you mean about it not being nearly as bright, though...I think I mentioned that somewhere. Maybe you can get a brighter one with all the other specs the same. Such a simple mod, but so classy :p

[el]

LED wavelengths

red 660
yellow 595
green 568
blue 430

units nanometers

to take the M$ mouse apart remove the four little grey feet adn the screws are under them :)

[eh?]

Originally posted by el
LED wavelengths

red 660
yellow 595
green 568
blue 430

units nanometers

to take the M$ mouse apart remove the four little grey feet adn the screws are under them :)

el your the man!!!! i couldn't figure out how to take this mouse apart. Thanks!

[shauns]

so did anybody ever figure out what kind of LED to use in the MS optical mice? im thinking about doing it very soon. and i was thinking about blue, w/ the reg bottom should make a purple color (1st grade stuff red+blue=purple)

[Captain Slug]

Using a Blue LED will only effect performance if you're...

A. Not using a proper surface
B. it's not an Ultra-Bright blue LED

I've replaced my red LED with a blue one but it wasn't as bright and I therefore had to switch back.
I also (for reasons unknown) put LEDs inside my standard mouse after I drilled some "Grip" holes in the sides of it (which were mostly so I could see the LED light bleeding out, hehehehe).