FACTS: I placed an order via the Wylderbuilds website in April 2024 with the actual build scheduled to begin in August 2024.

RESULTS: Unfortunately, I received nothing but (repeated) broken promises, missed deadlines, delay tactics and excuses ...including (but not limited to):

• Too many other builds in queue
• Hurricane Milton
• Too many other builds in queue
• Faulty/counterfeit trackball sensors
• Too many other builds in queue

ACTIONS: I filed a dispute with my credit card company (thankfully, my bank offers up to 1yr ancillary fraud protection for military veterans - THANK GOD!). I also filed complaints with the FTC and the IC3. I would highly encourage anyone affected in a similar fashion to do the same.

SPECULATION: I have no idea what is really going with Andy, or his business at Wylderbuilds, but these blatant lies and bait-n-switch tactics with orders and peoples' money are totally unacceptable. The only explanations I can think of for this behavior are:

• Fraud
• Gross Incompetence
• Severe Negligence

CALL TO ACTION: Regardless of the reason, the goal of this post is to hopefully save others from heartache and/or flushing their money down the toilet.

DO NOT BUY ANYTHING FROM ANDREW LANGTON OR WYLDERBUILDS!!! YOU ONLY HAVE BETWEEN 90-120 DAYS TO FILE A DISPUTE WITH YOUR CREDIT CARD COMPANY. DO! NOT! WAIT!!!

Feel free to add your experiences below. I suspect mine is far from unique.

https://preview.redd.it/bxxv0o4yyn7e1.jpg?width=4284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1ed60fd9d6df9210b8d915d09a4aba379e1a56cd

There is a model of the Mouse-Trak that offers the ability to scroll, but the switch is honestly in a really ergonomic location. Does anyone know of a trackball that has built-in horizontal and vertical scrolling? I know you can hit control to scroll horizontally with a vertical scroll wheel, and there are potential AutoHotKey options (which I have not explored yet), but coming from an Logitech Master MX3 and Apple Trackpads, it just seems odd that it's hard to find a horizontal scroll wheel on a trackball mouse!

Even harder is finding one in beige...

https://reddit.com/link/1hgz1mc/video/twnztqjk5l7e1/player

I don’t remember exactly how long this Deft Pro has been with me—probably at least five years. Over time, I’ve dropped the ball a few times, so it’s not in the best shape. Please do not evaluate the new Deft Pro experience based on the video above.

Recently, I tried to mod the bearing to Si3N4, but the outcome was only a slight improvement. As a result, I decided to try a new replacement ball instead.

The new 44mm ball is from SANWA. I wasn’t expecting it to be that smooth since I had read some negative reviews before. However, since it was quite cheap on Taobao, I decided to give it a shot.

Video:
First: the old Deft Pro stock ball.
Later: the new SANWA 44mm ball.

I’m not sure how long the lubrication from SANWA will last, though.

FYI: The 55mm ball from SANWA is also very smooth.

I posted this question a while ago, asking the same thing but regarding vertical trackballs. I've come to realize that I was asking the wrong question.

Anyway, you look for trackballs on Amazon, and it's easy to find wireless ones for sale, even the odd vertical model! Searching for a wired trackball, on the other hand, is like looking for hen's teeth, especially if you want one with a thumb ball and not a big ol' fingertip ball.

I don't understand why this is the case, because if you're using a trackball, a wire's going to get in the way a LOT less than with a normal mouse. I don't like using wireless mice because you either have to change the batteries on them, or charge them if you shell out for a high end fancy-pants one.

Anyway, I'm using this crappy Perixx right now, and I really want to replace it with something better. I had a vertical Kensington, but I broke a wire in it when I was taking it apart for the umpteenth time to compress the casing on the scroll wheel's rotary encoder. I could probably fix it with a soldering iron, but I don't have a good surface to solder things on at the moment.

Also, excuse my ranting. I'm a little drunk rn.

I'm on the hunt for the most ergonomic setup I can get as a designer. For years I user an Ergo MX which I love. I then added a macropad to my setup for software specific hotkeys. IT was okay in theory but required two hands, more desk-space, and kept pulling my left hand away from the keyboard, so it wasn't great.

I decided to give a gaming mouse a try and settled on the Scimitar because it was on sale. I LOVE the little 12 key macro-pad for my thumb. However, using a mouse it KILLING my wrist.

Has anyone made a trackball with a small programable macro-pad?

I'm getting a replacement Slimblade Pro from Kensington under warranty. But they're out of stock.

I think the problem with the Slimblade Pro is the battery. I switch between wireless dongle and Bluetooth all day between two computers, and the thing goes dead in about 30 minutes. Then I need to charge it. I plug the cable in, and it takes about 2-3 minutes for the red charging light to come on. When it does, the thing becomes responsive again, but it only charges for about 5 minutes before the light goes out. Then everything is fine for another 30 min or so.

Strangely, Kensington did not ask for the old trackball back, so I am wondering if I could do some surgery and pop a new battery in the thing and see what happens.

Haven't used this for maybe a year and am sure it used to work back then. Have since had to re-install Windows so I may have to re-install some drivers or even the Elecom software if it is required. Question: Does the device need a custom driver just for basic operation? (would be surprised if yes.)

Failing that, the receiver I'm trying it with does fit into the bottom compartment, but perhaps I accidentally switched it with the receiver of another wireless trackball - will have to try that if the 'install driver' path is a dead end.

Edit: The manual says, a driver would be installed automatically but apparently it isn't?

I hear so much about Elecoms and zirconium oxide bearings, but my Elecom EX-G with Perixx ball (stock ruby bearings) seems perfectly fine. It's not frictionless, but the ball turns smoothly and there's no noticeable resistance.

Am I missing out by not swapping bearings, or is this just something you do if there's an obvious issue?
For reference, I've used Logitech thumballs for a long time and the Elecom + Perixx combo is at least as smooth as any of those.

It's time to replace my sticky, sometimes-right-click-not-responsive Ergo. Can the wedge be used by Ergo S? Or, do I have to buy an Ergo S with the wedge?

Hi.

My MX Ergo has become sort of "sticky" with the ball movement. I know how to remove the ball and I tried my best to clean the inside of the ball compartment, but somehow the ball doesn't rotate "smoothly"... Any suggestions on how to clean and what to use?

TIA

You might be mistaken, but isn't it just the same device as a mouse used to track movement, with four ball bearings?

I would be curious to hear your thoughts.

and I looking to make a keyboard and integrate a trackball inside, and even then, i can't find anything under 50 euros.

If you have any links, I would appreciate them.

My Slimblade Pro has issues. Lots of issues. The stiction is pretty annoying. But that's not as bad as the device refusing to turn on after I switch between wired and wirless without me plugging it into power.

Kensington agreed to replace it under warranty. The only problem is. It's out of stock. So, I asked if they could send me the white one instead. But they told me that one is out of stock as well.

But when I go to Kensington.com, they have Slimblade Pros in stock and ready to ship.

Sigh…

https://www.logitech.com/en-us/software/logi-ai-prompt-builder.html?form=MG0AV3

Some people are reporting the software is messing with their machine's stability. If you haven't switched to third party software yet, now's probably as good a time as any to give it a go.

I recently got a Perixx 517. I love the ergonomics but dislike a few things. My biggest gripe is the really crappy precision at low speeds, which I just found out is called "striction" or static friction.

What are some good options for thumb trackballs with no (minimal) striction? Or is the thumb trackball market so small there are no decent options?

I only use my trackballs in a wired configuration. Batteries, therefore, are an unnecessary cost at best and a time bomb waiting to destroy my devices at worst. Removing the battery from the Gameball Thumb doesn't seem to affect its performance at all, for anybody else that is interested. It shouldn't need to be said, but just to be obvious: Your device WILL NOT work unless you have it plugged in, if you take out the battery.

* The "foot" is simply pressed in. There are 2 hinge pins along the axis of rotation.. Pull it straight down and it'll pop. Also remove the ball and the USB cord.

* You will need a fine phillips head screwdriver with a long, slender neck. There are 6 screws, none are hidden by stickers, though one is VERY deep (hence you need the slender screwdriver)

* The left side of the device, where the trackball is, is difficult to pull apart. I needed to use a prying tool and work in from the side. The light diffusion ring around the trackball socket may jump out at you, it's not positively retained.

* The battery had a silicone band holding it onto a small sled. The battery sled has 2 screws holding it to the bottom plate. The battery wire is not soldered, it has a small plug-and-pin and can simply be pulled off. If you're shopping for replacements, the text printed on the battery is "VXE 902540 3.7V // 900mAh 3.33Wh 2311"

* For reassembly, if the light diffusion ring jumped out, the "flanged" side goes down toward the base and the "edged" goes toward the top plate. Getting everything to line up and cooperate took some fiddling, but it snapped back together eventually.

In the middle of my second trip across the continent in less than a month. Working on laptop in hotel room. Couldn't fit trackball in my carry-on. Plus, even if I could, using a trackball on plane in economy class a non-starter[*].

My laptop comes with a built-in trackpad. But I much prefer trackball to trackpad. I have found that using a trackpad makes my comoputeritis/RSI much worse. Sonething about the way you have to move, the way the pointer immediately stops movibg when you stop moving your finger or lift it off the trackpad. Whereas on a trackball I often just start the ball rolling, and stop it where I want. But where I can also do fine adjustments by dragging.

I.e. the trackball has physics: momentum, inertia.

Surely a trackpad coukd be programmed to emulate trackball physics? Flick your finger, lifting it off, and te pointer continus to move - with speed established by the flick?

It looks like this is a FAQ, and/or a Frequently Wished For Thing. Many posts all over the place, here in r/TrackBalls, there in r/Ploopy or in some keyboard reddit.

Apparently Steam game controllers have a trackball mode for their trackpad.

Apparently there's a GitHub project: https://github.com/chaorace/VirtualTrackball "A tool for emulating a trackball with a mouse/mousepad for Windows, OSX, and Linux". Last commit 8 years ago - either it cannot be improved (because it is great), or it cannot be improved (because it was a dead end). Or both.

Also, what does the Allocated Apps do in the Edit Profile do? I notice that Genshin doesn't acknowledge the other buttons apart from the Left, Right, M4, M5 buttons.

https://preview.redd.it/zh8v3cx6wv6e1.jpg?width=360&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cca19bca2fbc3e5318d08820016512c2c3c57d97

This thing is VERY smooth. It's a little loud, but there is no stiction. And this has better fine control than most of my other trackballs.

Time to do the ball transfer unit mod to it.

I have been fairly happy with my Gameball that I got last year for my birthday. I have messed with various buttons that can be changed via its own internal settings and firmware.

When i got this little girl i didn't understand how to use it properly and tried a lot of setting combinations to figure out what I prefer. After so many months of messing with it i wanted to start over so to speak.

I would like to reset the button configuration back to its default settings. I was skimming the manual that came with it and realised I had missed a setting that, by default, allows one to scroll with the the ring and ball somehow that sounded like a neat feature.

The only issue is that nowhere in the manual is anything said about resetting the Gameball to its default configuration. The only thing I could think to do is re-load the firmware onto its memory chip.

And the only way i know how to do that is to use a windows machine. I use linux pretty exclusively so i will have to borrow another computer i guess if i go that route.

Other ideas or information welcome. If this kind of information is on the website I missed it.

As an asidw, kind of wish there was a way to re-do the firmware in an OS-agnostic fashion. Not sure if i should email the developer directly or use their website either. Anyone else in this boat too?

Thank you in advance! R

So I need a secondary trackball. I'm pretty happy with the current one (see image attached), but it's not too comfortable to work with using the left hand, and I'd really want to be able to switch any time I want.

So either a secondary or a new primary one but ambidextrous. Orbit w/ Scroll Ring is available locally, and I see no other options here (Ukraine) — not a huge deal to order with shipping though.

Could you please recommend me one? Or should I go with the Orbit? I don't really have budget limit but I'm not willing to spend some stupid amount of money :)

upd: there's also Kensington Orbit Mobile Wireless available locally

https://preview.redd.it/5pnuawgoqs6e1.png?width=990&format=png&auto=webp&s=55d9723cd850ee6318fb7ecfaac76559379644a3

Looking for something like the Elecom deft pro or Kensington Orbit Fusion with onboard memory for customization? Anything good with that criteria?

Can I use any ball, like a marble or something in my Logitech Trackman mouse? If not, what will/won't work, and why? For a project I'm working on, I need a translucent or semi-translucent ball that can light up with an LED that would shine onto the ball from inside the ball socket area - is that possible?

Hi Guys, i'm new here but i've been using the same trackman mouse since i built my first gaming pc, Farcry1 was the benchmark game at the time, so i've been using it for 20 years. Over time it's needed cleaning and occasional adjustment when buttons have slipped or whatever, but nothing game breaking and no major issues.
Well last night it wouldn't left click, i opened it up and re-sat the left button and it's still not right but there's now another problem, the scroll wheel has died, the click function for the scroll wheel has had issues for a while but never the actual scroll function.
I've broken down the mouse completely, it could do with a thorough clean anyway, but i wondered if anyone had any documents on how to service and repair one of these mice? I have looked at trying to replace it with a similar and would pay some of the higher prices as it's about the only trackball that seems to use finger ball control instead of thumb. But it just doesn't seem like anyone has any, or if they do Ebay won't ship to the uk.

Hope someone here has a bit more experience with repairing these things than me. This thing has lasted me forever and i'd rather keep and fix it than buy something else.

Many thanks
Grim

Hi folks, I'm in the market for a trackball mouse and had a couple questions about the ProtoArc EM01 for those that have/had one-

1. Material

I'm torn between this mouse and the Ergo MX over material, I'm really not a fan of that soft rubber material on the Ergo and heard the EM01 doesn't have it.
Is that the case? The pictures I've seen of it look mostly plastic but then the actual left/right buttons look like they might be that rubber material.

2. Click Noise

ProtoArc claims silent clicking on the EM01, but I'm actually a fan of the clicking sound.
Is it truly completely silent, or are they still audible but quieter?

Any insight/answers are appreciated!