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sine -''-..- · Apr 3, 2000, 08:45 PM

My iMac mouse is complete!
3 green LEDs to complement its colour,
one in the dome, and two on the bottom around each side of the button...

im so proud

btw: if you two want to make this cool mouse (or want me to do it for u) just email me and i'll give u instructions...

[This message has been edited by sine -''-..- (edited 04-03-2000).]

ThinkInsane · Apr 3, 2000, 08:51 PM

Cool! I did mine too, although I only used one led. I was a little miffed when I saw the iMac commercial with the light up mouse, and then found out they really didn't light!I found instructions in MacAddict (I think). Where did you tie in your leds? I am curious as to how you set it up. Looks good.

Apr 3, 2000, 09:48 PM

a bit of solder, a steady hand, a little whiskey....oops....heh heh, hey, wtf! it works, damn i'm good

sine -''-..- · Apr 3, 2000, 10:47 PM

well heres a diagram that should explain it all:

There it is...
if u need any help
feel free to email me!!!
(BTW: this procedure requires that you cut peices of the plastic case. This procedure also requires a LOT of fiddling

)
macspower@sympatico.ca

ThinkInsane · Apr 4, 2000, 12:21 AM

Ok, you used the smae power points as I did. I was wondering if you had used others close to where the LEDs were located. I like it. Nice job.

naderby · Apr 4, 2000, 01:26 PM

Hell, not bad!

Is it safe. Noooo, not for the User, for the Mac.
Can you all explain how to tie it in with the power etc.

sine -''-..- · Apr 4, 2000, 03:34 PM

oh yea
its safe... it just draws power off the +5Volt lines on the USB bus...
in fact u can put LEDs in any USB device similarly...

I used pin one and pin four (from left to right) for power (pin one is + pin 4 is - if i remeber correctly)

the mouse will work fine if u make sure the wiring dosent rub on the decoder wheels of the mouse....

Oh yea, like i sed befor u need to cut some plastic in some places, like where the two LEDs r, and by the back of the case where the wires pass to the contacts....

i used three small 1.5Volt LEDs with a 200ohm resistor to limit the voltage, and make sure the polarity is correct... if u put it backwards it wont burn anyhing out tho, the LEDs just wont light up.

Um i think thats it!

Hav fun Modding

BTW: if u all make my mouse im gonna have to find a way to make it even COOLer... so knock urselves out!

-''-..-

sine -''-..- · Apr 4, 2000, 03:38 PM

heres a pic of it in the dark:

[This message has been edited by sine -''-..- (edited 04-04-2000).]

Feathers · Apr 4, 2000, 04:26 PM

Cool,

If you put the three LED's in series (daisy-chained) you probably don't need the resistor, but Ten-Out-Of-Ten for being cautious and acting responsibly

Sh1t, I'm starting to sound like Thinkinsane

ThinkInsane · Apr 4, 2000, 05:35 PM

Hey! Be nice, damn you! Anyway, I couldn't resist adding the other to LEDs on to my mouse. I did manage to do it without cutting any plastic. I did have to move them closer together under the mouse button. I used two flat LEDs. The fit quite nicly under the board in front of the mouse button. By using a very small guage wire, I could snake it aroung the screw holes with out it rubbing the wheels of any further mods.

sine -''-..- · Apr 4, 2000, 06:35 PM

nice thinking...

drat, now i must make it even more spectacular....
i need a lazer LED now... or an indiglo array.....

sine -''-..- · Apr 4, 2000, 07:04 PM

oh yes....

5 LEDs in a V formation...

picture will be posted shortly...

[This message has been edited by sine -''-..- (edited 04-04-2000).]

sine -''-..- · Apr 4, 2000, 07:10 PM

The Godfather · Apr 4, 2000, 09:38 PM

How about neon lights inside the iMac? Has anyone tried this yet?

sine -''-..- · Apr 4, 2000, 11:47 PM

whoa good idea...
a bit bright tho....

ThinkInsane · Apr 4, 2000, 11:58 PM

5 LEDs in v formation? Ha! Mere childs play. I just took the big bulb from the local light house and installed it in my mouse. Sure, it required some slight mods, and it won't work anymore, but does look impressive. Now I just have to figure out how to get the ships from trying to come through my living room.

sine -''-..- · Apr 5, 2000, 12:04 AM

LoL

Ca$h68 · Apr 5, 2000, 01:45 AM

In response to the neon inside an iMac, I'm doing it this summer, only I'm not using neon tubes. I've found a cheaper easier solution. I dont really want to tell anyone though because I want to do it first.

Later,

Ca$h

PS: Has anyone lit up the UNIMOUSE yet? If so let me know.

Feathers · Apr 5, 2000, 12:41 PM

I'm always nice, damn ME!

I'm going to go off and do this, it looks like way too much fun to be left out. Yippee!

Anthony the PC lover · Apr 5, 2000, 06:35 PM

Did you guys hear about the all new Microsoft Lighted Mouse for PCs? Apparently they were intimidated by Mac's progress in this forum and quickly put out their own version of it. Here is a prototype:

<center><img src=http://members.aol.com/_ht_a/Limoli78/myhomepage/mousebulb.jpg></center>

<center>

</center>

sine -''-..- · Apr 5, 2000, 08:43 PM

Wow... now thats PC innovation.

Just as i would expect from Microsoft.

I wonder if they'll get sued for bundling the lightbulb with their product.

ThinkInsane · Apr 5, 2000, 08:44 PM

Anthony, for once you made me 'Laugh Out Loud'

Misha · Apr 5, 2000, 09:48 PM

Very amusing, anthony... kudos.

Now what I would be impressed with is if someone could figure out how Apple was going to make the mouse glow. It's clearly not done with LEDs.

See:
http://www.imac2day.com/files/imouse.mov

sine -''-..- · Apr 5, 2000, 10:05 PM

In the demo, when the mouse lit up... it was just a light bulb underneith...
the camera just moved over it to make it look like the mouse was moving.
i doubt they ever intended to actually make it light, it was just for effect (i would think)

Misha · Apr 6, 2000, 07:48 AM

"You turn it on and it comes alive" suggests that Apple was going to make it light up. Now whether there's a light bulb underneath it in the demo or not is unknown... but I'm 100% sure that my iMac mouse doesn't come alive when I turn it on.

ThinkInsane · Apr 6, 2000, 10:13 AM

After becoming so taken with the idea of mouse mods, and trying to out do Sine's 5 light delta formation, I am left with only one question. Can anyone recomend a good rodent to replace the one who now moved on to greener (bondi-er?) pastures?

Just kidding

Anthony the PC lover · Apr 6, 2000, 07:40 PM

Hey guys, I was experimenting with my PC mouse, and I thought to make a few modifications like you guys did. I figured I'd put a few lights here and there. After drilling, sauldering, hammering, screwing, sanding, snapping, cutting, plugging, twisting, turning and cranking everything on it for a few days, VIOLA! I made the very first Microsoft multi-lighted glow-in-the-dark mouse! Whaddya think of this baby? He he he he, you and your 5 leds, he he he he....

<center><img src=http://members.aol.com/_ht_a/Limoli78/myhomepage/mouse.jpg></center>

Introducing the PC-Lover SuperBrite Blinding Mouse SE 2000

Apr 7, 2000, 08:51 PM

LoL!

SupahCoolX · Apr 7, 2000, 09:36 PM

ya know, everyone is always bashing apple's "puck" mouse... but, the people in this forum showed, if anything, that the little puck that could is the world's most versatile and hackable mouse... maybe you'll think twice before looking in some catalog for a replacement!

ThinkInsane · Apr 7, 2000, 11:32 PM

Actually, I like the puck. I have never thought about replacing it. When I got my machine, they gave me a little package of extra junk that included an adapter to make the puck more traditional. I promptly threw it out. For some reason, I tend to have the mouse rotated to the right when I use it. I'm pretty sure that wouldn't be comfy with anything but a round mouse.

sine -''-..- · Apr 8, 2000, 08:17 PM

the puck is the best mouse yet!

i like it cuz i can twiddle it with my fingers rather than throwing around my arm, ie no carpo tunnel syndrome

Apr 9, 2000, 12:08 PM

I agree with the above post! I like my "mouse puck!" I have had problems with Carpal Tunnel in the past, but really haven't experienced any since getting my iMac.

Apr 10, 2000, 05:09 PM

My only complaint with the puck mouse is the one button. Apple should spilt the button in 2 with the option of having them both act as one (work as a one button mouse) and as a two button mouse. That way everyone would be happy.

Anthony the PC lover · Apr 10, 2000, 05:26 PM

The puck should also have a scroll bar, I find those quite useful

iPaul UK · Apr 10, 2000, 06:34 PM

Pictures are very nice but they make the thread/page take ages longer to load up! Oh well.. I guess it's worth it just to see the funny Microsoft efforts! But I just thought i'd mention something.. It may seem obvious, But i'd advise anyone thinking of fitting flashing LED's to their mice, Not to do it! I can understand why it would be tempting, But there is a very real danger of these LEDs introducing a lot of interferance to the USB bus. And USB has enough problems already as it is! But the Indiglo thing should work pretty nicely... I can't find where to buy the parts from though.. Maplin no longer sell them. However.. I got a cheap watch that I should be able to butcher up for the purposes of robbing it of the part that I need! So I might give it a go..

sine -''-..- · Apr 10, 2000, 06:55 PM

interference? nah,
LEDs are simple diodes that make light.
Theyre just drawing power off the USB bus, i doubt they hurt the data transmittion

ThinkInsane · Apr 10, 2000, 06:56 PM

I was thinking the same thing. I have a Timex that is just begging for the chance to become a part of my iMac.

sine -''-..- · Apr 10, 2000, 07:05 PM

Actually, "indiglo" (chemical backlighting) might cause interferance because of its high frequency switching...

Anthony the PC lover · Apr 18, 2000, 03:18 PM

Why not try plutonium? That stuff is pretty bright, it'll give your mouse a nice green glow...

Zwilnik · Apr 18, 2000, 04:15 PM

The only reason I switched to a Swann mini mouse was that the puck mouse had only one button, otherwise the whole concept of it being finger driven, rather than hand driven makes it one of the best mice I've ever used, and I had to go for a small mouse rather than go back to an old style full size mouse.
Does anyone know what the electrically operated glow patches in some of the new Cyberdog fashion stuff is ? It's almost like a cross between flat fibre optic cable and lcd, glows in different colours, a bit like indiglo, but in wires and patches. (I've also seen it on badges in the gadget shop). That stuff would be ideal for lighting up Mac stuff !

sine -''-..- · Apr 18, 2000, 10:44 PM

Zounds!

do u have a url to some of that stuff?

blizaine · Apr 19, 2000, 10:03 AM

Thanks a lot guys

!!! I tried your suggestions and look what happend

fletch521 · Apr 19, 2000, 10:46 AM

I hate it when that happens

Fletch

smiz93 · Apr 19, 2000, 12:18 PM

I put a blue led light in my mouse about 5 months ago and I haven't had any problems till now....

I have a orginal Bondi (thus the blue led) and the light that I have installed is now "blinking" at me. It no longer has a steady glow, but it goes dim for a while and then it gets brighter than hell.

I have tried all sorts of combinations to try and figure out what is causing this to happen, but to the best of my knowledge, it is just a completely random thing. It doesn't effect my iMac, so I really haven't worried a whole lot about it.

Now, here is an interesting problem. I tried to install the same type of led into my buddy's mouse and it would overload the usb port. It is a mouse from one of the new iMac DV SE and it works fine on both his iMac and mine, but when I try and add the light, it causes an overload on both of our computers. The led is from Radio Shack and it is the lowest wattage/voltage that you can get. The only thing that we can figure is that the newer mice pull more juice than the old ones. Anyone out there have any ideas?

ThinkInsane · Apr 19, 2000, 12:40 PM

Yeah, I have an idea. DON'T buy ANYTHING from Radio Shack! Thier quality control isn't all that great. What you think might be a real low voltage led might just be bright enough to guide ships into harbor. I have had nothing but trouble with that store.

Anthony the PC lover · Apr 19, 2000, 03:01 PM

Yeah, Radio Shack definitely sucks. I ordered a simple part (a radio wire) from them and they had to order it from Radio Shack Headquarters. When it came in the mail, it was the wrong part, and it wasnt even a wire. I told them and they assured me that they would order the right part this time, and when it finally came again in the mail, it was the same wrong part as the last time. They are so stupid. So I have placed a third order this time, hoping to receive the correct part. If they fail this time, I'm going to sue them for being stupid dumbasses.

iPaul UK · Apr 19, 2000, 07:03 PM

Sine, RE my earlier post about LEDS causing interference on the USB bus. Regular LEDS should cause little or no problem. But I wasn't talking about regular ones, I was talking about the flashing ones.

Anthony the PC lover · Apr 19, 2000, 08:21 PM

Hey blizaine,
Good one! You made me crap my pants!

Stogieman · May 8, 2000, 10:28 PM

Hey guys, I just finished watching a episode of "Michael Holigan's - Your New House." In this episode they showed how you could use fiber optics to light the perimeter of your pool with cool colors. This gave me an idea. Maybe I could use one 5volt LED and have it attached to a piece of fiber optic cable. I could wrap the cable in a circular pattern inside the mouse. Will the 5v LED be bright enough to light the whole cable? What do you guys think? Is this doable or am I missing something here? I want to give this a try this weekend.

Hey Ca$h, was fiber optic your alternative to using neon? You mentioned something earlier about lighting the inside of you iMac.

[This message has been edited by Stogieman (edited 05-09-2000).]

sine -''-..- · May 11, 2000, 08:09 PM

Hey Smiz, i think your problem is you bought a low voltage LED. Basically a 1.5V LED. The usb power is 5V!
this would explain why it was Very bright, then now intermittant.
Next time use a 5V LED.
I used 1.5V leds, but i put a resistor in series to lower the voltage, so its ok.

Once i put an LED on a 9V battery and it literally exploded, half the epoxy shell blew off and flew across the room. (just a funny story)