sad complaint

  • Thread starter Thread starter dobro
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dobro

dobro

Well-known member
I've just wasted a week's worth of free time trying and failing to get my cpu into the next room by using longer cables (5 meter extensions). The monitor extension worked just fine after some trial and error, but I couldn't get the mouse to work - short cable, no problem, 6 meters, no mouse detected on boot up. What a pain... I think I'm just gonna bang a cardboard box or a blanket over the cpu when I'm recording from now on. Coulda saved myself $60 if I'd hit on this idea before I bought all the extra cables.

Yes, you hear all about the need for preamps for microphones when you start out, but who mentions preamps for mice?
 
What about a wireless mouse, Dobro. Or maybe you can find out how many volts (millivolts?)the mouse uses and rig some kind of in-line amp to boost the signal. Maybe somebody already makes something like this.
 
Just a thought, do you think the problem is with the extension, your mouse, or the computer? If you have just a regular generic PS/2 extension cable I know Belkin and some other companies make a 50' PS/2 extension that works. It's really expensive, around $90 from the website (probably cheaper elsewhere), but it might be an option.
 
Mouse/keyboard cables are only specified to work for about 9 feet. Of course that means that they're "guaranteed" to work at that distance...which usually means that they'll work at over that distance. But 50'? Good luck.

They make devices for amplifying a mouse/keyboard signal...I recently checked for someone on the board and I think they were like $160 for the cheaper ones up to several hundred for the nicer ones.

Wireless won't work around corners unless you setup mirrors.

I wonder if they make boxes that will allow you to use your electrical lines. I know they make ethernet boxes that use you're power lines...and they supposedly work well enough.

Slackmaster 2000
 
Thanks, volunteers. For that amount of money ($90, $160) the mouse preamp can wait... you can get a tube preamp for that price. Considering the number of people I've heard on this site complaining about fan and hard drive noise, you'd think there'd be a market big enough to bring prices down a tad.
 
Dobro, I mentioned your problem to a friend of mine, and he suggested you try splicing a mouse onto some higher grade wire to decrease the line resistance (I think). Got any Conare Starquad lying around? Hey, it works for audio.
 
Hey, there's an idea! LOL - I got all this computer cable I bought lying around doing nothing but smirking at me, so the purchase of a bit more cable might not be out of the question. Thanks for the idea.

Tell you something else about preamping mouse/keyboard signals - when I buy a preamp for audio purposes, I want quality, but when it comes to mice and keyboards, low resolution doesn't really matter that much, does it - so why are preamps for mice so expensive?

And yet, when it all comes down to it, slapping a cardboard box over the CPU involves a certain rebel satisfaction...
 
I think you want to make sure that you cover the entire case and not just the CPU :) The fan is making far more noise than the CPU you know.

Also, you could try to use all that extra cable to plug your mouse into to the power socket and blow your mouse to its ancestors. That would probably feel pretty good as well. Or you could of course just return the extra cable to the store for a refund.

/Ola
 
My solution was to run the microphone cables and a set of headphones to the next room and leave the computer where it was.
 
ola - in Sweden, land of sensible people, you can return cable to the store and get a refund. In Singapore, land of displaced southern Chinese, they'd rather commit unsavoury acts than give you a refund on something they've sold you. Really, you get signs in shops saying 'no refunds or exchanges on goods sold'. Hey - when they sell you something here, it's *sold*. By the way, wanna buy some monitor cable? Quality stuff...

doc - so, let's get this straight - you're in room #1 with your computer, and you click 'record' and then run out to room #2 and start singing and playing into the mics there?
 
Dobro,

I'm the one that Slack checked on the repeater box for. The price scared me away, so I'm using Plan B (just the mouse and monitor extensions). As a quick fix, perhaps you could set a long preroll on you DAW (like 30 seconds). This would give you enough time to press record and get to the other room without getting out of breath.

With my problem my cables were 25ft. My monitor and mouse cable worked fine, but the keyboard cable didn't. This wasn't too much of a problem for me, because I can get by with the mouse working only to record or mix. But your problem is a little worse with the mouse not working.

Just for your information, the only time my mouse cable went crazy was when the keyboard extension cable was plugged in at the same time. So maybe you might want to try unplugging your keyboard cable and seeing if the mouse will work then alone.

Rev E
 
I like drstawl's Idea,with the headphones and mics .That's what I do!Unless your two rooms are 1/4 mile apart ofcourse.

[This message has been edited by T.J.Hooker (edited 05-11-2000).]
 
I see that my remote control software is much needed. I'll have to get to work on it again....'cept I lost it during my last HD crash. Woopee.

Slackmaster 2000
 
Dobro: That's the long and the short of it.
No need to run. I just set up a pre-start buffer that gives me plenty of time to get set up in the proper location and put on the headphones.
 
Maybe you could get a drinking buddy to click RECORD for you and STOP when you are done? I am certain if you buy a guy a six pack, they'll sit there and click-click-click all DAY for ya...and I PROMISE you won't have to return the beer.

=)

Pete

P.S. I can vouch for the "no return" signs in Singapore. When I was there in 1995, they had alot more SCARY signs... like a picture of a cigarette and "100 times more addictive than HEROINE" on banners hanging from street lights. SCARY thoughts....
 
Oh yeah...one more idea...

We set up our studio in a room with a bathroom off to the side. So we use the bathroom as a vocal/amp/performance "booth" and it works like a charm to avoid the ambient noises in the house and studio.

(With the obvious exception of vocals) What about using longer instrument cables? Are you getting alot of pickup noise from the PC?

Just trying to help.
Pete

P.S. I like the beer idea better.
 
Longer instrument/mic cables would get me further from the computer, but for tracking I need the mouse and monitor close up, so I'd still need to separate the CPU from its monitor/mouse/keyboard.

Unless I try doc's idea, of course, but that would have me toing and froing between rooms constantly, and I don't want that.

ola - I'm going to hang on to the monitor cable until I explore tdukex's idea about using high-quality/low-resistance cable for the mouse.
 
Just to put in my 2 cents - in my day job I do Helpdesk work at a Telecom company. Lots of PC support. Occasionally I am asked by some executive to hide his PC accross the room and use keyboard/mouse/video extensions. The extension cables we (I) buy are 6 foot, and I have found through long experiance that using more than 2 extensions leads to problems, particularly with the keyboard. So I would say anything more than 20 feet of cable is iffy. There ARE power extension boxes you can get - check the back of PC magazine for examples. They generally charge a lot for them because they CAN - if you need them you are obviously a well-financed business, so its not your money anyways....
 
Maybe you can operate the mouse and keyboard with a 6 metre stick. They don't require preamps.
 
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