Corded mouse vs digital mouse vs tablet

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I am just starting out with making slideshows, and I've already run into a wall with respect to the accuracy of my mouse (cordless). If I nudge in one direction, whatever I drag invariably goes too far, and if I really concentrate on squeezing the mouse so that the objet just barely moves, it often moves off in the wrong direction instead. I'm sure that's my own fault -- lack of feather-light control of my hand movements -- but still, I can't upgrade my hand. So maybe I can improve the situation by upgrading my hardware?

 

I've heard that corded mice are more accurate than cordless mice. Is that the real deal?

 

And if so, how can I connect one to my computer? I already have an old corded mouse left over from a previous computer, but plugging it into the back of my current computer wasn't enough to make it active.

 

And, will a corded mouse give me enough accuracy to edit slideshows and videos? I'm not an artist, I can't draw for the life of me, so I don't need a tablet for working in fancy drawing programs. It will be only to get precise mouse movements. Is a graphics tablet overkill? or, precisely the way to go?

 

Thanks!

[sknis]

I am just starting out with making slideshows, and I've already run into a wall with respect to the accuracy of my mouse (cordless). If I nudge in one direction, whatever I drag invariably goes too far, and if I really concentrate on squeezing the mouse so that the objet just barely moves, it often moves off in the wrong direction instead. I'm sure that's my own fault -- lack of feather-light control of my hand movements -- but still, I can't upgrade my hand. So maybe I can improve the situation by upgrading my hardware?

 

I've heard that corded mice are more accurate than cordless mice. Is that the real deal?

 

And if so, how can I connect one to my computer? I already have an old corded mouse left over from a previous computer, but plugging it into the back of my current computer wasn't enough to make it active.

 

And, will a corded mouse give me enough accuracy to edit slideshows and videos? I'm not an artist, I can't draw for the life of me, so I don't need a tablet for working in fancy drawing programs. It will be only to get precise mouse movements. Is a graphics tablet overkill? or, precisely the way to go?

 

Thanks!

 

Personal opinion only -- You might want to try a "trackball" type mouse. I've been using the one I have for more than 15 years and I find it much easier to work with that any other kind of mouse. There are corded and non-corded ones available. Go to an electronics store and get one that ergonomically fits your hand. Look for one that puts your wrist in a neutral position. The more comfortable, the more precise you can be. The one I have allows me to use my index finger to move the ball but as you can suspect, they don't make that exact mouse anymore. I've never had any hand, finger or wrist pain even after a intense and long session editing videos. I don't like the ones where you use your middle finger; mine tends to lock up.

 

That old mouse you have should work; you just may need to go to the manufacturer's web site and downloads the drivers for it. Most of the time, you get just the rudimentary controls without the drivers.

[Cookies]

Personal opinion only -- You might want to try a "trackball" type mouse. I've been using the one I have for more than 15 years and I find it much easier to work with that any other kind of mouse. There are corded and non-corded ones available. Go to an electronics store and get one that ergonomically fits your hand. Look for one that puts your wrist in a neutral position. The more comfortable, the more precise you can be. The one I have allows me to use my index finger to move the ball but as you can suspect, they don't make that exact mouse anymore. I've never had any hand, finger or wrist pain even after a intense and long session editing videos. I don't like the ones where you use your middle finger; mine tends to lock up.

 

That old mouse you have should work; you just may need to go to the manufacturer's web site and downloads the drivers for it. Most of the time, you get just the rudimentary controls without the drivers.

 

That's an option I never would have thought about. Thanks!

[REDWAGON]

I have been using Microsoft's wireless optical mouses for a long time now and have never had the type of problems you are suggesting with your mouse. The ones I have are extremely acurate as far as moving around and dragging and dropping files or using in EMC.

 

Frank...

[Cookies]

I have been using Microsoft's wireless optical mouses for a long time now and have never had the type of problems you are suggesting with your mouse. The ones I have are extremely acurate as far as moving around and dragging and dropping files or using in EMC.

 

Frank...

 

 

I don't know anything about the quality of mice. Mine is actually the HP mouse that came with the computer. Dragging and dropping folders and clicking on things isn't the problem, it does fine with that. But I'm trying to make a slide show, and I'm trying to make one of the people jump up and down. I'm using the pan&zoom editor in Videowave, in which the little screen is pretty small relative to the size the photo will be when it is finally shown on a television set. Soooo, if I choose a "down" frame that is even the slightest fraction of a mm to the left of the previous one, the woman looks like she's drunk, landing all over the place when she hits the ground. And when I then try to move the frame just that tiny smidgen of a mm in the right direction, well, I either overshoot my mark, or end up moving the frame vertically as well as horizontally, ruining the perfect up-down alignment that I so painstakingly managed to get after five minutes of trying... Verry frustrating. Like I said, I'm not sure it's the mouse's fault. It's just that I'm not capable of moving the thing a fraction of a mm one direction or another. But I think I'll be able to do it with a stylus, or as Steve suggested, a ball. Or at least I hope so, before I'm ready to blow my brains out....