Reliable Tracker Ball Wanted

[Bryan]

For years I used a wired Logitech tracker ball which was fine until eventually one of the internal switches failed.

 

I tried to replace it with an identical product but Logitech appears to have abandoned wired kit for wireless. I therefore bought a M570 wireless tracker ball. This gadget is nothing like as reliable as the wired equivalent, I don't know if this is a software issue - I've updated the driver - or a hardware problem, but it's getting worse by the day and driving me crazy!  (And yes I've tried replacing the battery and cleaning the ball and innards - all to no avail. )

 

Weirdly, perhaps because it fears its days are numbered, it's working perfectly at this instant.....

 

Any ideas why these problems are occuring, or can you recommend an alternative tracker ball solution ( don't want a mouse/tablet) that is reliable?

[sooth]

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Edited October 19, 2023 by sooth

[spacecadet]

If (a) does work, you could consider putting the receiver (I assume it's like the tiny one I'm looking at, a sliver of plastic on top of a USB plug) on a short USB extension lead and taping it to the trackball. Messy but you want it to work, not pass a design competition.

[Bryan]

Thanks for the suggestions. I've taken your advice and removed the receiver from behind the box and plugged it into a spare socket at the top in sight of the trackerball. So far so good, but time will tell.

Edited June 22, 2020 by Bryan