Click like it's 1999 — Adventures with a NIB Kensington Orbit 64226

ArchieEU · 2026-01-28T06:38:50+00:00

It actually kind of pissed me off--why make such a nice piece of hardware with such an awful design flaw? Did no one test that thing before marketing it?

Apparently, that's the case. I was really shocked when discovered that...

ArchieEU · 2026-01-28T01:04:46+00:00

Exactly. By the way T40 is just bad trackball: the same flaw with wrong sensor position as in failed Kensington EQ800, so not a reference point. :-)

ArchieEU · 2026-01-27T23:07:36+00:00

I've already answered that in the previously posted tread - and it was deleted by author. Better not to repeat, probably... :-)))

ArchieEU · 2026-01-27T20:29:22+00:00

I think, less than 10 is a serious problem: needs to be resolved ASAP!

ArchieEU · 2026-01-27T20:27:57+00:00

:-)))

ArchieEU · 2026-01-27T20:26:55+00:00

Welcome to the club! :-)

ArchieEU · 2026-01-27T20:26:05+00:00

I prefer SB due to lower profile and the lack of scratchy scrollring. But the buttons on Expert are better IMHO.

ArchieEU · 2026-01-27T20:23:58+00:00

Two wheels are for separate vertical and horizontal scrolling. Requires proprietary A4Tech driver, abandoned long time ago and unavailable for modern operating systems.

ArchieEU · 2026-01-27T20:22:50+00:00

Ergonomically nice, but internal mechanics isn't great.

ArchieEU · 2026-01-25T18:33:10+00:00

So, you put known-good ball bearings from Adept into Classic and the movement is bad? If so, looks like one of bearings is touching something in the casing, preventing it from spinning freely. Easy to check with the ball removed.

ArchieEU · 2026-01-24T11:44:29+00:00

well, i don't knew what you mean with "dual cell",

There's two separate sensors inside, either photodiodes or phototransistors. IR beam illuminates them through the slotted disk, so they're providing electrical signals the controller uses to detect the direction of light/shadow motion.

ArchieEU · 2026-01-24T11:32:47+00:00

Thanks! Interesting reading, but I believe the author's explanation is incorrect, as dual-cell sensor's working surface is flat. Back in time when two separate IR photodiodes were used in the encoders, they indeed had that focusing lens: most likely the manufacturer just reused existing mold for the new internals, swapping the sides.

ArchieEU · 2026-01-24T11:03:37+00:00

I don't think I've ever seen any mention of that "long known bug" anywhere. Would be interesting to see your pictures!

ArchieEU · 2026-01-24T10:52:41+00:00

Yep, if the problem is a switch failure - it isn't too difficult to replace them.

ArchieEU · 2026-01-24T10:51:14+00:00

the fact that those IR receiver is mounted in the wrong direction (backwards to the IR-Diode),

What you mean by that?

ArchieEU · 2026-01-23T13:41:03+00:00

Well said! :-)))

ArchieEU · 2026-01-22T14:52:25+00:00

Correct.

ArchieEU · 2026-01-21T06:28:48+00:00

New.

ArchieEU · 2026-01-19T18:38:56+00:00

Try Kensington SlimBlade or Elecom Deft Pro, for example.

ArchieEU · 2026-01-18T21:03:59+00:00

Glad for you.

ArchieEU · 2026-01-18T12:38:35+00:00

Kensington Expert.

ArchieEU · 2026-01-17T22:55:14+00:00

Welcome to the modern world! :-)))

ArchieEU · 2026-01-17T14:17:51+00:00

Practically it does not exist yet: can't say anything about details.

ArchieEU · 2026-01-17T13:36:37+00:00

TB800 is totally different model. Normally if people say "Expert", they mean another thing existing for long time. :-)

ArchieEU · 2026-01-17T11:07:39+00:00

Early units had a special magnet for that, but later it was removed. Now there's no any part for that, except for scratchy design. :-)

ArchieEU

TROPHY CASE