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  #61  
Old April 1st, 2017, 03:02 PM
Digerati Digerati is offline
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Well, Apple was notorious for being proprietary. They refused to comply with any AT or ATX Form Factor standards used by the IBM "clone" (PC) industry. If you wanted to attach, upgrade, or replace any part of the Apple computer, you had to buy it from Apple.

They got away with it because they were so big and because their products were of high quality. But their parts were not compatible with PCs.
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  #62  
Old January 17th, 2018, 04:06 AM
jelliott4 jelliott4 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ensign Tzap View Post
Hmmmm.......
Well, Kensington did produce a model K64210 Turbo Mouse for the Mac and later versions.
It is basically the same as the K64215 for the PC.
So, reusing that connector for the PC version would make sense.



Signed: Ensign Tzap
Anyone still following this thread? Did the original poster ever find a solution? What about the user with the damaged serial cable?

1) I'm curious because, having gone through a similar struggle to get my ancient K64210 to work on a new Mac at home a few years ago, I was thrilled to inherit a K64215 from a retiring coworker, for my (Windows 7) PC at work today, only to encounter the same disappointment as this thread's originator.

2) For the person with the damaged cable--it's just a serial cable with a Mini-DIN connector on one end--not proprietary at all, and also NOT the same as the connector on the K64210 (that, like all Mac input devices from 1986-1998, used ADB, not serial). But Kensington no doubt used the less-common connector for the serial port on the K64215 because it allowed them to use the same size hole in the plastic housing as the K64210's Mini-DIN ADB port. (Lots of things used Mini-DIN connectors; ADB, S-Video, serial ports, Microsoft InPort, Sun keyboard/mouse, PS/2 keyboard/mouse, SGI keyboard/mouse, but only the first two [4-pin] and the last two [6-pin] share the exact same pin configuration with each other.) In any case, all you need to do to replace the K64215's cable is to find a serial cable used to plug a PC-centric serial device into a Mac. (OK, actually not quite so straightforward because I seem to recall that most such peripherals inexplicably used a DB-25 connector instead of DB-9 [even though they only use like five pins], and PC motherboards inexplicably use male instead of female connectors [in violation of good design practice] for their serial ports, but adapters to work around both of those issues should be readily available; a cleaner solution might be to seek out a cable intended for plugging a Mac-centric serial device into a PC... in fact, on a whim I just searched Amazon for "mini din 8 db9 cable" and got a whole bunch of results for what should be a perfect replacement for the damaged K64215 cable!)
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  #63  
Old January 17th, 2020, 06:20 PM
recyclergeek recyclergeek is offline
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Yes, still around. Just delayed by two years. damn time travel issues...

I'm now in the similar boat as Tzap on attempting to work with either the K64325 or the K72327U. I'm leaning towards the former due to pleasing form factor and reading Amazonian reviews on button action on the 72327U... mostly all bad.

All this is assuming that the new KensingtonWorks driver "package", which I've read has it's own issues, isn't backwards compatible to support the 64215. Which it likely isn't as a search on their site returns zero results for 64215. Huh, maybe b/c I left out the "K"?
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  #64  
Old January 18th, 2020, 08:20 PM
Ensign Tzap Ensign Tzap is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by recyclergeek View Post
Yes, still around. Just delayed by two years. damn time travel issues...
Delayed is an understatement.

Quote:
Originally Posted by recyclergeek View Post
I'm now in the similar boat as Tzap on attempting to work with either the K64325 or the K72327U. I'm leaning towards the former due to pleasing form factor and reading Amazonian reviews on button action on the 72327U... mostly all bad.
I've got the K64325 because it was closer to the older K64215 in design, and fit my hand better than the K72327U.
Quote:
Originally Posted by recyclergeek View Post
All this is assuming that the new KensingtonWorks driver "package", which I've read has it's own issues, isn't backwards compatible to support the 64215. Which it likely isn't as a search on their site returns zero results for 64215. Huh, maybe b/c I left out the "K"?
No, your correct in that there are no drivers or software available from Kensington that is compatible with the K64215.

The only drivers and application software that is available, you can get them from driver download sites like Driverguide.
The drivers and support software only go up to Windows Vista.

Windows 7 does have a driver that works with the K64215.
But the 64-bit version of Windows 7, isn't backward compatible with the old Kensington software.
The 64-bit version has mouse controls that you can use to control the Mouse Cursor Speed.

Don't know about Windows 8, 8.1, or 10, 32-bit versions if they are backwards compatible to the old Kensington software.
Or if they even have a driver that is compatible to the old K64215.


Signed: Ensign Tzap
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  #65  
Old January 22nd, 2020, 06:11 AM
-Archie- -Archie- is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jelliott4 View Post
Anyone still following this thread?
Sure. I've even registered here, as there's not many of trackball-related places left nowadays!

IMHO, if you like 64210/64215 models so much, your best option is modding: original serial interface is of no use today, and PS/2 one won't allow to use more than 3 buttons via USB adapter.

For example, this is what I've done to excellent Curtis MVP-1 trackball:
https://forum.trackballs.eu/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=18
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  #66  
Old January 22nd, 2020, 05:35 PM
recyclergeek recyclergeek is offline
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Got a K64325 and installed it this morning (Windows 10 recognized it without an "install" or a reboot). Haven't tried it through the docking station, it's plugged directly into a USB port on the laptop.

So far so good even without the KensingtonWorks package.
I'm liking the button action & properties. The scroll ring is functional and smooth.
The ball itself has a nice heft but doesn't roll as easily or smoothly as the old K64215 but it works fine.
Mine came with the wrist pad that some buyers (Amazon reviews) complained wasn't included.
I like the tilt of the mouse housing, but my mouse is on a standing desk surface, level with my forearm at a 90 degree angle to my upper arm.

If the durability of it changes or problems arise I will come back to update.
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  #67  
Old January 22nd, 2020, 05:43 PM
recyclergeek recyclergeek is offline
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Thanks for that info Archie. Don't know if I wanna go to that much trouble... not that I don't have some requisite skills modding factory 'stuff', I just don't have much good experience with arduino. Again, time...

Tzap, how are you liking the K64325?

I guess here's my ultimate question for you folks (and no, I haven't googled it yet): Anyone know how hard it might be to custom write drivers for mice? UMDF or KMDF? I haven't coded since the early '80s... so, high school and college.

Last edited by recyclergeek; January 22nd, 2020 at 05:46 PM.
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  #68  
Old January 22nd, 2020, 07:29 PM
Ensign Tzap Ensign Tzap is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ensign Tzap View Post
UPDATE:
The K64325 Scroll Ring was flopping around too much for my liking.

I contacted Kensington, and they sent out a replacement.

Curiosity got the better of me.
So, after I got the replacement connected up.
I tore down the K64325 and looked at the Scroll Ring Assembly.
First thing I found was that two of the little plastic beads that the ring rides on were missing.
From what I could tell, it had originally had 5 beads.
Now it had only 3 beads, and one of the plastic lips that held the ring in place was cracked.

I looked inside the Trackball case for the beads, but I couldn't fine them.
This leads me to believe that the Trackball was damaged in assembly.

Either way, the Scroll Ring Assembly can't be repaired easily.

As for the Replacement TrackBall.........
I'm having issues with the Scroll Ring on it as well.
After using it for awhile, I found it binding up.
I can work the ring loose, but after awhile it will start binding up again.

I'm thinking of tearing it down, and cleaning the Scroll Ring Assembly.
Then put in some Teflon Grease on the Bead Bearings, to help smooth out the movement.
UPDATE: On the Replacement K64325 TrackBall.

I took Teflon Grease to the Bead Bearings on the Scroll Ring, and after working the Scroll Ring for awhile, I got it to stop binding.

The Ball feels okay, but I miss the fine control the old K64215 TrackBall has.

Also, I am cleaning the three beads under the Ball at least once or twice a week.



Signed: Ensign Tzap
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  #69  
Old October 19th, 2020, 08:19 PM
Ensign Tzap Ensign Tzap is offline
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UPDATE:

The K64325's Scroll Ring stopped working suddenly.
So, I torn it down to find why it had failed.

Dirt and hair had gotten inside, blocking the photo interrupter.
But, that wasn't all that was wrong.

After I cleaned out most of the dirt and hair.
I saw that some hair had rapped around the leads of the photo interrupter.
Thus, when the slotted scroll ring was turned, it pulled on the hair, and the leads.
This caused the leads to break loose from the solder connection on the PCB.

After I removed the last of the hair.
I repaired the solder connections to the leads of the photo interrupter.
Then used Q-tips with isopropyl alcohol to clean it, the ball beads, and lens.
I put some more Teflon Grease on the Bead Bearings of the Scroll Ring.

The scroll ring is working good again, as is the rest of the Trackball.
But this failure was unexpected.


Signed: Ensign Tzap
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  #70  
Old July 22nd, 2021, 07:11 PM
recyclergeek recyclergeek is offline
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Wanted to drop back by and let you know that I've had good luck on the two K64325 that I've been using. One my employer purchased for me and I liked it so much I bought one for home.
I'm running them on Windows 10 both locations without the Kensington device drivers.

they're not a perfect replacement for the older models that I could use an eight ball or a 13 billiard ball. but I'm liking the deal.
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