Mices - Bluetooth vs. RF

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ahmad

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Topic # 18440 10-Jan-2008 16:40

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for a portable mouse for a laptop predominantly. I was surprised to find the market mostly flooded with RF mice, despite the rise of Bluetooth in even lower end laptops.

The advantage of a Bluetooth mouse would be no dongle, although I read somewhere that you still have to manually pair the devices every time you turn the computer on - is that true?

Disadvantages include lower battery life, and possible WiFi intereference - is this true?

Help me please. Do you have any experience or advice with regards Bluetooth vs. RF for mice?

wazzageek

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Reply # 104043 10-Jan-2008 17:24

I'm looking for a portable mouse for a laptop predominantly. I was surprised to find the market mostly flooded with RF mice, despite the rise of Bluetooth in even lower end laptops.

The advantage of a Bluetooth mouse would be no dongle, although I read somewhere that you still have to manually pair the devices every time you turn the computer on - is that true?

No - once you pair the mouse you start and stop your machine without loosing it. If you have an "untrusted" pairing, then you can end up having to reconnect each time. TBH, you will encouter more problems than just having to re-connect each time if you try to carry on through in this manner.

Disadvantages include lower battery life, and possible WiFi intereference - is this true?

I can't comment on battery life - I keep a stock of AA and AAA rechargable batteries around - keyboards last months, mice seem to last even longer. In terms of interference, I've never had interference with bluetooth - but RF I've really had issues before (keyboards stop responding, mice stop responding, or worse, behaving erractically.

Help me please. Do you have any experience or advice with regards Bluetooth vs. RF for mice?

One of the biggest downsides by going Bluetooth is a lack of options locally.

Personally, if you have bluetooth in your laptop without a dongle, I would go with that on the basis that you don't need a dongle (which on a laptop if you are moving about a lot can just simply be a pain.

regards.

tonyhughes

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Reply # 104118 10-Jan-2008 22:40

Although i like bluetooth, i see too man people having reliability problems with BT keyboards and mice.

I want to get a Logitech VX Nano RF Mouse, that the dongle literally only sticks out a few mm, so can stay in permanently, and not need to be removed for transport etc.

wazzageek

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Reply # 104125 10-Jan-2008 23:12

Wierd - the only problem I've had so far has been with the stupid little wheel in the mac mice.

I've had no end of problems with RF - however, I use bluetooth almost exclusively with my mac and my windows mobile phone ...

alasta

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Reply # 104135 11-Jan-2008 06:48

About 18 months ago I bought a Logitech wireless notebook laser mouse with a plug in USB adaptor and recently the scroll wheel has started behaving erratically. I'm pretty sure that it's a fault with some moving part inside the wheel rather than an RF issue, but either way I've had to replace it and I decided not to buy Logitech again as this isn't the first problem I've had with their products.

I ended up buying a Microsoft Bluetooth Notebook 5000 mouse which appears to be just as responsive as the Logitech. It was also totally painless to set up, there's no need to re-pair it when I reboot, and I love not having to plug in a USB receiver. Unfortunately I seem to have a problem with it occassionally freezing for a few seconds, after which it suddenly comes right. I think this is a bluetooth related problem but I haven't yet had time to do any research into what's causing it or whether I can fix it. I consider it to be a reasonably minor problem, but I might have reconsidered buying the bluetooth model if I'd known that this would occur.

chiefie

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Reply # 104141 11-Jan-2008 07:59

tonyhughes: Although i like bluetooth, i see too man people having reliability problems with BT keyboards and mice.

I want to get a Logitech VX Nano RF Mouse, that the dongle literally only sticks out a few mm, so can stay in permanently, and not need to be removed for transport etc.

Second that, I personally have lots of BT related issues from A2DP to HID... so my optimistic view with BT is pretty damaged by this unreliablility... RF is proven technology (in my eyes) BT is great but too flaky and in some cases, problem exists in the BT software that you use (or being included, or supplied), and half the time, the inconsistent with its behaviour.

Logitech VX Nano gets my vote, and I will replace my laptop wireless mouse with that if the current one should ever failed.

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ahmad

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Reply # 104143 11-Jan-2008 08:02

I love Microsoft Hardware. Their software can be a dog, and I loathed the company around the time of the "browser wars" in the 90s, but I do respect their hardware. The only problem I've ever had was one of the "back/forward" buttons on a wired Intellipoint mouse which stopped working, but was replaced under the 5 year warranty provided.

scottjpalmer

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Reply # 104146 11-Jan-2008 08:15

A notebook can only support one bluetooth conection at a time yes? So using a bluetooth mouse means you limit what else you can do while using the mouse?

The Nano gets my vote too, I'll be getting one shortly, thanks Tony!! Is there any chance the receiver will talk to a Logitech wireless keyboard also? Or are the receivers specific to the device they are sold with and/or the keyboard + mouse combos have a special dual channel receiver?

Robz

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Reply # 104152 11-Jan-2008 08:46

You can pair more than one bluetooth device to your laptop or PC. I currently have my mouse and mobile phone (sync contacts, music, calendar to outlook) paired to my laptop. I have a Microsoft laser 8000 mouse which is rechargeable (takes about 1 hour if the battery is completely flat) so not problems with battery life

. I have had it a couple of months and there have been no issues with the device or connectivity so far.

wazzageek

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Reply # 104154 11-Jan-2008 08:52

Bluetooth you can certainly have more than one device - my mac is currently utilising the mouse and downloading iTunes stuff via the phone - the mouse is responsive and works well. I've also had a bluetooth keyboard setup.

I vowed not to buy another "mighty mouse" mouse from apple after the scroll ball got damaged (couldn't do anything about a waranty at the time as my temper got away with me :-() - but I have bought another one - which stays at home.

I bought a Kensington mouse to replace that (bluetooth) - and it's been nothing but joy.

Of course - when I had the RF issues, I had two wireless routers, three sets of RF keyboards and two cordless phones (all using the same frequency range) within the same room, and a further couple of access points and cordless phones scattered through the house.

From what I understand, bluetooth encrypts the traffic going between keyboard and computer, whereas RF doesn't - HOWEVER - I've never had this qualified further than someone telling me .... (Anyone can confirm or deny this)? This did put me off using RF keyboards in a commercial setting for a long time.

scottjpalmer

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Reply # 104165 11-Jan-2008 10:26

Ahhhh cool, you learn something every day :-)

freitasm

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Reply # 104171 11-Jan-2008 10:53

wazzageek: From what I understand, bluetooth encrypts the traffic going between keyboard and computer, whereas RF doesn't - HOWEVER - I've never had this qualified further than someone telling me ....

Not only it encrypts (which would do nothing for interference) but actually Bluetooth uses frequency hopping, thus reducing interference with other uses of the same 2.4 GHz (ISM) band.

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