Serial Mouse Blaster: The Quest for the Serial Optical Mouse (part 3)

The third part of the Serial Mouse Blaster project, that converts a modern USB optical mouse to serial. We are putting together the new PCB revision 0.3 that fixes several issues and fits nicely inside the mouse.
PCB: github.com/scrapcomputing/Ser...
Firmware: github.com/scrapcomputing/Ser...
Part 2: • Serial Mouse Blaster: ...
Part 1: • Quest for the Serial O...
CuteMouse DOS Driver: cutemouse.sourceforge.net/
Music: Track Stalker from the Duke Duke Dance Party Album
by the Space Quest Historian, Troels Pleimert
spacequesthistorian.bandcamp.com
• "Duke Duke Dance Party...

[@PROSTO4Tabal]

Dn3d music is great as always! Subscribed

[@Skracken]

A bit of a soldering tip, use addition flux, and you will see it's easier to get nice solder joints. Awesome project, friend!

[@shaunclarke94]

Great to see youre getting the confidence to tackle SMD projects now.
Keep it up!

[@michaelturner2806]

Soldering looks so satisfying in these videos, but at that level of detail, I don't think I could trust my shaky hands.

[@scrap_computing]

That's what I though myself and I was avoiding SMD parts, but it's not that much harder than through-hole. You just need some tweezers and some helping hands to hold the board at a comfortable position.

[@davefiddes]

The new design looks really neat. Well done!

[@billydotcom9612]

So interesting! Thank you for your time and knowledge.

[@darthtripedacus1]

Thanks for that tip with using a small solder blob. SMD has always been a little difficult for me trying to hold the iron in one hand the components in another and the solder in my.mouth hahahaha.

[@scrap_computing]

Haha, yeah I usually prefer through-hole components, but it turns out SMD isn't too bad after all. 1206 package on a board with pads optimized for hand-soldering is actually pretty easy.

[@darthtripedacus1]

@@scrap_computing through hole is easier but takes so much heat. But with that little trick I think surface mount will be much easier for me. Again thanks for all you do. Your channel may be small but I believe your impact will be immense.

[@ayan.debnath]

GREAT VIDEO. GREAT TUTORIAL.
But, I prefer an external adapter/converter design.... not inside the mouse....

[@Dxceor2486]

Do you think this could work with wireless mouse or does the USB dongle just take too much power ?

[@scrap_computing]

That's a great question. I will give it a try and will get back to you. If it works that would be really awesome! We could make a serial-to-wireless mouse dongle, with no external power!

[@scrap_computing]

I checked the USB dongle of a Logitech M170 but it consumes 19mA, which is way too much.

[@Dxceor2486]

@@scrap_computing that's unfortunate, thanks for trying anyway :)

[@robertbruce7686]

😎☝

[@snakezdewiggle6084]

I spotted the problems as you were soldering. C3, C6, did not take solder, need to be reflowed.
Pin 7 and 8 on 555 didn't take solder. But it's working 👍
Great board design. Why did you go with Pi ?

[@scrap_computing]

Yeah soldering with the camera in the way is a bit tricky, so I usually mess it up :)
No particular reason for going with a Pico, other than I had a couple lying around and that it has USB host support.

[@snakezdewiggle6084]

Yeah, know you mean.
I use a little 4"x4"x2" cushion / pillow under my left and right hand.
Thru the camera / phone. There is a flexible "goose neck" with desk clamp on one end and phone clamp on the other. Position the phone were you would expect a magnifier would be over your work.
, ;)

[@szyszka8303]

Why not switching to hot-air & flux with smd components?

[@scrap_computing]

I find it a bit easier to solder them using the soldering iron. Most footprints I used are actually designed with hand-soldering in mind.