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View Full Version : Why don't all mice have ferrite beads?



brawnypandora0
December 22nd, 2010, 07:29 AM
I have two mice--one made by Acer and one by Microsoft. The Microsoft one has a ferrite bead, but not the Acer one. Why? My keyboard doesn't have a ferrite bead.

brawnypandora0
June 26th, 2011, 05:06 AM
...same thing with keyboards

doas777
June 26th, 2011, 05:11 AM
I have no idea of what you speak. since I have a decade and a half worth of experience with these devices, I feel like I;m missing out on something. care to elucidate?

fabricator4
June 26th, 2011, 05:49 AM
I have no idea of what you speak. since I have a decade and a half worth of experience with these devices, I feel like I;m missing out on something. care to elucidate?

It think this is the ferrite device on the data cable. Normally, the cable runs though the Ferrite bead, or it might take a loop around it. The function of this device is to act as a choke for low frequency noise on the cable that might interfere with the operation of the device.

Low frequency noise can get onto the cable because it or the device may act as an antenna for low frequency EMR. Most modern devices do not need this as the internal electronics are designed sufficiently to filter this noise out.

Some computer stores sell (or used to sell) these ferrite beads so that you could add them to cables that were not already equipped with them. Unless you have a specific problem cause by EMR then these devices are probably not particularly useful as an add-on device.

The bead is not normally obvious in factory fit cables, but looks like a plastic housing over the cable, towards one end or the other. Those with no background in electronics would probably not give it a second thought.

Chris.

uRock
June 26th, 2011, 05:57 AM
Not an ubuntu support question => thread moved to the Cafe.

Thewhistlingwind
June 26th, 2011, 05:59 AM
Stuff like this is why I love the internet, learn something new every day.........

Bandit
June 26th, 2011, 06:03 AM
I have no idea of what you speak. since I have a decade and a half worth of experience with these devices, I feel like I;m missing out on something. care to elucidate?

Magnets yo.. They are not as popular as they were. Used to help eliminate external interference.

fabricator4
June 26th, 2011, 06:10 AM
Not an ubuntu support question => thread moved to the Cafe.

I understand, and I'm not being argumentative here, but the moderators/admins might want to revisit the misleading description of ABT:



The perfect starting place to find out more about computers, Linux and Ubuntu.
(emphasis added)


With the inclusion of the single word "computers" you are opening up a whole world of subjects not relating directly to Ubuntu, including the use of ferrite devices on cables.

Chris

3rdalbum
June 26th, 2011, 10:07 AM
I understand, and I'm not being argumentative here, but the moderators/admins might want to revisit the misleading description of ABT:



With the inclusion of the single word "computers" you are opening up a whole world of subjects not relating directly to Ubuntu, including the use of ferrite devices on cables.

Chris

I think ferrite beads are something that beginners need to worry about.

Ferrite beads might be useful on data cables, but not for mouse and keyboard cables. I've even seen them on power leads for certain TVs; never bothered to put them on actually and never seen a difference.

Elfy
June 26th, 2011, 10:30 AM
I understand, and I'm not being argumentative here, but the moderators/admins might want to revisit the misleading description of ABT:



With the inclusion of the single word "computers" you are opening up a whole world of subjects not relating directly to Ubuntu, including the use of ferrite devices on cables.

Chris

I've thought that on more than one occasion myself. I think it's been reworded for the new forum upgrade.

brawnypandora0
June 26th, 2011, 12:24 PM
I've thought that on more than one occasion myself. I think it's been reworded for the new forum upgrade.

When will the new forum upgrade take effect?

Antarctica32
June 26th, 2011, 01:46 PM
I know why! Electronic devices put off electrical interference. A high quality mouse will have the bead on it to disperse the interference. If you have a whole crap load of electrical appliances in 1 room the interference among them can lessen their functionality. For example, I once had a CRT that whenever I turned in on this radio I had would never work. Also a very similar thing happens with compact florescent and regular florescent light bulbs. In my basement we have 8 of the long florescent light bulbs, and whenever I have at least 4 of them turned on this CD player of mine never works. I have had trouble with this mouse that because it put off such interference, my audio on my desktop was all static.so perhaps the mouse without the bead did not put off enough interference to get a bead. Or maybe they just cheeped out on you.