This listing offers a replacement board to stealthily update your classic ADB wedge ball mouse with an optical sensor. It uses the original ADB port which was introduced with the Apple IIGS, Macintosh SE and Macintosh II and was used until the late 90s. If your mouse has lost its ball or it has stopped working, this board will help get it back into service.

Apple produced several variations of this mouse, so before purchasing, please open your mouse and check if its internal board matches the general shape shown in this listing.

This product is not a USB device, it is intended to be used with vintage machines, though it could be used with ADB to USB adapters if you want a classic ADB mouse with an optical sensor paired with your battle station.

Note: The ADB cable from your mouse is required, and you will need to desolder and solder 4 wires to the new board.

ADB Mouse Shell Compatibility

• ✅ Model G5431 (Made in Taiwan) - Tested and fits
• ✅ Model G5431 (Made in Ireland) - Tested and fits
• ❌ Model G5431 (Made in USA) - Does not fit
• ❓ Model A9M0331 (Made in Taiwan) - Compatibility TBD
• ❓ Model A9M0331 (Made in USA) - Compatibility TBD

Features

• Full ADB protocol compatibility as a mouse input device
• High-quality optical sensor set to 200 CPI by default for vintage systems
• Buttery smooth mouse movements
• Tested with SE/30, Iici, Quadra 800, and NeXTStation Turbo with ADB port
• Omron switch for mouse button
• Easy firmware updates through drag-and-drop of firmware files
• In-house developed device firmware

Included in Your Order

• ADB Optical Mouse board with lens
• New bottom cover to accommodate the optical sensor lens

Installation Instructions

To install the new board, use a soldering iron and tweezers or needle-nose pliers:

1. Heat the bottom board side of the wire.
2. Pull the wire out once the solder melts.
3. Clean off any excess solder from the wire ends before attaching them to the new board. It may be necessary to trim and strip the wires.
4. Insert the wire gland into the notch, note there is a curved side that is oriented toward the lower shell.

The new bottom cover installs the same way as the original mouse ball retainer.

Wire Color Coding

While You Wait for Your Order to Ship

Consider using this time to restore the original color of your mouse shell. A simple method involves placing the shell in a mason jar with OxiClean and leaving it in the sun (the process used on the mouse shown in this listing).

Project Background

This project began several years ago, initially tinkering with an Apple USB Optical Mouse that can output quadrature signals, followed by an Arduino Mega. Eventually, the focus shifted to mastering the ADB protocol via a USB to ADB project using a USB host shield. Then development circled back to developing an ADB optical mouse solution based on the RP2040, which made interfacing with the 3.3V optical sensor more efficient.