There is a tendency to confuse familiarity with superiority.

It’s been almost 4 months since I posted my hands-on review of the Logitech M570 trackball mouse. It was a highly favorable review with a couple minor complaints. Since then, the M570 has become my mouse of choice, and with the benefit of hindsight I’d like to address a few of my older observations:

“Feels a little light and small (for my taste)”

I’m glad I mentioned the word “taste”, because my taste has changed. Now, when I put my hands on my old MS Trackball Optical, it feels excessively bulky and “heavy”, overall. I’ve actually come to prefer the size of the M570. At the time of writing the review, I felt like the MS Trackball felt more substantial and less fragile. Now that old mouse feels almost clumsy in comparison to the M570.

“Although the molded shape fits my hand well, the position of the buttons and trackball seemed to be geared for smaller hands and took some getting used to.”

It’s true, the M570 took some “getting used to”. My biggest concern was that the size of the M570 would turn out to be a critical flaw; I was afraid, that my thumb would fatigue faster because it had to be slightly contracted to stay “on the ball”. Yet, there has not been a single case where that has caused a noticeable problem for me, whether gaming or working. I do wish the mouse was slightly longer, with the ball was positioned farther away, so that my thumb was more often in a relaxed/stretched position. Still, this has mostly become a non-issue for me.

“…the ball makes almost imperceptible noise and feels a little â€?roughâ€? when you roll it. I’d compare it to the sound and feel of rubbing one of your fingers on paper”

In the comments for the review, other members mentioned a similar issue. Some even claimed the culprit was a tiny piece of rogue plastic in the ball area – an unintentional leftover from the manufacturing process. A couple users removed it and reported the issue to be resolved, thoughI wasn’t brave enough to attempt surgery on my mouse. After a month or two of use, I noticed that this issue went away. Now my M570 is almost as quiet as the MS mouse.

Since I wrote the review I’ve noticed one major advantage of the M570 over my old MS Trackball: It glides almost effortlessly, only sticking when it is severely dirty (which is easily resolved). This is somewhat counterintuitive: My old MS trackball mouse feels “smoother” when I roll the ball, yet it requires more effort to get going; There is more resistance. The benefit of the M570′s ease is most noticeable in games, when I need to make very minor movements.

The M570 has really grown on me since I wrote the review. Compared to my old favorite, the MS Trackball Optical, the M570 has proven to be easier to use, more precise, and less likely to gum up. After 4 months of use, there is no question that the M570 has become my favorite mouse, and I continue to give it my highest recommendation.

Perhaps the stars had aligned in December. Within days of learning about Jay Garcia’s real-life, fully operational (and purchasable) Trackball Controller for the Xbox 360, Daniel Natapov wrote to tell me about his own working Xbox 360 Trackball Controller prototype, plus a Master’s Thesis he had just completed that empirically demonstrated the advantages of trackball control.

Natapov’s 2010 thesis includes several empirical tests using control groups and subjects with varying degrees of gaming experience. The test show, among other things, that whether a user is already accustomed to using a thumbstick or is a novice, thumb-operated trackballs are superior to right-hand thumbsticks:

The trackball controller outperformed the standard controller in each block, for both groups. Surprisingly, even for participants who were proficient with standard game controllers, but largely novice trackball users, performance with the trackball controller was higher. …not only is the trackball controller significantly better (in terms of throughput), it requires little or no re-learning for users who are experienced with standard game controllers. Overall, novices using the trackball controller outperformed advanced users using the standard controller

Natapov’s studies show that users not only performed better with the trackball controller, they preferred it to the “standard” console controllers.

Comparing just the console controllers, 15 out of 16 participants (93.8%) rated the trackball controller ahead of the standard controller in terms of preference – an overwhelming majority.

Thanks to work by people like Daniel Natapov and Jay Garcia, the ergonomic and performance benefits of trackballs are more undeniable than ever. I can’t help but think that, for a console maker looking to differentiate, the right thumbstick-to-trackball conversion is low-hanging fruit.

Daniel Natapov’s thesis, The empirical evaluation and improvement of video game controllers., is available on his website. In addition to other papers on the subject of game controllers, he has a YouTube video showing a modified Xbox 360 Trackball-swapped controller which was used in the study.

(Photos copyright Trackballer.com)

Overview

The Trackball Controller for the Xbox 360 (Official site, $149 at eBay as of Dec 2010) is actually a modification to the Xbox 360 controller, performed by an inventor name Jay Garcia. He is probably most recognized for creating the SmartJoy Frag.

In a nutshell, Garcia has replaced the right-hand thumbstick on the 360 controller with an optical trackball input. Since the right-hand thumbstick on the 360 also has a “click” feature, he has added a button on the underside of the controller to handle that function. There is also an additional button which is used to calibrate the dead zone/sensitivity. (More on that later). Finally, the controller comes with two trackballs for you to choose from: a black plastic ball and a shiny metal ball bearing. I’ve stuck with the plastic one.

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(Photos copyright Trackballer.com)

You might be asking…

Why use a trackball?

Mice and trackballs are simply better pointing interfaces for gaming — especially in first-person shooter (FPS) games. (If console thumb sticks were superior input devices for FPS, competitive PC gamers would have switched to using hand-held controllers or joysticks long ago.) To determine how well the Trackball Controller lives up to expectations, it’s important to note some of the reasons many have been hoping for a device like this:

• Mouse style input is capable of both high speed and accurate “twitch” movement, while also permitting very subtle and controlled adjustments.
• Mouse-style input requires less user input, per character motion: (e.g., move in one direction and then back to center to stop the character).
• Trackballs are becoming increasingly popular now because they can achieve the same fidelity of control as mice, without moving one’s entire arm. Furthermore, trackballs are portable (can be used on a lap or any other surface), and they take up less desk area because they don’t need to move.
• The right-hand thumb stick on console controllers (Xbox’s, Playstations) aren’t even used in most games. When they are, it is generally used for pointing operations like camera control and cross hair pointing — perfect for a trackball.

So, it’s no surprise that I get regular inquiries from gamers asking whether a device that incorporates a trackball is ever going to be released. Finally, we have a contender.

How it works

Currently, Xbox 360 games are not programmed to receive trackball/mouse input. That’s why we can’t simply hack a mouse USB adapter and expect it to work with Xbox 360 games. Consequently, the Trackball Controller works by interpreting user input into “thumb stick language” for the game. This video, released by Jay Garcia two weeks ago, does a good job of showing how well the controller works:

Using the Controller

After years of waiting for a working device like this to appear, my first experience holding the controller was happily anticlimactic; It felt as natural as an unmodified one. The “right click” button on the underside felt perfectly placed and it took me just minutes to get used to it. In fact, I actually prefer it to the somewhat clumsy act of pushing a thumb stick “in”.

The trackball itself sits somewhat high in the controller and doesn’t lock into place. That means it can fall out if you tip the controller upside down. However, I think it was a great design decision to place the ball this high because it maximizes the area where your thumb can maintain control. The looseness of the ball was initially disconcerting to me because I had a tendency to push too hard and make it wobble upward slightly. That concern quickly passed as I got used to the controller.

Making it Work Well

Remember that extra little black button I mentioned earlier? It’s a calibration feature and happens to be critically important to your gaming future with the Trackball Controller. Inventor Jay Garcia needed to add a calibration function to the device because every game on the 360 can have a different definition of 1) how big the dead zone is and 2) how the dead zone is shaped. Additionally, if you change the sensitivity settings in-game, that can also change the size if the dead zone.

Dead Zone: Space within which you can move an input device without input being registered in-game. Without a dead zone, unintentional movements or vibrations in your hand would trigger unwanted movement of your character or pointer in the game.

So, to compensate, the Trackball Controller has a button that allows you to calibrate the dead zone to your needs. For example, I found that Bad Company 2 was simply not fun to play if the controller had been calibrated for Black Ops. However, once calibrated, both games perform equally well.

In-Game Performance

Creator Jay Garcia had said that Call of Duty: Black Ops was a great demonstration of the controller’s abilities, so for the first day, I played it exclusively.

The first thing I noticed was the slow default pointing “speed limit” in these console games. If I quickly moved the trackball, the cross hair would have to play catch-up, moving at “thumb stick speed”. Thankfully, adjusting sensitivity settings improved things. With Black Ops, I increased the sensitivity as I high as I could without sacrificing “small aim” accuracy. That ended up being “7″ (of 10) versus the default of “2″.

It’s worth noting that with normal thumb stick controllers, in-game sensitivity levels have much more severe costs and benefits: For example, when you increase sensitivity you can move the pointer faster, but the space with which you can make minor adjustments quickly gets too small, making the game unplayable. With the Trackball Controller, however, I was impressed that I could achieve very high aiming speed without losing any accuracy on the small end. This brings me to the most notable characteristic of the device.

Because the Trackball Controller for the Xbox 360 has to translate your input into “thumb stick language” there is a ceiling on how fast the cross hair can move; That speed depends on the game and how high you raise the sensitivity level. With sensitivity settings raised, you will be able to comfortably aim at higher speeds than ever before on your console. Though, if you are a PC gamer, you might still be disappointed that you can’t do instantaneous 180 degree spins to “check your six” and then another 180 degree back to front (how realistic is that, anyway?). For you, it will take a while to feel as comfortable as you are on the PC. I started to feel “at one” with the trackball controller after a week.

Even though this device is somewhat limited by games that have been programmed for normal controllers, it truly outshines its thumb stick counterparts, especially when it comes to highly accurate, fine-tuned aiming.

A case study: Aim small, miss small

Imagine, for instance, you are sniping from a bell tower, trained on a street below. You need to be prepared for the enemy either taking cover behind a wrecked car, running straight across the street, or running towards your position. To be successful, the adjustment to your aim will have to be very small, yet quick and accurate. Suddenly, an enemy combatant dashes into the middle of the street from the left side, appearing to run across. As you begin tracking him in your sites from left to right, he suddenly turns back to the left.

On a thumb stick, you have to move your thumb back to the left, past the center (dead zone), to a place where the cross hair will begin moving left at some rate . Compare that to the trackball controller: The instant you move your thumb left, the cross hair moves also, at a rate that is proportional to how fast you move your thumb. Hence the reaction time is shorted the movement is more predictable, and less input is required.

The Trackball Controller effectively removes the dead zone, and I can’t think of anything nicer to say about, well, anything.

Summary

Now that I have used the Trackball Controller for Xbox 360 for a week, I won’t be going back to thumb sticks. Despite being speed-limited by games that have been designed for thumb sticks, the Trackball Controller offers superior aiming control, letting you crank up the sensitivity and aiming speed, while still allowing for precise, controlled “small aiming”. If your budget allows, I highly recommend it, both to PC gamers making the transition to the couch and to console veterans looking for another advantage.

Pros:

• Superb aiming control, especially at low speeds
• Intuitive feel, well-placed buttons, nice calibration feature.
• Worked fine on all games I tested, including non-shooters.
• You will not want to use a thumb stick again after using this controller.

Cons:

• Though you can comfortably achieve much faster aiming with the controller, aiming speed is ultimately limited to game sensitivity settings (e.g., no instant 180′s)
• Needs to be calibrated to work optimally for some games.

Though I hope next-generation consoles include native trackball-style input, Jay Garcia’s Trackball Controller gives us very welcome performer today.

—–
It was very pleasant surprise to see an Xbox 360 Trackball Controller arrive in the mail, Monday. If you’ve followed this blog in the past, you realize how long I’ve been waiting to see someone put out a functioning trackball controller for any console. Thanks to Jay Garcia for coming to the rescue.

I was hoping to do a review this week, but to be fair, I’m giving myself more time to get used to the controller before making any conclusions. I can, however, tell you what some of my initial impressions are:

• Great care has been made to make the Xbox 360 Trackball Controller function well, physically. The relocation of the “right thumbstick click” button to the underside of the controller works well, and I quickly got comfortable with it.
• The ball sinks about halfway into the controller. At first, this seemed odd, because most trackball mice have the ball more “nested”. However, I think this was a great decision, because it creates more space around the ball for the thumb to play with. Also, because of this design, the ball does not lock into place and can be lifted out at any time for cleaning.
• I was told that the controller works very well with Call of Duty: Black Ops, so I’ve primarily been playing that game with the device. I did, however try Battlefield: Bad Company 2 to compare. I could not get the controller to feel as consistent with that game, but before I come to any conclusions, I’ll ask the developers if they have any tips. *UPDATE* Jay Garcia explained how to calibrate the controller for each game, and it worked BEAUTIFULLY in Bad Company 2 – More to come in my review.
• The first thing I noticed is that I could perform a much wider range of movements than I could with a thumbstick. For example, in Black Ops I was able to set mouse sensitivity to 7 of 10, making near-twitch movements, as well as ultra-fine, highly subtle adjustments to the cross-hair position without any difficulty.
• For people who are accustomed to using trackball mice on the PC, very fast “twitch” motions over a high range on the trackball might not have predictable results. I’m waiting to get more comfortable with the device before making conclusions.
• The controller comes with two trackballs, one black plastic one and one heavier, metal ball bearing. The metal ball certainly has nice visual appeal, but I am sticking with the plastic one for now.

I hope to have a more complete review, soon!

I was skeptical until I saw this:

I’m excited to have one of these controllers coming my way next week, and I’ll be one of the first to give it a hands-on review. In the meantime, you can get more details on this new device at Jay’s website: http://trackballcontroller.com.

Stay tuned.

I’ve spent two days using the new Logitech Trackball Wireless M570 and I’m very impressed, overall.  Retailing for $59.99,  M570 is Logitech’s newest thumb-operated trackball mouse, and is ostensibly a spiritual successor to their popular Trackman series. Updates and additions include:

• Programmable back/forward buttons
• Further refined shape over existing Logitech Trackman mice.
• Wireless, supporting “Logitech Unifying” technology
• Adjustable laser

For me, the M570 is a potential replacement for my coveted Microsoft Trackball Optical, a model which has been discontinued. Thus, I compared the M570 to my “MTO” in nearly every regard.

Style

In terms of looks, the M570 is a departure from Logitech’s incumbent trackball mice. Its plastic shell is black and they chose a blue trackball instead of their usual red. Blue isn’t my favorite color, but I like the appearance overall. (It would be nice if you could buy replacement trackballs in various colors to personalize it.)

Installation

Great job, Logitech. I simply plugged in the included USB wirless receiver into my computer and I was using the mouse within seconds without having to see a single menu. No disks were even included in the box. You can optionally download the free Logitech software to program buttons and adjust settings.

Using the M570

Like other Logitech trackballs I’ve used in the past, the ball makes almost imperceptible noise and feels a little  ”rough” when you roll it. I’d compare it to the sound and feel of rubbing one of your fingers on paper. My MS Trackball Optical, on the other hand, is as smooth as glass.  At first, the feel of Lotitech annoyed me, but after a day I don’t notice it.

Though I’m not yet a fan of the “feel” of the ball, I’m  huge fan of the performance. The M570′s most noticeable advantage over the MS Trackball Optical is how much more easily the ball moves. With the MS Trackball Optical, I’ve found it difficult to move a stationary cursor (or crosshair) just one or two pixels, because there is always just a little stickiness to overcome before it starts to glide.  The ball in the M570 simply glides more effortlessly from a standstill position. This is a huge advantage for gamers, but also for people using graphic design programs.

Compared to the Microsoft Trackball Optical, the M570 felt less substantial in weight, size and feel. In fact, the trackball itself felt smaller, too, so I compared them:

I was glad to see the alignment of the mouse felt identical to the MS Trackball Optical. Switching back and forth between the two required no re-orienting.

Less “Room to Play”?

The M570 itself is smaller, too. I have mixed feelings about the overall comfort of the device:

(**UPDATE** Be sure to read my 4-month follow up to this review)

The contours and shape of the M570 fit my hand like a glove. In fact, it’s a much better fit than the MS Trackball Optical.  However, after using the M570 for a minutes, I noticed something.

When I placed my hand so that it felt most comfy on the mouse, my thumb extended past the middle of the ball, limiting the range of motion. I found myself either sliding my hand back or curling my thumb slightly to stay “on point”. It seems that the M570 (and perhaps other Logitech trackballs) are designed for smaller hands. (I’m a 6-foot male, by the way.)

My old MS Trackball Optical overcomes this problem by having a more generically shaped shell and longer mouse buttons. Users with a wide range of hand sizes (like those in my family) can find their “home” on it and use it comfortably. The M570, on the other hand, is so ergonomically shaped that I wondered if it ends up being a little  less accommodating to those outside a certain range of hand sizes.

In normal computer use, the above issue is minor, and I am able to use the M570 comfortably. However, gamers will want as much range of motion available to them as possible. The Microsoft Trackball Optical seems  to excel in this area by placing the ball on a wide, open face. Your thumb has lots of room to “play”.  The ball in the M570 sits within a more contoured socket that “juts out” along the bottom and upper portion near the “forward” and “back” buttons. Sometimes, my thumb is stopped by these bumpers before I want them to.

I’m happy to say that, after a few rounds in Team Fortress 2, the M570 performed wonderfully — especially once I found a good hand position that gave me the most control and range with the ball.

*Disclaimer* I haven’t empirically tested whether there is actually less available range of motion on the M570; It just feels and looks that way.

Going forward, and back

I can’t imagine using a web browser today without having the “back” and “forward” buttons right at my fingertip. So, the biggest selling point for me was the addition of those buttons on the M570. I have to admit they are much better designed than the ones on my trusty Microsoft Trackball Optical. Everyone who has used my MS mouse has accidentally clicked the small “back”button, thinking it was the primary mouse button. The Logitech forward and back buttons should cause no confusion for new users.

Other Observations

Like other trackball mice, the ball can be ejected for cleaning. However, the hole on the underside was too small for all but my pinky finger, and it was uncomfortable pushing the ball out.

Logitech earns some karma points by including a Duracell battery in the mouse – a pleasant surprise. Thanks!

Summary

Pros:

Cons:

• Feels a little light and small (for my taste)
• Although the molded shape fits my hand well, the position of the buttons and trackball seemed to be geared for smaller hands and took some getting used to.
• Ball “eject” hole on the underside should be larger.

The Verdict

The Logitech M570 is a very well crafted mouse and a welcome device in my home office. Though gamers and advanced users might appreciate a gamer-oriented design with higher  range of motion and more programmable buttons, this mouse appears to be the leader of today’s very small pack of trackball mouse options. The addition of programmable buttons and wireless  make the M570 the trackball mouse to get today, whether you are new to trackballs or are looking for an upgrade.

For years now,  I’ve cherished my two Microsoft Trackball Opticals (one at home, one at work) fearing the day when I’d have to replace one. My Microsoft Trackball Opticals (MTO’s)  are rarer than you might think. Not only has production of the MTO been discontinued — mine might be some of the few MTO’s produced that actually work.

This is one of my smooth-operating MTO

About ten years ago when I first started using the MTO, I became almost religiously converted, evangelising trackball mice to anyone who would listen. Many converted — some to the Logitech series and some to the MTO’s I recommended so highly. Many sore wrists and arms were healed. Mousepads vanished. Desktop space formerly reserved for wandering mice was given back to the commons. Water almost turned to wine once.

Then, a couple years later, I noticed some people, including my mother in law, were complaining that the trackballs in their MTO’s were just too sticky. A coworker said he had to clean his constantly, and even then it was tough to roll. I was convinced they were doing something wrong.

“Did you use window cleaner? Is hand lotion gunking it up? ?”

My MTO, which I had been using for over 5 years, was smooth as glass. I could gently flick it and the ball would spin freely and silently in the socket, like a beach ball in a pool. Not so in the other’s mice.

One day at the office I decided I had to figure out what was going on. On a whim, I put the ball from my MTO into the socket of the “bad” mouse. It worked smoothly, just like mine — huh? The opposite was true: putting the other mouse’s ball into my MTO’s socket exhibited the same tough rolling my coworker complained about. It must be the ball!

Looking closely at the two extracted trackballs side-by-side, it was clear: My MTO’s ball was glossy, and in the mirror-like reflection I could make out fine details in the window and office. The other ball had a somewhat cloudier finish. My mother-in-law’s mouse had the same problem.

Here’s what I know. The “bad” mice were more recent productions of the Microsoft Trackball Optical (a lighter , more gray plastic is the most noticeable difference).

I have a few theories on why the trackballs got in such poor shape:

• The newer MTO’s shipped with poorer quality trackballs with a less polished finish and never worked smoothly. (Maybe… But that seems like something QA would have noticed and rectified quickly.)
• The MTO’s worked fine out of the box, but the plastic used in the trackballs was less durable and eventually degraded.
• The MTO’s worked fine out of the box, but the little metal bearings upon which the trackballs rest were produced differently and scratched the trackballs over time.

Whichever the case may be, I realized I may never be able to find a good high quality trackball mouse again — at least not one with” forward” and “back” buttons. The MTO was the only trackball mouse with more than three buttons on the market. Today you can find some used MTO’s for sale online at inflated prices, but I suspect most of them are of the defective variety.

Worse, I knew thousands of people probably tried those flawed MTOs and either suffered with them or gave up on the whole idea of trackballs altogether. Maybe this is why the MTO’s were pulled off the market. Or, maybe there just wasn’t enough demand to begin with. My irrational side feared manufacturers would soon cease production of trackball mice. My future grandchildren would have to listen to my endless rants about the way things could have been.

So, last month when I read about the upcoming release of the Logitech M570 due to “overwhelming demand,” I knew I could put my fears to rest. And, with the unceremonious  arrival of the new Logitech M570 at my doorstep last night I’m ready to tell you what I think about it. Will it live up to my unrealistic expectations and help me overcome my sentimental attachment to my proven, sexy Microsoft Trackball Optical? Find out shortly in the review….

“…The good part is that once you get used to using a trackball, you will NEVER want to move back to using a mouse again.”

I’m especially happy to see a suitable alternative to the discontinued Microsoft Trackball Optical which, until now, was the only trackball mouse that had more than three buttons. I just pre-ordered my own M570 and will be sure to post a review soon!

Some highlights:

• “…you can go for up to 18 months without replacing the included AA battery”
• “…a convenient scroll wheel and easy-to-reach Back/Forward buttons that make computing simple”
• 2.4 GHz wireless works with compatible wireless keyboards.

Read Engadget Impressions…

Full Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Logitech Unveils New Wireless Trackball
Logitech Wireless Trackball M570 Offers All-Day Comfort, Logitech Unifying Receiver

FREMONT, Calif. – Sept. 15, 2010 -Today Logitech (SIX: LOGN) (NASDAQ: LOGI) unveiled the Logitech® Wireless Trackball M570, delivering a different level of comfort and control. If you’re searching for an alternative to touchpads or traditional mice, the Wireless Trackball M570 is uniquely designed for all-day comfort and features the leave-in Logitech® Unifying receiver.

“Based on overwhelming demand from our dedicated trackball users, we’re delighted to announce the introduction of a new wireless trackball – the Logitech Wireless Trackball M570,” said Rory Dooley, senior vice president and general manager of Logitech’s control devices business unit. “Everything about our newest trackball is built to improve the experience and give trackball enthusiasts the comfort and control they deserve.”

For those who haven’t tried a trackball, one of the many benefits is that it stays put – you don’t have to move your arm to move your cursor. As a result, it’s a great space saver if you have a small or cluttered desk and, unlike a traditional mouse, you can keep your arm stationary. Plus, the sculpted shape supports your hand comfortably all day long.

The Logitech Wireless Trackball M570 also delivers precise cursor control wherever you want so hard tables, comfy sofas and lumpy beds are all no problem. The laser tracking sensor uses the ball, rather than a surface, to guide movement – so you can use it almost anywhere.
Logitech’s newest trackball also has a convenient scroll wheel and easy-to-reach Back/Forward buttons that make computing simple, whether you’re surfing the Web with your laptop or desktop computer, or watching shows on your home-theater PC.

For your convenience, the Wireless Trackball M570 uses the tiny Logitech® Unifying wireless receiver. It stays in your laptop, so there’s no need to unplug it when you move around, and the advanced 2.4 GHz wireless means a robust connection with no dropouts from up to 30 feet away. Plus, you can easily add a compatible keyboard, number pad or additional mouse to the same receiver so you don’t fill up all your USB ports. To reduce the hassle of changing batteries, you can go for up to 18 months without replacing the included AA battery – and the convenient battery indicator ensures that you’ll never be caught off guard. (Battery life may vary based on user and computing conditions.)

Pricing and Availability
The Logitech Wireless Trackball M570 is expected to be available in the U.S. and Europe in September for a suggested retail price of $59.99 (U.S.).

About Logitech
Logitech is a world leader in products that connect people to the digital experiences they care about. Spanning multiple computing, communication and entertainment platforms, Logitech’s combined hardware and software enable or enhance digital navigation, music and video entertainment, gaming, social networking, audio and video communication over the Internet, video security and home-entertainment control. Founded in 1981, Logitech International is a Swiss public company listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (LOGN) and on the Nasdaq Global Select Market (LOGI).

# # #
Logitech, the Logitech logo, and other Logitech marks are registered in Switzerland and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. For more information about Logitech and its products, visit the company’s Web site at www.logitech.com.
(LOGI-IR)

After trying the solutions listed by others in the forums, I still could not get anything more than stereo with my Audigy 2 card, despite my surround sound working fine in other movies and games. On a whim I checked http://nomoregoatsoup.wordpress.com/, a blog containing a wealth of information for Audigy users. I was surprised to see that Daniel Kawakami had just released a new support pack for the Audigy-series sound cards.

After uninstalling all my existing Creative software and drivers and installing Daniel_k’s new support pack (which contains the latest Audigy drivers and software) I was thrilled that Bad Company 2 was making use of all 6 speaker channels.

Now, it’s possible that it was the act of reinstalling my drivers that solved the issue. However, there are some fixes listed in Daniel_k’s release notes that are related to speaker configuration.

Try it yourself:

1. In Documents\BFBC2\Setting.ini Edit the SpeakerCount” line to read “SpeakerCount=6″. This forces BC2 to run in 5.1 mode.  ”0″ is the autodetect mode, which apparently is not working for some users. This setting alone may fix your problem, but it didn’t for me.
2. Uninstall all your Creative soundcard drivers and software. Retstart when prompted.
3. Install daniel_k’s SB Audigy Support Pack 3.7 (at your own risk of course)

Hope that helps. Let know if it works for you.

Note:  Some forum members suggest changing “SoundSystemSize=1″ to “SoundSystemSize=2″ in the GameSettings.ini. This did not work for me, so I have left it set to “1″.

My System: Win 7 32-bit, Audigy 2 PLatinum EX