what does the size of a spinner spoke matter.......

[GroovyTuesdaY]

I guess this question is for oscar or christian from slikstik, but after looking at the various different spinners out there i have noticed that some have HUGE spoke wheels and some do not.  
What does the size of the spoke matter and also difference do the actual number of spokes make?

I have just been curious for while now and thought i would throw it out to the ones in the know

Thanks ,
g~

[kspiff]

Sensitivity.. bigger spokes = less, smaller = more.

[u_rebelscum]

It matters, and the size must work with the sensors' spacing.

The mice/trackballs/spinners have a pair of optical sensors.  For the mouse to know which direction the wheel turned, the sensors must take turns being covered/uncovered.

For example, let's start sensor1 (s1) & sensor2 (s2) both blocked by teeth (s1=0, s2=0).  If the wheel turns one direction, s1 will be uncovered first (s1=1, s2=0).  If the wheel continues in the same direction both sensors will be uncovered (s1=1, s2=1); but if the wheel goes back, s1 will be covered again (s1=0, s2=0).

Different wheels with different sized teeth & gaps with the same sensor spacing, as long as the sensors "taking turns" still occures.  Some wheels with some spacings turn one way to do the above, others with different spacing turn the opposite, for any given  sensor spacing.

If the teeth & gaps are exactly the wrong size, both sensors are covered and uncovered at the same time.  In this case, the mouse never can know which direction the wheel is turning.

Other problems: teeth/gaps too fine for a sensor so that it can't tell if it's covered or not (or sensor always thinks it's half covered).  Teeth/gaps too fine for the the sensors to see the changes if the wheel spins quickly (resulting in backspin).

I might not be clear in explaining it, it's late.

[RetroBorg]

So my wife is lying when she says the size does'nt matter?