Apple Mighty Mouse Teardown and Optical Sensor Observation
Duration: 45 minutes
Steps: 9 Steps
Here’s a solid guide on opening up the Apple Mighty Mouse, the iconic gadget from 2005! If you’ve got one of these old-school mice hanging around (maybe it even came with your vintage laptop), this guide will help you take it apart with ease. Let’s dive in and get this Mighty Mouse back in action!
Step 1
– Ready to take apart your Apple Mighty Mouse? Let’s get started.
– Heads-up: The first ring on the bottom is glued down pretty well. If you’re cool with popping it off and sticking it back later, you’re good to go!
Step 2
– First things first, grab your trusty Flathead screwdriver and gently pop off the first lid on your mouse. No biggie, just a little nudge should do the trick. Then, with the same screwdriver, pry off the secondary lid. Don’t worry, it’s held in place by a few plastic tabs that are easy to handle.
Step 3
– Once you’ve popped off the second cover, grab that trusty screwdriver again and open up the mouse like you mean it.
Step 4
– Once you’re in, gently unclip the two ribbon cables from the main board. Take your time—no tug-of-war needed!
Step 5
– Now, grab your screwdriver and remove the three Phillips screws holding the main PCB to the frame.
Step 6
– Unplug the power cable from the main PCB. Then, gently lift the PCB out with your hands or use a screwdriver if you need a little extra help. Just go easy—those components are pretty delicate!
Step 7
– Here are some photos of the PCB. You’ve got 3 IC chips here – the big one is marked CP6604BM, and the tiniest one? That’s a Texas Instruments chip. Oh, and the optical sensor is hidden under a bit of plastic, so don’t miss that!
Step 8
– Curious about the optical sensor’s guts? After popping the lid off with some pliers, I slid it under a digital microscope. You’ll spot a pixel array and an ASIC control circuit chilling on the silicon chip. There’s also a layer of clear epoxy keeping the bond wires and the chip itself safe and sound.
Step 9
– Awesome! You’ve taken apart your Apple Mighty Mouse like a pro. Now, to put it all back together, just follow these steps in reverse. (And if you haven’t yet, don’t forget to open the optical sensor!)
