Wireless Entertainment 8000

[Robert]

Today I installed my new "Wireless Entertainment Desktop 8000". This set
includes the Keyboard 8000 and the Lasermouse 8000. I run a DELL Dimension
9200 PC for a while and had a Logitech Wireless Desktop set before that
runned without any problems.

What I was looking forward to was the navigation pad on the keyboard and the
backlightet keys of it - and I liked the design of the devices. And to make
this clear: the Wireless Entertainment Desktio 8000 set is very, very
expensive on the market - about twice the price of my "old" Logitech set.

My joy was blown away quite quickly...

First the material-finish of both devices is very poor and looks just cheap
to me. There are sharp plastic edges at the mouse or the mouse-keys on the
keyboard just lock if you do not press them in their exact center. The keys
don´t have a clear pressure point and move a bit hard.

But that´s the small part of my disappointment!

The worst is that the entire mechanism is not capable to handle the sleep
mode (where you don´t shut down the system but send it in hybernation mode -
sorry, don´t know the correct word for it). Every time the system wakes up
from sleep mode, both devices have lost connection to the computer and it´s
time to reboot.

With the Logitech stuff I could move the mouse to wake the system up - this
is far away of the capabilities of the Microsoft stuff.

And there are many more situations where especially the keyboard looses
contact to the system. While working about 4 hours today with that stuff, I
had to go and press the reconnect buttons on the bluetooth device and
keyboard and mouse for about 8 times.

Then the backlinght of the keyboard behaves strange. It does not go off when
the keyboard is set down on the desk and noone is around - it keeps glowing.

The navigation pad is a good thing, but it´s driver does not allow to change
the "speed" of it (how far the ponter moves when wiping once over the pad).
There is a place in the control panel that is made for it - but changing the
value of that parameter has no effect. I have 1920x1200 resolution and it
takes 7 or 8 moves to bring the pointer from one side to the other of the
desktop.

After all, I am so disappointed that I think about reinstalling my old
Logitech set with which I was more happy......

Am I the only one having those problems?????

 

[Gary Mount]

I don't have the problems that you are experiencing. Have you installed the
software and the updates necessary?
I wake up my computer (from hibernation) just by touching any part of the
keyboard, or by moving the mouse.
For the light to turn off after no user activity for a short while you have
to set the light setting to at least one notch, or setting below the
maximum, using the Fn key + the F12 key.
I have been using my 8000 for several months now. I do not have to press the
reconnect even after several days of use.
I can adjust the pointer speed from slow, taking about 43 swipes to move
from one edge of my monitor to the other, to fastest at 2 swipes. My monitor
is 1600 pixels wide.

 

[Robert]

That´s already good news that it SHOULD run! Many thanks for that!

In the meantime I found that there was most probable a conflict with another
bluetooth device: I had my Nokia handy connecting to the computer using
"Nokia PC-Suite". But deinstalling "Nokia PC Suite" alone did not solve the
problems - I HAD TO TURN OFF BLUETOOTH ON THE HANDY ITSELF! Now it works as
you described...

When BLuetooth ist turned on and I go in hybernation mode, it´s ok. Then I
can touch anything on the keyboard and it wakes up - but during wake-up
process I hear the "alarm sound" meaning that hardware gets deinstalled and I
assume these are keyboard and mouse. When "Nokia PC Suite" now is no longer
installed, Keyboard and mouse do reinstall after few seconds (befor with
Nokia PC Suite running they did not).

That´s not really satisfying, but now it´s working. BTW:when the driver of
the Bluetooth adapter (coming with the "Entertainment 8000 Desktop") gets
installed, it promises that it can be used together with additional devices
:-((((((

And: I´ll get familiar with the backlight feature - and tried again with the
navipad cursor speed setting: it HAS an effect: with "slowest" it takes 22
swipes and with "fastest" it takes 8 swipes from the right to the left edge
of the desktop. Would like it better (2-3 swipes) but I can live with it...

 

[Robert]

Hey Gary, please - one more question:

Even with the Bluetooth proplems "switched off" -

I cannot manage to enter hardware setup when cold starting the computer!
Does this work in your case??

In the case of my DELL, F2 had to be pressed during startup to enter the
menues where you can set system time, boot device priority and those things -
you know what I mean?

It seams that the DELL does not recognize a keyboard at boot-time. So it
lists a "keyboard failure" in the native text that is displayed at boot-time
on the black screen.

 

[Gary Mount]

I have an additional keyboard plugged into my ps/2 port that I use. Handy
for hitting the necessary key to get into the bios at startup. I think I
don't actually need this extra keyboard but can use the wireless keyboard.
But its there anyway just in case.
I do have to unplug my Bluetooth transceiver before I put my computer into
hibernate (or a restart), otherwise my computer sometimes gets stuck on boot
up.
Is says on the screen "checking nvram", then just stays there. With the
Bluetooth transceiver unplugged it boots up just fine. And now I remember
why I use the second keyboard, because the transceiver has to be unplugged
for my computer to boot properly, and no transceiver, no wireless keyboard.

 

[robert]

I´m quite sure, all this SHOULD work - without unplugging transceiver or
second keyboard.

It ALL worked with my "old" wireless keyboard from Logitech which was
without bluetooth - just "radio" connected.

The problem is - as always - they sell it, it does not work proper and they
want money again to let you tell them the mistakes they did... that´s what is
called "industry standard".

 

[Gary Mount]

My problem may just be a matter of adjusting something in my bios. Though I
haven't figured it out yet. One day I might spend the time to figure it out.

 

[Robert]

Yesterday I experienced another funny feature of the keyboard.

The keyboard has a "movement detector" to control the backlight of the keys
(to prevent it being illuminated when it is not used).

I had the computer in hybernation mode - sleeping. Then I just walked by
quite close at the desk - and the computer waked up and started. The keyboard
detected a movement and caused this to happen.

I decided to bring the "Microsoft wireless entertainment 8000 desktop" back
to the shop and claim my money back, since I find, it does not work
satifying. The money back, if I get it - well - it's half the price of a
cheap subnotebook I always wanted

Now in this moment I have already reinstalled my old Logitech "Cordless
Desktop MX 3000" and I am happy and SO impressed that everything just works
fine - without any more adjusting or investigation to do! I asked it for
forgiveness that I ever just thinked about replacing it ;-)

 

[Peter]

If you've installed the latest Intellipoint/Intellitype software click its
shortcut and then go to the Wireless tab/Bluetooth Connection/Advanced and
select "Hardware Managed Bluetooth Mode". Unplug the dongle and replug and
reboot and it should start working, even in BIOS mode.
Takes a few reboots sometimes to really work.

 

[Peter]

The dongle refers to the small usb device that slides in under the charging
station. Just unplug and replug it in. It should work, but these things
are fickle. (The window that appears tells you to do that)
Does your BIOS allow for USB support? I have both plugged in and both can
be used at any given moment. Perhaps your wired keyboard is a USB one so
that's why it wont support both at the same time? I have a PS/2 one so
therefore it has its own port.

 

[Peter]

I meant that my wired keyboard is PS/2. The 8000 is USB only. Don't you
have a PS/2 port? I find that I can boot OK without the wired keyboard but
over the years I've learned that Bluetooth can be somewhat unreliable so
always keep the wired one out of sight but accessible if I need it.
However my boot sees both and my motherboard isn't that recent so I'm
wondering if it's because your wired keyboard is on a converter?