Eclipse Keyboard

[carazz]

I have an eclipse keyboard with blue LED. It was a Christmas gift. It has been working fine since Christmas of 06. It worked fine for half of today. However recently it has started acting up. I am hoping that this can be resolved in some way but I realize that it is probably a hardware malfunction. The keyboard will start doing random keys by itself. It will type, and open up the windows key function. It will repeat letters over and over and it will mute the sound. While it is doing this, I am unable to add any typing to it myself. Did this thing just become a paperweght with cool looking blue lights?

[UKSupport]

Hi,

That's a faulty keyboard, I'm afraid. You've got a two year warranty though so contact tech support to start the returns procedure.

[Nidhogg]

The exact same thing happened to my Eclipse keyboard yesterday. Random keys are entered, real keypresses are ignored. Even the backlight button doesn't work anymore. Strange as it may seem it happened during the night... First time I ever see something like this. :eek:

I'll contact tech support see what can be done.

[bpgisme]

I'm having the exact same issue. I've been using my Eclipse on my old Compaq since I got it last August and it's been working just fine, but then about a month ago I got a new (refurbished) Gateway GT3016. Now my Eclipse is going crazy. The Gateway came with a USB mouse so I removed it and connected my old Logitech mouse that I used with it on the Compaq but the darned thing still freaks out. I tried installing the drivers from the gamer version and everything. I even uninstalled the USB drivers and reinstalled them. I'm really disappointed. I love this keyboard. My eyesight is awful in the dark and semi dark and now I'm having to squint to see this Gateway keyboard. The only thing I haven't checked yet is if it still works on my old Compaq. (I gave it to my son so it's still in the house.) I'm worried this is going to turn out to be a conflict between something in this Gateway and the Eclipse...

How long do we have to wait for an answer from Saitek, by the way... I emailed them a couple of days ago and I still haven't heard anything.

And did anyone have this issue happen and fix it themselves? I hate waiting for shipping.... Are there any known software conflicts? (The audio buttons worked okay until the keyboard started muting the sound randomly.)

-Bonnie

[UKSupport]

Hi,

Yes, do try and get it tested out on another PC just to see what happens.

As for email response time, it's usually either the same day or next, depending on where you are in the world and what time you send the email. if you haven't had a response after two days then the email probably hasn't reached us - try techsupport@saitek.com instead.

[bpgisme]

Hello and thanks for responding!

I'll give it a try on the old Compaq this evening.

And after I test that I'll use the email addy you suggested to contact support.

In the meantime I just ordered a usb light so I can see this awful keyboard I'm using now. Even the keys aren't as comfortable as on this thing they are on my Eclipse... Ugh. I miss it already....

-Bonnie

[bpgisme]

Tried it on the Compaq but it's doing the same thing. :(
I'll email support.

-Bonnie

[Dragonfiregum]

I have an eclipse keyboard with blue LED. It was a Christmas gift. It has been working fine since Christmas of 06. It worked fine for half of today. However recently it has started acting up. I am hoping that this can be resolved in some way but I realize that it is probably a hardware malfunction. The keyboard will start doing random keys by itself. It will type, and open up the windows key function. It will repeat letters over and over and it will mute the sound. While it is doing this, I am unable to add any typing to it myself. Did this thing just become a paperweght with cool looking blue lights?

oh wow this is the exact same problem as mine. It mutes itself opens windows searches and windows narrator and stuff. Ive only had it like 6-9months. restarting computer makes it work sometimes for a bit but then it does it again. Only started this this week.
How fast is it to get a new keyboard(as this is still under a 2 year warranty)?

[farcry34]

I thought I had a virus thank god it is just the saitek Eclipse usb keyboard it is doing exactly like you say yours is opening windows search boxes typeing my account name in emails non stop opening hundreds of search boxes on the desktop typing in the windows run command which scared me as I thought i had someone trying to take over my pc.are you the same sort of thing and has Saitek ackknowlegded this fault seems to show up after 6 months use was it a bad batch screwy firmware or what does it only happen to the Eclipse or what?Have yours been replaced?Goodluck

[Dragonfiregum]

I sent mine in for replacement weeks ago. I have yet to see or hear from it since.

[admin]

Dragonfiregum, are you in the USA? I will get our US department to find out the status of your RMA.

[djassassin]

Just wanted to mention that I also have experienced the same with regards to the keyboard acting strange. Went on the blink exactly a year after I purchased it from Amazon.com!! Will be contacting tech support to send back for a replacement;)

[Warped Devotion]

Mine too just started acting up. I was in the middle of typing when it stopped responding. I tried changing USB ports, restarting the comp, nothing worked. Mine didn't do any of the crazy stuff I've seen in this post, just stopped working. Mine is just a little over a year old. Will send tech support an email.

[aenimopiate]

the same thing has happened to me. Is this an indication of the quality of Saitek products? So many different people have had the exact same problem....why? I guess I'm pretty much out of luck, since I don't still have my receipt or any warranty info. I have also sent an email to support, and heard no response. I must say that I am very disappointed.

[BUFF]

if the product wasn't released & therefore couldn't possibly be older than 2 years they'll normally accept it but you may be out of luck as the original Eclipse was out 2 years ago.
If it's an Eclipse 2 you'll be OK though.

The more of a product that you sell the more complaints that you will get & I hate to think how many 10s if not 100s of thousands of Eclipses that Saitek sold so the no. of complaints here compared to that is tiny.

[aenimopiate]

this issue seems to be pretty common to this product of the complaints in these forums. Does anybody know what is causing the problem?

[kahurin]

Turn the lights off with button with the light blub picture on top of it. That fixed my problem. Thats sad because thats why I like this keyboard now I dont even have lights anymore.

[aenimopiate]

that was a big reason why I got this board, too.....so unfortunately, that doesn't solve the problem

[UKSupport]

A single page of posts describing problems (many of which are multiple posts by the same people) does not equal "so many different people"; even if you take into account the other threads on this.

Yes, some people have had this fault but, as Buff very rightly pointed out, the amount of faulty Eclipses compared to the number manufactured and sold is tiny. If you're in warranty and you have the receipt then you can contact techsupport@saitek.com for returns details.

[aenimopiate]

to your knowledge, has the problem been discovered and remedied?

[Paschar]

My ecclipse is doing the same thing as mentioned by the other posters yet everytime i try to send Saitek and email it is returned to me as undeliverable. :eek: I have had this keyboard less than 5 monthes and if there is a 2 yr warantee and the keyboard is not made anymore. What will Saitek do to replace this for me?

[UKSupport]

All newer keyboards should be free from this issue.

@Paschar - the email address is valid so your email must be being rejected for some reason. Could you email me the failed email - I need to be able to see the headers of the mail so that our admin can investigate it.

rneville [at] saitek [dot] com

[CM_Allen]

I am having the same issue, and it being a year after I bought it I no longer have the receipt or the box. I guess shame on me for thinking that a product that cost like this keyboard did would work for more than a year.
Thanks saitek for a $60 paper weight.

[chgodude]

Random typing of letters, muted sound, opening of MANY search windows...

Much to my surprise, I've corrected the problem with my second keyboard by disabling the HP multimedia keyboard application. This may help correct the problem for other HP/Compaq PC users. It is possible the multimedia keyboard applications from other PC manufacturers create conflicts as well.

For HP/Compaq owners look for the file "PS2.EXE" in Task Manager. If it exists, try ending the process using Task Manager and see if your keyboard works properly. To prevent the application from loading on next startup, use RUN> MSCONFIG> STARTUP and uncheck the file. If you can't locate the file there, use SEARCH to find the file and simply rename it "PS2.OLD". PLEASE let me know if this solution helps any of you! I've been pulling my hair out over this and am SO HAPPY I finally fixed it. No longer using keyboard as doorstop! :D

(Solution above for users of XP. Sorry, I am not that familiar with Vista)

[Hearsawho]

I suppose that there isn't any kind of fix that can be made from home for this problem? Like other posters, while my keyboard is only a year old, I didn't save the receipt. It's not even that I'm unwilling to lose out on the money, since I just went and bought the Eclipse II to replace the Eclipse that broke down today; I just love this keyboard so much, and I'd still get tons of use out of it if only I could fix it.

[supergeek]

Mine's doing really strange stuff now too, and I don't still have the receipt or box. I've had it for 1.5-almost 2 years, and most of the keyboard still functions fine- However- some keys: Enter (the one on the numpad), the up, down, left and right arrow keys, home, end, insert, delete, and page up & down do not function properly. Sometimes they will do nothing Other times- “56=” was the result of hitting “home”, “n” “b” “bn” “bn” was the result of the left arrow, 4 times, for a few examples. Sometimes “home” brings up “help”. Sometimes "shift+home" puts the computer into standby mode. Other times it brings up help, and types a "~". Other times, it does nothing.

I’ve uninstalled, reinstalled, tried to update drivers, with no luck. Other keyboards work fine on my pc, this one behaves like this on any pc. Several of my keys have worn off letters too, so I guess it's time for a replacement anyway. It's really a shame, I've been very happy with this keyboard for the whole time I've had it, until last week.

[supergeek]

I am using this keyboard along with the Logitech G7 cordless laser mouse. This mouse uses Logitech Setpoint software to enable programming the buttons & other stuff.

I'm not sure why this occurred to me to try- was just a hunch- but it worked.

I removed the Setpoint software completely from my system, and uninstalled the keyboard from Device Manager, and restarted. Keyboard's working perfectly. Reinstalled Setpoint, all is well.

Now- if I can only get a few worn off keys replaced, we'll be good as new! :D

[linyanti]

I am using nvidia cards in sli. When I install a new video card driver the Eclipse II keyboard will not light up or work at all. Switching to other usb ports does not help.

After one hour, it will suddenly start working. I have learned to anticipate this when I install a new nvidia driver. After it resumes then I do not have any more problems until I install the next driver. Today it happened with driver 175.12.

I have another computer that also has Vista 64 and the same motherboard and it does not have the same problem.

The only difference is that the computer with the problems has two video cards working in sli.

[JohnHolmes85]

Mine's doing really strange stuff now too, and I don't still have the receipt or box. I've had it for 1.5-almost 2 years, and most of the keyboard still functions fine- However- some keys: Enter (the one on the numpad), the up, down, left and right arrow keys, home, end, insert, delete, and page up & down do not function properly. Sometimes they will do nothing Other times- “56=” was the result of hitting “home”, “n” “b” “bn” “bn” was the result of the left arrow, 4 times, for a few examples. Sometimes “home” brings up “help”. Sometimes "shift+home" puts the computer into standby mode. Other times it brings up help, and types a "~". Other times, it does nothing.

I’ve uninstalled, reinstalled, tried to update drivers, with no luck. Other keyboards work fine on my pc, this one behaves like this on any pc. Several of my keys have worn off letters too, so I guess it's time for a replacement anyway. It's really a shame, I've been very happy with this keyboard for the whole time I've had it, until last week.

Yea mine is doing the same damn stuff...the on/off light doesn't work anymore...at least the lights are stuck to ON. half the arrow keys don't work and the ENTER on the numpad. Now just today...my ALT+ TAB won't do anything but they do work separately...what to do??

[UKSupport]

Hi,

Do you run Logitech's setpoint software for one of their mice? If so then try removing it like Supergeek did and see if it helps. It's also worth trying the keyboard on another PC to see if it does the same thing on there.

[oinka]

All newer keyboards should be free from this issue.



Does that mean the source of the problem has been identified and eliminated?

thanks,

-Cameron

[UKSupport]

Yes, indeed.

[Skutarth]

By "newer keyboards", do you mean newly manufactured original Saitek Eclipse keyboards? Or do you mean only newer models, such as the Eclipse II?

You can already probably guess that I'm also having this exact issue (ala keys randomly being typed, search boxes popping up and the like). The keyboard works fine when the backlight is turned to low (or, more safely, off).
I called support, and I already have an authorization number for a repair.
This is really annoying, since I also believe it's the cause of the damage to my Xbox 360 Wireless Gaming Receiver (I posted about this in the support section). So now I have to send in this keyboard and the receiver, and I have to pay my own postage to send both of them.
And I haven't even owned this keyboard for more than a week! Ugh...

The phone support staff was exceptionally good, though. Hopefully this will all be fixed; I really like the keyboard, and I wish to be able to have it functioning properly.

[UKSupport]

I mean newer Eclipse IIs - nothing's been changed on the original Eclipses now for a while.

Your 360 wireless receiver failing is likely a coincidence and nothing more. The failure you're getting on the Eclipse is likely due to a fault in the firmware of the keyboard rather than something like a 'short' which would then affect other peripherals.

[Skutarth]

I mean newer Eclipse IIs - nothing's been changed on the original Eclipses now for a while.

Your 360 wireless receiver failing is likely a coincidence and nothing more. The failure you're getting on the Eclipse is likely due to a fault in the firmware of the keyboard rather than something like a 'short' which would then affect other peripherals.
By "a fault in the firmware", do you mean the firmware itself is flawed, or that the firmware is corrupted?

Also, it seems highly unlikely that it's firmware anyway, considering the fact that it only has problems when the LED backlight is on the highest setting. I'm completely serious. It works flawlessly when the backlight is off.

In fact, the problems only seem to materialize after a certain amount of time when the backlight is on the highest brightness. At first it will work fine. That doesn't sound like a firmware fault, either.

Sorry that this post is a bit irate, but I'm not exactly a happy camper at the moment, if you didn't notice.
To me, "nothing's been changed on the original Eclipses now for a while" equals "it can't be fixed."
I hope I'm wrong.

[UKSupport]

The firmware covers the functions of the keyboard - if you're getting issues like this then it is most likely the firmware that has developed an issue in some way.

You're under warranty though so I don't see what the issue is here - please return it to the store for an exchange.

[Skutarth]

The firmware covers the functions of the keyboard - if you're getting issues like this then it is most likely the firmware that has developed an issue in some way.

You're under warranty though so I don't see what the issue is here - please return it to the store for an exchange.
The store I bought it from was out of stock by the time the problems arised. I already called the support number, and a repair is set up. I'll be sending it out, probably today.

I'm just pointing out that if it was a firmware issue, turning off the backlight of the keyboard probably wouldn't change how it otherwise functioned.

[_cH_]

have the same problem.

exmaple:

hello my name is _ch_

hello' m nasdfjme is _xh_

[The_Blood_Raven]

I absolutely love my Saitek Eclipse keyboard, but it has been having the phantom typing glitch that many others have been reporting. I have mine set up with a custom built computer, so the HP/Compaq thing does not help me. However I hooked the keyboard up to my Compaq laptop and was not able to find the task that was listed. Thankfully, turning off the backlight has totally fixed the problem long enough for me to type this. If the problem comes back then I will post it. I will not be sending this in sadly, I do not have the warranty information and I never registered my keyboard, but I was thinking of buying the Eclipse III anyway so that works out well enough. Thank you all for the help and please make this a sticky, I have found a great deal of people having this problem that have not posted on this forum for help.