Logitech FAQ Resource Central

This was sent in long ago by an avid gamer and a Logitech fan:

Here are some of the important tips to consider before purchasing your Logitech product. Also some guidelines on which products that suits your needs.

In case for those of you who are wondering why aren't there any new software support for your older Logitech cameras for Windows Vista. We have here a brief explanation from one of the Logitech senior video engineers:-

"I think you and fellow customers should know the facts about why some older cameras have driver support, and why others do not (and may never). And it is not completely related to the expense, because as noted before, the drivers for Pro4000 and Orbit are basically the same for the rest of the cameras in the "PRO" driver folder, so the expense of adding these cameras is actually low -- they just need the testing.

And this "testing" is the real challenge. Here is why.

Any driver released by Logitech needs to be signed by Microsoft.

You might have installed another manufacturer's driver, and had to dismiss a "Driver Not Signed" or "Digital Signature not Found" warning when the driver is enumerated. Logitech doesn't do this, all our drivers are signed by Microsoft's Windows Hardware Quality Labs (a/k/a WHQL).

Under Vista 64-bit, the OS itself will not allow any non-signed drivers to even load! The only way around this "driver lock" is to load Vista 64 into a special diagnostic mode (called Test Mode). Additionally, to be Vista certified, Microsoft says all drivers need to run under both Vista 32 and Vista 64.

Now, to get this signature from Microsoft, drivers and hardware (note the bold highlight) must pass a stringent set of tests given by WHQL. The actual testing process takes hours per camera, and includes such things as putting the system on standby and waking it up many many times, connecting and reconnecting the device many many times, checking for malformed USB packets, testing the microphone, and lots of other techie nonsense.

Last year, in preparation for Vista, Microsoft updated these tests (now termed DTM).

The old hardware immediate ran into issues with the new tests, and did not pass. The exact same hardware passed the earlier test fine. But you can't use the earlier test with Vista, you must use the new test.

Engineers spent time tweaking drivers so that some old cameras where able to pass the tests and could get the signatures. For other cameras, an exemption had to filed and reviewed by WHQL. This is what took time for adding support for Orbit, and Pro4000. Unfortunately Microsoft has told all vendors that this exemption process will close completely after one year, so time is running out for these older devices."

"Given all this, adding Vista support for older cameras gets caught in a vicious Catch 22. The camera and drivers need to pass tests to be signed. Due to test changes, the old hardware can no longer pass the test, so an exemption has to be filed and reviewed.

For some cameras, we got through this relatively painlessly. For other cameras (such as Pro3000 and earlier), this is much more difficult."

Since older Logitech camera software is not supported under Vista, be sure not to try and install them. Otherwise you will face problems uninstalling the software and a bunch of unknown bugs. Be sure to read this post about discontinued Logitech software.

Ok, this is one of the most popular issues that can happen to an owner of Logitech cordless desktop sets. For example, you bought a Logitech Cordless Desktop EX110, EX90, MX3200, etc.. Everything was working perfectly fine during the past 3 months and all of a sudden after a battery change, keyboard will not work! The funny thing is that the mouse is still functional!

What could go wrong for a desktop set imbued with Logitech's SecureConnect Technology? Logitech claims that you will never need to do manual connection again after the first connection. Normally if you are experiencing this issue, even by doing manual connection will not get the keyboard to connect. What can cause the keyboard to have lost sync with the receiver? Let's explore some of the possible causes and some simple steps to rectify the problem.

Corrupted encryption data in keyboard
A battery change could have corrupted the encryption data stored in the keyboard. No matter how you try to reconnect your devices, due to the corrupted data; the receiver cannot recognize the data from the keyboard.

Corrupted encryption data in receiver
Plugging and unplugging the receiver may have a slight chance of corrupting the encryption data stored in the receiver. Pretty much like unplugging an active thumb drive from the USB port.

Clash of the same RFID
Chances are very slim but if there are other people within the same frequency range using the same keyboard with the exact same RFID. I doubt this will happen but who knows.

Encryption data not matching
Your keyboard is securely encrypted. However, the receiver is lost or damaged to a point that you have obtained another similar receiver for who knows how you did it. Due to the encryption not matching the previous one stored in the keyboard, the receiver will not connect to the keyboard.

There are definitely more possibilities but let's just look at what we can do to fix the problem. Since both the devices are encrypted, let's decrypt them. When you decrypt the devices, it simply means that enhanced security features will temporarily be disabled. This will allow both the devices to reconnect. Perform these steps in exact order for decryption:

1. If you have Logitech software installed. e.g. SetPoint. Exit it via the system tray by right-clicking and selecting "Exit". If you do not know how to do so, just remove all Logitech software from your computer.

2. Make sure your keyboard has fresh alkaline batteries installed and the polarities are correct.

3. Press Left Alt + Left Ctrl + F12 together on your keyboard and release. Note the bold lefts.

4. Press connect button on the receiver and release.

5. Press connect button underneath the keyboard and release.

6. Press ESC key on your keyboard.

If you have done the steps correctly, your keyboard should now be connected. If not, perform the decryption steps a couple more times will help. Sometimes changing the receiver to a different USB port after the steps will help too.

Once you got your keyboard to work, it's a good idea to re-encrypt the signals. Just install or launch SetPoint and perform step number 3 from above will allow you follow the on-screen instructions to encrypt your signals.

Thinking of wanting to know Logitech products better but don't know where to start? Well you're in luck if you are a US or Canada resident. Because Logitech has a Cyber Scholar Program which you can enroll to learn about Logitech products and win free prizes!

You can take up a number of different training modules available and after the course, you'll be asked to take a quiz. Logitech will be giving out monthly prizes to lucky qualified participants to their Cyber Scholar Program. There's also a quarterly grand prize drawing to win yourself a super cool Logitech gadget!

Here's a short description I plagiarized from them:
"Just log on each month, successfully complete any available training module and assessment and you'll earn one (1) entry into that month's prize drawing. What's more, every entry is added to you total entries into the amazing Grand Prize drawing." Source taken from http://cyberscholar.com/logitech/

Since the program is only available for US and Canada residents, those who are not eligible will still be able to go through the modules. Just that you will not be able to take the quiz to win prizes. Logitech did a pretty good job with the online scholar thingy but they will never tell you everything that can be found in this website!

Before you intend to install any software on your computer, what do you normally check first? Of course the compatibility! System requirements would be the first thing you look at before attempting to purchase or even install "something" in your computer. I'm surprised that majority of the consumers nowadays are ignorant to read before jumping the gun.

Here's a list of popular Logitech legacy software that people install wrongly on their OS:
- iTouch for legacy keyboard - Last revision: 2.22 on WinXP SP1
- MouseWare for legacy mouse - Last revision: 7.79 on WinXP SP1 (7.80 was never officially released)
- ImageStudio for legacy camera - Last revision: 7.30 on WinXP SP1
- QuickCam 8 for legacy camera - Last revision: 8.4.8 WinXP SP1

The above software are considered to be end-of-life aka no longer under any development or update. Installing the above software on WinXP SP2 or SP3 may not guarantee 100% functionality since they are not tested to work with newer version of Operating Systems.

Another problem that most people encountered is installing the above software on Windows Vista. Normally Windows Vista will throw an error message to stop the unsupported software from being installed. However, most of the time for some odd reasons, Windows just allows the software to be installed. Another cause is that the user did not remove the old Logitech software before migrating (upgrade) to Windows Vista from Win XP.

If this is the case, you may be in trouble. 90% of the time, the software cannot be removed. Now a lot of times I hear people asking: "Why can't you remove your own *bleep* software? You guys made the software right?" Truthfully speaking, if you manage to install an older Logitech software which was not meant for your new Operating Systems, it is your own fault for not being able to remove it. And thanks to Microsoft's new Operating Systems which is not 100% backwards compatible too.

Now I don't wish to debate further on whether this is Logitech's or Microsoft's fault. You may try removing the software via editing the registry keys. However, I advise you to contact Microsoft for any registry related questions. Conclusion is, look before you leap! Don't be lazy to read instructions! Good luck!

I'm sure many would like to know how to change the wireless channel for their Logitech devices. Legacy (older) Logitech cordless devices have the option of changing the RF signal from the Logitech software iTouch and MouseWare. Usually switching between channel 1 and channel 2. However, these options are removed with newer Logitech wireless devices.

Here is the breakdown of RF technologies that Logitech wireless devices are using
Legacy wireless devices - 27MHz RF (2 channels)
Current wireless devices - 27MHz Fast RF (2 channels)
Current entry level to high-end wireless devices - 2.4GHz (24 channels)
Current high-end wireless devices - 2.4GHz eQuad (24 channels)
Current high-end wireless devices - 2.4GHz Bluetooth (79 channels)

You can refer to this for the full list of Logitech wireless device range.

As mentioned before, only Logitech's legacy wireless devices allows you to change their wireless channel via the Logitech software. How are we able to do the same for the current ones? Actually it's pretty simple - You just need to re-synchronize them. Every time you re-connect the wireless devices, they will switch to a different channel.

Hardware wise, keyboard and mouse should work like normal since they are dependent on Microsoft Windows' generic HID (Human Interface Device) drivers. Software wise, no. Logitech only develops software drivers for Win95, Win98, WinMe, WinXP, Win Vista.

Which means if you bought a very advanced Logitech mouse which requires software installation to make all the buttons work, you are out of luck if you intend to use it on a server based OS. You can only use it as a generic 2 button mouse.

No matter how you pester Logitech customer support for the software, nothing will be done. The engineers will not waste time and money coding and debugging for something which is not mainstream. Mainstream in a sense that not even 5% of the consumers are using server based OS. Instead of wasting time bugging their lives, you should visit support forums with users with similar requests.

Here is a very informative workaround by a user a user named "Lucida" in Logitech's support forums with a workaround to install SetPoint 4.6 in Windows Server 2008.

"So here is the quick guide for x86. There isn't any rocket science or magic involved, Logitech has done a quite good job and the "fix" is rather easy.

1. Install Setpoint 4.6
2. You'll need a dual-boot setup -- i.e, Vista or XP w/Setpoint 4.6 installed. XP or Vista doesn't matter as they share exactly same driver.
so find this folder:

%XP_or_Vista_Driver%\Program Files\Common Files\Logishrd\CDDRV2

and run LDPINST.exe from Server 2008.

There is no need to copy the whole folder to Server2008, just run LDPINST.exe, which will find Logitech products and update the drivers.

if u don't have XP or Vista installed, get my package here(all .exe and .sys are digital signed by Logitech)
http://rapidshare.com/files/141942707/CDDRV2.rar.html

3. Close and reopen Setpoint

For bluetooth kb/mouse, u might need
%XP_or_Vista_Driver%\Program Files\Common Files\Logishrd\Bluetooth
I didn't test this part as I don't have any."

However, do note that the suggestions are not officially from Logitech so it may not work for everyone.

This will serve as a good source of information for those who would like to understand more about the Logitech wireless technology.

All Logitech cordless devices are using this what Logitech calls it "Secure Connection" technology. You may see the words "Secure Connect" imprinted on top of some of the Logitech cordless receivers. Logitech devices which uses Secure Connection technology include keyboards, mice, speakers, Bluetooth headsets, gaming gears and so on. Basically, all their cordless devices implement this technology.

A lot of you may ask whether you are able to use a number of exact same models of Logitech cordless keyboard/ mouse in the same room. The answer is "Yes". What if there are other cordless devices that are utilizing the same RF channel as your Logitech device? 2.4GHz devices are very common. The answer is still "Yes, no problem". This is all thanks to the Secure Connect technology that Logitech implements in their cordless devices.

During manufacturing, each Logitech cordless devices are embedded with an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tag. These tags are pre-programmed and pre-connected to make sure that they are properly configured and have the necessary identification information to work together out of the box. This avoids manual connection by the consumer.

The RFID tag also integrates a 12-bit security ID which allows the receiver to uniquely identify its partner and this way, you can have a roomful of the same devices.




Though writing matching identifying data to a mouse, keyboard, and receiver before they are packaged seems logical, Logitech developed a better method, one that guarantees 100-percent accuracy.

The RFID tags are programmed only after the products are packaged and the box is sealed. This method eliminates the need to keep matched devices together throughout the manufacturing process. And since mice, keyboards, and receivers are manufactured on different assembly lines producing thousands of units each day, making sure matched devices get packed in the same carton would be a nearly impossible undertaking.

How is it possible to program the RFID tags after the carton is sealed? It can be done, and the solution is the result of lengthy development and testing by Logitech engineers.

An assembly line technician places a sealed, packaged carton into a “pairing station.” The station consists of several components: a rectangular loop antenna a bit larger than the retail package, a computer running a custom application to assign identification numbers and other data, and specialized RFID circuitry to power the antenna.

When a carton is placed in the station, the process begins automatically. For 27 MHz and 2.4 GHz sets, a unique identifier, encryption key, and other connection information are sent to the rectangular antenna, writing the data to the RFID tags in the mouse, keyboard, and receiver simultaneously. For cordless desktops using Bluetooth wireless technology, a Bluetooth address, PIN code, and other data are written to the RFID tags. The process takes just seconds. In a quality control step, the tags in each package are read and then secured to protect against possible corruption or modification. From there, the sealed packages are shipped to customers.

Secure Connect assures complete user security. Critical information, including the cordless desktop’s identifying data and Bluetooth PIN code, is not accessible via RFID. Even if it were possible to listen in on keyboard and mouse activity, a snoop’s eavesdropping equipment would need to sit within three feet of the cordless desktop, the maximum communications range of the built-in low-power transmitters.

I know it's kinda funny but I would love to receive and collect pictures such as these. If you have any, please let me know so that I could post them up.



"I really enjoyed the headset before their cords were brutalized by my vicious cat. So I'm wondering if there's something during manufacturing that gets sprayed on the cords that would inadvertently make them more appealing to cats."




"I purchased this cool keyboard online, during a rebate period and the 3rd day of owning it, my 7 month old PIA Siberian Husky added my new geeky keyboard to his list of destroyed prized-possessions of mine."



"I do have a problem every once in a while I'll come home and she will have eaten something of mine (more like every other day) most of the time its stuff that's not important like my bills or junk mall some times its important like my new shoes i only wore once, like a corner wall of the house some of the Christmas presents i had bought and now she ate my Logitech Z-680 remote control (not my first Logitech item, she has eaten 2 Logitech headsets and 2 wireless mice, one survives till this day) most of the stuff gets busted and i have to get new ones but my speaker system is pre wired and still works great but now i have no remote..."

Not used to split keys comfort desktops? Want something which packs functionality and at the same time pampering your hands and wrists with comfort while you type? Introducing the Logitech Wave keyboard. There are two types of wave keyboard. A corded Wave with just the keyboard only and the cordless Wave which comes with a keyboard and a laser mouse.



Nice packaging design. Wave + Curve + Palm Rest = Comfort.


I will be focusing more on the cordless Wave since there are not much difference from the corded one. Except that the corded Wave keyboard will have LED notifications on the Caps lock, numlock, and scroll lock which the cordless Wave don't have. (See picture below)




Whats so special about the Logitech Wave? A revolutionary advance in keyboard design, the Logitech Cordless Desktop Wave key design instinctively guides your hands into a natural position for enhanced comfort and productivity. The cushioned palm rest provides extra support and can help reduce fatigue, and one-touch hot keys provide easy access to many Windows Vista features, including Flip 3D, Zoom, Photo Gallery, and Gadgets. Programmable F-keys can instantly open your favorite applications, games, folders, and web pages. Featuring soft-rubber side grips, the cordless laser mouse delivers exceptional comfort and precision. Both keyboard and mouse provide ultra-long battery life, and convenient LED battery indicators alert you when batteries need changing.


The bundled LX8 laser mouse equipped with 990 DPI Laser sensor.






Wave-like key layout (lower keys for shorter finger key positions and higher keys for longer finger key positions)




Included plastic desktop dust cover. Doesn't look that nice but it gets the job done.

Dedicated one-touch controls let you instantly launch key Windows Vista™ features, including Flip 3D, Zoom, Photo Gallery, and Gadgets.



Media keys: Play, pause, stop, forward, backward, volume up/ down, mute. Works natively without any software installation.




Buttons to launch gadgets, photo gallery, media application, media center, Vista 3D flip, Zoom in/ out.


See video below for the soft rubberized palm rest. No more cheap plastic!




In-depth technical features of the keyboard:
Leg Type: 4 Tilt legs (2 layers tilt legs - flips vertical) - Tilt legs open: small tilt legs (4 degree - 50 cm), big tilt legs (8 degree - 70cm)
Layout: 104 to 109 Key frames depending on region (industry standard qwerty keycaps layout - 31 different layouts)
Spill Proof: Yes, drain holes on bottom of keyboard (max. 60 ml liquid spillage).
Printing Type: Tempo printing
F-Mode Toggle: No (Need to press Fn key while choosing Enhanced Function Keys)
Batteries Used: 2 AA Alkaline batteries (1.5 Volts each)
LED = Dual color (Red-Green) LED below the down arrow key (RED indicates less than 10% or 10 days battery life left)
Frequency: 27 MHz Fast RF (Dual Channel - 27.045 MHz and 27.195 MHz)
Operating Range: 2 meters minimum (6.56 feet)
Connect Button: Red connect button under keyboard (a press on the button makes a channel change)


33 notable areas containing 31 Hot Keys:

• 18 notable areas containing 16 Non-Fn-related Keyboard Hot Keys:
  1. Document Flip (Win XP) or Flip 3D (Vista) w/SetPoint (Nothing w/o SetPoint)
  2. Gadgets (Vista) or http://widgets.yahoo.com (Win XP) w/SetPoint (Nothing w/o SetPoint)
  3. Search Pictures (Photo Gallery in Vista, My Pictures in Win XP) w/SetPoint (Nothing w/o SetPoint)
  4. Media Player (Launch default music player w/Setpoint) (Launch default music player w/o SetPoint)
  5. Launch Windows Media Center if available or default music player w/Setpoint (Launch default music player w/o SetPoint)
  6. Standby (System sleep w/SetPoint) (System sleep w/o SetPoint)
  7. Calculator w/SetPoint (Calculator w/o SetPoint)
  8. Zoom out (-) w/SetPoint (Nothing w/o SetPoint)
  9. Zoom in (+) w/SetPoint (Nothing w/o SetPoint)
  10. Previous Track (short press) w/Setpoint (Previous Track w/o SetPoint) - Seek Back (long press) w/SetPoint
  11. Stop w/SetPoint (Stop w/o SetPoint)
  12. Volume Up (+) w/Setpoint (Volume Up (+) w/o SetPoint)
  13. Volume Down (-) w/Setpoint (Volume Down (-) w/o SetPoint)
  14. Mute w/SetPoint (Mute w/o SetPoint)
  15. Next Track (short press) w/Setpoint (Next Track w/o SetPoint) - Seek Forward (long press) w/SetPoint
  16. Play/Pause w/SetPoint (Play/Pause w/o SetPoint)
  17. Battery LED (Dual color Red-Green LED)
  18. Red Connect Button
  
  
• 15 Fn-related Keyboard Hot Keys:
  1. Fn+F1 - Documents - MS Word w/SetPoint (Nothing w/o SetPoint)
  2. Fn+F2 - Spreadsheets - MS Excel w/SetPoint (Nothing w/o SetPoint)
  3. Fn+F3 - Calendar w/SetPoint (Nothing w/o SetPoint)
  4. Fn+F4 - My Favorites (Smart Key A) w/SetPoint (Nothing w/o SetPoint)
  5. Fn+F5 - My Favorites (Smart Key B) w/SetPoint (Nothing w/o SetPoint)
  6. Fn+F6 - My Favorites (Smart Key C) w/SetPoint (Nothing w/o SetPoint)
  7. Fn+F7 - My Home - Default Web Page w/SetPoint (Default Web Page w/o SetPoint)
  8. Fn+F8 - Messenger - Default Messenger Program w/SetPoint (Nothing w/o SetPoint)
  9. Fn+F9 - E-mail - Default E-mail Program w/SetPoint (Default E-mail Program w/o SetPoint)
  10. Fn+F10 - One-Touch Search - Web Search w/SetPoint (Nothing w/o SetPoint)
  11. Fn+F11 - Battery Check w/SetPoint (Nothing w/o SetPoint)
  12. Fn+F12 - CD Eject w/SetPoint (Nothing w/o SetPoint)
  13. Fn+Print Screen - Contextual Menu w/SetPoint (Contextual Menu w/o SetPoint)
      
  14. Fn+Pause/Break - Scroll Lock Toggle w/SetPoint (Scroll Lock Toggle w/o SetPoint)
      
  15. Fn - Nothing w/SetPoint (Nothing w/o SetPoint)

1. Left (Main Click) - (only Swap button option in SetPoint)
2. Right (Contextual Menu) - (only Swap button option in SetPoint)
3. Scroll Wheel Button (Document Flip)
4. Internet Back
5. Internet Forward
6. Left Scroll
7. Right Scroll
8. Battery LED = Dual color (Red-Green) LED on top middle of mouse
9. Power On/Off Button
10. Red Connect Button
11. LED = Green LED when powered on or lifted, not lit when placed powered off or on desk

I'm sure many of you out there may have experienced wireless range issues with your Logitech products and are looking for ways to improve or boost the signal strength. Here is the cold hard truth, it is impossible to boost the signal strength nor there is any modification that you can do to boost the signal efficiency.

Having said that, it is however crucial to understand why you are experiencing lack of range with the devices. You can refer to this page for the complete list of Logitech wireless devices with the default range. Let's take the MX Revolution Laser mouse as an example. Do note that it was stated that the particular device can have "up to" 30 feet of range. It does not mean that the device will always work 30 feet away. We will explore some of the factors affecting the range and some tips and suggestions on how to improve the signal range of the devices.

First factor: Wireless Interference
Anything that runs on electric or motor will release unwanted EM (electromagnetic) waves. This includes your computer power supply unit, electrical power points, electrical fans, cordless phones, monitor screens, etc. These parasite waves can interfere with devices that runs on RF (Radio frequency). Imagine throwing a stone at each sides of a pool. When the water ripples come in contact with each other, what happens? They almost cancel out each other. Depending on which side is stronger; the stronger one may prevail but it's strength weakened after the collision.

It is virtually impossible to eliminate interference but there are ways to improve the situation. Here are a couple of things that you can try to reduce wireless interference with Logitech devices:
- Re-locate the receiver from the back of your computer casing to the front to avoid the huge interference from the power supply unit at the back.
- Use the bundled USB extender (usually provided in the package) to re-locate the receiver away from the computer casing, monitor or places where electrical devices are located.
- Re-connect the Logitech wireless devices. This will allow the devices to scan and connect to a channel with less interference.


Second factor: Low battery
Many are not aware but if your Logitech cordless devices are low on battery, the device will decrease in range and may frequently disconnect. Try changing some fresh batteries for a boost.


Third factor: Using the device on metallic surface
What do you think the TV antenna is made of? Why do people keep metallic objects away while navigating with the compass? The theory is the same for wireless devices. Metal attracts unwanted interferences. Imagine all the other signals are preventing your device from communicating with the receiver. Just avoid using metallic surfaces will to improve the signal.


Fourth factor: Location
Where is your computer located and where exactly are you using the device? Radio frequency travels by bouncing off walls. Many people think that the signal can pass through walls which is not true. If you are keeping your computer inside a cabinet or in a different room upstairs or even in a room with two walls away; chances of you getting good signal will decrease dramatically. The devices do not need to have line of sight. However, by concealing or blocking the signal from traveling freely will impact the range performance.


Fifth factor: Environment
Do a reality check. If you are using your Logitech cordless devices in a noisy environment (as in interference heavy), do not expect the range to be good. This is especially true in some offices where the environment is constantly bombarded with WiFi signals, cordless phones, running machines, miscellaneous cordless devices and so on. Logitech cordless devices work best in an environment void of other 3rd party cordless devices which in reality is not so that possible.


Having all the five factors in check, if you are still experiencing extremely short range with your device, it is possible that your device could be failing (as in if the device will not work 1 feet away from the receiver). You should contact Logitech for a resolution.