Belkin Wireless Keyboard and Ergo Optical Mouse - Wireless RF Receiver
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Shown in the picture below is the wireless RF (radio frequency) receiver that I mentioned of previously, along with the USB/PS2 adapter which gives you the option to have the mouse input go to either of those two types of ports.
Notice the button and the word "Belkin" on the top. The button on the top is the synchronize button. When first connecting the keyboard and mouse, it is suggested by the manual that you do it with your computer off, since the receiver will automatically scan for the two components and set them up for use upon boot up. (As a side note, the manual is only available in a digital version). If you do it with PC on and operating system already running, you will have to press the sync button on the receiver, and then within 10 seconds push either the button on the bottom of the keyboard or the mouse, then repeat the process with the other one. Below you can see the two buttons I'm referring to.
I pointed out the fact that the word "Belkin" appears on the receiver not just because it's the company's name but because it's also an activity light. After pressing the sync button it flashes slowly for the 10 seconds it gives you to push the keyboard or mouse sync button. When you do, it will flash rapidly showing that the signal is being received. Also, whenever receiving an input signal from either the mouse or the keyboard, "Belkin" will give off some soft flashes, which is a good thing. It's not annoyingly bright, and if the light flashes but the signals are not reaching the computer then you know any problem you may have is not between the two components and the receiver.
Of course one of the most important thing to most people who are considering going wireless is reception. The Belkin keyboard does a very good job of transmitting its signal over 15 feet. The Ergo Mouse, on the other hand, has a range of only about 8-11 feet depending on how clear the line of sight is. That range would probably be worse if Belkin had chosen IR (infra red) as opposed to the RF they went with.
This is a bit of a let down for me, because I was hoping to use this set in my living room to control a small Shuttle box in my entertainment center from my coffee table. The keyboard of course has no problems but the mouse, which is really what I was looking to use, falls just short and only works when I lean forward and use it on the furthest corner of the table, which is closer to the PC. Although the keyboard works and there are keyboard commands for just about anything when you're using Windows Media Player or Winamp, it comes nowhere near the ease of use that a mouse provides. If you're in your living room trying to enjoy movies or some other form of media you really want something simple, not the horrible task of trying to remember age-old keyboard commands.
Lag is another issue that is a major concern for those in the market for a wireless peripheral solution, and with the Belkin set I've reviewed today you can lay your fears about that to rest. With the exception of those who type 100+ wpm you aren't going to notice any lag with the keyboard.
I tested the mouse in the most demanding situations I could think of: Photoshop and games. It may sound a bit simple, but frankly speaking, these two situations are what seemed to push the limits of the mouse's accuracy. In Photoshop I was looking for pixel to pixel movement accuracy and was not disappointed. Though I did need to turn down the movement speed in the mouse's configuration window, after doing so I really couldn't tell the difference between it and my corded Logitech MX500. In case you didn't already know, that's a serious compliment.
For games I used First Person Shooters such as Painkiller, Halo, FarCry, and Doom 3 as well as some other games like Warcraft 3 and Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow. I was pleasantly surprised by the mouse's accuracy and little to no lag in such games as Halo and Doom 3 and honestly, if it can do well in those you have nothing to worry about in any other game you can throw at it.
Next: Conclusion >>
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