No comments????

The silence is deafening :~) RCA had me reset my keyboard (hold down power for 1 min with the batterys removed). Easy fix, but did not seem to work. I connected my webtv plus blaster (turns vcr on for record) to a radio shack remote control extender. By boosting the keyboard to msntv2 unit signal strength, I did not get many skips. My warranty at Best BUy is good for 90 days. Are we supposed to return our units for another that may work better? Surely msn knows the serial no's of the bummer units. Maybe the addition of one of the new cat6 ethernet connectors would help. They are relatively inexpensive and would well be worth it. As I now have a cable modem, I leave my unit on all day and the type skip is less but still happening. I am sorry to be citical of a very fine unit, but as a retired engineer (Pac Bell), things that do not work correctly catch my attention. Lets hear a little more from the MSN folks so we can save bombarding the retailers with returned units that in fact may be OK.

Thanks for reading :~)

........fred

October 28. 2004

I have hd ths msntv2 since Oct.9. It has been a interesting experience, but this unit is just nt ready for the public at thi time. The keyboard skips so badly that it is a chore to type a simple e-mail. Not having a ccp function akes it damn near useless. There are ways to do some ccp by going to e-mail reply and using the shift+arrw some cpying is possible (if it is not too long) or all you get is a littlesqare box ??? when you Ctrl+C ?? Yes! A lot of mitakes on this post due to malfunctioning keyboard. Even hotmail is inop on this unit, Addys o not work....period. If the webtv did not work any better than this unit, I thik that you ould lose all of your customers :~) This thingamajig is going bac to Best Buy on Monday. I have had it :~)

........fred w

I am so relieved to hear I am not alone with the skipping keys keyboard! I have had nothing but a run around with MSN and RCA who keeps telling me to call back in two days. They refuse to let me exchange this and instead telling me they (RCA) are trying to find a "part number" before they can send a replacement keyboard. I love this new MSN 2 for the speed in which I can now access ebay etc. but its taking me forever to type simple emails as I have to back track nearly evey word. I now think this has to be a design flaw, and wonder when and how this problem is ever going to be resolved?!
Pam

Good news and bad news! I am a retired Pac Bell engineer and have some skills that help in situatons like this. I was able to repair my keyboard without too much difficulty. It would not be right for me to post this info as MSN is in charge here. They will figure it out in time and correct the situation. Don't give up hope......

.........fred

I'd love to know the secret, Fred! Feel free to e-mail me privately. This morning I spent over an hour on the phone to MSN, Microsoft, and RCA all with no resolution in sight. I'm given the same or song and dance about calling back in a few days, they have none in stock etc. etc. I've at the end of my rope!!!
Pam

I can't tell you to do something that will void your warranty, but there are 3 things that helped my unit that are easy to do and will not require any disassembly of your keyboard. It seems that the signal between the keyboard and the recieving unit is a bit on the weak side and the lens cover is different from most. 3 things you can do easily are....

1. Reset the keyboard by removing the batteries and depressing the Power button for 60 sec. (probably bleeds off capacitance)

2. Replace the batteries with VERY good batteries (such as Duracell *Ultra).

3.The infra red bulb behind the red lens cover is in the upright position instead of pointing directly at the receiving unit as in most remote controls. The red lens has 3 different angles that can refract the signal transmitted off of a flat hard surface. I use my unit from my easy chair with a marble coffee table in front of me. Experimenting by placing a small piece of tape over part of the lens, I have cut the keyboard skip to a minimum. Move the tape to the location best for you. I think that all wireless keyboards will have a skip now and then. While this is not a permanent fix, it may enable you to use your keyboard with a degree of satisfaction until RCA/MSN figures a way around this problem. As it will probably require the replacement of the keyboard or Msntv2 unit, it is something they cannot rush into. The serious typist probably will only be satisfied with a hard wired keyboard?

I have gone further with this experiment and can completly eliminate the skip, but that requires the use of equipment, not for the average user ...good luck

........fred

As far as I am concerned, this new unit is defective, not the keyboard, the whole thing. Why do I have to pay to return it? They should allow defective boxes, which they admits is so in my case, at least send a free mailing label or just accept it C.O.D. Please answer,if possible. I am fed up, disgusted, and only have this unit for 10 days or so and have spent each day on the phone, transferring, then transferring back and forth from webtv. Exhausting.

I've been thru the same frustrating experience as you have, Gina, actually spent over an hour on the phone between MSN, RCA, and Microsoft all of whom offered me no solution to my keyboard problem. The best I get is "call back in a couple days". All they're interested in is selling new units and forget about us with faulty ones. Is your problem in the keyboard, Gina? Or something even more serious?
Just wanted to let you know "I feel your pain"...Pam

Repost from FAQ:

I am working with our folks on being one of the forms of public communication on this issue, so yes, I will be the one letting you know the course of action.

In the meantime, here's an update:

I spoke with our hardware genius today who just got back from figuring out the root cause of the issue. The good news:

Our hardware guru and Thomson have a very good idea of what is causing the problem and how to fix it. Also good news: there is a relatively small chance of getting an affected box today. If your box is exhibiting poor keyboard response (like skipping keys very often like in the above question), please hang in there while we work to resolve the issue. If you call RCA most likely they will have you their reset procedure for the keyboard (batteries out on the keyboard...hold power for 60 seconds) and try to unplug power from the box and plug it back in. If neither of these things make the problem go away completely then do not despair as we are working on the issue daily. I believe (my guess, so don't quote me) RCA is in a holding pattern on this one until we get this figured out. Most likely once we figure out which boxes are affected and get those out of the product stream (so it's not nearly as likely that you'll get an affected replacement box).

The bad news is that it is going to take time to get the wheels turning to fix the issue, test the fix, and get the boxes into retail and replacement channels. Our people are working on this everyday to get all of the information that we need to proceed and move forward with fixing the issue.

Some folks have expressed the sentiment that MSN TV and RCA do not care about people who are having issues with their boxes and I assure you, this is not the case. Our engineer just got back from RCA's factory in Mexico and has communicated his findings to me, other folks inside MSN TV working on this, and RCA's folks working on this. I know currently our folks are working on figuring out the last bits of information and fixing the issue. Once that occurs RCA customer care will have more information on what to do (I will also be posting this information once I have it).

Again, sorry for the inconvenience to those affected, but please hang in there as we have our smartest and most diligent engineers on this.

I totally agree with everything you stated, Gina!! I found RCA along with Microsoft to be extremely rude to me and not offering any form of solution to my problem. If its been determined that there is a batch of defective keyboards in the market as Tommy so stated, then why not just send replacement keyboards to us!! If I would have purchased this unit from Best Buy or another store, they would have had to either refund my money or give me a new unit. Where MSN and RCA expect us to plug along on this skipper of a keyboard.
Pam

Don't blame your keyboard too quicky. I have 2 other webtv keyboards (both Sony's) and they both skip too. RCA offered to send me a keyboard early on, But I declined as I do not think that the problem is with the keyboard. It is probably the I/R receiving circuit within the Msntv2. I think that the problem in repacing the Msntv2 unit is whether to give you a new unit or just exchange yours for a refurbished unit. I am not to keen on used equipment whether it be autos or electronics. I think that we will have a choice to make before too long. It has been reported on the Msntv2 forum that a wired keyboard was satisfactory in the no skip dept. Tommy will have some news for us soon!

It seem like I have been experimenting with this unit since I bought it, but feel like I should share some of my findings.

The simplest fix, assuming that your trouble is similar to mine, is......

place a strip of black tape below the rec I/R sensor (place just under the MSNTV2 logo).

This reduces the I/R bounce from your keyboard. It may turn out that the keyboard signal is too strong for the receiving circuit. I have cut my skip to a minimum but still get an occasional skip. When it comes time to exchange units, I would like a matched set of keyboard and unit to insure that I do not have to go thru this again.

Good luck and I hope that this temp fix helps you some? If so, please help the next person by posting your results ...fred

Please let me know exactly how this "fixes" the receiver? The problem is NOT just the keyboard and if all the above posts were read, it is a given by now. Our time for returns are running out. What is the whole answer. Mine is not just a keyboard problem.Of all the webtvs I have owned RCA was the worst, yet instead of Sony you chose RCA that has a bad history of product production and reliability. Anyway, that is a dead issue. When is the defective receivers issue going to be addressed? We have to pay to send them back, if we so desire buy another at a "real" store, and are out money. Besides which, we could end up with another defective receiver. HELP

What you e readig is how his thing types.I am soupset at these peole and their lackof concern.IwishI would have kept my old sony 250,it wa slow but at least yu could type.Another great job by msn's finest!

In a way, I am glad that RCA/MSN never came up with a fix for this skipping problem. I finally figured out how to fix mine and I am now very happy with this unit :~) I wish you all well and I am outa here :~) Good day friends :~)

RCA Ask SONY how to make a keyboard they make a good one (wish I could use my old one on MSN)

Jut phoned RCA for the upteenth time this morning, and I'm still getting the same old song and dance about them not having keyboards to replace our defective ones. Its been over a month now with no solution in sight on their end. I'm about ready to just go out and purchase a whole new system from Best Buy and return this faulty unit back to MSN.
Pam

The final word on the keyboard fix is to call MSN TV 2 customer support: 1-866-466-7688 for help. They have a way a process to help those with keyboard trouble.

I have had a problem with screens locking up and so forth. My keyboard seems ok, but it has to catch up. My problem is a faulty power supply. If you touch the power cord next to the jack msnvt2 will loose connection. I have tried to stablelize the cord and not bother it. PS While I was typing this the keyboard skipped the p in power. Thompson is sending me a new unit for exchange.

I am now having a problem with being disconnected specially when I am on eBay, all of a sudden my unit shuts me down. I've called tech support, but each one tells me something different, and so far, nothing has stopped this from happening. It seems I began having this problem right after the major upgrade that was done Dec. 9th. Anyone else having similar problems...Pam