Challenge? Fix this Logitech!

[TheJeepNut]

I have a Logitech FX Marble type trackball.
The cable got caught on the keyboard drawer slide and the mouse stopped working.
Now this is an $80.00 product. Logitech's response? Sorry anything out of warranty is tough luck. If it were in warranty they replace or repair, but no they have no service depots. If no longer under warranty, no repairs.
I'll never be stupid enough to buy Logitech again and I recommend against to all I advise; now.
I have tried in vain to find a source for a PS/2 cable with 6 signal lines and a shield. I can reattach the connector pins easily enough IF I can find a proper cable. All the ones I've tried to salvage are short one or two signal lines.
I cannot believe the arrogance of these computer parts manufacturers.
For want of 50cents worth of cable, an $80.00 mouse is dead. Patently ridiculous.
Interestingly I have not even been able to find a PS/2 cable connector that wasn't an already molded assembly. Any hardware techs out there with a source for PS2 cable assemblies?
Thanks all!

[Confused]

You tear the mouse up yourself and want Logitech to replace it for free. Sorry, I cain't work up any sympathy for you. Now if you are decent with a solder iron you should be able to repair it.
Chas

PS
I'm very pleased with my Logitech products and will continue to support them as long as they keep marketing quality products.

[archie]

Agree and have to point out that other manufacturers would probably be as 'un-cooperative' under the circumstance ... so don't be too hard on Logitech. Splicing the cable, although it won't be too attractive, will after all fix the mouse.

[HAL9000]

Getting a cable shouldn't be too hard. I just cracked open my el-cheapo logitech and it has the number of wires you specified. Buy one and yank the wire out of it to solder into your mouse.

[LawyerRon]

It's unfair to critisize Logitech for lack of "replacement parts". Big Corps. like Logitech do not have the means to supply these parts as they do not "assemble" them in most cases. Most computer parts (from any mfg.) are made in China. When something goes bad and it's under warranty, they THROW IT AWAY and give you another one.

[TheJeepNut]

Now Archie, you do no service to yourself or others jumping on the bandwagon with someone so hopelessly Confused and poor at reading.
I did not ask for ANYthing free. Am willing to pay appropriate shipping and an appropriate price for a replacement part.
And Ron, Ron, Ron,... BUNK! Any manufacturer that can't supply parts is not a manufacturer and should not represent themselves as such. They are nothing more than a distributor and should make sure their customer base is aware that they the customer will have no support outside of a replacement part during the warranty period. Logitech is apprently nothing more than an order desk for a Chinese manufacturing firm who does not support their end users.
But then if most of us knew the parts we bought were good only for their warranty period, they would never get the prices they ask. Its purposeful deception of the consumer as far as I'm concerned.
But that's OK, you can go ahead and throw that money around. Keep the economy rolling for us tech types. You guys seem to be sheep who have come to accept the poor computer manufacturers policies which have become far to prevalent. You probably have just grown up with it so you don't know any better. Traditional manufacturing standards do not apply any longer apparently.
Thanks for taking the time to reply guys, but in the end none of you offered anything useful. Just a critique my opinions which served no useful purpose. The device remains unfixed. And Logitech remains a NOT RECOMMENDED in my price lists. At least I tell my customers the truth about how they do business even if they don't.
I'll ask around to others who might actually have a useful idea.
Have a great day everyone!

[TheJeepNut]

HAL9000,
Now that's a useful idea.
If I can run across some other poor soul locally with another dead Logitech, which shouldn't be hard, I'll talk him out of his cable. Thanks for verifying that other LTech junk uses the same cable config. I'll keep checking around.

[glc]

If you are in the business, you can buy a cheap OEM Logitech 2 button PS/2 mouse for less than $5. This is probably cheaper than a replacement cable would cost if such a thing did exist. Out of curiosity, have you ever tried to buy a replacement mouse cable from Microsoft or Kensington or any other mouse manufacturer? I kinda doubt that they would sell you one either, but if you know otherwise, please let me know.

Let's cool down a bit here, Jeep - we don't tolerate flame wars on this board. You are entitled to your opinions in reference to a particular manufacturer or product, but so are others. I can understand that Confused's comments may have irritated you, but you barged in here with a chip on your shoulder (a heck of a way to ask for assistance if you ask me) and kinda asked for it in my opinion - but you may have a legitimate gripe with him. If so, take it private and off the board please - and there was no excuse for jumping on Archie and Ron the way you did. Thank you for your consideration.

[HAL9000]

Keep in mind though, I use Logitech. I have one of their optical mice and love it and wouldn't give it up for anything.

[M. A. Dockter]

I have a 3 button Logitech serial mouse that I've electrically fried about 5 times and it still works with no worries! Good stuff back in the day, but I'm partial to the M$ Basic Optical Wheel mouse I got for free from a friend....maybe because it was FREE

[glc]

I'm using a 7 year old serial Logitech Mouseman right now - the old clunky 3 button one - and it has *never* given me any trouble - all I have had to do is every 3 months drop the ball out and clean the glop off the rollers. These things make Microsoft mice look like garbage. I don't think it's fair to condemn a manufacturer simply because they won't fix YOUR error out of warranty. They would have replaced gratis the whole mouse that YOU broke if it were still in warranty - can you ask for anything more? I know it costs $80, but it's a disposable device, like far too many things these days.

Sorry to keep this going - but I just had to say this in defense of a manufacturer that I and my company highly recommends to anyone and everyone. We have yet to have a Logitech mouse, keyboard, or joystick come back - and I cannot say the same thing about Microsoft or Kensington.

I gave my nephew a Logitech joystick for Christmas a few years ago - and his dog chewed the cable. I was able to solder and tape it back together - and it still works.

[Statica]

I know its so damn annoying isnt it .. like driving a car into a tree and asking Ford to live up to manufacturers warranty, and be surprised that they dont?

As a mfger of peripherals Logitech is top notch, especially for pointing devices. The alternative isnt there as a viable option. Most of the other manufacturers are momentary, M$ .. they cant even mfger a decent keyboard, dont know why they are trusted with OS'.. if you were to look at the support that Logitech provides (a) They are the one mfger that I have no qualms in buying with the promise of a mail-in rebate (M$ still owes me $25 US on a natural keyboard) (b) an exceptionally vast repository of device drivers from OEM to archaic products, which is more than what most do.

One swallow does not make a summer. I hope you have better luck with a solder iron or at the purchase of a cordless device the next time around.

[archie]

I happen to REALLY like the Logitech optical devices [except for the trackball] so of course, seeing a unfair rant based on a dumb mistake irks me ... yet I can sympathize a little bit with someone who spent that much for a device and can't get a replacement part.


quote:
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hopelessly Confused and poor at reading.
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It wasn't very clear that any attempts to purchase this part were even made or whether it is even available so this cheap shot is uncalled for.

quote:
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Am willing to pay appropriate shipping and an appropriate price for a replacement part.
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Replacements parts are expensive. A part that one would thinks should cost 50cents will likely cost $20-30 ... would that be 'appropriate'? The final price is based on more than just the cost of the material.

The solution to fix it with a splice and solder is not be so far-fetched, the cable is out of sight underneath the desk. The cable was damaged on the keyboard drawer slide. To avoid this in the future, use something like a 1/2 " staple to keep it out of harms way.

[Smoke24]

Hey Jeep,
I agree with these other guys that Logitech is not responsible for your mouse cable. You could easily solve your problem with another Logitech product. I have their cordless keyboard/mouse combo and love it, absolutely no cords in the way, just replace batteries about twice a year. They have them at Newegg now for $55 including shipping. I think they also make the trackball in cordless but have have not seen any prices on it.

[Jenni]

A mouse cord is pretty simple to fix. I fixed a Microsoft Wheel mouse when my son (2 at the time) decided that chewing on the cord was more fun than playing on the computer. I did just as glc suggested, bought a used MS mouse really cheap and swapped the cord (easy on a MS, it just plugs into the board, think I may have had to swap some pins around, but I'm not sure) It was pretty funny actually, when he got enough slobber in the cord, the computer just locked up tighter than a drum, and wouldn't reboot for anything. Had to disconnect the mouse, took me a while to figure that one out. I guess he's lucky a mouse doesn't carry more current. Hehe.
I have to agree that Logitech products are great. I bought a Microsoft Intellimouse Explorer, and within 2 weeks the mouse would quit working if I bumped the cord on something on my desktop or wiggled it the wrong way. I took it back and got a Logitech optical wheel mouse, and I love it.

On a related note, I was wondering if you could change a PS/2 mouse into a USB one by swapping out the cord. Or are the power requirements different?

[archie]

Hey Jenni, have you considered using a ps/2 to USB adapter. The adapter comes with the Logitech optical wheel mouse [M/N M-BD58]. Not sure how the connection would line up at the mouse with a cable. Based on the fact that it can be used with an adapter, my guess is that the power requirement is the same.

[Jenni]

The only reason that I was wondering was because I bought an el cheapo Micro Innovations USB mouse, and after the kids dropped it a couple of times, the buttons wouldn't stay in place (they were a separate piece of plastic that just "clipped" into place), so I got tired of it and bought another mouse. But I castrated and de-tailed it (hehe, kept the ball and the cord...) before I threw it away. I was just wondering if I could use that cord to make a PS/2 mouse into a USB.

[padawan]

I have to agree with these guys, Logitech is a very good company, and they make a wide variety of products, from cheap sticks to expensive mice and speakers. I've reviewed a lot of their products, met with them in person, and they are completely professional.

I think they are showing a lot of good will if they would have been willing to replace it if it were under warranty, considering you broke it.

Hell, with some electrical tape and a knife, you could probably fix it. If you are in the Computer Business, and can't fix a mouse, I feel sorry for your customers.

[Hosie]

now statica, dont go insuling my $70 m$ keyboard...j/k
I think if i dumped a 64oz super slurpy in my keyboard and expected to get some sympathy from m$ i would be out of line...
same with a mouse cord that was munched by a keyboard drawer... unless of coarse a licenced logitech technician had put said cord in the travel path of said keyboard drawer... then that would be a different story ;-)

I think that some people have to just step back, take a deep breath shrug their shoulders and say sh!t happens... and figure out a way to fix YOUR own mistake instead of pointing fingers... just my 2 cents worth...

p.s. i didnt blame AMD when i became frustrated with jumper setting and set all the dip switches to on and sent a k6/2 to processor heaven...lol