Another Disappointing Controller: Pelican Eclipse.
Written: Jul 13 '04 (Updated Jan 30 '07)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Very durable, Cheaper alternative, wireless.
Cons: Poor signal reception, feels cheap, smaller footprint.
The Bottom Line: Save your money, buy an extension cable.
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| yakkowarner's Full Review: Pelican Eclipse Wireless Controller |
I spent a load of money on my first wireless controller which was by Logitech. I was very disappointed with this product and have since returned it. At the same time I bought this controller as a secondary wireless controller from my friends when they come over. It soon became my primary controller, but that too has changed.
Why I got it
I have a big screen tv so I am forced to sit at the other side of the room to play games. I either use a cable extension, move the Xbox to the middle of the room, or use a wireless controller.
Putting your console in the middle of the room or using extension cables is the cheap way of solving my problem. This is not a good idea when you have kids crawling/running around. Kids generally grab cables, bite into cables (during the oral stage), or hit the reset button when you least expect it. When you game gets reset it either leads to a heart attack now or therapy for your child later on.
I am accustomed to using a Wavebird to play games. This eliminates cords that my children can grab or trip over. It also allows me to put the Gamecube on top of the television. With kids, this is the best option.
Setup
Setup was a breeze. Just plug in the receiver, put the batteries that came with the unit in the controller (2AA). Then you need to set the band to either A or B on both the receiver and controller. Then you need to set the channel to either 1,2,3, or 4 on both the receiver and controller. If you do the math, this leaves you with 8 channels. If the band usage is anything like the Wavebird then you need them (there can be frequency interference between the controllers if the channels are too close.)
The feel
The overall feel is ok, but not as good as the standard controller. If your hands are large then it feels really uncomfortable. I frequently need to rest my hands after using this controller, especially the thumb.
The buttons feel fine but sometime they do not send signals to the receiver. The R and L button are a little finicky and not as controlled as I would like them to be. They are also uncomfortable to use. Both analog sticks work fine and control has never been a problem.
The button setup
This controller has…
two analog sticks,
one cross key,
4 main buttons (Y,X,A,B),
2 secondary buttons below the primary ones (black and white),
the ambiguous start button,
the back button (lets just call it what it is, the select button)
2 sliding buttons that control the channel and band,
1 sliding button that controls power and rumble.
A word about analog
The analog sticks on these types of controllers are really digital controllers. Basically analog communicates through continuous waves but digital sends information as a yes or no (or a series of 0’s and 1’s). The reason why gaming editors started calling them analog sticks is because they had to find some way to differentiate them from the digital cross keys used in early video game controllers. Apparently none of these editors were E.E. students.
YAAAAAA, you can turn off rumble
The only reason you want to turn it off is because you want to save battery life. If you use rechargeables then it really does not matter. Also the rumble feature has a lighter rumble than the standard controller.
The rumble is controlled by a sliding button. The far left setting is the “off” button, the middle setting is the “rumble on” setting, and the far right is the “rumble off” setting.
The expansion port (for microphone)
The 2 expansion ports are located in the receiver that is connected to the Xbox. This is where your memory card would go. Also this is where your microphone would go. So if you play x-box live you cannot plug in the microphone into the controller, only the receiver has the port. I do not understand the point of buying a wireless product if you have to still be wired in by your accessories. This really needs to be changed and it would not require a significant change to the hardware either (probably cost 10-20 dollars more though.)
Battery life
The battery life is approximately 25 hours. If you use rechargeables then this will be 15-20 hours. Not long at all if you are a diehard gamer.
These numbers are with the rumble feature on. If you turn it off you can extend the life 10-20 percent.
Wireless range
As far as range is concerned, it appears to be very similar to the Logitech. In fact the receiver is virtually the same size. I would not be surprised to find the same internal electronics.
I have not had any issues with range. My guess is you have a good 100 feet of range. I have been to the back of my house and pressed a memorized button pattern from there (to skip the title screens) and that was 45 feet away from the receiver. (This is the same test as the one I did for the Logitech)
The range of any wireless device is increased by how high the transmitter or receiver is from its mate. So your range will be diminished if the transmitter is on the floor
Interference
I have not experienced any interference diagnosable. But I have noticed a loss in communication between the controller and the receiver (see problems below.) But my character has never been controlled by a mysterious force either.
Durability
The controller feels cheap and I thought something would of broken by now. Low and behold it is still in one piece. Nothing is damaged or coming apart. My son was not able to damage it when he played with it, without my permission of course. I am very impressed with the construction.
The problems
I cannot play with this controller because it is not communicating with the receiver properly. In slow games it is not a problem, but with faster games like Halo it is impossible to play. And when I start to lose I get pretty impossible to deal with. Other than the feel of the controller this is the only real problem.
How it compares to the Logitech
In short, this controller is more durable and cheaper, but it is not as comfortable and the receiver does not work well.
Where to get it
If my review did not scare you (and I do not know why it would not) and you really want this controller, then you should look to Costco. Costco had sold this controller in a two pack for $50, a great deal. I assume you can still find it if you look hard enough.
Overall:
This controller is only used when my children are at play. Every other time I pull out the extension cable and grab my Xbox controller and play with that. I cannot recommend this product because of signal problems. I do not know if it is on the controller end or the receiver end but the result is the same. A VERY frustrated gamer.
Dimensions and weight
Weight (with batteries): 10 5/8 ounces.
Length: 6 inches.
Width: 4.5 inches.
Height: 2.5 inches.
(all dimensions taken at the greatest distances.)
Final entry
I used it a few more times over the past couple of months because my youngest daughter is getting more inclined to play with the console and wires. But the controller was still frustrating to use at times. The problem now is the controller fell off the tv one too many times and it ended up breaking and not functioning at all. I have no intention of buying another pelican controller because of the wireless communication issue and I do not have enough faith in Logitech to buy their controller again. And the wire extension I bought at Best Buy also died so that isn’t an option any more. So I am pretty much stuck on leaving the console on the ground and using the Microsoft corded controller (at least until a friend buys the Logitech controller and can prove to me that they fixed their problems.)
Other gaming review
Other wireless controller reviews
Nintendo Wii game console
Logitech wireless Xbox controller
Intec Jedi Hunter Wireless Xbox controller
Nintendo Wavebird wireless controller.
Recommended:
No
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