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Please complete the steps on this page before contacting us for support, as it will greatly assist us in solving the issue.
This guide is intended to diagnose whether an issue with the STARS Keyboard is caused by:
  • Your computer
  • CRC
  • The STARS Keyboard itself
  • Something else
Follow each step in order.

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Step 1: Test Standard Keyboard

As discussed in the keymap guide, the keyboard is a composite USB device with some keys that act like a standard keyboard, and others that act like a joystick-style input. This step confirms that your computer recognizes the standard keyboard keys properly.

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Open a Text Editor

Open a text editor like Notepad, Microsoft Word, or similar.
  1. Click the Start Menu
  2. Type Notepad
  3. Open Notepad
Open a text editor like TextEdit, Microsoft Word, or similar.
  1. Press Command (⌘) + Space
  2. Type TextEdit
  3. Press Enter to open TextEdit

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Test

  1. Press several of the white A-Z keys on the STARS Keyboard.
  2. Confirm that the characters you pressed appear in the text editor.

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Result

If the characters appear correctly, continue to Step 2.
If no input appears, skip to Debugging: Keyboard Not Detected.

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Step 2: Test Gamepad Keys

This step confirms that your computer recognizes the joystick or gamepad-style keys properly.

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Open a Button Tester

Use an online tool like Gamepad Tester or install a third-party application such as the VKB Button Tester.To use the online tool:
  1. Ensure the device is plugged in
  2. Navigate to the page linked above
  3. Press any of the keys in the top row of the STARS Keyboard to detect the device
Use an online tool like Gamepad Tester, or install a third-party application.To use the online tool:
  1. Ensure the device is plugged in
  2. Navigate to the page linked above
  3. Press any of the keys in the top row of the STARS Keyboard to detect the device

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Test

  1. Press any of the keys in the top row of the STARS Keyboard
  2. As you press the keyboard keys, watch the button tester application for buttons lighting up or other indications that keypresses are being recognized.

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Result

If the buttons respond when pressed, continue to Step 3.
If the buttons do not respond, try unplugging/replugging the device and repeat Step 2. If the issue persists, this may indicate a connection or hardware issue. Reach out for support.

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Step 3: Check CRC

If you completed Steps 1 and 2 successfully, then your STARS Keyboard and computer are functioning correctly. At this point, the issue is most likely related to CRC not properly detecting or handling device inputs.

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Things to Try

  1. Unplug and then replug in the device.
  2. Restart CRC completely.
  3. Restart your computer and then relaunch CRC.
  4. Check the CRC logs for messages related to the STARS Keyboard.

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Next Steps

If the issue persists, please contact us and send:
  1. Your CRC logs
  2. Your operating system
  3. A description of the issue
  4. What troubleshooting steps you’ve tried from this page, and the results.
We can review the logs and, if needed, coordinate directly with the CRC team to help resolve the issue.

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Debugging: Keyboard Not Detected

If the standard keyboard keys do not work in Step 1, your computer is not recognizing the device correctly.

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Try This First

  1. Unplug the keyboard
  2. Plug it back in firmly
  3. Try a different USB port on your computer, and avoid USB hubs if possible.

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Then, Check if the Device is Recognized

Check the Windows Device Manager
  1. Press the Start Menu
  2. Type Control Panel
  3. Open Control Panel
  4. Click Devices and Printers
Look for a device called STARS Keyboard in the Devices or Unspecified sections. It may also appear as a USB Input Device, HID-compliant device, or a similar generic name.
Check System Information
  1. Click the Apple Menu in the top-left
  2. Click About This Mac
  3. Click More Info
  4. Scroll to the bottom of the General page and click System Report
  5. In the left sidebar, click USB
Look for a device called STARS Keyboard, or one that appears when the keyboard is plugged in.

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Result

If the device appears in the list, try Step 1 again.
If the device does not appear in the list, this may indicate a connection or hardware issue. Reach out for support.