What keys are repeated or ignored when using a USB mechanical keyboard?
What keys are repeated or ignored when using a USB mechanical keyboard?
This has been causing me some trouble for a while, and I'm still trying to understand what's going on. Whenever I press keys, I notice certain keystrokes are missed or repeated excessively. For instance, the 'M' key often needs to be pressed hard, or I have to hold it down several times before it works. It isn't limited to just the 'M' key; most keys behave unpredictably. Occasionally they work perfectly with normal pressure, but sometimes they need extra force or fail completely. The affected keys tend to cluster around 'N', 'M', 'A', 'S', 'D', and 'W'.
I've experienced this issue with various keyboards, including the Corsair K70, Roccat Vulcan, Coolermaster Storm Trigger, and a thermaltake mechanical keyboard, as well as other random models I've tried.
I've tested different CPUs, GPUs, RAM, motherboards, and power supplies, and they all seem to share the same problem. I've connected these keyboards to other computers without encountering the issue. I've also experimented with various operating systems, switching between Windows, Linux, and back. I've adjusted USB polling rates from 150Hz to 1000Hz down to 125Hz, but it still doesn't resolve the matter.
Perhaps the problem lies in the chassis—maybe the ground connection isn't solid? Computer cases aren't typically designed to be grounded, so this could be a plausible explanation. I'm also considering that the 5V USB rails might be noisy or unstable, though I've changed the USB polling rates.
Another possibility is physical interference, such as accidentally slamming the keyboard during an open palm press. I haven't found anything unusual with other USB devices like my mouse or DAC, though I did notice some random audio glitches when using the Roccat keyboard.
I'm wondering if others might have encountered similar issues. At this point, it seems there could be some electrical noise entering the USB data or 5V lines, or perhaps a faulty ground connection somewhere. I've also thought about CPU halt cycles or even a mischievous entity causing the disruption.
It's worth noting that I haven't experienced any strange behavior with other peripherals, so it appears keyboards are the main concern.
Do you have a surge protector? Perhaps the wiring in your home needs adjustment, like trying a different outlet.
I'm using a UPS with a surge protector, but I've thought about using the house power. I'm not entirely sure if my UPS can handle power conditioning. I know it works when it's powered by the battery. I've tried other wall outlets too, but the same problem persists. I just can't find any other outlets because they're on the opposite side of my room, and using an extension cord for the equipment is risky.
Specifically, I have the 1500VA version of this older UPS model.
np, just a thought. Maybe running the PC outside the case could help eliminate it as a cause. It would be unusual—no lamps or anything on the same circuit? I've noticed strange occurrences causing issues with PCs before. Someone else might have a better idea.
Not that I'm aware of, but I know what you mean. The wiring in my house is super freaking janky, and there's wall unit ACs on the same circuit as computers, and there's no way to avoid it. It's how the house is load balanced. But it's 10°F outside, so no compressors to screw up my sinewave. I have a 200w LED driver attached to the same powwer strip as the PC, and that's for my ceiling lights, but that's all solid state electronics, and very new, whereas my issue is a few years old.
I might ditch the case when I've got time to disassemble everything. It wouldn't be the first time this case caused me trouble. The last build I did with it, one of the motherboard standoffs broke a few days after the build, and sent a fragment dragging across the dimm pins on the back side of the motherboard, and nuked some brand new sticks of DDR4.