USB problem with keypad and joystick

[martinlest2 58]

I just added a Razer Tartarus to my system, and although I am happy with the device itself, I now have some USB problems.

 

Alongside the Tartarus, I have a Saitek X52 plugged in. At some stage during most flights, both devices now freeze up - I can't change between keymaps on the keypad, or change modes on the X52 - and neither has any effect on the sim.

 

If I unplug the X52 from the USB port and then plug it back in, thing are OK again, with both devices, which suggests that it is a USB problem rather than one of them malfunctioning (or why would both stop working simultaneously?).

 

I didn't have this problem with my Nostromo N52, at least only rarely.

 

Any ideas?

 

Thanks,

 

Martin

[ark 1,288]

I don't have either of the controller devices you are using so are not familiar with them. However, here are a couple of generic things to consider:

 

If the controllers are plugged into a shared USB hub, power might be an issue if the hub is powered just by the computer (ie, there is no external power adapter for the usb hub). Whether this might be the case depends on the power demands of the controllers.

 

Also, you need to make sure the two controllers don't have any axis assignments that conflict (are in common).  Unlike switches and keys, axes are always "on", so only one device (one axis) can be assigned to a particular function if both controllers are "active" at the same time. Similarly, you would not want an axis and key (or switch) assigned to the same function.

 

Al

[martinlest2 58]

Thanks. The devices plug directly into the PC, not via a hub.

 

I am pretty sure that the Razer keypad doesn't have anything set to axis, they are all buttons running with programmed macros or key commands. I will try to watch out though for whether one particular button or switch on either device causes the problem each time.

 

M

[pschlute 37]

This sounds like a windows "power saving issue". You need to set your power settings in windows so the the usb ports do not go to sleep through inaction.

[martinlest2 58]

I'll check the power settings, thanks for the reply. However, the devices freeze while I am using them, so Windows should definitely not be turning off power to the USB ports...

 

M.

[Jazzfan 57]

If you have access to a powered USB hub, I would give it a try. And don't under-estimate Windows' ability to screw up a good thing, namely your flight sim setup  ;o)

 

  Jazz

ps,  Oh, check with your keypad software to make sure it doesn't have some kind of power-saver feature working against you. It's unlikely, but some vendors

do weird things with their hardware.

[martinlest2 58]

I'll have a look, but I don't think so - in any case, the devices freeze up even when I have just used them a few seconds before. Don't think I have a powered hub anywhere...

 

I changed my power settings so that the USBs aren't turned off - made no differences: two freezes this last flight. Very annoying (though, as I said) pulling the USB cable out and plugging it back in clears the problem. The freeze doesn't happen upon any particular button press as far as I can see, things freeze up during the short intervals (usually no more than a minute or so) when I am not using the devices at all.

 

My Saitek X52 is new - I just bought another one, as I live abroad but come back to the UK quite often and fly FS in both countries; so now I don't have to put my FS hardware in my suitcase! - I wonder if that could be faulty?? I need to experiment a bit, but am leaving the UK tomorrow, so it'll have to wait till Christmas...

 

I've sent an email to Razer support meanwhile.

[martinlest2 58]

This is getting worse - more frequent, and just now, when I disconnected the X52 and the Razer, and plugged them back in, I got a BSOD. First in some years. Aaaagh!

 

Any way I can troubleshoot what the problem is while everything is frozen up? I tried moving the devices to different USB ports on the PC... no change at all.

 

M

[martinlest2 58]

Now I am in the UK for Christmas, I have tried this again. This time with a good quality mains-powered USB hub (instead of plugging into the PC's ports directly). No difference: the X52 and Tartarus both freeze up at intervals - admittedly not often, two or three times in an hour, but it's annoying enough. I just unplug the X52 and then plug it back in again, and all is OK, till a bit later..

 

When I use the X52 with one of my  Belkin Nostromo N52s (I have two now), I do not get this issue. Razer support has been good in replying but hasn't come up with any ideas so far. Any more thoughts here?

 

Thanks,

 

Martin