Keyboard not working when HOTAS is plugged in?!?

[ubermick]

This is a new one. Everything been working fine until today - using a Virpil CM2 throttle and a VKB Gunfighter III stick for playing. Now though, when I boot up the keyboard no longer works - can't input my windows 10 password at all, even using the "virtual" keyboard. If I reboot without the throttle and stick plugged in, keyboard works again, but as soon as I plug the powered USB hub (that the throttle and stick are plugged into) then keyboard instantly stops working.

Weird thing is, when its in this state, the keyboard is still recognized - at the password screen, if I turn on caps lock for example, it recognizes that I've done that, but entering any keys at all that would provide an actual input doesn't work at all. Tried different keyboards, USB ports, all giving the same grief.

 

[ubermick]

Through process of elimination, looks like its my throttle. Unplugged every USB cable, and all work fine but the second the throttle is plugged in, seems to cause an immediate conflict with my keyboard.

Which isn't, y'know, great for a really expensive bit of kit.

 

[GJ51]

Yeah - I wouldn't be happy about that.

It doesn't seem likely that it's software, but you might try going into Device manager and running a scan for new devices.

USB bugs are a pain

Sometimes deleting the USB stack and then re-initializing the devices can sort things out. Also make sure mobo usb chipset and drivers are up to date.

But it does seem like a hardware issue

 

[Martyn W]

Whilst you are trying different things to resolve the issue I would advise you don't launch ED until all is working because ED might lose your key bindings. Not a tekkie so can't help with the main problem.

 

[Captain Willard]

I had a usb powered hub once. It went into the trash shortly afterwards.

 

[virosh]

If you are using the Keyboard Mapping feature from the Virpil software to bypass the 32 button limitation in ED, you may end up with not working keyboard when the controller is plugged in, as you know... the controller starts behaving as a second keyboard.

First of all, make sure you do not have buttons or switches which are always on. If you haven't changed the default behavior of T1-T4 this may be your issue as by default they are always pressed in each position and enabling the KM will present them to your OS as a keyboard strokes which are always pressed and this will mess up everything.

Second - you need to disable the Shift/Ctrl/Alt modification as this may be your main culprit and also you probably don't need it anyway. The normal keyboard mapping plus 32 buttons are enough to reach the limit of 128 per controller.

I think you can easily imagine what havoc the controller can unleash to the OS using a modifier and having a buttons/switches which are always pressed.

 

[ubermick]

If you are using the Keyboard Mapping feature from the Virpil software to bypass the 32 button limitation in ED, you may end up with not working keyboard when the controller is plugged in, as you know... the controller starts behaving as a second keyboard.

First of all, make sure you do not have buttons or switches which are always on. If you haven't changed the default behavior of T1-T4 this may be your issue as by default they are always pressed in each position and enabling the KM will present them to your OS as a keyboard strokes which are always pressed and this will mess up everything.

Second - you need to disable the Shift/Ctrl/Alt modification as this may be your main culprit and also you probably don't need it anyway. The normal keyboard mapping plus 32 buttons are enough to reach the limit of 128 per controller.

I think you can easily imagine what havoc the controller can unleash to the OS using a modifier and having a buttons/switches which are always pressed.

This was it, much to my absolute embarrassment.

Given ED's 32 input limitation, I opted to go the keyboard mapping option for 33+ instead of using Joystick Gremlin. And to avoid extra conflicts, I added the "alt" modifier in the Virpil software. Somehow, one of the four red toggle switches got flipped (glares at innocent looking six year old) so was basically spamming Alt+something constantly to the PC so the poor oul' keyboard couldn't get a word in edgewise. I plugged it in after the PC had fully booted and launched the Virpil software - as soon as I unchecked the alt- checkbox, the telltale sound of the windows alert boinging incessantly gave it away.

Oof.

Of course I discovered this after I bought a new USB hub, dismantled and resoldered the custom XS9 to USB cable (worrying that there was a kinked wire in there), reached out to Virpil's customer service, and began the return for repair process.