ECLIPSE KEYBOARD wont let me use some keys at the same time!

[r0xaH]

I dont know if this problem is being caused by my computer or the keyboard itself. My Eclipse Keyboard will not let me use some keys at the same time. For example, the shift key, the caps key and "W". Other combos such as "W", "E", and "S" will not work. This is very frustrating in games such as Counter-strike where i need to walk, strafe, reload and use another key at the same time. Any help would greatly be appreciated.

[whaler_99]

I too have had the same problem - spec. in NFSU II - trying to accelerate and turn while at the same time feather the brakes or power slide using the hand brake. In other forums I read that this, while not unique to this keyboard, is a common enough problem. The underlying circuitry used for the keyboard can easily work with two keys at once, but when the third key is pressed, the circuitry gets confused and a "ghost key" can occur. From what I understood, due to the way the switching works, when that third key is pressed, the keyboard gets confused and thinks you have actually pushed two (four total) keys, which won't work. Also, from what I read, no fix, just try a different keyboard. My $30 HP USB keyboard seems to work fine with any three key combination. I wonder is this also occurs on the Gamer keyboard?

[BUFF]

I wonder is this also occurs on the Gamer keyboard?
Yes it does & as you have said it isn't unique to Saitek but common with many keyboards.

[skalx]

With the Zboard (http://www.zboard.com/) you are able to press 8 keys simultaneously.

[MAD-MAX]

I have the same problem... by buying this "gaming keyboard" and considering its price, I was hoping it would at least be able to do such things, I am very disapointed by this product and I will probably return it... unless you find a solution to it, because its the main reason why I bought your keyboard

[schism]

i also have the same problem and have made a thread about it...it is very fustrating when you purchase a "gaming keyboard" and it doesnt do simple functions like this.

[c1team]

I think this is a USB or Windows issue. I had a Logitech keyboard for awhile and the last 4-5 months I delt with the 3 button issue. First off like in CS when I strafe+forward+jump it sticks and makes me stop. Also I get sometimes is i strafe back and forth real fast that at least 1 out of 6 strafe movments it sticks and I start to slide and cant move until the slide stops. On top of that my mouse lags in game, say im turing around and then it stops on me and i cant move the mouse until it lets me move again. Last month I got a new CPU and mobo upgrade, hoping it might fix it :rolleyes: (got the upgrade for gaming not for the issue.) Still had the issue with mouse and keyboard and then gave up last week to buy a new keyboard thinking it was all Logitec. Well I get the same thing on a new mobo and new keyboard. Even tried the a old mouse and got that issue with the mouse lag. I am sure that somewhere along the line there has been Windows updates and think something either in windows or the USB area, IDK. :confused:

For the CS players that read this and experiance this issue, it might even be the game cause I havent notice this lag in my other games but then again I dont move as fast in those to really tell.

EDIT: FIXED

Anyone with the same issue and uses ventrilo? Fix was found by changing your ventrilos process priority class to high. Some reason vent was getting in the way.

[Henry1]

Yeah, have the same problem. Cant press multiply keys at the same time. Such as forward, left and space. Forward, left and ins. And many others combinations dont work. With this you cant normal play in nfsmw and other games. I have Saitek Eclipse keyboard. Who make such not good keyboard? May be its good but not for games were you have to press multiply keys in the same time. This program shows when 2 keys are work and third not www.3dnews.ru/files/pub/bench/keytest_2.2.exe.

Btw logitech keyboard have same problem. Why to make keyboard for 60$ saitek, like a gaming and it have such a big prob for games? One day i have this keybord, tomorow i return Saitek Eclipse were i take to the shop.
But they have a lighting, but i dont need flash light i need gaming keyboard, were i can press most today games keys combinations. Such as NFSMW forward, left and space, Forward, left and ins. and many others.

[Absntmind]

This is complete bs. What kind of designers/engineers does Saitek have that can't sit there and think,"Hmm, who is our biggest market? Probably gamers and power users. Design aspects, well, we got the pretty lights which help to see in the dark. Decent keys, nice layout. Lets forget about something as simple as using multiple keys which some $12 dollar keyboards can do and use some old #@@ circuit layout."

WTF! I really like this keyboard. Payed over $60 for it, got it home, and started with the basics. Loved it right off the bat. Comfortable, like the key press, doesn't slide around... then I opened up BF2, then Fear, then COD2, then I was mad (to put it nicely). Why the #@ll am I going to pay that much for a keyboard and not be able to do something as simple as press 3 keys at once? My 4 year old keyboard could even do that! Lord, how could you overlook something as simple and basic to that. Look at need first, then build design on top of it. To say the very least, I am extremely disappointed. Would of been a great keyboard otherwise. I even use more than 3 keys at once for work, and was going to suggest this board for the next replacements.

Luckily I just bought it, and can return it tomorrow. I am very picky about the brands I buy, and after something as ridiculous as this to be missed, I'll never by Saitek again, and advise others not to as well. A complete hit and miss. This is a good keyboard if all your going to do is surf the web. Any more than that, and forget it.

[BUFF]

Apparently the Logitech G15 has the same issue as do lot's of other keyboards ...

[Infil]

I also recently just purchased this keyboard, and I love everything about it. The feel, the look, the size, the noise when you press keys down... I'm very picky with my keyboards, and I finally thought I found one I would always be happy with.

And then I booted up a favorite game of mine which forces you to press down any and all of the arrow keys at once, and found out that certain combinations do not work (such as hold left, up, and try to press right).

Saitek, how could you let this get through? Now I have to return this keyboard and try to find another brand, and I know I won't like it as much as this keyboard. I have money to spend on your products, Saitek... why do you have to make it impossible for me to do so?

I had heard the company was releasing a red backlit version of the eclipse soon. Is there any chance you will change the circuitry of the board around so that they do not have these problems? If not, I will have to buy a different brand and not recommend Saitek to anyone... this oversight is too large, and it seems like I am not the only one who is upset over this.

Is there any official response from the company on this? Lots of keyboards may suffer from this, but lots of others don't. It must be avoidable in the circuitry, and for a gaming keyboard, this is inexcusable.

[BUFF]

and for a gaming keyboard, this is inexcusable.
it's a keyboard with lights not a specifically gaming keyboard.

[Infil]

Well, I had understood that this keyboard was based off the old Saitek Gaming keyboard.

But even so. Any keyboard that costs $70 or more should not have this problem. And it just stings so much more because I really, really want this keyboard. I love everything about it, except this, which makes it impossible for me to use.

So there's no way around this, eh? No mods to the keyboards, no software to help? You just can't press those keys down together, and that's the end of it?

[TerminatorUK]

I have exactly the same problem, cannot use my arrow keys two at a time with another button....even my Logitech £9 PS/2 keyboard was better than this!

I emailed tech support and they told me it was a known issue that is being address with the Eclipse 2. They said if I wasn't happy I should take the product back to the supplier I got it from for a refund.

So I asked eBuyer for an RMA code to send it back and they issued it to be right away so I returned it and am going to wait till the Eclipse 2 comes out and get that instead.

Looks great as a keyboard but is very poor functionality-wise considering it is that expensive.

[Infil]

Yes, I'm glad to hear that Saitek is recognizing this is an important issue for many gamers. I'm excited to hear that the Eclipse II will fix this problem!

I will certainly be picking it up when it is available (a video I watched at E3 claimed they estimate it will ship "sometime in June"). Plus, the 3 backlit colors is a nice touch.

Anyway, yeah, it's hard to recommend the Eclipse to gamers who need to press down multiple keys. But fortunately, it seems like we'll be able to easily recommend the Eclipse 2 in a month's time.

[PsyKo]

my gaming keyboard started doing this yesterday, i was playing day of defeat source and it wouldnt let me press ctrl + w, or ctrl + r, or ctrl + tab, i use ctrl to crouch so it pissed me off a bit. i switched it to shift and had no problems. just now trying to register for this site to post for some support it would not let me press shift + k, or shift + a, now i would like to know what saitek is doing to fix this problem. i have only had my keyboard a few months and i still consider it brand new, will saitek create a fix, or replace my keyboard.

if neither, i will be forced to purchase a keyboard from the competition and possibly spread the word of faulty products and lacking customer support throughout the many gaming, pc, and general discussion boards i know of.

i am not trying to be unruly, i am just a little mad about a $70 keyboard that cannot do what a 10 year old board i keep under my desk for testing can do without issue.


i can be reached by email @ xvPsyKovx@msn.com

[UKSupport]

PsyKo - that's a faulty unit. Please return it to the store for an exchange.

[PsyKo]

PsyKo - that's a faulty unit. Please return it to the store for an exchange.


it was purchased right after thanksgiving i have no receipt or packaging, i doubt they will take it back.

[UKSupport]

Email the US support then - support@saitekusa.com - as they should be able to help you out.

[muffin9988@hotmail.c]

sooooooo....
Lot of talk but no answer... :confused:
Is their an official fix to this problem? Is this problem even real or is it just some certain keyboards(I doubt it)?

[Kupe]

Well, considering that other keyboards like the g15 have also been reported as having this problem, the problem probably isn't specifically with a couple of keyboards. So what do they have in common? They're USB keyboards. I've only ever used PS/2 keyboards and have never had this problem, so I'm going to assume the problem is with connecting through USB, maybe. Can anyone that has this keyboard try using it with a USB to PS/2 converter? It's a longshot, but maybe that's all it would take to fix the problem. I hope so, because I really wanted to pick one of these up, but this problem is keeping me from getting it.

[Infil]

I'm 95% positive that it has nothing to do with the connector to your computer. I've seen PS/2 keyboards that have this problem, and my brother's Logitech keyboard is USB and doesn't have this problem. It's in the keyboard's design.

Note that Saitek is releasing the Eclipse II in a month or so, which should be a better keyboard all around anyway, and it also fixes the multiple keystroke problem. So I'd recommend you just wait for that.

It can't come fast enough for me, though. I'm using my crappy, loud, old white Microsoft keyboard. It's done me well, but my entire setup is black, and it really stands out. Plus, the keys are all gross.

Any chance of Saitek sending me an advance unit? I'd be happy to test it out and write a review on it. ;)

[Kupe]

Ah, well I figured it was worth a shot. I guess I'll just wait then.

[Crow_Nest]

Ok im not exactly sure about this, but i own a Saitek Eclipse and used to have the Gamers' Keyboard back then.

While with the gamers keyboard i had no such issues like this, and during that time i had WinXP with Service Pack 1. Then i got SP2 and the Eclipse, then i started to get this problem with the same game (Megaman X3) which never had such a problem with pressing "multiple keys" at once. So its either the Eclipse keyboard OR a problem with Bill Gates's crappy software... (If its the Eclipse, that means my gamers keyboard and Windows has no probs, and its a hardware issue)

Now i highly suspect that it could be Service Pack 2 or some follow up SP2 updates that caused this issue with keyboards.

Anyone here still running SP1 and have that problem?

[kps1977]

I recently got this problem with my gamers keyboard (last week). It has
worked ok for the last couple of months that i have been using it.
I play DOD:s alot so I always use w+shift to run. Then last week it did
not work. The only thing that I changed was that I had installed Battlefield 2.

Now I did not and do not believe it is a hardware problem as this is
also happening on other makes of keyboard, they all cant be that stupid.
Plus I have solved the problem on my pc. It was a driver problem.
I was using the standard windows driver for usb keyboards.
I went in to device manager, human interface manager and deleted all
the driver except my mouse. I then installed the driver from the saitek
website, and it worked first time.


Hope this helps

kps

[bru_tkd]

The Gamers keyboard comes with drivers, the Eclipse doesn't.

[kps1977]

Download and try the Gamers drivers anyway. What have you to lose.
saitek should release drivers for this keyboard, or even better microsoft should sort out there drivers as those are the one that are causing the problem on all the usb keyboards.

I have a hunch that the gamers drivers will work.


kps

[RushFan]

Does anyone know for sure whether the multiple keys pressed at the same time problems were fixed with the Eclipse II keyboard?

I own a Gamer's keyboard and want to buy the Eclipse II, but won't unless I know without a doubt this issue has been fixed.

[UKSupport]

It's fixed on the rest of the keyboard but if you use the cursor keys for FPS games then you'll still have problems with them. WASD key users will be fine though.

[RushFan]

It's fixed on the rest of the keyboard but if you use the cursor keys for FPS games then you'll still have problems with them. WASD key users will be fine though.

Good enough answer for me. I rarely use the cursor keys anyway!

Thanks.

[nick_d]

It's fixed on the rest of the keyboard but if you use the cursor keys for FPS games then you'll still have problems with them. WASD key users will be fine though.

Hi UKSupport - do you know when the Eclipse II will be available in the UK? I want one!

Thanks,

Nick.

[JazzyC]

after a week of having mine, it decides not to let me type unless i hold down capslock. or it'll pop up the search function and randomly enter letters continuously. failing that it will scroll around the screen. i assume this is a faulty unit and needs returning?

p.s i'm currently having to use the onscreen keyboard to type!

[UKSupport]

Yes, that's a faulty keyboard, I'm afraid. Please return it to the store for an exchange.

[damnusernames]

So what does someone in the UK do if they have a Eclipse keyboard and they don't have the receipt?

Also, why not design the keyboard around the standard IBM standard? Its a well known issue especially for the blind who use braille applications.

[Snassek]

It's fixed on the rest of the keyboard but if you use the cursor keys for FPS games then you'll still have problems with them. WASD key users will be fine though.

Any chance they will put out a patch for the cursor keys? While I use WASD for FPS games, I use the cursor keys for driving games and currently I can't turn left if I use NOS (Left Alt key).

[UKSupport]

It's not something that a patch can fix - it's purely down to the way the hardware works. You would need to remap your keys to the WASD rather than the cursors for driving games too.

[DeathTaker]

In my experience, the Saitek II does not let me press more than 3 keys at once.

When i got my standered dell keyboard which connected to my computer via ps/2, i had no problems at all in press the buttons i needed( w, (forward), capslock (walk), and spacebar (crouch).

however once i got the saitek II, i could do no such thing. In order to have atleast a 20% chance of doing what i wanted to correctly, i would have to quickly let go of capslock before i hit forward and crouch

seriously, i wish there was a way to fix this. i really like this keyboard

[nooly]

too bad you can't press more keys at once, i think that in this price range it's a big mistake. saitek II seems to be great keyboard, just what i was looking for. but i certainly need to be able to press more keys simultaneously (i use my computer keyboard as a virtual keyboard) so i have to look for another product. surely i would pay extra money for better keyboard circuits...

[Jon8RFC]

I needed to resurrect this thread because I have the same issue and want to give my input. I have the Eclipse II and cannot use more than two arrow (directional) keys simultaneously; the third key supercedes the second.

Few keyboards I've used allow three or more simultaneously. One is my usb "Logitech Elite Keyboard" (Model number Y-BF38) that is about 4 years old; the other is a USB Dell keyboard model number RT7D50. There are newer versions of the Logitech Elite, and I'm not sure if they function as well as the older one.

Anyways, I'm trying to find a non-ergonomic USB backlit keyboard (preferably red) that supports three (preferably five or more) simultaneous key depressions, and where the 0 number pad key and the CTRL key are on the same plane as the left/right arrow keys. The Logitech Elite (my older version) can be had for about $30. I'm looking to spend no more than $75 unless it is filled with features like the G15.

Does anybody have any suggestions, or know of a work-around for the Eclipse II? I'll gladly void my warranty if there's some wiring/soldering to do to remap or change something internal. I really love this keyboard, and it's a pity that it doesn't allow more simultaneous key usages.

[Jon8RFC]

I needed to resurrect this thread because I have the same issue and want to give my input. I have the Eclipse II and cannot use more than two arrow (directional) keys simultaneously; the third key supercedes the second.

Few keyboards I've used allow three or more simultaneously. One is my usb "Logitech Elite Keyboard" (Model number Y-BF38) that is about 4 years old; the other is a USB Dell keyboard model number RT7D50. There are newer versions of the Logitech Elite, and I'm not sure if they function as well as the older one.

Anyways, I'm trying to find a non-ergonomic USB backlit keyboard (preferably red) that supports three (preferably five or more) simultaneous key depressions, and where the 0 number pad key and the CTRL key are on the same plane as the left/right arrow keys. The Logitech Elite (my older version) can be had for about $30. I'm looking to spend no more than $75 unless it is filled with features like the G15.

Does anybody have any suggestions, or know of a work-around for the Eclipse II? I'll gladly void my warranty if there's some wiring/soldering to do to remap or change something internal. I really love this keyboard, and it's a pity that it doesn't allow more simultaneous key usages.