External Keyboard Multiple Keypress Problem

Post by **philipofmacedon** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 10:47 am

I've been having trouble hooking up an external keyboard to my laptop. I've tried a couple different keyboards. They all have PS/2 connectors and then I hook them up to a USB converter from Radioshack.

The keyboard "works" but it's unwilling to recognize multiple keypresses. I tried to play some half-life the other day but once I start strafing to the side it becomes impossible to move in another direction concurrently. I get the same result in other programs. It pisses me off to no end.

Anyone else run into this problem?

Should I hunt for a real USB keyboard? Perhaps a setting I can change somewhere? Or do laptops just suck at taking external input?

I have a gateway M520.

Post by **Niode** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 12:10 pm

It might be the keyboard that can't support more than 2 keypresses, i used to have a keyboard that had the same problem, it's not a problem with your PC. If it's an old keyboard (which if it's ps2 is most likely) they weren't designed to be used as a gaming peripheral and therefore only used for text input (only 2 keypresses at once was sufficient for caps and symbols as the keyboard doesn't read shift/caps button as a keypress, it's the bios that distinguishes between these http://www.beyondlogic.org/keyboard/keybrd.htm if you wanna know a bit more about this in depth).

As USB keyboards are so cheap these days, it might just be better to buy a cheap usb keyboard.

Post by **fastbilly1** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 9:38 pm

My vote goes to a cheap PS/2 to USB adapter.

Post by **Niode** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 9:09 am

I thought the o/p said that he connects the keyboard with a ps/2 to usb converter anyway?

Post by **philipofmacedon** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 1:53 pm

Update:

Thanks for the help guys. I decided to be more scientific and test my keyboard at a friend's house on his desktop computer. First I tried it with the USB adaptor and had the same crappy results. Multiple keypresses weren't recognized, making circle strafing an impossibility.

Then a tried hooking directly into the PS2 port and had better results. Much less stuttering, although my keyboard seemed a bit less responsive than this.

This leads me to conclude that my old keyboard and PS2 adapter are fine for typing but too old for games.

Any suggestions for a USB keyboard? A model that you particularly like or one you'd avoid?

Post by **Niode** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 5:03 pm

For my desktop i use a laptop style keyboard. I love the action on those keys, very responsive and very little travel. I find this helps me in twitchy games like HLDM etc. It's cheap too, it's made by Labtec, don't ask me what model because i'm at work.

Post by **fastbilly1** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 8:01 pm

I apologize, in my earlier post I meant that my vote is that the converter is bad.

As for good USB keyboards, I am partial to the Logitech G15

Post by **philipofmacedon** » Sun Jan 13, 2008 12:44 am

Postscript to the story:

Today I picked up a 15 dollar Logitech classic keyboard 200 USB at Staples. So far it's been working great. I've been circle strafing around in Half-Life like a mad man. Take that Headcrabs!

I would recommend this solution for anyone in the same boat. Ideally, just take your laptop along with you to the store and just try it there. They wouldn't let me hook it up in the store, but I have 15 days to return as long as I have my receipt. So I just went out in the car, booted up, hooked it up, it worked fine, then took it home.

It's not the fanciest keyboard in the world, but it seems be getting the job done so far.

Post by **marurun** » Sun Jan 13, 2008 1:10 am

I have a $10 Belkin. Works fine.