Saitek X52 Pro "soft stuck button" problem

[geogob]

I'm having a few problems with my X52 Pro and I feel all these are somewhat related.

 

I'm using the X52 pro with a profile I created using the SD6 Beta version of SST (the one that support RShift). For the most part, the stick (axis and buttons) work flawlessly, but from time to time, things really go bad.

 

First symptom that I notice is that sometimes button get "stuck". For exemple, if I am panning the Shkval in one direction, when I release the hat switch, it keeps panning like it's pressed. If I immediately check the control panel, it shows that the button was indeed released, but the software thinks it's still pressed.

 

To "unstuck" the command, I usually have to press the button multiple times and/or the key(s) associated with the command on the keyboard multiple times. Eventually, the command is released.

 

Second symptom I have experience, and this is usually following the first symptom, the keys stop responding. Although the hardware still works correctly (observed with the control panel), the command simply do not work. The only way to resolve this is to remove and reconnect the X52. Sometimes, even that is not enough!

 

Third symptom I have observed are "flickering" commands. When I press a button, instead of triggering the command once, the command "flickers" - if it's a push button, it's going to go on and off very fast and randomly. This third symptom is usually a precursor of the first two.

 

Did anyone else experience these problems and if so, how did you work around them? For me, they occur about once every 2 hours of flight, which is a lot!

 

The last time these problems occurred, I tried to restart the SAI Direct Output service. Even though the process was still running, it was unresponsive. I have the feeling this is somewhat linked with the problems I've had. I will try running the game with the process disabled to see if it's more stable.

 

I'd also like to note that I have renamed the "lua-direct_output.dll" library from the <rootdir>\DCS\Ka-50\bin\stable\ directory to prevent DSC:BS from using the X52 MFD (which caused the game to CTD a lot).

 

All this, is for the game configured as a simulator. I've never tried the other game mode. I am running on XP Pro 32 SP3.

 

 

Any suggestion would be appreciated. If running without the Direct Output service started helps improving the X52 stability, I'll post my findings here.

 

 

:joystick:

[geogob]

I can tell that disabling the directinput device does not resolve the issue.

 

 

Any clue on what might cause this would be appreciated :)

 

:joystick:

Edited January 4, 2009 by geogob

[llama]

My x52 has issues pretty regularly so I usually uninstall everything except my profiles and reinstall the entire driver package as well as the SST software. I have no idea what causes the problems (usually COMPLETE loss of any input from the joystick but throttle still works) but neither a system reboot or unplugging the hotas and reconnecting seems to fix it. It has had this issue for pretty much the entire time I have owned it.

[Kurtz]

Id look through all the ingame commands and remove anything that relates to your X52 except the Axis commands. I found the ingame auto mapping was of some keys was in conflict with the SST software, causing some wild shkval sweeping as well as some keys that would not function. Leave all the keyboard stuff in place as this is all your X52 is looking at. In my case the auto detect of the inputs had pitch and roll mapped to my pedals as well as my flightstick. In multiplay as well I found there is a bug where your X52pro wheel will suddenly start operating the zoom view rather than its scroll function. The problem was resolved by clearing the "Free Camera" Zoom View command. One other thing worth mentioning is that I tend to think the SST basic macro is bugged. I tend to used the "advanced command" for macro's when profiling so the key release is mapped.

 

Basically what it boils down to is control input conflicts between your profile and the ingame control list. Browse the KA-50 REAL, KA-50 GAME, and FREE CAMERA, control list for conflicts.

 

Hope this helps :)

[geogob]

Thanks Kurtz. I will check this out!

[geogob]

Clearing out all assigned keys does not help nor does disabling the SAI Direct Output service.

 

While doing some practicing today, I noticed that key that got stuck on down was also displayed on the MFD (the keypress name from SST was displayed). It kept repeating exactly like if I kept the key pressed. Eventually the key started working normally again, but the MFD still acted up, showing the command name (that, until I restated the Direct Output service).

 

Either something is really buggy or I'm having hardware issues. I'll try connecting into another USB port for starters.

[geogob]

Well. I finally reverted to use a default profile and setup all the keys in the DCS interface. The drawback is that I cannot use the multi-mode and shift features of SST and the X52.

 

Because the sticks forks very well without using SST and using direct in-game configuration, I'm setting hardware issues aside. Maybe I'm having something in my system interfering with the saitek drivers and magic keyboard :(

 

Fact that no one else seems to have this issue is not a good sign :s

(or maybe it is...)

[Slayer]

I read this in the saitek support forum before.... When you are programing your profiles it does record all the presses and the pauses in between etc, you just don't see them as you do in a macro. Try holding the keys a bit longer when you program. Also another tip was to add an additional "release" keystroke to the ones giving you problems. This should take care of it for you.

[geogob]

Very interesting. I didn't know that and I see how this could be a problem. Not too sure what you mean by a "release" keystroke, though. Could you explain this a bit more please?

[Slayer]

Very interesting. I didn't know that and I see how this could be a problem. Not too sure what you mean by a "release" keystroke, though. Could you explain this a bit more please?

 

Sure, instead of just clicking in the buton box you right click it and pick advanced command, this lets you edit the exact keys you press release etc and you can click on the times to edit them( I believe Miliseconds)

 

[ATTACH]23483[/ATTACH]

 

You just double the keypress in the release box. The programming pdf file is helpfull(It should be included with the programing software), so are the forums over at saitek. If you're having a hard time, post up your profile here and I can try to edit it for you.

[geogob]

Ah, yes, macros. What I didn't know is that what they call standard keypress behave like macros (with registered time).

 

I tried to use macros with the hat switch, to make the Shkval pan up and left or down and left, etc. It didn't work out well. All macros I created caused heavy lag for a few seconds when ever used.

 

I'll try again with something more simple, to see how it works out.

 

Thank for the suggestions. I'll also check out some profiles I can find for BS so I can compare how its done. Hopefully it will work.

[Bucic]

This is a real show stopper! I use AV8R with SST and the control (ctrl) key is getting stuck. I have tu tap RCtrl few times to get unstuck but sometimes it's too late! The "solution" Slayer proposed is very cumbersome. Are there no other solutions yet?

 

Edit:

The issue appears to show up only when I use right Ctrl key on the keyboard e.g. RCtrl+~ to get to the chat window.

Edited April 27, 2010 by Bucic