Fast typers - Keyboard beeps??

Message

Kenn · #1 Post by **Kenn** » Sun Jul 11, 2004 5:29 pm

A friend of mine first asked me about this problem when he got his T30: if you type quickly, and have several keys pressed together, the keyboard will beep and pause for a split second. I thought he was just crazy or a sloppy typer, until I started noticing it with my new T42.

It's enough to throw you off your groove (it JUST happened to me when I typed "enough" - hold down "n o u" and you get *beep* *pause*).

Does anyone else have this problem? Do you just mute the speakers and live with it? Is it fixable? It's going to drive me nuts, I know it.

Hangfire · #2 Post by **Hangfire** » Sun Jul 11, 2004 5:49 pm

Sounds like you're overclocking your keyboard!

Chun-Yu · #3 Post by **Chun-Yu** » Sun Jul 11, 2004 5:51 pm

Yeah, this has something to do with how keystrokes are handled in Windows - the "fix" is to use Linux, where it doesn't happen

BTW, you must be a sloppy typer - you are supposed to type "n" and "u" with the same finger, so how would you press both at once?

Anyway...I have never experienced this problem, and I consider myself to be quite a fast typer.

Kenn · #4 Post by **Kenn** » Sun Jul 11, 2004 6:38 pm

No, this definitely has something to do with IBM Thinkpads. I've had dozens of desktops installs under XP with over 10 different keyboards, including omnikeys, model Ms, logitechs, Keytronics, MS Naturals, Alps, etc. Also, on the laptop front, I've used Dells, Compaqs, HPs, Alienwares, and Toshibas in Win2k/XP, and this is the first time I've encountered this problem. My friend noticed it immediately on his new T30 and I noticed it within a few days on the T42 (would have caught it earlier if I didn't have my system muted all the time)!

As for my typing, you're dead on. I don't type conventionally, and it may hurt my speed a bit, but at about 105wpm at zero error rate I've never bothered adjusting my style. For example, with the "NOU" key combination, it's unquestionably faster to hit N with my index finger, O with ring finger, and U with middle finger in quick succession than it is to move my index finger from N to U after hitting O with the ring finger...to each his own I guess.

Anybody have any insight on this keyboard problem?

skc · #5 Post by **skc** » Sun Jul 11, 2004 8:07 pm

I had a similar problem. After sending in the laptop for repair and having the beeps recur after a few days, I decided to see what the problem was for myself. I opened the casing, taking the keyboard off the laptop, unplugged and replugged the keyboard connector to the motherboard (making sure it was seated firmly), and haven't had the problem since.

I hope this works for you!

Kenn · #6 Post by **Kenn** » Sun Jul 11, 2004 8:13 pm

Interesting. I don't think it's an intermittent/random problem though. Could you try this test for me? Make sure your speakers are on, and hold down the n, o, and u keys together. Does it make a sound and not output the last letter pressed?

Thanks,
Kenn

Humpa · #7 Post by **Humpa** » Sun Jul 11, 2004 9:05 pm

Kenn, I wouldn't have found this out on my own. I type fast, but I learned on a manual typewriter and also spent a few years on manual teletypes - so I would never have 3 keys pressed at the same time.

But, my T42 fails on the n-o-u and gives me a beep - but there is no pause or delay of any kind. My X21 also fails, but there is no beep.
The T42 also fails (and beeps) on a bunch of other combinations too: k-i-u, m-o-u, l-o-i, etc

On my home pc (XP Pro with a cheap memorex keyboard) it fails everytime on k-j-d, s-h-i, and others I'm sure. But the thinkpads both work with k-j-d and s-h-i.

My Linux box (Red Hat 8.0 and logitech keybd) fails everytime on k-j-d, k-o-9 and k-o-8, and others I would think.

What does this mean to me?
It means I'll keep typing one key at a time ...

Daniel · #8 Post by **Daniel** » Sun Jul 11, 2004 11:29 pm

I get that beeping problem too. It doesn't freeze though, just kind of annoys me once in a while.

skc · #9 Post by **skc** » Sun Jul 11, 2004 11:57 pm

wow, that's crazy.. I just tried the n-o-u combination, and you're right.. I did get the beep

AND a strange noise from the speakers. It's very strange, too-- it's specific combinations of keys that makes the beep. Grr..

effxiikc · #10 Post by **effxiikc** » Mon Jul 12, 2004 12:57 am

ya i get the beeps too...
jus got to type a bit slower or relearn to type =/

Kenn · #11 Post by **Kenn** » Mon Jul 12, 2004 1:23 am

Yeah, I also imagine that this would be a problem for games too, when you're often *supposed* to hold down at least 3 keys.

I remember this being a hardware limitation on cheap keyboards (in fact, i believe Ars Technica had some kind of interactive demo that showed which keys combos would be affected because of the serial interface), but I haven't run into the problem in so long that I assume it was long-fixed. Bummer. I'll live with it, though it would be nice to register it with IBM as an official grievance and hope they address it with later models.

Roy_W · #12 Post by **Roy_W** » Mon Jul 12, 2004 2:07 am

The sound can be disabled quite easily

Temporary solution :

"net start beep" & " net stop beep"

Permanent Solution:

* Right-click My Computer and select Manage.
* Expand System Tools and select Device Manager.
* From the View menu, select Show hidden devices.
* Expand Non-Plug and Play Drivers.
* Right-click Beep, and select Properties.
* Select the Drivers tab.
* Click Stop. You can also change the start-up type to Disabled so the beep service never starts.

http://www.winnetmag.com/Article/Articl ... 15508.html

HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Beep\start

0 = Boot
1 = System ( Default value )
2 = Automatic
3 = Demand
4 = Disabled

Kenn · #13 Post by **Kenn** » Mon Jul 12, 2004 2:16 am

Thanks Roy!

This sounds like it would disable all instances of the system beep, which may actually be useful in some cases. But seeing as my keyboard beeped twice while typing this reply, maybe I will just disable the darned thing.

Roy_W · #14 Post by **Roy_W** » Mon Jul 12, 2004 2:30 am

Sorry about that, I should have been a little more explicit, Kenn is correct it will disable ALL the system beeps not just those for the keyboard.

akerman · #15 Post by **akerman** » Mon Jul 12, 2004 7:30 am

It's not a thinkpad thing, it's quite common.. it has something to do with how they keys are numbered internally in windows - some keys you can press at once without a beep, while others you can't! I had it explained once, can't remember anymore.

And yes, it's annoying... thank god I can press ESDF at once though (Quake keys)

)

Kenn · #16 Post by **Kenn** » Mon Jul 12, 2004 12:22 pm

akerman wrote:It's not a thinkpad thing, it's quite common.. it has something to do with how they keys are numbered internally in windows - some keys you can press at once without a beep, while others you can't! I had it explained once, can't remember anymore.

And yes, it's annoying... thank god I can press ESDF at once though (Quake keys) )

Weird, you are the only other person I know who also uses esdf rather than wasd. I've always advocated it as it gives you access to more hotkeys around the base movement keys.

I'm going to drop this issue. IMO it is a keyboard issue owing to its serial interface (that's why certain combinations, which are "wired together serially" cause the beep and others don't). However, your post was quite appropriate in that it brought me back to 1997 when a lot of keyboards had this problem. I haven't experienced it in so many years that it seemed new, but rather it's an old issue. One of these days I'm going to plug in a USB external keyboard and see if it still happens!

Kenn

Daniel · #17 Post by **Daniel** » Mon Jul 12, 2004 1:06 pm

I see why it always happens for me. That o-u-n combo is in my last name! If the problem annoys you, practice typing whatever makes the beep until it doesn't happen anymore. I notice I mash the keys typing my last name because I'm so used (sed beeps) to typing it.

Lmax · #18 Post by **Lmax** » Tue Jul 13, 2004 2:48 pm

I just typed this message in a millisecond and didn't hear a thing or detect a pause. Typing school may be in order for you.

Max

JaimitoBond · #19 Post by **JaimitoBond** » Tue Jul 13, 2004 7:21 pm

No kidding. A KB is not exactly a piano

Kenn · #20 Post by **Kenn** » Tue Jul 13, 2004 7:28 pm

Lmax wrote:I just typed this message in a millisecond and didn't hear a thing or detect a pause. Typing school may be in order for you.

Max

Heh, your charm defies description. I'm sure if I could type 25,000 WPM like you, this wouldn't be a problem either

Peace

Fast typers - Keyboard beeps??

Fast typers - Keyboard beeps??

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