PDA

View Full Version : usb keyboard makes sound stutter


eronte
October 1st, 2009, 23:11
Hi all, greets from Chile. Recently installed a freebsd machine, and found this forum.

I scavenged a usb keyboard, and decided to try it on freebsd (7.2-RELEASE-p3). The keyboard works fine (on console and xorg+hald), but using a key that lights a led (caps lock, num lock, etc), makes the sound output stutter. I've checked UPDATING and run a few searches (google, and this forum... ok, two searches =) looking for a reference, but it looks like I'm the only one with this problem.

Has anybody had similar symptoms? (And does anyone know how to solve this problem?). Thanks in advance!

eronte
October 6th, 2009, 20:57
Just a quick update... I had a custom kernel, so I tried a GENERIC kernel, but the stutter is still there. I checked with

systat -vmstat 1

and the activity goes wild when I use the keys. Nothing else for now. Greets!

eronte
October 7th, 2009, 02:21
Can't edit the post yet... I found an old reference:

http://www.nabble.com/USB-keyboard-LED-lights-cause-audio-to-stutter-td6523787.html

I tried a different soundcard (don't think it has to do anything with it, but why not? =) Currently, it's a sound blaster, works fine, but the activity keeps jumping (and the sound skipping) when using the caps lock key.

Beastie
October 7th, 2009, 12:04
Have you tried using another USB keyboard, or better, a PS2 keyboard if you have the appropriate port?

Maybe you could also give 8.0RCs a try or wait for RELEASE as it has a new USB stack. Just an idea...

eronte
October 8th, 2009, 03:04
Today I comandeered a usb keyboard from a Mac (not the best to try, but it was already there, so...). Same results. And the "current" keyboard is a Sun model 6. I'll look for some other usb keyboard tomorrow (BTW, the ps2 keyboard works fine, I decided to try the Sun keyboard just for fun). Thanks for the advice!

Carpetsmoker
October 10th, 2009, 02:01
This is usually a hardware problem caused by:

o Bad power supply. Solution is simple: Replace power supply

o Lack of proper grounding for the connector, depending on your connectors this may or may not be easy to MacGyver it into something working (i.e. solder on a wire).

o Broken/bad contacts. Not a whole lot you can do really.

eronte
October 13th, 2009, 14:06
Greets again. I tried a ubuntu cd and checked (with top) the idle %. On ubuntu looks normal (never went below 95% while hammering the keys). Same key-pressing-fest went as low as 1.1% on freebsd, so I don't think it's hardware related. I'll give 8.0 a try soon (next week perhaps). Thanks for the suggestions!

jurrien
November 2nd, 2009, 21:54
I have the same issue with a Microsh*t Ergo 4000 USB keyboard on FreeBSD 7.2-RELEASE-p4. PS/2 was always fine but the USB has always had this issue.

I does however seem related to the video driver. I do have the issue with binary NVIDIA driver for FreeBSD enabled, but I do not have the stutter with the native open source NV driver.

Jurrien

sixtydoses
November 12th, 2009, 09:11
Yea I have the same issue too after replacing my ps/2 keyboard with Gigabyte GK-K6800 usb keyboard. Am running on fbsd 7.2 p3. The num and caps lock are not working properly but am not that bothered anyway. I do think I have some problems with my power supply.

eronte
November 19th, 2009, 13:04
Hi, long time no see. I have the same driver (binary nvidia). Never thought that could be the culprit. I'll check (different driver) and report. Greets!