x55 Rhino with IL2? Not working?

[Snacko]

Hey guys, I got my Saitek x55 Rhino about 3 weeks ago and was really impressed with the quality of the hardware. But I ran into a problem right away, which I posted at Saitek Support ( Yikes!). So far I have gotten nowhere with them, and I am not sure what they are doing about this. The first game I tested it with was IL2 1946 HSFX7 and Stock. These past 3 weeks I have tested the hardware and software/drivers on my game rig, my game laptop, and my older laptop. I get the same results on all three pcs.

So I am wondering if anyone else has an x55 and has this problem. Saitek isn't really telling me anything. I am pretty sure that I know more about the x55 than the 'support' guy that I am talking to since I have one and have tested it on 3 pcs, and he supports lots of different devices and this is a new 'beta' device. I think he is just passing my problems onto engineers at this point.

Here is what I originally posted to Saitek Support:

I just received my x55 yesterday and setup a profile for IL2 Sturmovick, DCS World and IL2 Cliffs of Dover. I had old x52 Pro profiles that I used just fine with these games even yesterday. So far what I have found is kind of flakey. The Spacebar is not being sent to any of the games while playing. However when I test it in your tester window in the HUD it works. And when I open up notepad and press the button it does send the Space key. But in IL2, DCS World, and Cliffs of Dover it does not work at all while flying. The Enter key works in DCS World, but not in IL2. IL2 uses the Enter; Ctrl-Enter; Space; Alt-Space; and Backspace keys to fire the weapons. NONE of these work when assigned to any button on the x55, but all of those keys work fine in using the keyboard or my old x52 Pro!!

Other normal keys seem to work fine, like f for flaps, g for gear, F1, F2, F3 for views. It just seems to be special keys like the Spacebar, Backspace, and Enter keys so far.

Please help!!!

And my latest post:

I have done testing on a 3rd computer with the same results of the space, enter, backspace keys not being sent by the stick properly. On all 3 computers I have the following issues in the Windows Game Controllers settings windows. (See Attached screenshots).

The following issues occur on all 3 of my computers:

Stick:
Button 16 ALWAYS stays ON no matter what I do.
Buttons 15 & 17 NEVER come on at all.
What are buttons 15, 16, & 17? I cannot find any documentation on these buttons.

*Note: I can see in your x55 Manual on Page #9 a screenshot of the Stick's Game Controller window, and it does have button 15 lit up. But that button NEVER LIGHTS up on any of my computers no matter what I do.

Throttle:
Button 32 is only ON if the Mode Switch is set to 1. (This may be correct I am guessing..)
Buttons 30 & 31 NEVER light up no matter what I do. I am guessing these are for Modes 2 & 3?
If Mode Switch is set to 2 or 3, three are NO Buttons Lit at all. This seems like a problem..
The SLD two position slider does NOT LIGHT ANY BUTTONS at all in the game controller settings. This cannot be correct can it?

I am a Software Developer and Systems Analyst with over 25 years experience. And it appears to me that I probably have some bad hardware. I think that Button 16 on the Stick (which is always ON at all times) may be conflicting with other button presses and causing problems? Since I have no access to your developers/designers this is only my best guess. But since the stick is not working correctly on 3 computers I have to conclude that it is probably not my computer. And if you have no one else who is having these problems, it is probably not the drivers... I think the stick is bad.

Can you please send me a new x55 replacement?

Thanks

Again, since this is such a new device and I am not talking to one of their engineers or developers, I am not sure what is expected and what is a problem. And the support guy has been nice in his responses, but I really don't get much out of him...

Today, I setup a profile to test the Mode switch, since in the Game Controllers settings window it was not lighting any of those round red lights except for Mode 1 which lit light 32. I setup the trigger key to send the G (gear toggle), V (flaps down), and I (engine toggle) on Modes 1, 2, and 3 respectively. They all worked fine, which surprised me. So, I set it up to send the Enter, Space, and Backspace keys to fire the Weapons. None worked at all!! This is just so very strange... And I just tested CLOD again with the same results. But my Saitek x52 Pro still sends all of these keys and works just fine in every game!!!

I really like building all of my game profiles in the Saitek software for several reasons. There, I get 3 modes for my commands. In a game I only can assign 1 mode. I can build profiles for all of my games and keep them backed up. Not all games let you even save your settings. Even if they do you need to remember all the different places they keep them to back them up. And of course sometimes a game update wipes out your key assignments in a game(RoF). That's very irritating.

As long as they do fix these problems, I will really like this Hotas. I am hoping for some positive replies back from support.

Snack

EDIT:
SOLUTION(S) FOUND - Teamspeak causes multiple keystrokes to be sent. But TS has an option to turn set it's Hotkey monitoring to only the keyboard and mouse. This fixes the TS bug. (Open TS window and click on Settings/Options/Hotkeys and in the drop down menu (lower right corner) select Keyboard and Mouse Only)
Powered USB HUB also caused me problems, so try bypassing those. And also try plugging both devices into the same type of USB ports (ie USB 2.0 or 3.0) (both in on the motherboard).

[SturmovikPilot]

Out of left field.
If you have a USB 3.0 port try plugging into that.
I don't have an X55 Rhino yet but do plan on getting one next month.

I recently purchased a ROCAT Kave 5.1 Digital Surround Premium with desktop controller with built in sound card. The sound was very scratchy so I emailed ROCCAT support and they suggested plugging into a USB 3.0 port. Something about the backward compatibility spec enhancing the performance. Followed ROCCAT's suggestion and walla problem solved.

[Snacko]

Thanks for replying.

After 4 months of several different problems, I have it fixed and working with the HUD Software. The first problem was using a USB Hub. That was working on/off and very sketchy. It was a powered hub too. About 2 months after I figured that out, they fixed a 'repeating keystroke bug'. I'm think that was affecting me as well. But then about a week ago I figured out a connection between the HUD software/drivers and Teamspeak that caused massive repeating keys in the HUD Tester window. A friend pointed me to a DCS thread about it and it was Teamspeak causing repeating keystrokes. TS has an option to tell it to 'only' watch the keyboard and mouse devices for it's Hotkeys like Mute, Whisper, etc.. That fixed it.

Saitek was no help in over 4 months. They never asked me any questions about hardware or software even though that DCS thread said they had reported the TS bug months ago to their USA Support. After I got it fixed myself I was waiting to see what Saitek Support would recommend I do. They didn't tell me what to do,.. but after about a week, they just pointed me to that DCS thread that I had found from a friend. I would think they would have a current possible bug/issues database for all their devices at their Support Desk to help customers. But apparently they just use google.

[NorCal]

Hey Snacko, I see you have had the same questions regarding the throttle buttons/sliders as I do. "The SLD two position slider does NOT LIGHT ANY BUTTONS at all in the game controller settings."

I just opened up my box today and was testing out all of the buttons w/in the game controller window and couldn't get the 2 position slider and mouse nipple to light up any of the buttons???? Do you know why?

[Snacko]

They call the SLD a two position slider, but it's not a typical slider like an axis, and it only has 1 position. I don't see a light in the control panel light up either, but it works in the HUD software. Some of those lights were confusing to me to figure out, but I finally did figure them all out. But at the moment I cannot remember.. It was confusing when I did figure it out... I think it was when I actually called their support techs on the phone that we figured out the remaining buttons lights.

[NorCal]

Yeah, the manual only lists the slider but doesn't say anything about what it's function is?

[Snacko]

BTW, I was just playing with that 'slider' and using an Advanced command you can program a keystroke when it is pressed and also when it is released. I just put the flaps up/dn commands in there and that makes it a 2 position slider. Kind of a weird way to do it, but when I slide it forward it sends the F key, and when I slide it back it sends the V key.

[NorCal]

That's 1 possible use for the switch. Not a problem when usin for WWII planes ie "quick & dirty", but for bigger planes I like to use a "variable/multiposition" switch/rotator knob for the flaps to drop them gradually.

I sent "tech support" a question on what this switch would be use for & why it isn't being recognized in the windows 7 "properties test screen" . I'll let you know what I find out.

[Racetrack]

Originally Posted by Snacko

Thanks for replying.

After 4 months of several different problems, I have it fixed and working with the HUD Software. The first problem was using a USB Hub. That was working on/off and very sketchy. It was a powered hub too. About 2 months after I figured that out, they fixed a 'repeating keystroke bug'. I'm think that was affecting me as well. But then about a week ago I figured out a connection between the HUD software/drivers and Teamspeak that caused massive repeating keys in the HUD Tester window. A friend pointed me to a DCS thread about it and it was Teamspeak causing repeating keystrokes. TS has an option to tell it to 'only' watch the keyboard and mouse devices for it's Hotkeys like Mute, Whisper, etc.. That fixed it.

Saitek was no help in over 4 months. They never asked me any questions about hardware or software even though that DCS thread said they had reported the TS bug months ago to their USA Support. After I got it fixed myself I was waiting to see what Saitek Support would recommend I do. They didn't tell me what to do,.. but after about a week, they just pointed me to that DCS thread that I had found from a friend. I would think they would have a current possible bug/issues database for all their devices at their Support Desk to help customers. But apparently they just use google.

OMG DUDE OMG..
I have this since at least 5-6 month! I will go home licke a rocket after work to see if your solution works for me too ( I'm talking of the Keystrokes bug
thah send me "Gear up Gear Down" hundreds of times ). If it will works i'll send you a couple of red roses

[Racetrack]

Originally Posted by Snacko

Thanks for replying.

After 4 months of several different problems, I have it fixed and working with the HUD Software. The first problem was using a USB Hub. That was working on/off and very sketchy. It was a powered hub too. About 2 months after I figured that out, they fixed a 'repeating keystroke bug'. I'm think that was affecting me as well. But then about a week ago I figured out a connection between the HUD software/drivers and Teamspeak that caused massive repeating keys in the HUD Tester window. A friend pointed me to a DCS thread about it and it was Teamspeak causing repeating keystrokes. TS has an option to tell it to 'only' watch the keyboard and mouse devices for it's Hotkeys like Mute, Whisper, etc.. That fixed it.

Saitek was no help in over 4 months. They never asked me any questions about hardware or software even though that DCS thread said they had reported the TS bug months ago to their USA Support. After I got it fixed myself I was waiting to see what Saitek Support would recommend I do. They didn't tell me what to do,.. but after about a week, they just pointed me to that DCS thread that I had found from a friend. I would think they would have a current possible bug/issues database for all their devices at their Support Desk to help customers. But apparently they just use google.

Hola dude...
I logged in just for share with you my foolish HAPPINES, cause I solved my monthly-age issue.. It's from at least 5-6 month that I was concerning on HOW solve this problem that was dragging me to hell... Now it's SOLVED..
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

P.S. I'm talking about the Repeat Keystrokes bug...