# usb keyboard makes sound stutter



## eronte (Oct 1, 2009)

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!


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## eronte (Oct 6, 2009)

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!


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## eronte (Oct 7, 2009)

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.


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## Beastie (Oct 7, 2009)

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...


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## eronte (Oct 8, 2009)

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!


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## Carpetsmoker (Oct 10, 2009)

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.


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## eronte (Oct 13, 2009)

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!


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## jurrien (Nov 2, 2009)

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


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## sixtydoses (Nov 12, 2009)

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.


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## eronte (Nov 19, 2009)

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!


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