to all m17 owners, please check your systems...

Hello, NBR and users.
I have an issue with M17 and the keyboard. That down is my thread in alienware support forums, so please read it and check your systems, do you have the same problem or it's individual for me only?!
Thank you guys

That's the problem:

I've got a very annoying problem with my keyboard on my M17 notebook with illuminated keyboard.
The problem is that when I use both the arrow keys UP+Right or UP+Down, and when I press a third button for a combination, it's not working, it's blocked. But ONLY few of the third keys doesn't work, like: а, d, y, i, o, ], \ or |, 5 , 2 with the both up+down or up+right
With UP+Down combination the same are NOT working + all the following 4, 7, 9, =, w, r, y, i, o, p, [, ], g, and ; '

Maybe there are few more!!! I didn't check every combination

I didn't check, am I using the latest BIOS, but my Keyboard Controller was the latest: M17_KBC_130E
I also updated to the latest BIOS M17_B14_Bios and also again the Controller to the same latest version.
The problem is still not resolved.
The interesting part is that the other arrow cobination + one more key or even two are working normal.
Also when the NumPad is off, the arrows on the numpad area does NOT have the same issue.
With a separate blue-tooth keyboard there is NOT an issue too.

I'm almost sure that the Keyboard Controller Bios is wrong, or maybe the motherboard bios.

I'm pretty sure that it's not the Operation system, because I tried XP SP2 32bit on VMware, also Ubuntu 9,04 64bit live. Currently I'm using Windows7 Pro 64bit genuine. I had a Vista Home Premium 64bit also genuine - all the OS have this issue.
So it's not the OS, it's not the drivers, it's not on different keyboards, so it's the integrated keyboard, I mean the Keyboard Controller!!!

SO, please Alienware CHECK that please, make sure to FIX it as soon as possible.

Btw, I found the problem when I played Fifa 09 and 10 on Vista and on Win7.
When you control the players directions left+up keys, you can NOT shoot or pass with "d" or "a".
What gaming computers and laptops do you sell, when a gamer can not play for a real! :S

I can't believe that is true!
So please help me soon!!!

 

i did notice that occasionally when playing a video game i wouldnt be able to use multiple keys at the same time, just never cared enough to find out why

 

But it's not only in games, also in Word, notepad or wherever.
And only with Up and Left + some keys, and Up and Down+ some keys.
Numpad Arrows are working, the other directions are working too

 

I just replicated the issue on my system, but never before noticed it till now, and doesn't bother me. For games I never had a problem b/c I use aswd for movement, and for games where you need a joystick I actually have a joystick.

 

This is an issue with many keyboards (actually the majority to some extent or another, it just doesnt tend to get noticed too often) due to the way keys are mapped in regards to switching and the standard keyboard interface design. Different keyboards map these 'blocked' key combinations differently.

I can't remember the exact terminology behind it, but I did look into it at one point and it all made complete sense at the time, I just cant remember the exact explanation other than the basic gist of it (if you've got it, you live with it)

There were a few keyboards before now that manufacturers like logitech had to recall and tweak, as combinations like CTRL+SHIFT+W/Ctrl+A+W/insert other similar WSAD combo didnt work yet they were gaming keyboards so couldnt have game important mapping locked out.

Edit:
Read through this about how keyboards work and what Im saying will make a bit more sense.
http://www.dribin.org/dave/keyboard/one_html/
Basically its an issue with the way the circuit in the keyboard is setup, Im not sure if the non-backlit ones use a different matrix or not.

 

Probably you are right, but I think that is when you use more then 4 different keys + one more, for example ctrl+shift+bla bla...
Not only for three keys.
And it is a problem, because in FIFA or PES you use the arrows for direction, and a,s,d,w,e,q are the other keys...
Yes, you can change them, but...that's not the point!
Don't you think, if alienware support make a new keyboard controller bios, it will be okey. Or maybe I can flash the motherboard bios as OCZ and also a different keyboard controller bios, if it's available.
I'll try in days, probably, but for now I'm waiting for the support.

 

No, its not just 4 or more, it depends on the keyboard how severe but it can happen from 3 or more (hell the page I linked for further reading even uses 3 keys as an example), I've used a few keyboards with different combinations of 3 keys that dont work beyond the M17, and what combinations are effected again depends on the keyboard.

Changing the bios keyboard control wont really help as the issue is in the fundamental hardware design of the board, without modding the board (which isnt really worth thinking about, and Im not sure if would be possible with this board) or a new hardware variant, you're stuck with it, as its down to the key matrix.

 

Can someone with an OCZ bios and/or different version of Keyboard controller try and find out is there an issue or not?
Thanks.