Possible To Fix Keyboard Spacebar Issue With Firmware Update?

[aclockworkorangutan]

Hello All!

I just received a brand new MSI GS70 in the mail today and I am having a problem with the keyboard, specifically the spacebar.

Whenever I click the spacebar on the outer (left or right) edges I have to click really hard for the laptop to register it as a key press. Sometimes no matter how hard I press or if I even hold down the spacebar key it won't register a click. It works fine if I press near the middle. (About 50% of the spacebar works seamlessly but not the outer 25% edges.)

I spoke with someone at MSI tech support today and he told me this was a known issue and that it's due to the fact that the keyboard designer (Steelseries) put the sensor in the middle of the spacebar and nothing on the edges (bad design IMO).

I have never had a laptop with this issue before so I am assuming that most laptop keyboard designers either use a wider sensor located in the middle or put multiple sensors under the spacebar.

I asked the tech support guy if there was any software/firmware I could download to address the issue but he said no.

My question is.. is something like this purely mechanical without any chance of MSI ever releasing a software fix? I know things like touchpads can be controlled with software but I guess keyboards are a bit different.

Not knowing much about hardware and trying to hold onto some hope of a future fix I wanted to see what you guys think.

Thank you

Orange

Note, I was searching around the web and I found several other people who have the same spacebar issue as me. One person went so far as to remove the spacebar and tape some paper underneath it to improve the response. Here is a pic:

If you look at the hardware underneath the spacebar it looks like there is more than one sensor. There is one in the middle and one each on the sides. This perplexes me even more. How can it not register a left/right spacebar click if there are sensors located directly under each side?

This makes me a bit more optimistic because maybe MSI will design a new spacebar cover and make it thicker in the middle (like the guy did with the tape) and this might solve the problem. I don't know how they would handle updating all the laptops out there, however, I doubt they would just send everyone the replacement spacebar cover and say "do it yourself." but at the same time that would be a lot of work for them if they had to take shipments/fix every laptop out there. :O

 

[USAFRet]

Sounds like is completely mechanical. If the bar is mounted only in the middle, pressing on either end may not move the center enough to actuate.

Software can't fix it.

 

[aclockworkorangutan]

Sounds like is completely mechanical. If the bar is mounted only in the middle, pressing on either end may not move the center enough to actuate.

Software can't fix it.

Awwww. oh well, at least the place I purchased it from has a good return policy. Either that or I might just learn to press near the middle.

 

[goodguy713]

If I were you I would return it personally short of modifying it your not going to get it to function the way you want it to. basically you have a little bump button sensor under the key most have them on off center or spread apart short of getting a usb keyboard which defeats the purpose basically your going to have to either deal with it or return it. personally I would prefer the latter.

 

[aclockworkorangutan]

If I were you I would return it personally short of modifying it your not going to get it to function the way you want it to. basically you have a little bump button sensor under the key most have them on off center or spread apart short of getting a usb keyboard which defeats the purpose basically your going to have to either deal with it or return it. personally I would prefer the latter.

I found the following picture of a keyboard with the spacebar removed:

It looks like that particular keyboard has more than one sensor to make sure the exact kind of issue I am having does not occur.

Do you think MSI (more specifically Steelseries who designed the keyboard) failed to put multiple sensors like the one in the image? They probably have just one right in the middle?

 

[aclockworkorangutan]

If I were you I would return it personally short of modifying it your not going to get it to function the way you want it to. basically you have a little bump button sensor under the key most have them on off center or spread apart short of getting a usb keyboard which defeats the purpose basically your going to have to either deal with it or return it. personally I would prefer the latter.

Yeah I guess I will return it. What a shame.

 

[goodguy713]

Hello All!

I just received a brand new MSI GS70 in the mail today and I am having a problem with the keyboard, specifically the spacebar.

Whenever I click the spacebar on the outer (left or right) edges I have to click really hard for the laptop to register it as a key press. Sometimes no matter how hard I press or if I even hold down the spacebar key it won't register a click. It works fine if I press near the middle. (About 50% of the spacebar works seamlessly but not the outer 25% edges.)

I spoke with someone at MSI tech support today and he told me this was a known issue and that it's due to the fact that the keyboard designer (Steelseries) put the sensor in the middle of the spacebar and nothing on the edges (bad design IMO).

I have never had a laptop with this issue before so I am assuming that most laptop keyboard designers either use a wider sensor located in the middle or put multiple sensors under the spacebar.

I asked the tech support guy if there was any software/firmware I could download to address the issue but he said no.

My question is.. is something like this purely mechanical without any chance of MSI ever releasing a software fix? I know things like touchpads can be controlled with software but I guess keyboards are a bit different.

Not knowing much about hardware and trying to hold onto some hope of a future fix I wanted to see what you guys think.

Thank you

Orange

Note, I was searching around the web and I found several other people who have the same spacebar issue as me. One person went so far as to remove the spacebar and tape some paper underneath it to improve the response. Here is a pic:

If you look at the hardware underneath the spacebar it looks like there is more than one sensor. There is one in the middle and one each on the sides. This perplexes me even more. How can it not register a left/right spacebar click if there are sensors located directly under each side?

This makes me a bit more optimistic because maybe MSI will design a new spacebar cover and make it thicker in the middle (like the guy did with the tape) and this might solve the problem. I don't know how they would handle updating all the laptops out there, however, I doubt they would just send everyone the replacement spacebar cover and say "do it yourself." but at the same time that would be a lot of work for them if they had to take shipments/fix every laptop out there. :O

yea if you look at the keyboard how those are set up the metal nubs are the sensors for the right and left side had they put an actual plastic button on both sides like they did in the middle you wouldn't be having the issue. it might be a manufacturing defect. and fyi steel series keyboards are great keyboards.

 

[akintaye]

if there is a return policy to that effect ...all you need do is to return it for another

but there are some that will give you waranty cover for up to 6month...by this if the laptop is not

good you can return it

 

[Laura C]

I bought an Asus 550C laptop last spring. My keyboard's spacebar rarely worked ever, irregardless of where pressed. I found somebody on Youtube who said sliding a piece of cardboard or folded paper under the spacebar would fix the problem. It took a bit of experimentation with thickness and placement, but the trick works. It's the same idea as the picture above, the one with the white tape in the middle of the spacebar. I hadn't opened the box to the new laptop for 4 weeks after purchase and didn't want to wait 3 weeks to get my sole computer (when box opened) returned from warranty repair. Otherwise agreed that there is no software fix. It requires a hardware either to spacebar or to replace the keyboard.

P.S. My keyboard has one mechanical (white) sensor in the middle of the spacebar. The two black circles inside squares on either side provide additional support for key to depress center sensor but do not provide their own independent spacing functionality.

 

[bspeier]

I just got an MSI (first time) Prestige Series and am having the same issue - space bar doesn't work when pressing the right side. I don't know if it's just my laptop in this series or if this is an ongoing issue with MSI where their spacebars have random success. Based on the responses here, I am thinking to just cope with it rather than exchange it (the devil you know is better than the devil you don't) but this does kind of suck.

 

[Sul Sul]

MSI GS70 z, s, spacebar,6,7 problem is completely hardware problem. To fix it clean ribbon cable silvery parts must be cleaned by a piece of eraser and fix it to keybpad connector firmly. Problem repeats itself again in time. follow: https/youtu.be/FpVuzisn0-c

Sul Sul