Trackpad finger detection/sensitivity

[Kopert]

Alright, so I recently realized what was causing me so much trouble adjusting to the trackpad: apparently, it has a low sensitivity to actual touch activation. As in, if I use the tip of my thumb to move, it does not detect input in a reliable manner - to the point where I can actually be touching the pad and moving the finger but it does not register any manner of input if I'm just lightly touching the trackpad. Since the more natural use to me is to just use the tip of my thumb, this really makes it difficult for me to use it acurately.

I've tried calibrating it several times but it doesn't change how sensitivite the trackpad is to touch at all.

I don't think my hardware is actually faulty - the entire trackpad works on the support page as long as I'm touching with more than just my fingertip - but I'd really like to know if anyone else has noticed this issue.

Also, I think that able to configure how sensitive the trackpad is to registering a touch would fix my problem, because then I'd be able to just set the sensitivity to max so even the slightest touch activates it.

[RealityQuotient]

This is going to sound weird, but do you have dry skin? If your hands are cold or your skin is too dry it can affect how the pads detect them. Smartphones and regular laptop touchpads do the same thing. Try using a little lotion. I prefer Aveeno since it doesn't leave a greasy film.

[Got Kevlar™]

Originally posted by digital_trucker:

This is going to sound weird, but do you have dry skin? If your hands are cold or your skin is too dry it can affect how the pads detect them. Smartphones and regular laptop touchpads do the same thing. Try using a little lotion. I prefer Aveeno since it doesn't leave a greasy film.

lol. it just sounds funny.

[RealityQuotient]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCSZfmbFJyQ

[Kopert]

Originally posted by digital_trucker:

This is going to sound weird, but do you have dry skin? If your hands are cold or your skin is too dry it can affect how the pads detect them. Smartphones and regular laptop touchpads do the same thing. Try using a little lotion. I prefer Aveeno since it doesn't leave a greasy film.

No, my skin is in no way dry. In addition, I've just tested this on both my smartphone and on the touchpad of my laptop; both detect even the smallest contact I'm capable of making.

[RealityQuotient]

Have you tried playing with the various sensitivity adjustments?

[Kopert]

Originally posted by digital_trucker:

Have you tried playing with the various sensitivity adjustments?

Yes, but those only affect how much travel distance is sent as input - just like mouse sensitivity works. It doesn't change how much finger contact you need to have with the trackpad for a touch to register.

[Got Kevlar™]

Originally posted by digital_trucker:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCSZfmbFJyQ

awesome...lol

[RealityQuotient]

Originally posted by Kopert:

Originally posted by digital_trucker:

Have you tried playing with the various sensitivity adjustments?

Yes, but those only affect how much travel distance is sent as input - just like mouse sensitivity works. It doesn't change how much finger contact you need to have with the trackpad for a touch to register.

Sounds like you need to just use a bit more pressure. Odd, that; most people have the exact opposite trouble when getting used to this thing. I know I personally have had to get past my tendency to hamfist the controller.

[Kopert]

Originally posted by digital_trucker:

Sounds like you need to just use a bit more pressure. Odd, that; most people have the exact opposite trouble when getting used to this thing. I know I personally have had to get past my tendency to hamfist the controller.

Yes, I've read reports of people thinking the pads are too sensitive. I'm having the exact opposite problem. Applying more pressure kind of works - since you end up squishing your finger, increasing the contact area - but it gets uncomfortable really quick.

[RealityQuotient]

You really shouldn't have to use THAT much pressure. Perhaps you've got a defective unit? Any way you can test it in a different machine? Something's not right here.

[Kopert]

Originally posted by digital_trucker:

You really shouldn't have to use THAT much pressure. Perhaps you've got a defective unit? Any way you can test it in a different machine? Something's not right here.

I don't think it's defective as I don't actually need to use any pressure at all, as long as I'm touching with my digit instead of my fingertip. Increased pressure is only necessary if I'm using my fingertip and even then it doesn't help much; it's not actually a matter of pressure but of contact area.

I think this could be fixed with software if I had a way to select the threshold via which the trackpad actually detects a touch (so I could make it really sensitive so the slightest touch activates the trackpad). I've actually been trying to adjust myself with some success, but whenever I get distracted and point my thumb at the trackpad with a more straight angle it ends up missing the touch until I adjust my finger angle again.

[Kopert]

Upon further testing, it seems that the problem is much less perceptible (*almost* gone) if it I use it wired instead of wireless. I'm thinking it might have something to do with power supply to the trackpads, since power from the USB cord might be... higher than power from the batteries?

I've also tested it on another computer (a laptop), same results; poor finger detection when wireless, better (but not 100%) finger detection when wired.

[RealityQuotient]

Hmmm - the power requirement of this thing is pretty low. 80-100 hours on a pair of AA batteries says that. Sounds like you might be the victim of interference. Are you plugging the wireless dongle into a USB3 port? They're a known source of interference on the band the SC uses. Check that out and try a USB2 port if you can. Also, just out of curiosity, when you tested in your laptop were you still in the same location as your regular computer? What happens if you try it with the same laptop somewhere else?

I love a good mystery...

[DiamondPugs]

Originally posted by Kopert:

Upon further testing, it seems that the problem is much less perceptible (*almost* gone) if it I use it wired instead of wireless. I'm thinking it might have something to do with power supply to the trackpads, since power from the USB cord might be... higher than power from the batteries?

I've also tested it on another computer (a laptop), same results; poor finger detection when wireless, better (but not 100%) finger detection when wired.

Have you tried other batteries? If you get the same results in different computers it might be a defect on the controller or the dongle.

[Kopert]

Originally posted by digital_trucker:

Hmmm - the power requirement of this thing is pretty low. 80-100 hours on a pair of AA batteries says that.

It wouldn't be a matter of the power requirements but more a matter of not enough power actually being sent to the trackpads. In that case, I'd expect my batteries to last a bit longer than it would be expected, if that makes my point more clear.

Originally posted by digital_trucker:

Sounds like you might be the victim of interference. Are you plugging the wireless dongle into a USB3 port? They're a known source of interference on the band the SC uses. Check that out and try a USB2 port if you can. Also, just out of curiosity, when you tested in your laptop were you still in the same location as your regular computer? What happens if you try it with the same laptop somewhere else?

I love a good mystery...

I tested with different ports (USB2 and USB3) on different computers. I don't think the port matters much when it comes to using it wirelessly; I think the problem occurs on the trackpad on the controller itself, not when sending the signal. I can see if I manage to test it on another computer in the house later, but I wouldn't expect to see any difference there.

Originally posted by MadXav:

Have you tried other batteries?

Yes, I was using the batteries that came with the controller and I have tested with some rechargeable batteries that I have. No difference in behavior.

Originally posted by MadXav:

If you get the same results in different computers it might be a defect on the controller or the dongle.

That's what I'm afraid of. I don't particularly think it is the dongle because I think it is a signal acquisition issue and not a problem with transmission. I think this could be fixed with a change in firmware - I'm thinking that simply sending a bit more power to the trackpads might fix it - but I can't find anyone else with this kind of problem. I've opened a ticket with Valve, but I don't know if they're going to reply before my return period expires with Amazon.