Razer Tartarus V2 controller D-pad sticking / glitch

I recently traveled for work and brought my Orbweaver, but unfortunately after unpacking and removing my Yeti Microphone it had slipped from the arm clamp and landed right on my Orbweaver. It messed up the button right above the joycon (D-Pad).
I then proceeded to order a Tartarus Pro. I really wish I read all the horror stories that so many of you have shared, which shockingly stretched back into 2020 and probably beyond lol.
$130 later and yea I'm having the issue of phantom input on my WADS and won't stop until I press the direction I'm running in again.
I really need to try and fix my Orbweaver cause this is an absolute deal breaker. If I can successfully repair my Orbweaver I'm going to see if I can return.

does not work ! the problem is still there!

Yep ... same: problem still persists.
/sigh

djableskyle
I recently traveled for work and brought my Orbweaver, but unfortunately after unpacking and removing my Yeti Microphone it had slipped from the arm clamp and landed right on my Orbweaver. It messed up the button right above the joycon (D-Pad).

Oh no -- yikes!! Yes, I would strongly advise doing everything in your power to fix that button. The Orbweaver is pure gold, compared to the Tartarus!! I really wish I still had mine!


With regards to your questions @arroz76 I'll answer what I can.

KEYS
It's important to note that the Tartarus Pro is made with analog optical switches, rather than mechanical switches. So, right off the bat, you can reasonably expect that the Tartarus will be quieter. It also means that you will not feel the tactile 'bump' that is typical to most mechanical keys. I used to own the Orbweaver Stealth which is made with the quietest mechanical switches they make, and I honestly don't think the Tartarus Pro is any noisier than the Orbweaver Stealth was (judging based on memory). In fact, here's a good comparison: my current set up includes the Black Widow mechanical keyboard with the yellow switches -- the most silent switch Razer makes (equal to, or maybe even quieter than, the Orbweaver Stealth). Right next to that, is my Tartarus Pro with the analog optical switches. The keys on the Tartarus Pro are even quieter than my keyboard.

DUAL ACTUATION
I won't be able to be quite as helpful here, since I've honestly never even used/programmed any dual-actuation points. The main reason I haven't is because I saw some online discussions which gave me a clearer understanding of how it works. Once I understood better, I realized that 'dual-actuation' wouldn't really benefit me very much. I'll try to relay the explanations I found through some other online sources:

When programming your primary and secondary commands, it's important to realize that the primary action will ALWAYS execute before the secondary action -- you will never be able to execute that second command alone, without first engaging the primary action.

So let's use your example where you've bound the smaller spell to the primary actuation point (let's say: Lesser Heal) ... and you've bound the stronger spell to the secondary actuation point (let's say: Greater Heal). When your group mate has just suddenly taken a massive spike of damage and you want to send him a big fat QUICK heal, you'd press that key all the way down. ... But what actually happens in the game is this:

First: you'd cast Lesser Heal on your group mate. (Cast time = 2.5 second; Cost = 75 mana, maybe?)
Second: you'd then cast Greater Heal on your group mate. (Cast time = 3 seconds; Cost = 370 mana, maybe?)

Even though a single casting of Greater Heal would've saved him, you wasted precious casting-time and mana resources on casting a shot of Lesser Heal first. It ultimately took you 5.5 seconds and 445 mana, when it only really needed to have cost you 3 seconds and 370 mana. Even if you're not playing a healer, I'm sure that as a gamer, you can relate to how casting time and resources can make all the difference as to whether you (or a team mate) lives or dies. ... This case here that I've just described is the best case scenario.

Here's the (highly plausible) worst case scenario: what if there's a global cool down between those two spell casts? Even if it's just one second, or half a second! It takes less than half a second for your finger-press to travel between point A and point B of your dual actuation points. So: that small cool down would be just enough to prevent the secondary action on your key-binding from executing! Your keybinding would execute Lesser Heal, and then it would try -- but fail! -- to execute Greater Heal. Your groupmate is now laying dead and nerd-raging at you to "L2heal, ffs!!"

Also: here's another factor to consider -- how epic/legendary is your combination of manual dexterity and control? Are you confident that if you ONLY needed to cast Lesser Heal, that you would be able to react quickly enough to cast it in time, but controlled enough to only depress that key no more than halfway down? Personally, I can have reflexes like a cat when I need to ... but I don't trust that I would be able to exercise that level of physical control, simultaneously.

These are the reasons I haven't personally even used the 'dual actuation' features of the Tartarus Pro. I simply haven't been able to determine any circumstances in which it would be practical for my applications. Kind of a bummer because the idea of it is pretty damned cool!

Hope this has helped to give you a better understanding of what to expect from the Tartarus Pro's functionality.

Aside from that, I can say that it's beautifully designed with a great build quality ... I'm just sooooo desperately waiting for software support of the device, that isn't such a train-wreck.

the_novena
Oh no -- yikes!! Yes, I would strongly advise doing everything in your power to fix that button. The Orbweaver is pure gold, compared to the Tartarus!! I really wish I still had mine!


With regards to your questions @arroz76 I'll answer what I can.

KEYS
It's important to note that the Tartarus Pro is made with analog optical switches, rather than mechanical switches. So, right off the bat, you can reasonably expect that the Tartarus will be quieter. It also means that you will not feel the tactile 'bump' that is typical to most mechanical keys. I used to own the Orbweaver Stealth which is made with the quietest mechanical switches they make, and I honestly don't think the Tartarus Pro is any noisier than the Orbweaver Stealth was (judging based on memory). In fact, here's a good comparison: my current set up includes the Black Widow mechanical keyboard with the yellow switches -- the most silent switch Razer makes (equal to, or maybe even quieter than, the Orbweaver Stealth). Right next to that, is my Tartarus Pro with the analog optical switches. The keys on the Tartarus Pro are even quieter than my keyboard.

DUAL ACTUATION
I won't be able to be quite as helpful here, since I've honestly never even used/programmed any dual-actuation points. The main reason I haven't is because I saw some online discussions which gave me a clearer understanding of how it works. Once I understood better, I realized that 'dual-actuation' wouldn't really benefit me very much. I'll try to relay the explanations I found through some other online sources:

When programming your primary and secondary commands, it's important to realize that the primary action will ALWAYS execute before the secondary action -- you will never be able to execute that second command alone, without first engaging the primary action.

So let's use your example where you've bound the smaller spell to the primary actuation point (let's say: Lesser Heal) ... and you've bound the stronger spell to the secondary actuation point (let's say: Greater Heal). When your group mate has just suddenly taken a massive spike of damage and you want to send him a big fat QUICK heal, you'd press that key all the way down. ... But what actually happens in the game is this:

First: you'd cast Lesser Heal on your group mate. (Cast time = 2.5 second; Cost = 75 mana, maybe?)
Second: you'd then cast Greater Heal on your group mate. (Cast time = 3 seconds; Cost = 370 mana, maybe?)

Even though a single casting of Greater Heal would've saved him, you wasted precious casting-time and mana resources on casting a shot of Lesser Heal first. It ultimately took you 5.5 seconds and 445 mana, when it only really needed to have cost you 3 seconds and 370 mana. Even if you're not playing a healer, I'm sure that as a gamer, you can relate to how casting time and resources can make all the difference as to whether you (or a team mate) lives or dies. ... This case here that I've just described is the best case scenario.

Here's the (highly plausible) worst case scenario: what if there's a global cool down between those two spell casts? Even if it's just one second, or half a second! It takes less than half a second for your finger-press to travel between point A and point B of your dual actuation points. So: that small cool down would be just enough to prevent the secondary action on your key-binding from executing! Your keybinding would execute Lesser Heal, and then it would try -- but fail! -- to execute Greater Heal. Your groupmate is now laying dead and nerd-raging at you to "L2heal, ffs!!"

Also: here's another factor to consider -- how epic/legendary is your combination of manual dexterity and control? Are you confident that if you ONLY needed to cast Lesser Heal, that you would be able to react quickly enough to cast it in time, but controlled enough to only depress that key no more than halfway down? Personally, I can have reflexes like a cat when I need to ... but I don't trust that I would be able to exercise that level of physical control, simultaneously.

These are the reasons I haven't personally even used the 'dual actuation' features of the Tartarus Pro. I simply haven't been able to determine any circumstances in which it would be practical for my applications. Kind of a bummer because the idea of it is pretty damned cool!

Hope this has helped to give you a better understanding of what to expect from the Tartarus Pro's functionality.

Aside from that, I can say that it's beautifully designed with a great build quality ... I'm just sooooo desperately waiting for software support of the device, that isn't such a train-wreck.

@the_novena

WOW, thank you SO much for your exquisite and very detailed explaination !!

My interest in the Tartarus PRO was mainly for the Dual Actuation keys but, honestly, after your explaination, I frankly do not understand in what way a gamer could use Primary and Secondary Actuations the way that they have been designed to work as you so well explained them....

I mean, this Key pad, supposedly, is meant to be for gaming and, yet, in order to use the Secondary Actuation one has to also use the Primary Actuation that is mapped on the same key and, this, "always" ??

As you correctly pointed out, most games usually have a cool down time in between 2 different spells or actions so, "even if" it was possible to have the Primary Actuation to take place right before the Secondary Actuation, chances are, that one would press too fast the gamepad key and only the Primary Actuation would take place, with the Secondary Actuation never then taking place because of the cooldown...

I honestly cannot think in what circumstances and for what games a gamer could use this Dual Actuation key the way it has been designed to work....

Erroneously, I realize now after your explaination, I thought instead that, in order to actually "validate" the use of an Actuation, be it the Primary or the Secondary, one had to "stay there" with the finger pressed on the key for a little time.... and "only then" that Actuation, be it the Primary or the Secondary, would have been validated by the software and sent to the Computer for being processed.

For example, say that I wanted the small Heal spell mapped onto the Primary Actuation on my gamepad key 1, I thought that I would have pressed my finger on 1 a little (just to reach 1.5 mm), NOT pushing it all the way down, and hold it there at a depth of 1.5 mm for a second or 2, and I imagined that this "holding it there" at 1.5 mm for 1 second or 2, I thought, would have then validated that Primary Actuation and, thus, the use of the small heal spell mapped onto it....

Instead, if I wanted my Secondary Actuation as validated, my Bigger heal spell, mapped at 3.6 mm, I thought that I could press the gamepad key 1 quickly, going all the way down to the button of it at 3.6 mm and, therefore, since my pressing of the key 1 was FAST, and I did not "Hold it" at the Primary Actuation setting (1.5 mm), but "fastly" going through it, the Software would have NOT validated my Primary Actuation setting but only the Secondary Actuation... that is, I would have used ONLY my bigger Heal spell, and not also my smaller Heal spell before it....

I never imagined that, instead, in order to have the Secondary Actuation, one had to also have the Primary Actuation be triggered, always..... honestly, I do not understand why it was designed to work like this on a gaming keypad.... I cannot think of a possible gaming use where one would always need/want to have BOTH Actuations always come up whenever the Action Mapped on the Secondary Actuation was the one actually wanted/needed....

I guess that, considering this and the issues with the D-Pad sticking, I will hold onto my purchase.... too bad though, that the Orb seems to be no longer available and that I cannot seem to find many options out there for a really good Gaming Keypad.....

But thank you SO much for you very kind and detailed explaination !!

Received the RMA yesterday and plugged it in last night, re-installed Synapse and gave it a try. Within a couple of hours the issue happened again. I just updated my case with Razer. I would be happy to work with developers if they had some sort of debugging tool to isolate this apparent problem with Synapse. I have always loved the design of this keypad since I used the first N52 from Belkin. The only problem with it, and it unfortunately is a big one, is the Synapse software and this bug.

I hope Razer takes this issue seriously and wants to resolve it. If it is not widely reported enough, my fear is that they will let it go unresolved.

I bought a Tartarus Pro the same day as my ancient Orbweaver finally broke. I just logged in to add an additional voice.

I have experienced this same sticking d-pad bug with multiple computers and multiple games. On Final Fantasy XIV it would have me running off the edge of raid arenas occasionally. Very annoying.

I also can replicate it extremely often when I play EVE online. EVE has a function where you press a certain button to scan your surroundings (like a RADAR ping). Or you can hold that button and click somewhere to scan in that direction (like how you use the shift key to shift-click). It shows an indicator when the button is held down, so the sticking is very apparent.

I mapped dpad left to that key (V), and very often I will do a quick 'click' of dpad left to scan, and it will stay stuck down (indicated on screen). The sticking bug seems more likely to happen when I quickly press and then release the dpad like a button press, rather than a long hold/press like a joystick controller.

So when your devs try to replicate this, perhaps they can try clicking the dpad quickly like a button instead of holding the button down.

Please take this issue seriously.

It appears the solution seems to keep trying RMA's until the problem is fixed. The service agent on my case suggested another return. I am going to take a wild guess and say the problem just might be with the Synapse software and not the hardware.

djofonunez
So is this going to be adressed to new consumers or just let it sink on a forum? Let users buy it and any problems lets keep the talks on the forums so more people keep purchasing it and when they come to the forums realize its a problem that has been existing all along even before they purchase the product? Isn't this shady behavior?

Was browsing and saw this thread. What setup did you use? I am playing GunZ with it and no issue.. I don’t mind trying the games and config you used to see if it happens to me!

Daisame
It appears the solution seems to keep trying RMA's until the problem is fixed. The service agent on my case suggested another return. I am going to take a wild guess and say the problem just might be with the Synapse software and not the hardware.

I'll forward this feedback to the team. Our Support Team mentioned that they get all the reported devices while doing changes on Razer's end.

Hey everyone! I understand that this issue is been going for months now. No one wants this to happen. As a fellow gamer, it feels bad to see that issue is still ongoing and you can't fully enjoy the game and utilize the gaming keypad. I will keep monitoring this thread and update you once the team finalizes a fix. Thanks for your cooperation and understanding.

djofonunez
So your suggestion for someone who wants to purchase it would be to hold purchase? Why isn't Razer communicating this to new purchasers? Think this is the ideal product experience for new consumers?

I understand you are disappointed/annoyed with what is happening with the gaming keypad. However, that is not what I want to convey. Please be aware that Razer (Devs, Support Team) and our users are working hand in hand to resolve this behavior. Also, this is what our forums/community purpose, to talk about what's going on with our products and services so we can improve them. I'll send your post as feedback to the team. I appreciate it.

arroz76
@Razer.Speedcr0ss

In this sense, I would really love to purchase a Tartarus Pro BUT, aside from the DPad sticking issue, about which I am not concerned much, because you are doing a wonderful effort to find it and fix it, what more concerns me is the way that, currently, the Dual Actuation is designed to work.

Can you please tell me something whether this will be perfectionated so that, if a gamer needs to trigger a Secondary Actuation they will NOT have to necessarily also activate the Primary Actuation ?

That is, that if, for example, I Map my small Heal spell on the Primary Actuation at 1.5 mm and my Big Heal spell on the Secondary Actuation at 3.6 mm on the same one key of the Keypad, I will be able to cast my Big Heal spell WITHOUT also casting first the small Heal Spell ?

This, is important for me to consider buying your gaming Keypad and, I would imagine, also for a whole lot of other gamers...

Is Razor working on making this possible on the Tartarus Pro gaming Keypad ?
Thank you.

It seems to me that it cannot be done, so as an example in this function was given e.g. moving forward (S) and the second point moving forward with a sprint (S + SHIFT).
eg in this case it does not matter if both activation points are active for a while.

Seegeth
It seems to me that it cannot be done, so as an example in this function was given e.g. moving forward (S) and the second point moving forward with a sprint (S + SHIFT).
eg in this case it does not matter if both activation points are active for a while.

Are we really sure that it cannot be done ?

What if, for example, it was to be the Software to handle the timing of the "execution" of the Primary and secondary Actuations ?

That is, in order for the Primary Actuation to actually go off, and be used, the user would not only need to reach the length Mapped (for example 1.5 mm), but, also, "hold" the finger there for X time, for example, 1 or 2 seconds, the Software would see that the Primary optical beam is closed but NOT the Secondary Optical beam (as the key was not pressed all the way down) and, thus, would only exectuse whatever Action mapped on the Primary Actuation....

This way, when one only wants the Secondary Actuation mapped at 3.6 mm, for example (key pushed all the way down...), they would push the key down, the button would pass the Primary Actuation point set at 1.5 mm really fast and then "also" close the Secondary Actuation beam set at 3.6 mm. At this point, since the Software "saw" that BOTH Actuation points were triggered, it would only let execute the Secondary Actuation, not also the Primary one...

Sure, this woule mean having a small delay in the execution of the Actions Mapped at Primary and Secondary but, at least, the user can be able to use Primary and Secondary Actuations independently...

This, at least to my opinion, could expand the usability of the Tartarus Pro for more gaming needs....

Could it work ?