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mbmendo Author

Level 1

10 points

Peripheral issue - Mac now treating foot pedal as a mouse

Since the Monterey update, when I press the play/stop button on my transcription foot pedal, it brings up a contextual menu, as though the system is now treating it as right mouse click. This just destroys my workflow.

I have spent all morning on with Apple support, and they are sending the report to the engineers to see what they can diagnose.

This happens without the transcription software running, and the pedal has no driver, it is plug and play, so there are apparently no settings I can adjust to fix this behaviour.

Downgrading back to Big Sur is not a great option as it means wiping the computer so I can first reinstall El Capitan (which it shipped with), and then installing Big Sur. Not loving the idea of wiping the system as I don't quite trust that all my work will be safe on backups. It may end up being the only option if there is no fix for this in an OS patch. I can't imagine anything is going to get fixed quickly, whatever the cause.

I share this only in case someone else has stumbled into something similar and found a simple, painless solution.

iMac Line (2012 and Later)

Posted on Oct 27, 2021 6:56 AM

Top-ranking reply

Rainee1

Level 1

8 points

Posted on Feb 21, 2022 11:55 AM

I just spoke to a representative from VEC Electronics who confirmed that the issue of the MAC recognizing the foot pedal as a mouse is rectified by the Infinity 3 foot pedal. He explained to me that it is a matter of an upgraded chip in the 3 compared to the 2 that solves the problem. The only glitch is that the chips that are in the 3 are being impacted by supply issues. In order for them to meet demand they did furnish some Infinity 3 with the former chip, which will work just fine on PCs. He offered a way to tell if you are getting the new chip that is needed for our MAC computers. If you order the Infinity 3 MAKE SURE that it is marked as "A" and you'll know it has the right chip in it. If marked with a "B" then that is the older chip they are using. They are just starting to mail these out now, so just be sure, or you will have the same problem with the 3. Just wanted to pass along that info to further save us all a huge headache again.

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38 replies

B16TAG

Level 1

8 points

Nov 11, 2021 6:21 AM in response to mbmendo

Thank you for your posts. I had been having the same problem (I only discovered the problem two weeks after the upgrade to Monterey because I had been away and using a vP-4 MKII Wireless Foot pedal while away and had no problems with that particular one) when I got back to my office and I had issues with the VEC Infinity 2. I chatted with my provider and while they weren't sure at that point that the Infinity 3 would not have the same issues, they recommended I get one and see (money back guaranteed if it didn't work). I've just received the Infinity 3, plugged it in and there are no issues. It's working just like it should. But the posts on here pointed me in the right direction so I am very grateful.

__13__

Level 1

8 points

Nov 17, 2021 10:28 AM in response to mbmendo

I am having the same issues with the VEC Infinity USB-2. Has there been an update? Is Apple trying to fix the issue?

EDITED TO ADD: It may not be a convenient fix, but I have found if I don't maximise the window I'm typing in (keep it smaller than the others) and position the cursor over one of background windows when I use the pedal, the right click doesn't keep flashing up. Don't know if this will help anyone, just FYI.

mbmendo Author

Level 1

10 points

Nov 22, 2021 6:54 AM in response to __13__

By way of a strange epilogue to this, for another reason, I had to downgrade to Big Sur - and found that my USB-3 pedal now does that weird right mouse click thing!

Having found a couple of issues with Monterey, for the time being I am loathe to upgrade back to it. But it does mean that I get to use my old USB-2 pedal - the design of which I prefer to the new one. It has a higher profile on the outer pedals, making it easier to use for me.

mbmendo Author

Level 1

10 points

Nov 22, 2021 6:56 AM in response to __13__

"I am having the same issues with the VEC Infinity USB-2. Has there been an update? Is Apple trying to fix the issue?"

Apple cannot fix it - the only solution I know of is to buy the USB-3 pedal. A number of users can confirm that it does not have the issue. But if you see my latest post, I found that the new pedal causes the same glitch on Big Sur, as the old one does on Monterey. They are apparently just not compatible. Fortunately the pedals are $50, not $500.

btench

Level 1

0 points

Dec 6, 2021 7:21 AM in response to mbmendo

I am also having this issue with a v2 and Monterey. A work around I've discovered is pressing Esc after every foot press that activates the right click. This clears the contextual menu and lets me keep typing.

macox814

Level 1

4 points

Dec 28, 2021 9:24 AM in response to mbmendo

I admit up front that this is a complicated work around but it does work.

*downloaded the Parallels app

*install Windows 10

*install ExpressScribe FROM THE WINDOWS STORE

*connect the VEC controller TO WINDOWS (not OS)

Once all is said and done, it works perfectly.

Jan 22, 2022 1:07 PM in response to mbmendo

Been having the same issue today, same runaround when calling Apple. Here is what VEC had to say about it:

The upgraded Monterey is conflicting with the USB IC Chip that is in the IN-USB-2 Ver. 14 and thinks that it is a mouse. Mac needs to fix this as the older USB IC Chip in the IN-USB-2 cannot be altered, our newer INFINITY-3 USB Ver. A has a different USB IC Chip and works fine with the updated Monterey so that is an option for you.

I have gone ahead and ordered the new VEC Infinity-3 off Amazon. $70 after tax. Disappointed to have to spend more money on the new pedal, but relieved there's a solution. Apple really was about to have me go through 4-6 hours of downgrading my macOS to Big Sur, which I was not willing to do. Thank goodness for this forum, and for the quick email response from VEC!

Transy

Level 1

8 points

Jan 22, 2022 3:07 PM in response to Doomsday226

I did receive the USB-3 pedal, and everything is working fine now. Wow, it was like the Twilight Zone for a while though. I hope they can fix the Monterey OS so others don't have go go through this.

Jan 31, 2022 2:03 PM in response to mbmendo

I just did the Monterey update and the same exact thing is happening to me. I have documents due but can't complete them due to the splash popup menus every time I hit the foot pedal. As you said, the only way to get rid of these menus is taking my hands off the keyboard to touch the mouse.

Please let me know if you've figured out a workaround - I rely on Scribe and the AltoEdge foot pedal to do all my work and I need a solution asap.

mokismom

Level 1

8 points

Feb 4, 2022 7:59 PM in response to mbmendo

I discussed it with Apple this week as well, and was told that Apple would not be doing anything with their operating system to fix such a small subset of customers that are having problems with a secondary component. :[ I get it... but really do we all need to go buy a new pedal or complain to all the foot pedal companies to change when it is obviously Apple's OS that is glitching and confusing a foot pedal with a mouse? And is there any guarantee that ANY pedal won't have this problem? I can't find any on Amazon that claim to work with Monterey.

Feb 4, 2022 8:05 PM in response to Doomsday226

Updating here that the VEC Infinity 3 works. There's nothing either company can do so yes, we all have to upgrade our pedals. Such is technology. Sucks but that's how it is with everything eventually as things like chips become incompatible.

Transy

Level 1

8 points

Feb 5, 2022 6:18 AM in response to mbmendo

I had that problem, and I use Express Scribe as my audio player. The tech there said that if I had Infinity USB-2, that might be the problem. He suggested purchasing Infinity USB-3, which I did. That fixed the problem. Good luck!

Feb 5, 2022 6:51 AM in response to mokismom

As soon as I read this thread, I ordered this foot pedal (link below) from Amazon and it works. Headaches (both mine and my husband's since he's my IT man) disappeared as soon as I tried it :)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08CZZ3RBH?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_dt_b_product_details

Feb 8, 2022 6:24 PM in response to mbmendo

I experienced the same issue when I updated to Monterey. One workaround is try reconfiguring footpedal buttons. I am using right button to play/pause, middle has no action, and left one to fastforward. In this way, when I press the right button, the contextual menu doesn't appear. I can uneventfully type on Word. However, if you go to the browser, and try to type and pause/play with the reconfigured button at the same time, it is identified as a mouse again and the scroll button is activated. It is annoying but better than the contextual menu on Word. At least you can transcribe peacefully.

Hope this helps.

Feb 23, 2022 3:14 PM in response to mbmendo

I switched to the USB-3 pedal because that seemed to be the only solution. But I have the same issue you have -- the outer pedals are too low so I often end up rewinding or fast forwarding, both of which are so annoying. But the foot pedal otherwise works as it should. Grrr

Peripheral issue - Mac now treating foot pedal as a mouse