Truly Ergonomic PS/2 Interface

[Draconian]

I've been lurking on this forum for over a year whilst I waited for the TE saga to come to an end.

Well, it arrived today! The quality is fabulous.

However, I remember that when I ordered it (January 2011) it stated on the website that it would work with USB or PS/2 connections.

I'm using an old KVM which only accepts PS/2 keyboards, and as I want to keep using this, was one of the main factors in my buying this keyboard.

I've tried plugging it into the KVM via a USB-PS/2 adapter and it doesn't work.

Is there a chance that I need an active USB (Female) - PS/2 (male) adapter (if such a thing exists), or did the PS/2 compatibility get dropped when the DIP switch modifications came in?

Regards

Nick

[fossala]

An active adapter will convert any usb signal.

[Draconian]

Is there one that you would recommend?

I can find an active Female PS/2 to male USB adapter, but I can't find a Female USB to male PS/2 one, other than the passive ones.

Thanks for any help on this!

[fossala]

I use a blue cube. I will try and find an ebay link one sec.

[fossala]

http://www.clickykeyboards.com/index.cfm/fa/items.main/parentcat/11298/subcatid/0/id/124184
This is the one I and many other people use but I cannot find an ebay link (where they are cheaper).

[Draconian]

Forgive me if I've got something wrong here, but that looks like a Female PS/2 to Male USB converter.

The TE keyboard is supplied with a Male USB connector, and I want to plug it into a Female PS/2 socket. The passive adapter I have doesn't work, so I think I need an active Female USB to Male PS/2 converter, if such a thing exists?

[fossala]

Sorry I am being stupid. I don't know about usb to ps/2. Keyboards like filco, kinesis and poker have it built in.

[Draconian]

Thanks for trying. Maybe I'll have to bite the bullet and upgrade my KVM switch! This TE purchase had better be worth it...

[alaricljs]

Ouch that's not cheap.

[Draconian]

You star! Thanks for finding one. No, it's not cheap, but then again neither was this darned keyboard. I wonder if the Kensington Slimblade would work with this too? I tried connecting it to the PS/2 connector of the KVM and it didn't work and had to settle for the Kensington Elite, which doesn't have the lovely clicky-ball.

[Gerk]

I would try it plugged directly into a computer first if possible, lots of KVMs can be strange when using adapters I have found.

[Draconian]

Maybe, I'm the only person sickened that the TE keyboard doesn't work with PS/2 as originally stated.

I've now received confirmation from TE that this is the case:

The original design was compatible with USB and PS2. The new design is only compatible with USB, so even using a passive USB-PS2 adapter won't work with your KVM switch.

The main reason we decided on USB is because PS2 is an older technology being replaced by USB; currently most computers no longer have a PS2 connector. As well, we had two options. One was to have a non-reprogrammable keyboard compatible with USB and PS2. Second option is to have a reprogrammable keyboard compatible only with USB. We visualized that being reprogrammable is much better than having the capability of connecting via PS2.

[sordna]

Well, if indeed they had to make a call between PS/2 and programmability, they made the right choice. Programmability is far more important. Sooner or later motherboards with PS/2 will no longer be available, gotta bite the bullet and go USB at some point. Otherwise get the active USB->PS/2 converter posted earlier if you want to stick with PS/2 indefinitely, it's a good investment since you'll use it for other keyboards in the future.
No PS/2 is a bit unfortunate, but I'm more concerned that the programming software is not ready.

[Draconian]

After reading through the TE site again, are we sure how the keyboard is going to be reprogrammable?

Is it going to be:

1) Programmable via the SDK for the chip within the keyboard.

OR

2) Some sequence of keys on the keyboard itself.

OR

3) Some third option that I won't be aware of being a newbie to this site?

[boli]

After reading through the TE site again, are we sure how the keyboard is going to be reprogrammable?

Their blog post titled DIP or double DIP; the technical side of the Truly Ergonomic Keyboard and the programmability section of their benefits page suggest that it will be a software they'll make available, which allows to remap stuff directly in the keyboard's firmware.

...you have the option ... to change any required keys for the letters or symbols of your preference using simple software provided by us.

Emphasis mine.

I would have preferred to do it directly on the keyboard, similar to the Kinesis, but any remapping ability in firmware is welcome.

[sordna]

I wonder if they'll make Mac and Linux-compatible versions of the software. The FingerWorks Touchstream software was java based and worked everywhere, hopefully TE will provide portable software.

[Draconian]

Would it be safe to assume that all of you have ordered blank layouts?

I assume that if people are going to reprogram the keys, then having a sticker on one that could end up being incorrect, would just be a distraction?

I'm wondering if I messed up by ordering a labelled one.

[sordna]

I'm not getting a TE (I would only consider it if they come up with a truly split version) but as a Kinesis Advantage user who reprograms the keyboard, I remap various keys and even set the keyboard on Dvorak, and don't really bother with what the labels say. You could swap some keys if labels are important to you, but if you don't need labels, getting a blank keyboard vs one with wrong labels doesn't make much of a difference because presumably you can touch type.
That's what I do, I hardly ever look at my keys. In the rare occasions I do, I even find *wrong* labels useful sometimes, like I remember than my Delete-labeled key is programmed to produce Tab, and my End-labeled key is programmed to produce Escape on my Kinesis :-)

[Draconian]

That's a good point. I will stop worrying that I should have gone for the blank option.

Yes, I *thought* I could touch type. I can on my MS Natural. On this TE, it's error-prone to say the least. My biggest problem is the location of the SHIFT key. I keep hitting CTRL + LETTER and ending up with italics or similar!

I've looked into whether to buy the USB-PS/2 Converter mentioned earlier, but am worried that the ageing Adder SV4 KVM I am using won't pass through all of the information from the peripherals. I don't know if there is any information that might not be passed through from the keyboard? Presumably all scan codes should get through? But I'm wondering if the extra keys on the USB mouse, when converted would be dropped by the KVM. My reason for suspecting this is that as fancier mice became available with more than three buttons, those functions didn't pass through the KVM. The KVM seems to only recognise Left, Middle, Right and Scroll on any mouse connected to it.

So, even though it's a huge investment, I'm thinking of replacing my KVM with an Adder AV4 Pro VGA. This includes their True Emulation technology and so additional HID features should work. The cost is about £230 + VAT, but I'd be saving the £70 I'd have to pay for the Converter listed above.

[sordna]

Good point about the extra mouse buttons, I would upgrade my KVM if I were in your shoes (you should also consider the opportunity to make the change from VGA to DVI at this time).
Anyway, there's several much cheaper KVMs, just search for USB KVM on amazon, for example:
http://www.amazon.com/IOGEAR-Cable-Switch-Audio-GCS72U/dp/B002K0TU2C

[Gerk]

Yes it seems like TE will be providing software for remapping the keys.  I really hope it's going to be compatible everywhere as I'm a mac user and I would be pretty upset at this point if they skimped and only provided something to work with windows ... they have alluded to the fact that the keyboard is compatible with win/mac/linux since day one.

[boli]

Would it be safe to assume that all of you have ordered blank layouts?

Nah, ordered a labeled one. I usually don't look at the keyboard, but labels are handy when remapping (on the Kinesis at least, where it's done on the keyboard), and the occasional time I glance at the keyboard - works even though many labels are wrong, since I use the Colemak layout and did a few remappings (on the Kinesis, not yet on the TE).