Sure, the firmware can.
Unfortunately the keyboard circuit is unchanged, so, no. Diodes would need to be added all over to enable that, and I'm not sure I can do something that invasive without destroying the keyboard.
I do have working ghost-key prevention, though!
What kind of diodes would be needed, and where would they be needed? I might be able to try that. Heck, if you've got a makeup of the schematic, you can have a new PCB fabricated pretty cheaply.
EDIT:
Oh yeah, if you were to make a board with the diodes in place and n-key rollover support, I would buy one from you.
Personally, I don't care about n-key rollover. And, frankly, I'm not overly anxious for USB on my Model M's (adapter works just fine). BUT, I really like the idea and this WOULD let me consolidate cables (I'd swap the in small "b" USB connector so that I could use the same cables as I currently do for my HHKB Pro).
If clee is willing, I'm sure he could make a few bucks off of the membership here. :)
Where do I send money to pre-order one of the first batch of production PCBs?
http://www.dribin.org/dave/keyboard/one_html/ has a more thorough explanation of the ghost-key problem and how diodes can fix it.
The problem, of course, is that those diodes need to be placed on the *keyboard itself*, not in the logic board that I'm making. You would need to add a new diode in series with each key, and you'd be very lucky if you could do this to one key without ruining the board, let alone 101 of them... (Of course, now that I've said this, someone will reveal their totally sweet danger-free diode addition mod.)
So, no, I probably won't be attempting that. Not until someone else tries it and perfects it first. :)
I think it would be great to have a 'user projects' subforum to keep all the DIY threads in one place.
blah n-key blah diodes blah blah So, no, I probably won't be attempting that. Not until someone else tries it and perfects it first.
I don't think you can add diodes to a membrane?
?
is clickykeyboards still showing interest? I hope you make *some* money off this.
incidentally shouldnt this entire thread be in the keyboard mods section?
Would installing the pre-built PCB require any sort of soldering, or is it as easy as dropping the new PCB in and reconnecting a few ribbon cables?
how quickly does the microcontroller scan for keypresses? we've run into usb keyboards (like the das iii) that apparently don't do a very good job of it, resulting in typos that are the keyboard's fault.
No, no soldering would be required - I'd send you a fully-assembled drop-in replacement board. You'd need to have a 7/32" thin-wall nut driver to open up your M, of course, but I assume everybody on these forums already has one of those... (Otherwise you wouldn't be able to open the case up to clean the thing, and you guys all keep your Ms clean. Right?)
No, no soldering would be required - I'd send you a fully-assembled drop-in replacement board. You'd need to have a 7/32" thin-wall nut driver to open up your M, of course, but I assume everybody on these forums already has one of those... (Otherwise you wouldn't be able to open the case up to clean the thing, and you guys all keep your Ms clean. Right?)
Stupid question time -- where would one actually find a 7/32" nut driver? All that I've been able to find are multi-packs with 5-7 different sizes, none of which are 7/32". And with the tight space around the nuts, I suspect that the next-largest size (1/4") won't work.Only place I've ever seen them is clickykeyboards.com. When I asked at an auto parts store, they looked at me as if I had grown an extra head. And no a 1/4 would not work, least of all because it wouldn't engage the screw, let alone fit in the screw wells.
Stupid question time -- where would one actually find a 7/32" nut driver? All that I've been able to find are multi-packs with 5-7 different sizes, none of which are 7/32". And with the tight space around the nuts, I suspect that the next-largest size (1/4") won't work.
Stupid question time -- where would one actually find a 7/32" nut driver? All that I've been able to find are multi-packs with 5-7 different sizes, none of which are 7/32". And with the tight space around the nuts, I suspect that the next-largest size (1/4") won't work.
Surprising: Nobody does a cable that's USB on one side, and that modular jack the older Ms used to allow PS/2 or AT plugs on the other. That would be of similar cleanliness with much less rework needed to the keyboard itself.
Or a controller with more logic to tell when it's connected to USB instead of AT or PS/2, which also defeats the purpose.
my question is, why cant we just order a usb controller from unicomp itself and do the mod?
Now THIS would be an awesome group buy if somebody wanted to simply make a run of PCBs, post part lists, and make idiot proof instructions. I had forgotten how good a job Clee did on this.