geekhack
geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: Donut on Fri, 28 March 2008, 20:18:12
-
Hi,
I just received a New Motion uKey ADB-to-USB converter. The same thing is sold as mini-ADB by Addlogix (formerly Compucable) in the USA. There is a picture of the product here (http://www.usb-center.de/USB_Adapt._-_ADB_f._MAC_newmotion_uKey_USB-0905.html).
I'm assuming this works similarly to the Griffin Technology iMate (which I haven't used), but here are my first impressions and some questions.
Initial testing with a British AppleDesign Keyboard (spit) indicates it's mostly plug-and-play. I'm using a PC running Ubuntu Linux 7.10.
Before changing the keyboard layout (System->Preferences->Keyboard menu), some keys were not mapped correctly, and the numeric keypad = key was non-functional; that key is not present on normal PC keyboards. After changing the layout to "Macintosh" things were a little better. Numpad = works and most keys type the correct symbols. There are a couple of niggles though. Can anyone suggest how to fix these? (And does the Griffin iMate also function like this?)
(Is there a Linux program to print raw keycode numbers as each key is pressed? That could be useful for modifying X keyboard layout files. Update: xev can be used for that.)
- The keycodes for the right command, option/alt and control keys are the same as the left ones. The keyboard should be capable of sending different codes for the right keys. I wonder whether that's just a software issue, or whether the uKey firmware would need to be modified?
- The key to the left of Z should be backtick/grave (`) or tilde (~) when shifted. Currently it shows < and when shifted >.
- The key to the left of 1 does nothing. It should cause a section sign (§) to be printed, and when shifted a +/- sign (±).
- I'd like to get the power key to do something (e.g. be equivalent to clicking the shutdown button). Using xev shows that the power key gives an XF86PowerOff keycode, so lack of anything happening is just a software issue.
I will hopefully update this posting with details of the keyboard rollover support. At the moment I have only tested the converter with the AppleDesign keyboard. It may be that that keyboard has poorer rollover performance than e.g. the Extended Keyboard II. Holding and pressing (in order) Q, W, E, A, S, D, only Q W and E are shown. But pressing Q, W, E, U, I, O shows all six letters. When pressing Q, W, A, only Q and W are shown.
-
I tested the converter with an Extended Keyboard II. This time the key to the left of Z functioned correctly. (I wonder what the reason for the difference was?)
-
I am guessing that the Griffin iMate wouldn't give such results. But I am guessing because I have only used the iMate with Mac and PC.
OTOH, maybe it's the British keyboard layout? I don't know the technical particulars, but maybe these ADB to USB converters are assuming a certain keyboard layout.
-
hey, i assume this would work on a macally keyboard under a PC.
offtopic:madmaxmedia, i assume you're a fan of mad max....any news on the 4th movie....:P
-
Hi,
I just got my Griffin iMate and connected my Extended 2 without problems (PC, Windows XP). However, as mentioned before, some keys won't work:
- the = key on the numpad
- the < > key (lower left) gives ^ °
- the ^ ° key (upper left) does nothing
The keyboard has german layout.
Did anybody get that running under XP?
Thanks.
-
Similar problem ere, the altgr doesnt work at all and the ½§¶ key doesn't work and the <>| gives wrong character. How to make this work in windows and in linux?