Author Topic: HHKB lite stopped working (Read 4685 times)

bigpook · « **on:** Wed, 05 November 2008, 17:26:48 »

I have a HHKB lite 2 with ps/2 adaptor that I used at work. It traveled around in a well padded laptop bag.
The HHKB just stopped working for me. I tried it on multiple machines, ps/2 and usb adaptor but it does not work. Windows XP detects it when I plug it in but it does not work.

I took it apart to see if there was anything amiss on the inside. lol, not likely. But it was nice to see the rubber domed goodness that resides under the keys. Anyone here have any ideas?

xsphat · « **Reply #1 on:** Wed, 05 November 2008, 23:27:26 »

Yes, cut your losses and buy a new keyboard.

fkeidjn · « **Reply #2 on:** Thu, 06 November 2008, 01:04:18 »

Yep, something worth the investment. Can somebody say HHKB2 Pro?

xsphat · « **Reply #3 on:** Thu, 06 November 2008, 02:29:39 »

He's got one of those.

bigpook · « **Reply #4 on:** Thu, 06 November 2008, 03:53:07 »

I don't want to use my HHKB Pro2 at work. Its too nice for that. The lite 2 was perfect for work though.
what other choices are out there? The main thing is the small form factor. I don't think there is anything else as small as a HHKB.

zwmalone · « **Reply #5 on:** Thu, 06 November 2008, 04:48:51 »

A cherry ML4100?

bigpook · « **Reply #6 on:** Thu, 06 November 2008, 04:53:32 »

Maybe.

I see one here.
http://cgi.ebay.com/CHERRY-ML4100-MINI-KEYBOARD-POS-MEDICAL-COMPACT-PS2_W0QQitemZ270293635236QQcmdZViewItemQQptZPCA_Mice_Trackballs?_trksid=p3286.m20.l1116#ebayphotohosting

lowpoly · « **Reply #7 on:** Thu, 06 November 2008, 04:58:51 »

Quote

Windows XP detects it when I plug it in

I guess that means that the problem is not with the cable. Otherwise it could be broken, inside the plug for ex. So it must be a dead controller, I guess.

bigpook · « **Reply #8 on:** Thu, 06 November 2008, 05:03:54 »

Quote from: lowpoly;10356

I guess that means that the problem is not with the cable. Otherwise it could be broken, inside the plug for ex. So it must be a dead controller, I guess.

A dead controller is not easy to replace, right?

lowpoly · « **Reply #9 on:** Thu, 06 November 2008, 05:29:12 »

No, you'd need exactly the same one. You can check the cable and make sure that the membrane is connected to the pcb and that's it.

bigpook · « **Reply #10 on:** Fri, 07 November 2008, 03:56:26 »

Actually, I have a cheap analog meter and a digital meter in the closet. What am I looking for?

bigpook · « **Reply #11 on:** Fri, 07 November 2008, 18:36:37 »

thanks for the tip webwit, but I wouldn't know where to start...but there is some good news.
I took the lite 2 apart again, thinking I would take one more look before tossing it.
I should have took pictures, as there is not a whole going on inside of a HHKB lite...
anyways, there is a plate and some plastic sheets that the membrane rests on. This time around I want ed to move the plate to see underneath. I had to remove the screw that secured the ground wire. Doing this I noticed the ground wire was pinched and totally flattened. Whatever.

Underneath the plate is a small circiut board with some resistors on it. The ps/2 cable wends itself around a strain relief and connects to the circuit board. It all looked kopasetic.

Just for kicks I put it all back together, thinking it doesn't matter, I had just won a bid on a cherry G84-4100 for under 6 dollars....plug it back in to the pc and what do you know, it works.......I don't know why.

anybody want a cherry G84-4100?

zwmalone · « **Reply #12 on:** Sat, 08 November 2008, 10:33:51 »

How much do you want for the G84-4100?

bigpook · « **Reply #13 on:** Sun, 09 November 2008, 16:59:21 »

zwmalone, I was sort of being facetious. I will take the lite 2 to work this week and see how it holds up. Ideally, it will continue to function and since I have the Pro 2 at the house, the keyboard layout stays the same....
But I am curious to see the 4100. While it to has a small form factor, the key layout is much different then the HHKB. But the 4100 is not a membrane keyboard, as I understand it. Actually, I don't really know what kind of cherry switch it has, I was mostly looking for something small that would fit in my laptop bag.
More than likely I will try it out, if the lite 2 fails again, then I will use it at work. Otherwise, unless it is some smoking keyboard it will end up on the shelf, waiting for the lite 2 to give up the ghost.

Chloe · « **Reply #14 on:** Sun, 09 November 2008, 18:05:45 »

The G84-4100 have ML switches.

bigpook · « **Reply #15 on:** Sun, 09 November 2008, 18:08:00 »

Quote from: Chloe;10581

The G84-4100 have ML switches.

is that a good thing? or a bad thing?

Chloe · « **Reply #16 on:** Sun, 09 November 2008, 18:43:33 »

Given the choice, I'd rather type on MLs than any rubber dome or scissor switch. I still travel with mine because I really like the layout, it makes a nice change from the Compaq MX 11800.

Saying that, I've always felt the MLs were a bit too stiff, and that's without bottoming out. I'm going to try shortening the springs in them at some point because I really notice it now I'm used to the brown MX.

bigpook · « **Reply #17 on:** Sun, 09 November 2008, 18:51:43 »

thanks for the info. I have a filco mini coming soon, which has brown cherries. It will be interesting to make the comparison. I also have a dasIII with blue cherries that I didn't care too much for. I will be curious to see.

iMav · « **Reply #18 on:** Mon, 10 November 2008, 07:36:39 »

The black ML Cherry switches are fun to type on IMHO. I've got a lot of 4100's around the house and really like the feel of them. The layout takes me a bit to get used to...so it never became one of my primary 'boards, but I've given away a ton of them as I think they make great gifts.

bigpook · « **Reply #19 on:** Mon, 10 November 2008, 07:56:05 »

Thats way cool iMav. I was able to get a 4100 for under 20 dollars shipped so I figure its a pretty good deal. Now that my HHKB lite is working, at least for now, I will probably keep the 4100 as a backup. The main thing for work is the small size, it needs to fit in my laptop bag. Both the 4100 and HHKB meet that criteria.

iMav · « **Reply #20 on:** Mon, 10 November 2008, 07:58:28 »

I know that ashort carries a 4100 in his laptop bag (or at least he used to) to use with his work laptop.

He probably logs more time on one than any other geekhacker I am aware of.

News:

Author Topic: HHKB lite stopped working (Read 4685 times)