IBM Model F AT Ghost Typing?

[snarfarlarkus]

Hey everyone I have a model f at and sometimes random keys ghost type? I have fully disassembled the board to clean it and check the grounding with no luck so I'm thinking its to do with either the xwhatsit controller or software?

I read here: https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?t=21150 (if you scroll down) about a firmware update for debouncing that apparently fixes the problem for other users but I don't know what to do with the .hex and .patch files? Any help appreciated!

[jacethesaltsculptor]

Do you happen to have a picture of your Soarer's converter?

Usually to re-program it, you have to hit a physical button on it, if it's inside your keyboard case, this is usually quite doable. If it's built into a cord, this can make it quite a bit more difficult.

[snarfarlarkus]

Isn't soarers converter the cable that converts ps2/usb? Mine is directly converted to usb without a separate converter? I can open up the keyboard and take a photo of the xwhatsit controller if that'll help? It's just a green pcb and I do not remember seeing a physical button on it?

[jacethesaltsculptor]

It can convert from quite a few adapters to USB, and depending on how it looks, it may or may not have that physical button. You can also make one if you don't want one professionally made, as Soarer was a member of this board and began the process here on Geekhack.

but that answers it, you have an xwhatsit. Unfortunately I don't have experience with those so I can't provide much help.

Still this is good stuff to talk about here because we can get someone who can help.

[snarfarlarkus]

Ah right, thanks for the clarification. Yeah I hope someone can help me as I am pretty lost. I've opened up the whole keyboard itself to no avail.

[snarfarlarkus]

Anyone?

[Maledicted]

I don't think that xwhatsit will mind me posting this. If so, I'll remove it. I found a PDF file that contains extensive information on his controller, in his original post on the xwhatsit controller:

http://downloads.cornall.co/ibm-capsense-usb/installation_model_f.pdf

Section 5.2 links to an index of where all of the relevant files are stored, including this PDF file, and the original firmware files. Section 6.1 deals with adjusting the current threshold, which may itself resolve your problem. Section 10 deals with firmware updates.

The files in the debounce_threshold_6 and debounce_threshold_11 folders in the post that you mentioned are slightly larger in size than the originals in the aforementioned index. My guess is that those are both variations of the complete modified firmware, and the patch file is for similarly patching the more exotic versions of the firmware, like for Beamsprings. You could try to find/use some software for comparing two hex files though.

Ellipse, Xwhatsit, joc, or darkcruix would probably all know for sure. I have never owned an xwhatsit controller (yet) My Model Fs have all just been connected to a Soarer's converter, so I can't play around with any of this myself.