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Author Topic: Poker is broken already  (Read 3366 times)

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Offline nhwhaup

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Poker is broken already
« on: Thu, 15 September 2011, 23:54:26 »
I'm so bummed. I bought a Poker with red switches to take on business travel and when I got back tonight from my trip it appears that where the cord plugs in either loosened up or got bent in my luggage, cause now it wont work. If I wiggle it, I can get the blue caps light to flicker but it won't keep the connection. I knew this wasn't a tank like my Filco but I figured it would last more than a week before breaking. :Cry:
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Current in order of preference:  RealForce 87U Silent White with variable weighted keys X 2, Filco Majestouch 2 Tenkeyless with Linear Reds, Filco Number-pad, Poker with Linear Reds

Sold or returned:  Multiple Microsoft and Logitech keyboards, Das Keyboard Silent, Cherry 6140, RealForce 103UB, RealForce 86U, Filco Majestouch 2 full sized with Linear Reds

Offline DaemonRaccoon

  • Posts: 333
Poker is broken already
« Reply #1 on: Fri, 16 September 2011, 00:01:39 »
Did you leave the cord plugged in? The Mini-USB connector isn't the sturdiest of designs, especially without reinforcement. Do you have access to a soldering iron?
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Offline duncan

  • Posts: 184
Poker is broken already
« Reply #2 on: Fri, 16 September 2011, 01:09:11 »
Please do share the answers to the above questions.

It is important to know the details of how this happened to help us know what we need to avoid buying and what we need to avoid doing.

If it really was that you happened to leave the cord plugged in (for whatever reason or however it happened) then that's not a huge mark against KBC as I would consider that the design of the Poker expects that the cord would only be in there while in use so if a bad decision or an accident got in the way then your unfortunate experience is a good reminder to the rest of us to be careful.

If the cord was not plugged then that's a black mark against the board when used as expected.

So it is important that you share the details if you could please.
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Offline nhwhaup

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Poker is broken already
« Reply #3 on: Fri, 16 September 2011, 03:56:07 »
I did leave the cord plugged in.  But really although the cord was plugged in I was careful to pack the keyboard very gently or at least what I thought was gently between cushions of clothing. Honestly I never even gave it a thought that this keyboard would be this fragile. I am really pretty easy on my things and not rough.  

To me it doesn't appear that the connector has come apart from the board but the inside of the connector is not as tight and therefore not holding the connection. Or something inside the connector is broken or loose.

Would an electronics repair person be able to fix this?

I guess let this be a word of caution - be very careful with the connector to the cord
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Current in order of preference:  RealForce 87U Silent White with variable weighted keys X 2, Filco Majestouch 2 Tenkeyless with Linear Reds, Filco Number-pad, Poker with Linear Reds

Sold or returned:  Multiple Microsoft and Logitech keyboards, Das Keyboard Silent, Cherry 6140, RealForce 103UB, RealForce 86U, Filco Majestouch 2 full sized with Linear Reds

Offline Tony

  • Posts: 1189
Poker is broken already
« Reply #4 on: Fri, 16 September 2011, 04:28:24 »
Next time, please put the keyboard in a box before put it to a suitcase.
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Offline mbc

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Poker is broken already
« Reply #5 on: Fri, 16 September 2011, 04:37:43 »
it probably needs to be soldered.
had the same issue with my Nokia N85. but everytime i tried to fix it it got much worse after a while.
do as ripster said, or let someone with more experience do it.
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Offline Brodie337

  • Posts: 414
Poker is broken already
« Reply #6 on: Fri, 16 September 2011, 05:17:59 »
Mini USB plugs are delicate little buggers at best, so I've made a habit of pulling the cable out of mine when I stuff it in my laptop bag.
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Offline nhwhaup

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Poker is broken already
« Reply #7 on: Fri, 16 September 2011, 05:20:15 »
Truly I don't think putting it in a box would have eliminated the risk for breakage. Removing the plug would have taken away the specific problem that I had. However, overall even from the first day, the connector didn't seem that solid and the connection wasn't totally tight. Noticing this at the start, I should have been more proactive but I didn't realize it was this fragile.

Ripster - if I go with a bigger connection or direct solder will that have any issues with working with my iPad?
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Current in order of preference:  RealForce 87U Silent White with variable weighted keys X 2, Filco Majestouch 2 Tenkeyless with Linear Reds, Filco Number-pad, Poker with Linear Reds

Sold or returned:  Multiple Microsoft and Logitech keyboards, Das Keyboard Silent, Cherry 6140, RealForce 103UB, RealForce 86U, Filco Majestouch 2 full sized with Linear Reds

Offline duncan

  • Posts: 184
Poker is broken already
« Reply #8 on: Fri, 16 September 2011, 05:56:01 »
Quote from: nhwhaup;417055
I did leave the cord plugged in.  But really although the cord was plugged in I was careful to pack the keyboard very gently or at least what I thought was gently between cushions of clothing.

It's all about leverage. By leaving a half inch lever on a notoriously fragile connector any lateral force in any direction would apply stresses that could not be sustained. The clothing would cushion against shocks but that's not the problem here. Any pressure on the plug, even gentle and gradual pressure could do enough damage to wreck the connection.

Quote from: nhwhaup;417055

Would an electronics repair person be able to fix this?

Yep simple solder job to take off the old connector and put a new one on.
If you had the tools you could pretty surely do it yourself.
A couple of dollars of parts but the labour costs are going to make this a slightly expensive learning experience.

Quote from: nhwhaup;417055

I guess let this be a word of caution - be very careful with the connector to the cord

Yep [strike]micro[/strike] mini USB plugs have always been fragile little rotters and need to be treated like they are made of glass.
Fine while sitting quietly on a desk but any lateral force (including carelessly rough connecting/disconnecting) can kill them with consummate ease and make your device (external drives, phones, keyboards, etc) an expensive paperweight.

EDIT: fixed mini/micro brain f@rt
« Last Edit: Fri, 16 September 2011, 22:35:28 by duncan »
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Offline Soarer

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Poker is broken already
« Reply #9 on: Fri, 16 September 2011, 06:14:28 »
Quote from: duncan;417073
Yep simple solder job to take off the old connector and put a new one on.
If you had the tools you could pretty surely do it yourself.
Have to say the micro connector looks like an utter ***** to rework, even with tools and skills. And mini looks only slightly better.
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Offline keyboardlover

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Poker is broken already
« Reply #10 on: Fri, 16 September 2011, 10:16:10 »
Iirc, the connection for the usb to the controller looked shoddy in the initial pics. I remember ripster pointing it out.
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Offline nhwhaup

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Poker is broken already
« Reply #11 on: Sat, 17 September 2011, 17:43:23 »
I took the Poker to an electronics technician and unfortunately the broken connection is further into the actual board rather than at the mini connector. So even after soldering it still wouldn't work.

I really like the Poker and ordered a new one to replace it.  But I totally do want others to be aware - do not leave the cord connected especially if you are packing it or using it in a way where the mini connector and cord might have pressure on it.
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Current in order of preference:  RealForce 87U Silent White with variable weighted keys X 2, Filco Majestouch 2 Tenkeyless with Linear Reds, Filco Number-pad, Poker with Linear Reds

Sold or returned:  Multiple Microsoft and Logitech keyboards, Das Keyboard Silent, Cherry 6140, RealForce 103UB, RealForce 86U, Filco Majestouch 2 full sized with Linear Reds

Offline False_Dmitry_II

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Poker is broken already
« Reply #12 on: Sat, 17 September 2011, 18:05:21 »
Wow, did the PCB break or something?

Stupid question, you did try more than one cord right?
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Offline placebo guy

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Poker is broken already
« Reply #13 on: Sat, 17 September 2011, 19:54:29 »
Quote from: False_Dmitry_II;417871
Wow, did the PCB break or something?

Stupid question, you did try more than one cord right?


God, that would suck if it was the cord.
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Offline Oqsy

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Poker is broken already
« Reply #14 on: Sat, 17 September 2011, 20:03:19 »
NH: interested in selling me the broken one?
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Offline nhwhaup

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Poker is broken already
« Reply #15 on: Sun, 18 September 2011, 03:23:45 »
A new cord was the first thing that I tried and the technician as well.
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Current in order of preference:  RealForce 87U Silent White with variable weighted keys X 2, Filco Majestouch 2 Tenkeyless with Linear Reds, Filco Number-pad, Poker with Linear Reds

Sold or returned:  Multiple Microsoft and Logitech keyboards, Das Keyboard Silent, Cherry 6140, RealForce 103UB, RealForce 86U, Filco Majestouch 2 full sized with Linear Reds

Offline nhwhaup

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Poker is broken already
« Reply #16 on: Sun, 18 September 2011, 03:26:39 »
My husband is going to take it in to work tomorrow to his maintenance tech for a second opinion.  If he still cannot fix it, then definitely would consider selling it.
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Current in order of preference:  RealForce 87U Silent White with variable weighted keys X 2, Filco Majestouch 2 Tenkeyless with Linear Reds, Filco Number-pad, Poker with Linear Reds

Sold or returned:  Multiple Microsoft and Logitech keyboards, Das Keyboard Silent, Cherry 6140, RealForce 103UB, RealForce 86U, Filco Majestouch 2 full sized with Linear Reds

Offline JBert

  • Posts: 764
Poker is broken already
« Reply #17 on: Sun, 18 September 2011, 15:19:48 »
Actually, check if you can't solder a cable to the traces on the PCB. Even if the traces just next to the connector are lifted, there are some small pads just behind it.  A varistor could be soldered there to the USB lines to protect from over-current, but mine didn't have any (probably reserved for mods and improvements).
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Offline nhwhaup

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Poker is broken already
« Reply #18 on: Sun, 18 September 2011, 16:19:43 »
I already ordered a replacement and will definitely treat the new one more tenderly.
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Current in order of preference:  RealForce 87U Silent White with variable weighted keys X 2, Filco Majestouch 2 Tenkeyless with Linear Reds, Filco Number-pad, Poker with Linear Reds

Sold or returned:  Multiple Microsoft and Logitech keyboards, Das Keyboard Silent, Cherry 6140, RealForce 103UB, RealForce 86U, Filco Majestouch 2 full sized with Linear Reds
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