Chatter over many keys?

[hamza_tm]

Hi everyone!

Recently bought a Fiilco Majestouch 1 that had every key soldered to red switches. I think it's quite old although in great condition. The problem is that a LOT of the keys are chattering. I've noticed it on i the most (sometimes nothing comes up, sometiimess a lot of chatter), s, comma, r etc to be honest about half the keys at some point.

I can understand having to fix a single key, but when so many are chattering, can this be fxed by soldering a new key for every one that chatters? That's basically like 10 keys, maybe more I haven't tested properly yet.

Is this the controller at fault or can chattering only be due to single keys malfunctioning?

Thanks in advance.

This is the original message, typed without editing out the chatter:

Hi everrryone!

Recently bought a Fiilco Majestouch 1 that had every key soldered to rred sswitchess. I think it's quite old although in great condition. The prroblem is that a LOT of the keys are chattering. I've noticed t on i (sometimes nothiing comess up,, sometiimess a lot of chatter), sss, comma, r etc

II can undersstsaand having to fix a ssingle key, but when so many are chhattering, can this be fxed by olderng a new key for every one that chatters? I've noticed at lleast half the keyss chatter at some time.

IIIs ths the controller at fault or can chattering only be due to single keys malfunctioning?

Thanks in advance.

[hamza_tm]

After testing by pressing two keys one after the other quickly (that is, doing this: ss/s/s/s/s/ss/s/s/s/s/s/s/s/ss/s/s/s/s/s/s/ss/s/)

it seems that only a few keys consistently (and terribly) chatter: "," "return" "s" "i" "r"

Some others I have seen chatter like once or twice - q, h, etc

[hamza_tm]

anyone experienced sporadic chatter like that then?

It seems that a few keys are really bad causing constant grief on almost every keypress.

And out out of the rest every so often one of them doubles when typing, but not consistently, and that's how it's been with a number of keys. Might just be because they are  MX reds and I haven't practiced typing on reds for a while? Or does this sound like the board needs a new PCB?

[microsoft windows]

I know Microsoft keyboards don't chatter. Maybe you should get a Microsoft keyboard.

[dorkvader]

I know Microsoft keyboards don't chatter. Maybe you should get a Microsoft keyboard.

Yeah, some even have better than 2KRO, like most RDOM's.

@OP: I would recommend blowing the switches in question out with some compressed air. I would say to re-seat the removable controller, but I don't think that's the issue right now, as the keys issues are spread out across multiple keys.

Although the air might not help, as that sort of thing is normally a bigger issue with blues than reds.

[hamza_tm]

thanks for the suggestions!

I'll see if I can clean out the heavily affected keys then. Or just replace those ones.

As you probably gathered, I'm not that fussed about the heavily chattering keys as I can solder new ones for those bunch and know that they will work hopefully - but what troubles me is the occasional chatter I get from the rest of the keys. like I'll be typing, and from nowhere the "l" key will double, but it's never done that before and I can't make it do it again by pressing it repeatedly. Then after I type some more the "a" key will randomly double type. Just like that random keys tend to chatter. Making me suspect it's not the individual keys at fault there.

I could be imagining it, who knows.

Also I should point out that with the heavily chattering keys (that consistently don't work properly) they can repeat up to 4 times at a pinch, never mind about double-typing! So like this "ssssunday morrrniiing..." which further worries me.

As you can tell, I'm pretty darn worried

[False_Dmitry_II]

The 'a' key, and a few others, repeats sometimes on my otaku space invader switch board. I don't bother trying to fix it because it happens so rarely, even more on the rest of them it does it on. It has not changed its frequency in months. So if soldering makes it work 95% of the time normally I'd just leave it alone at that point. After all, if it really is something as important as the PCB, might as well just use it and wait for the entire keyboard to implode; since your alternatives at that point aren't many.

[hasu]

Majestouch 1 was infamous for chattering of its switches among users in Japan.
Not sure but I think its controller with faulty debounce faculty causes this problem. So switch replacement may cure the problem but switch contact will be degraded gradually and you will see chatter in the long run.

Some unhappy people with faulty keyboard use "ccchattttter" utility on Windows to work around the problem

[hamza_tm]

thank you very much Dmitry and hasu! And everyone else who replied too

I didn't know that about Majestouch 1, very interesting. And I'll check out that utility! Thanks.

I think you're right, the occasional chatter from other keys makes me suspect the debouncing facility, whereas the keys that do it a lot are clearly damaged/dusty