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Author Topic: Model M ps2 troubleshooting  (Read 2089 times)

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Offline zig_ziglar

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Model M ps2 troubleshooting
« on: Thu, 15 May 2014, 17:41:13 »
Greetings, folks.

Plugged in my newly arrived '89 Model M into my work PC (Windows 7) and the Numlock light powers on (sometimes intermittently), but no keystrokes register.

Bios can see the keyboard, so I assume this is an insufficient power issue, more so than hardware failure. I understand modern PS2 ports are not what they once were.

Can anyone shed any further light on this issue? Is my only hope to use an active ps2->usb adaptor?


Cheers
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Offline rowdy

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Re: Model M ps2 troubleshooting
« Reply #1 on: Thu, 15 May 2014, 17:52:32 »
Does a different PS/2 keyboard work in the same port?

Are you sure plugged into the keyboard port and not the mouse port?

Are you able to try a USB adaptor (I have one that my Model M works perfectly on my Mac mini).
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Offline zig_ziglar

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Re: Model M ps2 troubleshooting
« Reply #2 on: Thu, 15 May 2014, 18:03:34 »
G'day Rowdy - I have an adaptor on the way from the GH store.

Incidentally, I restarted the computer one last time (after having previously tried it a couple of times, including a full shut-down) and it is now working! I'm typing this message from it right now. The NumLock light still occasionally flickers, but as you can see, the keystrokes are all registering without issue.

I have had more modern PS2 keyboards plugged into this PC before and they weren't this ... temperamental, but either way, mission success!

Cheers
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Offline Computer-Lab in Basement

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Re: Model M ps2 troubleshooting
« Reply #3 on: Thu, 15 May 2014, 18:05:36 »
This happens a lot with Model Ms, it depends on your motherboard whether or not you'll experience such problems. For me, Dell motherboards usually have this issue.
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Offline rowdy

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Re: Model M ps2 troubleshooting
« Reply #4 on: Thu, 15 May 2014, 18:05:56 »
Might be a power issue.

I kind of figured if I could get a Model M working on a Mac mini without any problems, anything else should be simple :p
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"Because keyboards are accessories to PC makers, they focus on minimizing the manufacturing costs. But that’s incorrect. It’s in HHKB’s slogan, but when America’s cowboys were in the middle of a trip and their horse died, they would leave the horse there. But even if they were in the middle of a desert, they would take their saddle with them. The horse was a consumable good, but the saddle was an interface that their bodies had gotten used to. In the same vein, PCs are consumable goods, while keyboards are important interfaces." - Eiiti Wada

NEC APC-H4100E | Ducky DK9008 Shine MX blue LED red | Ducky DK9008 Shine MX blue LED green | Link 900243-08 | CM QFR MX black | KeyCool 87 white MX reds | HHKB 2 Pro | Model M 02-Mar-1993 | Model M 29-Nov-1995 | CM Trigger (broken) | CM QFS MX green | Ducky DK9087 Shine 3 TKL Yellow Edition MX black | Lexmark SSK 21-Apr-1994 | IBM SSK 13-Oct-1987 | CODE TKL MX clear | Model M 122 01-Jun-1988

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Offline zig_ziglar

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Re: Model M ps2 troubleshooting
« Reply #5 on: Thu, 15 May 2014, 19:13:19 »
I'm loving the Model M, actually. The actuation force required is a bit tiring for my arthritic fingers, but it lends itself well to high accuracy.

To challenge myself I did a typing test in native Spanish, using Spanish keyboard layout and achieved 106wpm with zero errors, despite having to accent characters and use additional alphabet characters. The accuracy is the thing I'm happy with!
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Offline rowdy

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Re: Model M ps2 troubleshooting
« Reply #6 on: Thu, 15 May 2014, 19:28:50 »
Quote from: zig_ziglar on Thu, 15 May 2014, 19:13:19
I'm loving the Model M, actually. The actuation force required is a bit tiring for my arthritic fingers, but it lends itself well to high accuracy.

To challenge myself I did a typing test in native Spanish, using Spanish keyboard layout and achieved 106wpm with zero errors, despite having to accent characters and use additional alphabet characters. The accuracy is the thing I'm happy with!

That's fantastic!

There's something to be said for the Model M - still going strong after more than a quarter of a century!
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"Because keyboards are accessories to PC makers, they focus on minimizing the manufacturing costs. But that’s incorrect. It’s in HHKB’s slogan, but when America’s cowboys were in the middle of a trip and their horse died, they would leave the horse there. But even if they were in the middle of a desert, they would take their saddle with them. The horse was a consumable good, but the saddle was an interface that their bodies had gotten used to. In the same vein, PCs are consumable goods, while keyboards are important interfaces." - Eiiti Wada

NEC APC-H4100E | Ducky DK9008 Shine MX blue LED red | Ducky DK9008 Shine MX blue LED green | Link 900243-08 | CM QFR MX black | KeyCool 87 white MX reds | HHKB 2 Pro | Model M 02-Mar-1993 | Model M 29-Nov-1995 | CM Trigger (broken) | CM QFS MX green | Ducky DK9087 Shine 3 TKL Yellow Edition MX black | Lexmark SSK 21-Apr-1994 | IBM SSK 13-Oct-1987 | CODE TKL MX clear | Model M 122 01-Jun-1988

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Offline zig_ziglar

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Re: Model M ps2 troubleshooting
« Reply #7 on: Thu, 15 May 2014, 19:38:36 »
Absolutely. The actual input functions of a keyboard really haven't changed in 30 years (aside from the addition of windows and media keys, really), so it stands to reason that a really well engineered 30 year old keyboard would remain equally as well engineered by todays standards. In fact, if anything, it is superior to modern designs due to the fact that it cuts no corners in quality of parts and quality control in general.

The brand new Unicomp I have has more imperfections than this 25 year old M. That being said, I kind of like the subtle (mechanical) differences in the Unicomp too.

EDIT: Just wanted to add, aside from the structural and mechanical engineering being amazing; the way they have created a concave mounting plate and as such been able to maintain a uniform keycap shape just screams "genius" to me. Modern keyboards emulate this concave sculpturing by changing the height and angle of each keycap, creating a massive flaw in terms of interchangibility among rows. The 1x1 caps on the M can be pulled off and reassembled on any row (to support alternate layouts like Dvorak, Colemak etc). IBM really just nailed it with the M.
« Last Edit: Thu, 15 May 2014, 19:42:54 by zig_ziglar »
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Offline fohat.digs

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Re: Model M ps2 troubleshooting
« Reply #8 on: Thu, 15 May 2014, 19:52:17 »
Quote from: zig_ziglar on Thu, 15 May 2014, 19:38:36
IBM really just nailed it with the M.

IBM nailed it with the Model F.

The Model M is just an extreme cost-cutting downgrade.
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Offline zig_ziglar

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Re: Model M ps2 troubleshooting
« Reply #9 on: Thu, 15 May 2014, 20:09:54 »
Quote from: fohat.digs on Thu, 15 May 2014, 19:52:17
Quote from: zig_ziglar on Thu, 15 May 2014, 19:38:36
IBM really just nailed it with the M.

IBM nailed it with the Model F.

The Model M is just an extreme cost-cutting downgrade.

O'rly!? I shall have to research this. :)


Research indicates that my next vintage acquisition will have to be: PC 3270 keyboard, part number 6110344.
« Last Edit: Thu, 15 May 2014, 20:21:04 by zig_ziglar »
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Offline False_Dmitry_II

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Re: Model M ps2 troubleshooting
« Reply #10 on: Thu, 15 May 2014, 22:09:18 »
Quote from: fohat.digs on Thu, 15 May 2014, 19:52:17
Quote from: zig_ziglar on Thu, 15 May 2014, 19:38:36
IBM really just nailed it with the M.

IBM nailed it with the Model F.

The Model M is just an extreme cost-cutting downgrade.


One day I'll have to have you make my F AT awesome. Until then, no doubt I prefer either of my M's. Partly because of layout, but mostly because I don't like the feel or sound as it is on the F AT.
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Offline mougrim

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Re: Model M ps2 troubleshooting
« Reply #11 on: Fri, 16 May 2014, 01:27:51 »
Quote from: False_Dmitry_II on Thu, 15 May 2014, 22:09:18
Quote from: fohat.digs on Thu, 15 May 2014, 19:52:17
Quote from: zig_ziglar on Thu, 15 May 2014, 19:38:36
IBM really just nailed it with the M.

IBM nailed it with the Model F.

The Model M is just an extreme cost-cutting downgrade.


One day I'll have to have you make my F AT awesome. Until then, no doubt I prefer either of my M's. Partly because of layout, but mostly because I don't like the feel or sound as it is on the F AT.

Mmm... maybe dental floss mod is in order?
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