Random keys sometimes not registering

[stakiman]

Hello guys!

I've got a Choc Noppoo Mini 2013 and I absolutely love it. I do game a lot, though, and in 2 months of heavy usage some of the keys started to miss some presses.

For example if I were typing with it now, it would literally swallow some letters, because it wouldn't register the key presses.
A test I did was if I clicked 5 times a key, one of the times it wouldn't register.
It is absolutely random and the keys that do not register from time to time are almost all "decided" when I plug in the keyboard. (it happens with the quotes, or brackets - not only the often used keys, although it prefers them)
If a key is used a lot (for example the key Z), which was working fine for an ~hour, it would start to misbehave as well.

It is 100% definitely not a switch problem, otherwise there would be 60+ switches for replacement.
All keys are working correctly though. There is no key that doesn't register at least once if the keyboard is plugged in.

Messing around with the debouncing settings (because the Noppoo has some), resetting them, resetting the keyboard to default (Fn+F12), or anything else doesn't do anything useful. The settings for the deboucing parameters are applied, though, but the key presses are still buggy.

Maybe it is a controller issue? How can I most easily fix this?

PS: I checked the PCB and there doesn't seem to be anything out of order.


By the way I do not necessarily need ANY of the features of this keyboard. I just LOVE the layout, the switches and the positioning of the F1,F2,F3, etc keys.
All I really want are working buttons.

[stakiman]

bump

Is it possible to get ANY new controller and solder keys to it? How would that work? As stated previously I really only need the buttons to click/work, and not any special features.
Any help is appreciated!

[VoteForDavid]

I'd fiddle with the settings a LOT and see if I couldn't get it to do right with software first.  Then contact the manufacturer if it's under warranty.

You could (in theory) apply any keyboard controller to it with some work.  A Teensy-series might be usable with the existing PCB if you can figure out the matrix.

I think I would start by reflowing all the solder joints with some good rosin-core leaded solder.  If that doesn't do it, I'd think about putting a meter or scope on the power lines to the controller

Have you tried using different ports and/or different computers to see if the problem follows the keyboard?

[stakiman]

I did mess with the settings A LOT, and it doesn't seem to help at all ... I've tried on Linux machines, many different ports, many different settings - nothing helps it. Even tried to plug in to a PS/2 port with a converter. Same story.

Thanks for the controller suggestion, I'll look into it. I am more thinking of running individual cabling to a controller, instead of figuring out the PCB. Reflowing ... maybe. Will look into it.
Is there also a variant for a PCB + Controller combo, where I can just solder the switches in?

[VoteForDavid]

Unless you cut all the traces you will have to figure out the PCB.  I haven't done that (yet) so I can't really speak to it.  Touch all the solder joints with an iron once and see if that improves matters.  Then think about more drastic measures.

[hwood34]

Stuff like this usually ends up being a soldering issue, but everything looks to be in order with that PCB. It couldn't hurt just to go around and reflow everything though, see if that helps. Though it seems like a larger issue if at some point or another basically every key is acting up