Blue cube troubles?

[modelmayheM]

I'm new to using the model M with a blue cube usb ps/2 adapter. It mostly works fine, but there have been a few times in my first day when the keyboard fails to work on reboot, where it worked at boot but then failed to work in Windows until I plugged it into a different USB port, and once when some keys got mashed and it seemed to add in something weird (maybe an ALT). Is it normal to have some flakiness with an IBM Model M and a blue cube? or should I be expecting no troubles?

[scottc]

I use a blue cube with my Model M SSK and Model F all the time and have never run into this. Sounds strange!

[modelmayheM]

Okay, thanks. Just out of curiosity do you have the blue cube connected directly to the PC or to a hub? Mine is connected to a powered hub. The few times when the keyboard refused to work was when it was connected to the hub, the lights on the KB would flash, but it didn't work. Connected it to the laptop directly and it worked. But before and later it would work fine connected to the powered hub. Maybe I'll try just leaving it directly connected to the laptop for a day or two and see if it's hub related.

[scottc]

Mine was directly into a USB port in my desktop. It does sound like it might be hub-related - my first guess would be that it's not getting enough power, but if it's a powered hub then it shouldn't really have that problem! I think that your best bet would be to try it without the hub, like you suggested. Hope you get to the bottom of it!

[modelmayheM]

Thanks. I'll see what happens. (While the hub is powered, perhaps if all the devices plugged in to it happen to draw a good bit of current at the same time it creates a brown out like situation; don't have any high current drawing devices attached, but who knows.) I'll post back when I learn anything in case someone in the future has this issue.

[Muirium]

…and once when some keys got mashed and it seemed to add in something weird (maybe an ALT)…

Bear in mind the limited rollover of Model Ms. Key mashing is a good way to find out all about ghosting and the like!

[modelmayheM]

Mu, thanks, I suspected that's what that was, but wasn't exactly sure how that manifested itself.

[Daniel Beardsmore]

I seem to recall having read about this problem numerous times — am I right in thinking that Model M keyboards are not overly keen on converters? Something to do with the high current requirement?

I didn't have any bother with mine — I think I was using a Blue Cube for that.

Then again, UEFI on my (now a year old) Dell PC won't start up my Filco Majestouch — the keyboard hangs with all LEDs lit until Windows starts booting. No bother with an old Acer keyboard connected via a Blue Cube (apart from the dead matrix traces from when I had it all apart for research). I think the Filco comes up once UEFI is fully running.

Add the manufacturing defects in the other Filco keyboard, sometimes I have to wonder, as cheap keyboards really do just work :-P

[webwit]

Blue cube works for me even on a usb hub. Only known problem is the left shift/cursor bug.

[modelmayheM]

What's the left shift/cursor bug?

[webwit]

Left shift plus cursor key releases shift.

[Muirium]

Current doesn't seem to be an issue. Much to my initial surprise, every Model M and Model F that I have works fine on an iPad via Soarer's Converter and Apple's USB camera connector. Impressive, given that my Compact Flash cards bloody well don't without a powered hub! Good job I got the connector for USB mics and such, and not just cameras.

[scottc]

An iPad with a Model F attached, now that'd be a sight to see...

[Muirium]

It's actually more the other way around. Model Fs have a pen / document holder you know…

[Soarer]

Left shift plus cursor key releases shift.

... with SGI Granite and Dell AT101/102, IIRC.