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Lodovik

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Joined: 17/05/2021
Location: Canada
Posts: 41

Posted: 02:55pm 26 Jun 2021

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I know that the Color Maximite 2 will never give you any trouble with most standard USB keyboards. Many wireless ones also works well.

But I came across one keyboard that I really love but has trouble with F1-F12 keys. Since it's a compact keyboard, these keys must be accessed using an Fn key because they're no specific function keys. Normally, you press the Fn key + one of the top row key (1 2 3, etc) and this works OK in Windows, MacOS, be it wired with a USB cord, wirelessly with the included dongle or by BT since this keyboard supports all those types of connections.

But, to my despair, the CMM2 totally ignore those Fn+x keypresses even if everything else works. Of course, I've tried it in USB mode instead of with the 2.4 GHz dongle but it makes no difference.

But I discovered a workaround: I can access the F1-F12 keys if I do it in a sequence of keypresses. Let's say I want to press F1, I have to do this:

-Press Fn + 1
-Release only the Fn key
-Press again the Fn key
-Release both keys

and then a F1 keypress is registered every time, reliably. I also can get it somewhat unreliably if I press both Fn and 1 simultaneously.

I know the problem is probably caused by my unconventional keyboard but I'm reporting it here in case it could be caused by a bug in the firmware or if someone have any suggestions to solve my problem. Also, my workaround could be of some help to other users with a similar problem.

I'm running on the 5.06 firmware and I will test again when the 5.07 version is officially released. I'm a noob so I didn't messed with the firmware yet but I would be willing to do some tests if necessary. For now, I'm just enjoying the discovery of my new Color Maximite 2. This thing is fantastic! I feel like I'm in the 80s all over again.

Lodovik

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Joined: 17/05/2021
Location: Canada
Posts: 41

Posted: 04:43am 30 Jun 2021

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I updated to the latest 5.07 beta firmware and still had the problem with the F-keys. So I ended up returning the keyboard as it was cumbersome to use with the workaround. I found another mechanical wireless backlit compact keyboard with true function keys and I hope this one will work as it's supposed to with the Color Maximite 2.

Volhout
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Joined: 05/03/2018
Location: Netherlands
Posts: 5089

Posted: 07:01am 30 Jun 2021

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Hi Lodovik,

Sorry no-one responded. Normally this forum is quite responsive. Truth is I read your message and thought there is no way to reproduce and analyze it without actual hardware. And many may have thought so. And many use wired keyboards (old school).

I know the CMM2 has a limitted list of supported keyboards, even the wired ones do not all work. I think the software does not support multifunction devices, and device that enumerate as such. Keyboards with touchpad don't work.

I hope your alternative keyboard works.

Regards,

Volhout.

P.S. people might be able to help you better if you would provide more information about the setup itself: what CMM2 (they should be all the same, but there may be differences, the luxury version has some interfaces default installed), wireless interface, if ESP8266 (wifi, not bluetooth), what software are you running, and information about the keyboard itself. Website ?
Edited 2021-06-30 17:04 by Volhout

PicomiteVGA PETSCII ROBOTS

CircuitGizmos

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Joined: 08/09/2011
Location: United States
Posts: 1427

Posted: 02:27pm 30 Jun 2021

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Here is a keyboard list:

https://docs.myretromax.com/Of_Mice_and_Keyboards.html

Micromites and Maximites! - Beginning Maximite

thwill

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Joined: 16/09/2019
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 4311

Posted: 02:42pm 30 Jun 2021

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CircuitGizmos said Here is a keyboard list:

https://docs.myretromax.com/Of_Mice_and_Keyboards.html

Hi CG,

The "Perixx PERIBOARD-426 Mini USB Keyboard" needs you to make use of the optional flag to disable its LEDs or it will hang when you switch in and out of Caps Lock, e.g. OPTION USBKEYBOARD UK, 1

The Genius DX-110 PS/2 optical mouse works well, and is cheap.

Best wishes,

Tom

MMBasic for Linux, Game*Mite, CMM2 Welcome Tape, Creaky old text adventures

CircuitGizmos

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Joined: 08/09/2011
Location: United States
Posts: 1427

Posted: 08:09pm 30 Jun 2021

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Thanks, Tom! Will be updated next pass.

.

Micromites and Maximites! - Beginning Maximite

Lodovik

Regular Member

Joined: 17/05/2021
Location: Canada
Posts: 41

Posted: 02:02am 01 Jul 2021

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@Volhout:

I bought my CMM2 pre-assembled from MicroMite.org. I received the 480 MHz version and it's the version without a Waveshare module.

Here's the link to the keyboard I bought and returned:

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B094CQK1XY/

I decided to return it when other small problems started to appear. Sometimes the Enter key would auto-repeat for no reason. Also, and very rarely, a keypress wouldn't register.

The new keyboard (not received yet) is this one:

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07RWCD8CJ/

I will report how the new keyboard performs when I'll receive it.

Thanks for your help.

Lodovik

Regular Member

Joined: 17/05/2021
Location: Canada
Posts: 41

Posted: 02:03am 01 Jul 2021

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Double post, sorry.
Edited 2021-07-01 12:04 by Lodovik

Mixtel90

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Joined: 05/10/2019
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 7937

Posted: 06:44am 01 Jul 2021

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I read this somewhere when I was using a similar keyboard some time ago. I stopped using it because of *very* bad multiple-key repeat on most keys.

"Gaming" keyboards usually support full n-key rollover handling but Windows can't actually handle full n-key rollover because USB1 and 2 aren't fast enough! PS/2 is much faster and *can* support full n-key rollover. What usually happens is that the keyboard uses 2 USB channels at the same time, which is fine for Windows but not everything else can handle it. Older, less capable, keyboards don't support full n-key so a single USB channel is sufficient and the problem doesn't arise.

I don't know if this is the problem with the CMM2 but it wouldn't surprise me.

Mick

Zilog Inside! nascom.info for Nascom & Gemini
Preliminary MMBasic docs & my PCB designs

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