Keyboard Questions

Message: 18
Date: Tue, 19 Feb 2002 17:29:58 -0800
From: "Carol & Jerry Jankura" <jerry.jankura@...>
Subject: RE: IBM Keyboard Repeat.

Hi, Jay:

|I'm a new guy to this forum so I hope you don't mind me jumping in.

Great to have you join the discussion

|===============================================================
|The problem is that the IBM designers made the Keyboard autorepeat
|in hardware.
|There is an actual CPU in the keyboard sending out this rubbish.
|What would be better
|is a simply matrix and allow the program to do repeats if needed,
|and at what speed you
|want allowing ramping up etc. In my opinion it's one of the
|things (many) done wrong in the PC.

Which means that, if I'm using the keyboard as my jog, I can change the
typematic rate and step the motors a little faster. Sounds like a good
addition for TurboCNC.

*Yes, you can do this. BTW (By the way) the standard typematic rate that is
set when you accept the standard options is unbearably slow. Most people
don't fiddle with it and thus are unsatisfied with the Keyboard. I looked
into this problem some time ago in an attempt to see the Key Down and Up
strokes only and unless I missed something all you can get is the data
stream with the repeates done for you <sigh> It's annoying but one of many
things that Microsoft or maybe this is IBM? Felt they needed to do to make
it "better" for you. The Keyboard has some other faults such as masking
certian keystrokes depending on how you are reading it and so forth. I
built up a system with a keyboard of it's own and I think it's much better
to do repeats in software you can control directly.

Good luck with TurboCNC.

I see a lot of comments about printer cards. One thing that I did was to
build a bus expander. Actually there are a fair number of connections you
can use in typical printer port. I built up an I/O card for doing all sorts
of general stuff (Ok, some HAM Radio jazz) but I think this might be useful
to others using it for CNC control. Without extra logic there is a nice 8
bit input port. I use some opto isolators to try an avoid ground loops and
also as a cheap and dirty level converter. In addition I drive 8 outputs.
Relays, Switching transistors etc. In a prev design I ran out of outputs
and needed to latch up several data ports and used a bus expander so I could
drive LCD, control ICs and other "jazz." The only reason I bring all this
up is to perhaps steer you away from custom I/O cards that might be pricey
or only plug into older machines. Ok, enough from me. Interesting threads
here hope I'm not too far off topic.

*note my lousy html is not indicative of my talents as a designer!
http://www.dover.netfirms.com/