Issues with IBM Model F "Bigfoot" keyboard from Teensy USB mod

EpikalPuppy

02 Nov 2020, 01:14

Hello! Recently I got a free IBM terminal from Craigslist that came with a "Bigfoot". I immediately disconnected it from the terminal and went about putting together a USB converter using a Teensy. This is the first time I've done something like this, so I used this guide to do it. I'm confident that I wired it up correctly, I have done and redone it many times now, but when I hook up the keyboard, when I press keys, it will always register a keypress that is either near the key(Such as a press of "u" registering as a press of "y" and "i"), or just not register a keystroke at all. Knowing that the Model F is capacitive, I believe that the problem lies here. I have no idea how I would fix a problem with the capacitance of this keyboard, but I'm sure someone somewhere has had this problem before. Does anybody have any suggestions? Thank you!

EpikalPuppy

02 Nov 2020, 02:07

In addition, I'm wondering if there is a better place to go for troubleshooting tips. Thank you!

Tbernstein2368

03 Nov 2020, 03:42

1. Do you o ow for sure what keyboard you have? Model M or Model F?
2. What do you get when you use HID listen?

zzxx53

03 Nov 2020, 04:03

I'd also check if you slided the backplate all the way into position. If the flippers are somehow misaligned it could also cause extra keystrokes.

EpikalPuppy

04 Nov 2020, 05:49

zzxx53 wrote:
03 Nov 2020, 04:03
I'd also check if you slided the backplate all the way into position. If the flippers are somehow misaligned it could also cause extra keystrokes.
I thought about this, but it was having this behavior before I disassembled it the first time, and I could tell that it had never been disassembled before

EpikalPuppy

04 Nov 2020, 05:51

Tbernstein2368 wrote:
03 Nov 2020, 03:42
1. Do you o ow for sure what keyboard you have? Model M or Model F?
2. What do you get when you use HID listen?
It's a Bigfoot Model F, one of the earlier terminal keyboards. HID listen will rapidly scroll with different key inputs when I hit a key. I'm confident the issue is with the keyboard and not with the Teensy

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