Soarer's Converter error.

quaker · 23 Aug 2020, 19:15

So I bought orihalcon's soarer's converter off ebay. To use it for my Genovation 682 macropad.
The board uses Alps White switches, it was old new stock. It uses DIN connector so I got the converter for it at tried to use manufacturer's program. But it won't identify the keyboard.

: 스크린샷(5).png (183.97 KiB) Viewed 2096 times

I thought maybe software is too new for this one and try the soarer's converter.

What I came up with is this.

Spoiler:

Because it is a macropad each keys were coded like this:

: 스크린샷(6).png (22.96 KiB) Viewed 2096 times

01 02 03...

So I think the code is fine. But it just keeps producing error on line 31. 30 when I delete a line 31 or any other line that isn't blank.

Is there anyone help me through this? All help is much appericiated

quaker · 23 Aug 2020, 19:16

Somehow the Tab isn't included on post. But I do have in on code!

quaker · 23 Aug 2020, 19:25

And if anyone likes to know, that Genovation keytest works with other keyboards

If you don't feel like reading and converting HID codes, try it!

Inxie · 23 Aug 2020, 22:43

It's not going to work. Since you're converting between one protocol and another, you lose direct hardware access. So no, that program will not talk to the keyboard through a Soarers converter.

For example, I'm typing on a Model F XT, but Windows sees this:

That's not a converter issue, since that's how converters have to work.
Since it works with other keyboards, it likely talks to the keyboard differently than this specific one.

Coeus · 24 Aug 2020, 00:15

The program from Genovation seems to think it is talking to the keyboard via the PS/2 port. If so, and it allows you to program the keyboard then presumably they have extended the AT & PS/2 protocol to send more data to the keyboard (more than the LEDs, that is).

For that to work via Soarer's converter would require that the program know to send via USB instead, possibly and another USB endpoint, and then Soarer's converter to convent that to the proprietary extension to the PS/2 protocol.

If you have a real PS/2 port you could connect via that. Failing that you'd need to use the key remapping/macro functions of the converter rather than the keyboard.

Coeus · 24 Aug 2020, 00:17

P.S. if you are using USB because you have a KVM switch between the keyboard and the PC beware that not all of them support the extra channels on USB used to program the converters keymap or report debug info and for others it may depend on which port the keyboard is plugged into, i.e. keyboard only port (often with hotkey sensing) and a general USB hub port.

Inxie · 24 Aug 2020, 00:21

Coeus wrote: ↑
24 Aug 2020, 00:15
(more than the LEDs, that is)

This also being how old parallel port devices like zip drives and Ethernet adapters worked on unidirectional ports, using status flags as a 4-bit nibble interface back to the computer. Some keyboards do this and should work through Soarers, but yea like mentioned if it's using some proprietary way, it's not going to get through.

quaker · 24 Aug 2020, 03:29

@Inxie

Now I understand clearly, I got mixed up! Thanks

The error part was through these file sets : http://geekhack.org/index.php?action=dl ... tach=10519
Which is through the Teensy, the converter itself to reprogramme a keyboard.

quaker · 24 Aug 2020, 03:32

@Coeus

That is actually the third way I've been seeking XD
I can reprogramme the keyboard through PS/2 port on another PC via Genovation's programme because it will allow direct control.
And just use it through stock soarer's converter because it does seems to convert the keys properly! Thanks for the tip!

Coeus · 24 Aug 2020, 13:37

Inxie wrote: ↑
24 Aug 2020, 00:21
This also being how old parallel port devices like zip drives and Ethernet adapters worked on unidirectional ports, using status flags as a 4-bit nibble interface back to the computer. Some keyboards do this and should work through Soarers, but yea like mentioned if it's using some proprietary way, it's not going to get through.

There are 17 command the host can send back to the keyboard with codes between FF and ED. So when designing an extension to the protocol to do extra things with the keyboard the obvious thing to do would be to add extra command codes specific to this keyboard. Whether these get passed through would depend on how that maps to the USB HID protocol.

Of course, if the software simply flashed the LEDs in a sequence recognised by the keyboard that would go through the converter fine.

Coeus · 24 Aug 2020, 13:38

quaker wrote: ↑
24 Aug 2020, 03:32
That is actually the third way I've been seeking XD
I can reprogramme the keyboard through PS/2 port on another PC via Genovation's programme because it will allow direct control.
And just use it through stock soarer's converter because it does seems to convert the keys properly! Thanks for the tip!

Ok, that's good - so the keyboard saves map/macro changes in flash so they are persistent even when the keyboard is powered off and moved to another machine. That's a good feature.

quaker · 25 Aug 2020, 03:28

Good thing about hardware macros!