New Model F is DOA

[wyattisimo]

I just received my new Ultra Compact F77 Model F keyboard today from modelfkeyboards.com. I installed and tested all the keys to ensure each spring buckles properly. Then I plugged it in... aaand it just seems completely dead. No keypress registers and the computer does not recognize that a new keyboard has been connected. I tried this on a new MacBook M1 Pro (Apple silicon), and also on a mid-2013 MacBook Air. Neither computer recognizes the keyboard. I installed the IBM Capsense USB utility (https://static.wongcornall.com/ibm-caps ... _0.9.0.dmg), and when I launch it, it says "No controller found" as if the keyboard is not even plugged in. I verified the USB cable is working by using it to connect a different keyboard.

Any ideas or troubleshooting help would be much appreciated.

[paperWasp]

If there isn't a warning like "This model won't work with Mac", I see the most obvious solution in returning it and asking for another copy.

[hellothere]

You could try to reset the NVRAM on your Mac:

1. Shut down.
2. Disconnect everything from the computer.
3. Hold down Command-Option-P-R and start up.
4. Keep holding down the keys until you hear the startup chime twice. It'll be a few seconds between each chime.
5. Release the keys and let it start up as normal. When you get to the desktop, check to make sure the date and time are right.
6. Connect keyboard.

If that doesn't work, I'd recommend borrowing any random USB keyboard and see if it works on the 2013 (the M1 is all Thunderbolt ports, IIRC). I'm pretty sure I haven't seen any threads that say that the new F requires drivers on the Mac or anything.

[xxhellfirexx]

I tried this on a new MacBook M1 Pro (Apple silicon), and also on a mid-2013 MacBook Air. Neither computer recognizes the keyboard.

You could try to reset the NVRAM on your Mac:

From the troubleshooting steps wyattisimo did, we know the problem is the keyboard, not the computer, so resetting the NVRAM is unnecessary.

[NathanA]

[...] I installed the IBM Capsense USB utility [...]

If you just received a New Model F, that utility won't work with it out-of-box regardless. There are two different firmware branches that support this keyboard's controller: the "xwhatsit" IBM Capsense one, and the QMK one (which includes VIA and Vial as those are both just QMK derivatives). All keyboards shipped out over at least the past year come with QMK firmware preloaded, not xwhatsit firmware. The IBM Capsense utility ONLY works with xwhatsit firmware, NOT with QMK.

With QMK firmware, you should be trying to use the pandrew utility in order to see if it is detectable as a keyboard, and if so, run some diagnostics on it. If it doesn't show up in the pandrew utility then you should try QMK Toolbox to see if the keyboard is showing up at all...if the controller is just missing its firmware, then when you plug it in it should connect up in bootloader/DFU mode, ready to accept a firmware file for flashing.

If it doesn't even show up at all under QMK Toolbox then it sounds like something may be physically wrong with your controller.

[wyattisimo]

@NathanA Thank you! It did not show up in the pandrew utility, but the QMK toolbox did show Atmel DFU device connected, so I flashed it, and that did the trick!

[NathanA]

[...] the QMK toolbox did show Atmel DFU device connected, so I flashed it, and that did the trick!

Most excellent; glad to hear. But very strange that your keyboard shipped out without being loaded with firmware.

Another thing to mention (in case you try this later) is that the pandrew utility only works with the base-line QMK firmwares that Ellipse built. It doesn't work with VIA firmwares. And if you ever decide to try Vial (which I seem to be the only one interested in advocating for it so far), it will work with the pandrew utility but only with a special version of it, not the stock one. So if you ever try either VIA or Vial, and pandrew utility still doesn't see it, that's why.

I'm hoping that at some point in the future the various firmware offerings will naturally consolidate down to one obvious contender and a lot of this surrounding confusion will just dissipate.