How do I make Locklights work with an XT converter?

User avatar
TNT

11 Apr 2021, 00:25

Hey guys,

I recently got a Unitek K151-L (MX-Version). The board is XT-AT switchable and works flawlessly with a normal adapter. Still, I was hoping to use it with a converter due to the rather unusual AT layout. Changing the position of some keys, adding some layers etc.

I have one of Orihalcon's Soarer's converters and one Teensy based converter with Hasu's software. With both of those the boards works great... except for the locklights. Keys like Capslock do register correctly, but the LED simply doesn`t light up. When just using a normal adapter in AT mode, they work without any issues.

I suppose this problem stems from the fact that these converters are made for XT boards which can't receive any scancodes from the connected PC? Is there any way to make this work nonetheless? I know that there are options to directly remap keys or add macros with certain programs in Windows, but I was hoping for a simpler and less limiting solution.

User avatar
TNT

11 Apr 2021, 00:33

This kinda sucks. After I switched the converters around I went back to the normal adapter and it appears to be an issue with my locklights. All of a sudden they stopped working.

User avatar
TNT

11 Apr 2021, 00:53

Ok, I suppose it was an issue with the AT-XT-switch. After I opened up the board I couldn't find anything unusual. The capacitors are still ok, so are the LED's. The locklights started to work again after I switched around a bit inbetween the modes and now they even work with my Soarer's (in both AT and XT mode). No idea what all of that was...

Rayndalf

11 Apr 2021, 01:58

No reason to use XT mode unless you're using it with a 5150 since as far as I know the primary difference between XT and AT protocol is that AT supports checking lock light states. I have an XT only K151L (no toggle switch, label lists PC/XT, AT/XT) and it also has lock lights, so maybe they found some kind of workaround, but I bet the lights only toggle when I press keys on the board (not on a seperate keyboard I might have plugged in or if the had capslock on before I plugged it in). In real use it's probably fine.

Speaking on K151Ls, I'm glad I got the scraps of one in a trade a while back because I melted a set of keys in a whitening attempt. The spacebar went from yellow like a banana to white but curved like a banana :lol:

User avatar
TNT

11 Apr 2021, 02:24

:mrgreen: Mine was in good shape overall and thankfully I didn't damage any of the caps during retrobrighting. Seems to work now without any issues, still don't really know what the problem was but well...

Have you ever looked into options for custom caps for this board? I like the stock ones, but ultimately I'd like a nice set of thick keycaps for it.

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