(Solved) IBM 5251 w/ pandrew's qmk auto-calibration issues (as normal it turned out to be PEBKAC)

[SlipperyVagoo]

I just flashed my xwhatsit controller with pandrew's qmk config, as it isn't in the official repo there might be issues with it, but it claims to have better auto-calibration, but after flashing with both my own and later the default config neither worked.

It would either just press enter constantly, or do nothing and make scrambled text when typing on another keyboard (which seems to be a combination of capitalised letters, with me using us international and it probably "pressing" altgr, and CTRL)

Does anyone have any tips for this/would it be "easy" to hack it to manually use 126 which i used before reflashing?

Thanks in advance for anyone giving their time to even look at this

[Muirium]

Did you select ixwhatsit/ibm/5251/xwhatsit_rev4 from Pandrew's layout editor?I don't have a 5251 to test this myself, but my 3276 with original Xwhatsit made controller works perfectly with Pandrew's QMK, with layouts configured and compiled on that site.

In addition to the web editor, there's two pieces of software I use: QMK Toolbox to upload the firmware, and the patched version of the QMK Utility for Pandrew's capsense to enter the bootloader and check the signals. It's linked in this guide written by XMIT. (I use XMIT's Mac build, myself.) It has a signal monitor which helpfully disables your keyboard's output while displaying live levels like this:



Mash some keys and you'll soon see if you're having a threshold / signal problem.

[SlipperyVagoo]

Did you select ixwhatsit/ibm/5251/xwhatsit_rev4 from Pandrew's layout editor?I don't have a 5251 to test this myself, but my 3276 with original Xwhatsit made controller works perfectly with Pandrew's QMK, with layouts configured and compiled on that site.

In addition to the web editor, there's two pieces of software I use: QMK Toolbox to upload the firmware, and the patched version of the QMK Utility for Pandrew's capsense to enter the bootloader and check the signals. It's linked in this guide written by XMIT. (I use XMIT's Mac build, myself.) It has a signal monitor which helpfully disables your keyboard's output while displaying live levels like this:

Mash some keys and you'll soon see if you're having a threshold / signal problem.

Yes, it was flashed with rev4 and compiled through locally installed qmk.

(just compiled the tool for linux )
Hm, I doesn´t detect anything. even though without those screen opens it definitely sends out key-codes. none of the other screens see anything. I've added the udev rules and the same happens when running as rootj

[Muirium]

Try using Pandrew's web configurator I linked above. Just to see if that does the trick.

[SlipperyVagoo]

Try using Pandrew's web configurator I linked above. Just to see if that does the trick.

Didn't work
(Example output when keyboard is plugged in, seems to like to press a lot but not release before i disconnect it)

Spoiler:

[Muirium]

Tried pulling the controller card out and putting it back in? Seems like a signal issue to me. Remember: beamspring is active low, which means zeros TRIGGER keypresses. Something may just not be connecting right.

[SlipperyVagoo]

Tried pulling the controller card out and putting it back in? Seems like a signal issue to me. Remember: beamspring is active low, which means zeros TRIGGER keypresses. Something may just not be connecting right.

You're completely right <3, It didn't occur to me that the controller is longer than needed.
So when taking it out to flash i i reattached it all the way to the left and not lining it up towards the middle

Thanks, this was a stupid problem that would probably have been avoided if i didn't do this right before bedtime

[Muirium]

Nice! Living the beam.

My controller’s one of Xwhatsit’s own. He used a different plastic connector that ensured you couldn’t make that particular mistake! (In fact, his is a bit fiddly and really needs filed.) IBM’s OG controller is like yours and has open ends though.

[SlipperyVagoo]

Hm, interesting.


One very nice things now that things works again is that the solenoid just works now that it has qmk, never got it to work with the OG firmware (it is way too loud though, so probably won't be on too much )

[Muirium]

YOU'D NEVER HEAR ME COMPLAINING ABOUT THAT!

[SlipperyVagoo]

YOU'D NEVER HEAR ME COMPLAINING ABOUT THAT!

hehehe