key failure when using a p910 - "u", "j", "k" and "L"

I have had two units of the Stowaway BT Keyboards and they have very similar problems.
In my case, the "J", "K" and "L" keys failed. This may be a very common hardware issue.
I also wonder if there is any way to fix this problem myself.
My second unit just failed today and it is very frustrating, to say the least,
to send a unit back and wait for another replacement.

- Will

my 'i' 'k' 'l' ';' ''' ',' '.' 'del' '/' keys are also behaving very erraticly. this is very annoying as they stop working in the middle of a lecture. terribly disappointed with the keyboard as this is the replacemet that I got from expansys after the first one stopped working with 7 days i got it.

is this a common problem? is there anyway i can change the keyboard? how long does the warranty lasts when i get this keyboard with expansys?

I have the non-bluetooth version of this keyboard, and came to eXpansys' website today looking to replace it. Can you guess why? Yep! My u, k, l and m keys have stopped working. It's a real shame that this appears to be a design flaw, as the keyboard is otherwise pretty close to perfect.

I've taken mine apart as far as you can go (i'm an engineer) and i don't think it's possible to fix it. There are signs of very slight damage to one of the flexible pcb cables, which could be due to a design flaw, but the tracks don't appear to be damaged. It can't be replaced, unfortunately, as it only has a removable connection one end.

Unfortunately, i won't be buying the bluetooth version of this keyboard as I suspect the same thing will happen again.

I'm looking for the original stowaway keyboard now (the W-fold one) as I had one with my Palm m105 and it was excellent. *PLEASE* could you stock the version of these that's compatible with recent iPaqs, eXpansys? They are really hard to find in the UK, but Think Outside still sell them direct in the USA: http://www.thinkoutside.com/products/90187/90187_product.html

Thanks, Dave

I've managed to "fix" my keyboard. (it was out of warantee) I bought a new stowaway XT keyboard off ebay, but this one was going cheap as it was for the XDA. I then swapped the PDA interface module from my broken keyboard, and hey, it works :)

I am not 100% certain that this would work with the bluetooth version, but I suspect that it would. So, you can try doing the same thing, if yours is out of warantee, buy a cheap (but new i suggest) stowaway XT keyboard and swap the BT module over. Can anyone comfirm that it works with the BT version?

Dave

hi there,

I''ve run into the same problem with key failure and I have the bluetooth version of the think outside keyboard. I''m impressed that you were able to fix your keyboard by swapping the module and I would be interested in giving it a shot since my bluetooth works fine but the keys are dead. I don''t have any engineering background and I was wondering if you were able to provide some information on how you were able to switch the module.

thanks

IIRC, I unscrewed the two screws that hold the connector module on, then carefully lifted it away from the unit, and removed the ribbon cable from it''s connector, which requires pulling the retaining sleeve/clip/clasp thing away from the connector (ie towards the cable) a couple of mm, then the ribbon cable should slide out.

Slide the cable from the BT unit into the new keyboard connector, (make sure it''s the same way up as before) push the retaining sleeve/clip thing back up to the connector, put the thing back together carefully and do the screws back up.

It''s probably worth taking static precautions as you have the BT module, which at the minimum means touching something earthed eg exposed pipework on a radiator, or the exposed metal on the back of a PC that''s plugged in every now and again, but preferably a wrist strap.

I can''t guarantee that any keyboard you get will match your BT version, but I would expect them to.

Just had a look at my keyboard, and realised that there are 4 screws onj the underside of the module. Basically, the two screws that you need to undo are the two screws nearest the centre of the underside.

Dave

wow, thanks for the reply! I really wasn''t expecting one since it''s been nearly a year since you posted your suggestion. I''m guessing that I should try any of the stowaway XT keyboards... do you think that a newer reincarnation may work better than an older model?

thanks,

justin

AFAIK there is only one main model of Stowaway XT (there are older Stowaway models tho, including the W fold one)- there are just different connector modules. The only difference I am aware of is that the BT version seems to have grey keys, and the Palm model has different things written on the keys I think. If you can put a photo of the underside of your keyboard online somewhere (or even better, take those two screws off so i can see the ribbon cable connector) then I can tell you whether it looks the same as mine, and therefore whether all the other versions would fit it.

The main reason I did the swap with my keyboard is that it is becoming hard to find the XT keyboard for my PDA, the iPaq h2210, and you have to file down the connector to fit as it''s designed for older keyboards (the mod is approved by think outside, the manufacturer) and i didn''t want to file another one down anyway, so I just bought any old XT keyboard and swapped the modules over. I figured it gives people more options when they have an expensive bluetooth version for getting it working.

ps reason for quick reply was I had email notification turned on on the thread!

Dave

Hi dave,

here are photos of the bluetooth module and the ribbon from the keyboard. My BT keyboard is dell branded but is the think outside xtb101 keyboard.

thanks for your help

http://www.members.shaw.ca/jmhchan/BT1.jpg
http://www.members.shaw.ca/jmhchan/BT2.jpg

cheers,

justin

Looks like the connector should fit no problem. The housing looks a bit wider than on mine, but I think that''s just because the BT unit doesn''t have the same fold-away stand that the normal version has. So long as there is a step in the metal base of the keyboard under where the BT module fits, there shouldn''t be any problem. Any chance you could post a pic of the bottom of the keyboard with the BT module taken off? I should be able to confirm that it''s identical to mine then.

Dave

Actually, just spotted from the photo BT1.jpg that there is a step in the plastic casing (you can only really see it from the shadow at the bottom of the picture.

I''m pretty confident it should fit.

Regards,

Dave

thanks dave. yea, there is a step there and i''m pretty sure it''ll fit. Thanks for the help, i''ll order up a keyboard and let you know how it goes.

cheers,

justin

Hey Dave,

I''ve received my Stowaway XT today and the keyboard is the same with the exception of one crucial part. In the photo below, I''ve included my new stowaway XT, my old keyboard and the bluetooth module. Circled in red is a cutaway section in the keyboard casing that articulates with a gold protrusion on the bluetooth module. The keyboard does not power up or function when this section doesn''t touch the keyboard. Can you think of anyway to connect this to my stowaway XT or if it is even able to?

http://members.shaw.ca/jmhchan/BT3.jpg

Thanks for the help,

justin

I forgot to include that I was able to take out the black plastic sliding part and replacing it onto the stowaway xt but the metal backing that is attached to the keys themselves does not have the hole giving access to the circuit board. Is there a way to separate the keys and circuit board from that inner metal casing?

ah, bummer! :( Sorry to hear about the extra complication.

Well...I''m not entirely sure about this. It''s a while since I took my old one apart. Perhaps the aerial is in the keyboard or something, I don''t know. Could you take a macro (ultra close up) picture of the gap in the underside of the keyboard and post it, I''ll try to figure out what it''s actually making contact with.

Regards,

Dave

hi dave,

so after some tinkering around with the bluetooth module I''ve finally figured out what really is going on. The cut-away is actually there because the bluetooth module itself has a switch that turns the keyboard on or off. The keyboard is able to connect when the switch is lifted (in the cut-away section) and the keyboard is unable to connect when the switch is depressed (when you slide the keyboard to a closed position, the cut-away no longer gives the switch room to lift).

I''ve now gotten the keyboard to work by moving the switch so that it is always on and adding electrician''s tape to press against it when it is in the closed position.

Thank you so much for all the help! You''ve saved me about $150 (the bluetooth model is extremely expensive here in Canada).

It''s a complicated fix job, but I hope someone might follow this thread and give it a shot.

cheers,

justin