WASD X16 initial impressions

[voidstar]

Got the "wasd V2/V2B" X16 keyboard. It's serious when the kbd includes a key puller tool!

Some first impressions: (on a recent DevBoard)

- It's heavy, so it doubles as a security device (a bat). Not as heavy as the old IBM Model F's though.
- Disappointed the cable end was USB, so it has to use a PS2 adapter. The keyboard-side of the cable is a USB-C connection, so can probably find a different cable eventually (USB-C to straight PS/2)
- The included USB cable is thick - was nervous about pushing it into the cable slots (possibly breaking the little tabs), but they held together ok.
- RESTORE key doesn't seem to do anything. [resolved: use CTRL-ALT-RESTORE for NMI reset, so RESTORE is like PRN-SCRN key ]
- The 40/80 key does flip 80x60 and 40x30
- "INST" key should just be labeled "INS" [resolved: INST is C64 legacy style ]
- two dots above the "CLR/HOME" key are for (small black dots): left one is for SHIFT LOCK, not sure yet what right one does
- MENU key, nothing yet
- END works (goes end of current line in BASIC), but HOME goes to top left corner
- SHIFT+ALT toggles the character set (as expected)
- SHIFT+DISPLAY changed video output mode (as expected)
- be nice if the F1 keys showed the standard BASIC (F1=List, F2=Save, etc).
- but the color codes on the numeric keys (1, 2, 3, 4 etc) do work (representative of PRINT "" codes)
- the keyboard stands on the back were hard to flip open (wish had the original IBM TypeF style knobs to make it easier to flip them) -- these ones were a bit stiff and just hard to pry open. But it's not like we're doing that often.

Looking forward to a matching X16 logo mouse someday.

Don't think WASD had an option of a black keyboard - so, not sure how well it'll be matching the black Razer3D case when it shows up.

Keys are fine, nice and crisp - does seem like less mistakes in straight "word processing" typing. Did the Zealio Tactile Bump and 0.4mm travel reduction.

UPDATE: WASD did confirm to they accidentally swapped blue MENU and logo key, and are sending me two new keys.

[kelli217]

Try Ctrl-Alt-Restore.

INST is a Commodore-ism. See https://i.etsystatic.com/5815497/r/il/0 ... 3_19r0.jpg

[mobluse]

SHIFT LOCK does the same as CAPS LOCK on normal computers, but on C64 it was really a SHIFT LOCK i.e. the number keys were also shifted. Is the CAPS LOCK LED lit when you press SHIFT LOCK?

The Commander X16 Mini Perixx Keyboard has three LEDs. It would be good if someone could write a LED test program that e.g. showed a counter from 0 to 7 as binary on the LEDs. Then one could know which LEDs the WASD X16 keyboard has.

[mortarm]

Keys are fine, nice and crisp - does seem like less mistakes in straight "word processing" typing. Did the Zealio Tactile Bump and 0.4mm travel reduction.

I'm curious why only one of the logo keys is blue?

[voidstar]

CTRL+ALT+RESTORE takes system back to BASIC (is this like pushing NMI ?)

And thx, didn't know that history on INST for C64.


Uh, SHIFT LOCK is only making the LEFT LED (above INST) illuminate. So far found no combination to make the right side LED illuminate.

Did BASIC program:
10 GET A$
20 A=ASC(A$)
30 IF A<>B THEN PRINT A
50 B = A
60 GOTO 10
Just to show that pressing MENU and neither LOGO key register as a key press. Forget how to status key modifiers in BASIC (need some PEEK I assume).

Not sure why one logo key is gray - will ask WASD about it.

Another nit: most "professional keyboards" (like old IBMs), the spacebar kind of "tilts backwards" from the rest of the keys. Small thing, but kind of helps rest the thumbs on the spacebar. This one isn't doing that (but maybe just a swapable spacebar could be offered).


You know what would be badass is: if when you press SHIFT or ALT, it illuminated which icon the key was now activated (basically 3 options per key - and depending on character set). That at least would be worth $$$ Think the LED support could be in the base, but still need some quite custom keycaps (like internal dividers to keep the light from bleeding over to a different active symbol).

[voidstar]

Notes about the dip switches on the back. Just showing initial as-received settings.

[kelli217]

CTRL+ALT+RESTORE takes system back to BASIC (is this like pushing NMI ?)

And thx, didn't know that history on INST for C64.

Yes, CTRL+ALT+RESTORE is intended to work just like STOP+RESTORE on a Commodore machine. It sends an NMI.

That INST label dates all the way back to the original PET days, too...

PETkeybd.png (817.73 KiB) Viewed 6163 times

[mortarm]

That INST label dates all the way back to the original PET days, too...
PETkeybd.png

Gawd, I loved that machine! I would spend hours at a local computer store messing with it.

[DragWx]

Uh, SHIFT LOCK is only making the LEFT LED (above INST) illuminate. So far found no combination to make the right side LED illuminate.

The last time I looked at the keyboard handling code in the Kernal, only the caps lock LED is actually used. The num lock LED is hardcoded as ON (makes sense because the Kernal always treats the numpad as numeric inputs), and the scroll lock (which the Kernal treats as the 40/80 key) LED is hardcoded as OFF.

I did also recall the "menu" key (normally the context menu key) being completely unsupported by the SMC at that time (the code just doesn't map it to a keynum), and indeed, that key is nonstandard in the IBM keynum scheme.

I think the logo keys are indeed modifier keys like shift, ctrl, and alt, so they'll send key down and key up events to the keyboard handler, even if it doesn't result in a character being added to the input buffer.

[voidstar]

WASD sent me the corrected keys (menu and logo key swapped colors). So, good support on that.