Re: DEC Keyboard Question

From: John E. Malmberg (wb8tyw_at_qsl.network)
Date: 01/25/05 

Date: 25 Jan 2005 15:35:46 -0600

In article <ct657g$9jf$1@news01.intel.com>,
  Ken Fairfield <my.full.name@intel.com> writes:
> John E. Malmberg wrote:
>> Ken Fairfield wrote:
>>
> The problem is the KVM switch does not pass the key codes
> corresponding to the "extra" keys on the LK4xx. It passes all the
> keys codes found on a "standard" 101/102 key keyboard. It doesn't
> pass F17-F20, for example, or KP-comma, or the DO key, etc. And I'm
> not even talking about the mapping of the 102 keys they do pass.

F12, F13, F17, HELP, DO, AND KP MINUS, do not exist on a standard x86
keyboard. The BELKIN KVM switch that I have does not seem to have any
problem with sending them to the my DS10 after I switch to it.

I have not tried convincing Reflections 4 to attemp to use them.

These keys do work:

KP-COMMA is the same scan code as the PLUS key.
F18 is the same scan code as the PrtSc/SysRq key.
F19 is the same scan code as the Scroll Lock key.
F20 is the same scan code as the Pause/Break key.

>>> The other piece of information I've gleaned from my research is
>>> that essentially all of the switches put the physical keyboard
>>> into mode 2, then translate to/from mode 3 for the VMS connection.

I have not put any keyboard analyzers or test programs on either system so I
really do not know what is actually being sent.

>> So far in my limited tests, Windows 98/2000 are quite happy with an LK
>> keyboard connected through the cheap Belkin KVM.
>
> Ditto: problem not with x86 PC nor Windows. If you use an LK4xx
> through the Belkin to Windows, you won't see a problem. Indeed,
> you may not see the problem through the Belkin to VMS if your
> access to VMS is through the PC (mode 2). I don't know that this
> is true, I'm only allowing that I haven't tried it...

Apparently you did not follow the Encompasserve links :-)

> YOU WILL SEE THE PROBLEM if you connect the LK4xx to the KVM switch,
> then the KVM switch to a "real Alpha". Trust me. You will.
> No Reflections. No KEAterm. No eXceed. Native (semi-)direct VMS.
> Won't work.

I have the KVM switch connected to a x86 machine, and an Alpha and have been
using it for a month now.

My first reply today on this thread was composed by typing on a keyboard
connected to that Belkin KVM which also switches the speakers and microphone
at the same time, and I also logged into the system through Reflections 4,
which worked the same as it always did. It did not see the extra keys.

I do not yet have Pathworks 32 installed on that machine.

So far, every thing that I have tried has worked as expected.

The only thing that took me by surprise is that the ALT-F19 or
Alt-F19 toggles some DecWindows Motif mouse handling mode. And you have to
use the same ALT key (right or left) to unset the mode as was used to set it.

The only reason that I got the KVM was that it was on about 50% rebate last
month, making it very cheap, as it was already about the cheapest KVM in the
store and it handled the audio. I figured if it did not work, I was not
out much.

-John
wb8tyw@qsl.network
Personal Opinion Only

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