HP 49 G Key board problem

[Rennel]

My fourth row (from the bottom) including the keys ALPHA, 7, 8, 9, and multiplication doesn't work. is there any way i can fix it?

[Eddie Shore]

I heard the wiggle fix is good, but never had to try it myself.

[Jeff]

The "wiggle fix" is used on the 49g+ keyboard for individual keys that do not work. This sounds like a different kind of problem, either bad connection between keyboard and pcb or broken traces, etc.

[Eddie Shore]

Thanks Jeff.

I'm starting to get tired of the 4 key not working properly on my 49G+, so I'm trying the wiggle fix. Unless HP may be getting a call from me. (not to mention the rubber border started to fall off...)

[Rennel]

Hey what is this wiggle fix? I figured out that if i press my screen the keys in the row that doesn't work seem to work, but only when i press my screen. Any suggestions?

Thanks

[Eddie Shore]

I'm trying it too: I think it is just wiggling the key really fast (with the calc off of course). We'll see how it works.

[Jeff]

The "wiggle fix" is used on the 49g+ to attempt to get intermittent keys on the early production-run units to work. It involves pressing the offending key down firmly, then "wiggling" from side to side 10 or more times. It did not work for me, and even if it did, it sounds like it could possibly produce long term damage. There is no reason users of a new product should have to resort to such a procedure (IMHO).
If you indeed have a 49g as opposed to a 49g+, then the "wiggle fix" does not apply to you. Your problem sounds like a problem discussed in earlier threads, involving the connection between the keyboard and cpu board.

[Jeff]

Eddie,
You should definitely call hp. There is no reason you should have to keep a calculator with a key that does not work. There are various reports that if you call, they will either request your unit back first and then send a new one, or send you a new one and ask for your old one back after, or not bother asking for your old unit back at all. Whichever, you should end up with a new one.

[Eddie Shore]

I called HP and I'm sending it for a replacement (it will only be a week... I'll use my HP backups for now). Thanks, Jeff.

[Rennel]

No the keys are normal. Nothing happens when i press them. By the way what it the wiggle fix?

[Pocketcom Mania]

My HP-49G+ was manufactured in February 2004 with a serial no. CN402XXXXXXXXXX. After I pressed a digit key 10 times very quickly, not all 10 digits turned up! I did the same test on my HP-48SX and HP-15C but they passed it.

[Gene]

That's not necessarily a sign of a similar problem some people reported earlier.

These things can be affected by "keytime" settings, for example.

Generally, if you have a keyboard problem, you know it without having to resort to much of a test.

If you still think you're having a problem, I would suggest calling HP at 1-800-HPINVENT and discuss it with them again.

[S. Martin]

Correct me if I'm wrong:

In ROM 1.23 a KEYTIME-> returns 0.0, indicating this command
really isn't a factor in key registering issues.

[V-PN]

"Correct me if I'm wrong:



In ROM 1.23 a KEYTIME-> returns 0.0, indicating this command really isn't a factor in key registering issues."



Try 2000 ->KEYTIME and see it yourself!

[VPN]

[Pocketcom Mania]

It seems that after plugging in this value, the same problem still happened again......

[James M. Prange (Michigan)]

Doing 2000 \->KEYTIME means that if the same key is pressed again in less than 2000 ticks (1 tick = 1/8192 second), it won't register. This is intended as a debouncing method. The 49G's default of 1365 seems a bit high for many users. The 49g+ uses a default of 0, which suggests to me that the developers didn't expect that this method of debouncing was needed. I'd suggest using a non-zero keytime "just in case", but make it small enough that it won't reject intentional consecutive presses of the same key. I use a value of 512 (1/16 second), as I'm sure that I can't intentionally press the same key twice in that interval, but I suppose that the "best value" depends on the user.

Edited: 28 Feb 2004, 8:31 p.m.