Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!samsung!uunet!bonnie.concordia.ca!daily-planet.concordia.ca!goldfish From: goldfish@concour.cs.concordia.ca (Paul Goldsmith) Newsgroups: comp.os.msdos.programmer Subject: Re: Northgate Omni/Plus Bounce Problem Message-ID: <573@daily-planet.concordia.ca> Date: 25 Jun 91 20:33:12 GMT References: <2397@atlas.tegra.COM> Sender: usenet@daily-planet.concordia.ca Organization: Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec Lines: 62 In article robinson@knuth.MTSU.EDU (David Robinson) writes: |We have several of the Northgate Omnikeys and experienced (I guess, from |your description) the same problem. In our case the keyboard seemed |super-sensitive. I could strike a key once and I would get several |keystrokes on the screen. Sometimes, I'd hold down an arrow key for |three or five seconds and the thing would lock and would keep repeating |the arrow command until I hit the opposite arrow key. I called |Northgate and explained that I was getting multiple spurious repeats |with a single keystroke. The person I talked to allowed as to how this |was a known problem and that I needed a replacement controller card. |The catch is, I had to get the vendor I bought the keyboard from (we |specified the Omnikey as part of a system bid package.) to request the |new controller. Northgate won't deal with the end user. Fortunately, |we have a pretty good relationship with the vendor so I was able to call |'em and ask them to order the new controller cards from Northgate. They |did, and Northgate sent them with no problem. The new controller cards |are real easy to install (especially if you have an electric screwdriver |:-) I sent the old controller cards back to Northgate. Problem solved. | |The DIP switches on the back have nothing to do with the problem. Call |Northgate, or your dealer. | |----------------------------------------------------------------- |David Robinson robinson@mtsu.edu |Middle Tennessee State University |Murfreesboro, Tennessee 37132 I called up Northgate and after a substantial wait on the phone they eventually sent me a replacement card with idiot proof instructions. The keyboard was fixed in about ten minutes and the bad card was in the mail real quick. My complaint is that Northgate should consider revamping their quality control a bit, since the bouncing keys should be detectable and it shouldn't be necessary to take two trips for an obvious problem. Also, I have bought three products in the last five years directly from manufacturers and in all cases, found it for MUCH less from a mail-order or local suppliershortly after. Northgate assured me that the $149.00 US for the keyboard was the best and only available price. with exchange, duty, brokerage, etc ... it landed on my PC for $250 Canadian (approx) and about another $30.00 for long distance phone calls, shipping costs etc on the replacement board. I found it in a store for $150.00 Cdn. a week after I ordered it, which proves that you should never believe someone when they use the word "exclusive" since it usually only means "more expensive". I must say that the OMNI-Key is one of the best five keyboards I have ever used (the Apollo keyboard fills at least the first four places by itself) and it is easily the best PC keyboard available. A technically superior product, however, the several comments about defective controller boards suggests that Northgate should clean up their quality control act and test their VERY expensive keyboards before they leave the factory. At those prices, they should work out-of-the-box. -- -- Paul Goldsmith (514) 848-3031 (Shirley Maclaine told me there would be LIFETIMES like this) the future isn't what it used to be; and possibly, never was (ao)