SFF S370 Motherboard + WORKING!! IR Keyboard $30 @ Package2You

[mindless1]

Anyone able to get the IR keyboard to work?

Connector "looks" like it would plug into com2 port and empty connector pins on the external modem pins next to com2 pins, but that didn't seem to work... Maybe BIOS setting is wrong but I tried std serial and (I think) all other com2 infrared combinatons,, but then I'm not even sure if windows is supposed to plug-n-pray this thing *completely* or some other OS settings are needed.

Since some of you tried WinXp with no luck, I thought maybe Win98, and I did download the Parex Win98 driver for a different keyboard but all that driver seems to do is add some sort of mouse support, but no observable change except it turned on the mouse cursor 'trails' setting. System was loading the "infrared monitor" app, taskbar tray, but it finds nothing and it's loading had nothing to do with installing the Parex driver. Now i can't even figure out how to uninstall the driver and/or if it's even properly installed/loading.

I think i identified two of the pins on the reciver, the one with the green wires attached (see scan of PCB) looks to be the power supply, and the pin next to, opposite it, apprears to be ground. Beyond that ???

The chip on the PCB apprears to be similar (but I don't know HOW similar) to another Holtek MCU I found through Holtek's website.

Not knowing how similar the chip on the PCB is to the Holtek document, not knowing exactly what standard is needed for IR keyboard input, or even if windows is able to natively support this keyboard (and what setting(s) it might need to do so), I'm about ready to return mine, but still hope for suggestions. I do not think this hooks up through the motherboard's IR header, it seems pretty clear that the power pins on the motherboard IR header are not power pins on the IR receiver, attaching receiver to those incorrect pins might even damage the receiver.

:disgust:

 

[cliftonite]

Originally posted by: cliftonite
How good would the sff with a P3 be for running some game servers on my schools LAN. Id just use it to run a dedicated CS server for now and other games as they come along.

bump for an answer

 

[mindless1]

Originally posted by: cliftonite

Originally posted by: cliftonite
How good would the sff with a P3 be for running some game servers on my schools LAN. Id just use it to run a dedicated CS server for now and other games as they come along.

bump for an answer

Unless you need TV-out more than anything else (since we still don't have working IR kbd), these would be a bad choice for that. After hours of trying to get this !@#$%%$#$#@ IR keyboard working I'm not going to go into long post about the limitations, quality, performance... It'll work, but the only thing it has going for it in your intended purpose is price/integration, but those virtues can be found in better boards from Newegg's refurb section or occasionally at Compgeeks.com or Package2You, etc.

 

[sativen]

I had an idea, and I think it may work, but I tend to think a lot of things....... so maybe not.
I was thinking of building my own circuit for the IR transceiver, I wouldn't be able to do it till Thanksgiving break though.
I found a circuit diagram here, but it's in German with a crappy translation at best, but I think it may work (I didn't want to go through all the trouble on this board, I thought the stupid thing would work when I hooked it up).

If/when I do it, I post results. I just have to order an IR tranceiver. I'd like to get it local, but digikey may be the only route.

 

[tommytran]

Originally posted by: sativen
I had an idea, and I think it may work, but I tend to think a lot of things....... so maybe not.
I was thinking of building my own circuit for the IR transceiver, I wouldn't be able to do it till Thanksgiving break though.
I found a circuit diagram here, but it's in German with a crappy translation at best, but I think it may work (I didn't want to go through all the trouble on this board, I thought the stupid thing would work when I hooked it up).

If/when I do it, I post results. I just have to order an IR tranceiver. I'd like to get it local, but digikey may be the only route.

Hopefully these links is helpful for you

Circuit board
Hardware
Software

 

[rramjet]

One more question about the IBM NetVista case, does it support a CD-ROM or floppy drive? The pictures I've seen on ebay do not indicate either.

Thanks!

 

[fxsts]

Originally posted by: rramjet
One more question about the IBM NetVista case, does it support a CD-ROM or floppy drive? The pictures I've seen on ebay do not indicate either.

Thanks!

CD-Rom => YES
Floppy => NO

 

[alm99]

I got mine put together, it boots, but detects no floppy, or keyboard. I don't have a USB keyboard. Is there anyway of getting past this without one? Anyone get the IR keyboard to work yet?

 

[alm99]

up for more viewing and hopes for a resolution

 

[diggum]

I don't think it'll work without the USB keyboard.

I've got windows 2000 finally installed on the system (XP setup kept locking up. I may try upgrading now from 2000 and see if that's more successful) but I can't find an IR driver for this thing. I've emailed support at the maker of webboard and hope they have something. the driver on the cd-rom was just for 98/me.

 

[diggum]

ugh. this really bites. win2k finally installed, but there was no driver for the IR keyboard available for 2000. So I ran XP upgrade and it hosed. ever since, and I've wiped out the hard drive and fdisk'ed numerous times, every OS I try to install fails. it locks up a LOT. I've tried different ram, different processors, different hd's. I can't understand wtf is going on. I've upgraded the bios and set it to safe, but still it locks up at different points. I would give anything to be back at windows 2000 and just ditch the keyboard.
ugh
waah

 

[alm99]

well that sucks, tomorrow I am going to go an buy a USB keyboard for it and return later after I buy one online for half the price. Hopefully I will have some success. Why can't package2you provide a little more info on this matter instead of saying that there other customers some how got it to work?

 

[mindless1]

Originally posted by: alm99
well that sucks, tomorrow I am going to go an buy a USB keyboard for it and return later after I buy one online for half the price. Hopefully I will have some success. Why can't package2you provide a little more info on this matter instead of saying that there other customers some how got it to work?

They claim some customers have it working?
Edit: Ok, I scrolled back through this thread and saw that mentioned in the email reply, but it's too vague.

I called them, didn't get an answer at the time, but was told I'd be called back in a few minutes... I wasn't called back, just received a very minimal email only containing the same "sketch" that was sent to tedinde1 It seems like the best thing Package2You could do now is get this board/keyboard working themselves, then let us know EXACTLY what needs done. This shouldn't need window XP either, I won't accept that as a solution since WinXP really isn't appropriate for the special-purpose systems most of us will be building.

I have an old IR receiver from a cordless mouse, attached that to a different motherboard on mouse, then keyboard PS/2 ports... it didn't work, but at least that receiver has an LED, was blinking to acknowledge infrared coming from keyboard when keys are pressed.

 

[tedinde1]

I have my unit up and running. I gave up on the keyboard, and just Soldered a keyboard mouse port of a "bad" ECS board i had for about a year sitting in my closet.

Only thing it has going for it is it's size. I put it in a small IBM client case that i got from a video store i worked on.

package2you has emailed me several times asking me if i got mine going, and if i did how.

I guess he's trying.

 

[alm99]

Do you think there is anyway you could order just the receiver for the Keyboard if it doesn't work?

 

[lobadobadingdong]

They got a soyo socket 370 mobo for the same price. no onboard sound or video but a good board anyway for $34.95. anyone know where to get new socket 370 mobo's cheaper lmk, I'm looking for 1 to fix my burnt shuttle av31.

 

[diggum]

I may have to do that, too. This is getting absolutely ridiculous. I finally got win98 to install, but as soon as I tried to install the webboard drivers, it locks up during restart. Now I have to figure out where I can find a keyboard/mouse ps2 port around here to solder in. lame!

 

[diggum]

okay, it looks like I finally got XP installed on it without any lockups or crashing. It hasn't installed the IR device yet, so I can't use the webboard, but I am unclear on how i would boot without the usb keyboard as the bios has no option to disable keyboard search on bootup, and doesn't appear to recognize the webboard as a keyboard at that point. any thoughtS?

 

[mindless1]

Originally posted by: diggum
okay, it looks like I finally got XP installed on it without any lockups or crashing. It hasn't installed the IR device yet, so I can't use the webboard, but I am unclear on how i would boot without the usb keyboard as the bios has no option to disable keyboard search on bootup, and doesn't appear to recognize the webboard as a keyboard at that point. any thoughtS?

You've tried setting "Halt On Error" to NONE, NO ERRORS (or similar) ?

 

[diggum]

after checking the net, i found out that's the way to do it. Thanks for the tip, though. I'll do that next reboot.

I still haven't got the keyboard up, but XP is running good. However, video playback is HORRENDOUS. I've got a Celeron 667 in there and the screensavers, etc, run just fine, but when i try to watch a movie from the 44x CD-ROM, i get maybe 5 frames per second. horrid. gotta figure out how to increase that. I thought at first it might be the sis 630 gpu chip, but since the 3d screensavers ran nice and smooth, i'm wondering if the cd drive is part of the cause somewhere.

 

[tedinde1]

Your CD drive definitly cant keep up.

 

[alm99]

Originally posted by: diggum
okay, it looks like I finally got XP installed on it without any lockups or crashing. It hasn't installed the IR device yet, so I can't use the webboard, but I am unclear on how i would boot without the usb keyboard as the bios has no option to disable keyboard search on bootup, and doesn't appear to recognize the webboard as a keyboard at that point. any thoughtS?

did you update the bios at all on the mb to load windows xp?

 

[diggum]

i did. i also installed SIS's graphics software for that chip and it's much better. not sure if that's what made the difference or not. this is teh same cd-rom I had in my previous media machine and it kept up fine.

thanks for the tips. I'll keep at it until it's smooth again.

 

[diggum]

yeah, much much better now. Now all I have to do is solder on the audio jacks (tested them already and know they're working) and get this IR keyboard working and I'm so done. what a long weekend.

Okay, so for those of us who DON'T have the IR keyboard working, let's figure out what we're doing wrong.
I've:

* attached the cable "properly" to the sir1 pins, with pin 1 (which doesn't match with the cable's wire 1, but okay)
* in BIOS, selected iRDA for UART mode and UR2 duplex mode set to FULL.
* have keyboard with fresh batteries and within 3 feet of IR receiver.

any more ideas from others who got it working?

 

[alm99]

Originally posted by: diggum
i did. i also installed SIS's graphics software for that chip and it's much better. not sure if that's what made the difference or not. this is teh same cd-rom I had in my previous media machine and it kept up fine.

thanks for the tips. I'll keep at it until it's smooth again.

How did you update the BIOS and with what?

EDIT: I am currenty installing XP on mine as I type, I have'n't update the BIOS yet so I don't know how it will run