Author Topic: USB questions  (Read 8290 times)

ivan

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USB questions
« on: October 03, 2017, 10:28:48 pm »
Today I was able to try a couple of high end Corsair USB keyboards, K55 and K95, on my ArcaOS ITX build and an older WSeB build plus a win7 laptop for comparison.

The K55 is seen by USBRes and gives a device report BUT does not work - no output at all. The corsair-K55-keyboard.txt is the USB data from a windows computer and the other is the device report from USBRes.

The K95 is seen by USBRes and partly works if set to legacy mode - the 18 extra function keys are not seen on os2.  The corsair-k95-keyboard.txt is the USBRes output (couldn't get the win USB output not enough usb ports on the laptop).

I was also able to see a Mini ITX board that takes an AMD Ryzen CPU/APU but it has a problem - only USB3 ports.  I also noticed that all the laptops available likewise only have USB3 ports.

All this raises the question, just how compatible are our USB drivers?  I don't want to shell out several hundred euros for an ITX board and processor only to find it can only be used with windows.

I have a couple of AMD based ITX boards that have both USB2 and USB3 ports and am prepared to run any tests should they be required

Andreas Schnellbacher

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Re: USB questions
« Reply #1 on: October 03, 2017, 11:34:37 pm »
Today I was able to try a couple of high end Corsair USB keyboards

the 18 extra function keys are not seen on os2.
I can't add something to that.

All this raises the question, just how compatible are our USB drivers?
I know that for some (all that I've tested, I'm usually on PS/2) of widely spread USB keyboards the key repetition function by holding a key pressed doesn't work. But there seems to exist hardware without that problem. One of them is the recommended PS/2 keyboard to USB converter for OS/2, distributed by an American brand. E.g. Doug had success with it.

I remember Lars wrote somewhere that he has that bug on his list.

Since I call this a base function, I don't see a need to claim for support of extra keys, sorry.

R.M. Klippstein

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Re: USB questions
« Reply #2 on: October 03, 2017, 11:38:17 pm »
fwiw ivan, I use only Logitech USB wireless mouse & keyboard combo's and have yet to have any problems with Linux, ArcaOS or Windows. Also no problems when combined using VirtualBox.

klipp

Pete

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Re: USB questions
« Reply #3 on: October 04, 2017, 01:16:01 am »
Hi ivan

I have to agree with klipp as I have been using Logitech wireless usb keyboards and trackballs for years without problems.

If the systems with only USB3 ports are able to drop back to USB2/1 then you should not have problems.

With regard to extra keyboard keys some may be recognised by xwp - have a read of the Registering Extra Function Keys in the xwp user guide.


Regards

Pete

ivan

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Re: USB questions
« Reply #4 on: October 04, 2017, 11:06:06 am »
Thanks to all.

The main reason that I was interested in seeing how the Corsair keyboards worked is because they have mechanical 'clickey' keys not the rubber pads of the Logitech and other keyboards. I have a couple of Logitech keyboards that I use most of the time.  They have extra keys for e-mail etc that work with Win95Key mapping them so there might be hope for the K95 extra keys if I can get at them.

My standard 'mouse' is the Kensington Orbit optical trackball (USB) and has been for years (I started using trackballs back in the 60s in radar control and have used them ever since).  I have one computer where I have to use a USB to PS/2 converter for the trackball, just plugging it into a USB port gives a null response (the converter was packaged with the early Kensington trackballs).

My main concern is the compatibility of out USB drivers especially if anyone wants to use modern equipment, motherboards, portable drives - HD and DVD, etc in view of the fact that almost all laptops available here only have USB3 ports.

As a side note all my computers have AMD processors from 2 to 4 cores but I'm building one with a Ryzen 8 core processor for a friend that is into gaming and will test ArcaOS on it before I hand it over.

Doug Bissett

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Re: USB questions
« Reply #5 on: October 04, 2017, 05:44:14 pm »
Quote
My main concern is the compatibility of out USB drivers especially if anyone wants to use modern equipment, motherboards, portable drives - HD and DVD, etc in view of the fact that almost all laptops available here only have USB3 ports.

It is highly unlikely that a USB 3 port will work, until we have a USB 3 driver. You may have options to make the USB system run in USB 2 mode, but even that may not work without a USB 3 driver. It all depends on how the feature is implemented.

I know that USB 3 is fairly high on the todo list at Arca Noae, but, AFAIK, even Lars hasn't tackled it, yet. This one probably needs to jump ahead of WiFi, as a must have. From what I have been reading, it is likely that SATA (AHCI) will eventually be replaced by USB, and that will probably happen sooner, than later, simply because USB is CHEAP.

As usual, be careful what you buy, if you want to use OS/2.

ivan

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Re: USB questions
« Reply #6 on: October 06, 2017, 07:06:06 pm »
After several tests I now know that anything that runs through an ASMedia chip (SATA and USB3) does not work with OS/2.

Some generic USB3 sockets do fall back to using USB2 on OS/2 so all is not quite lost but we do have to pick and chose what we use but that has always been so from the days of OS/2 v2.1.

Pete

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Re: USB questions
« Reply #7 on: October 06, 2017, 07:34:41 pm »
Hi ivan

I think we have much more hardware choice these days compared to the early days of OS/2 where, if memory serves correctly, it was only possible to install OS/2 on (expensive) IBM PS/2 systems. However, it is best to try and stick with devices and chipsets known to work with OS/2 based systems - although later versions of those devices and chipsets often work.

I suspect that the generic usb and sata Windows supplied drivers do not work with the ASMedia combined USB3/SATA2 controller chipset - ASM1352R? - needing a(some) driver(s) to be installed before it can be used. If there are linux drivers with source code available you could always consider funding an OS/2 port. Yet again, probably easier and cheaper to purchase "known to work with OS/2" alternatives  :-)


Regards

Pete



Andreas Schnellbacher

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Re: USB questions
« Reply #8 on: October 09, 2017, 02:29:38 am »
the key repetition function by holding a key pressed doesn't work.
According to the resolved bug reports and the announcement, this should be fixed since yesterday with the drivers in USB-11.17.exe.

Dariusz Piatkowski

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Re: USB questions
« Reply #9 on: October 12, 2017, 10:17:59 pm »
Hi Ivan,

...As a side note all my computers have AMD processors from 2 to 4 cores but I'm building one with a Ryzen 8 core processor for a friend that is into gaming and will test ArcaOS on it before I hand it over.

I hope you will post the details of your experience there.

I have an older AMD Phenom II X6 machine here (MSI motherboard) that while supporting pretty much everything (sound, USB, etc) is starting to show it's age. In particular I have been thinking of making the move to Ryzen CPU next (boy, that's actually a skip of at least a couple of CPU generations...LOL) but I'm very hesitant since too many things are no longer structured to work with our platform.