Improved Keyboard????

If you're having problems with the hardware of a DM41X or DM42, post about them here.
boessu
Posts: 22
Joined: Mon Jan 28, 2019 10:40 pm

Re: Improved Keyboard????

Post by boessu »

Rmollov wrote:
Sun Mar 03, 2019 1:15 am
How did you get those replacement domes? Are they available and is there a way to get them? I don't mind to pay for a set of them.
Cheers
I'm not sure where H2X got his domes, but basically what SwissMicros uses are plain standard metal snap domes, which can be ordered on a lot of places and replaced quite easily (at least compared to other defective switches). Luckily the SwissMicros calculators are "built for disassembling and fixing with a screwdriver", which is quite rare today, but really worth the money.

For the ones which are interested in the topic:
This guy fixes a single snap dome in a old phone. This could be also interesting too for people with old HP calculators, I guess. Anyhow I wouldn't cut-out the old metal dome with a carpet cutter. But maybe that's just me. I'm also parking my car in a shady place on a sunny day. So...:
https://youtu.be/wHAkqCAXsmg

This guy explains the layers of membrane switch with metal domes. Quite interesting for those who would like to know something about the basics of these sort of switches:
https://youtu.be/IesN9MnIgII

However, I personally got the second DM42 which has less switch problems, but still has. According to the S/N, there are 164 units between the first and second one. I must guess this is a serious problem over a lot of units (or I have the fortune of negative "lucky punch").
I really hope Michael can provide all of us which are affected with replacement foils as he wrote on 14th Feb. That would be really the easiest way to fix it.
redglyph
Posts: 177
Joined: Sat Dec 22, 2018 11:45 am

Re: Improved Keyboard????

Post by redglyph »

boessu wrote:
Sun Mar 31, 2019 3:22 pm
However, I personally got the second DM42 which has less switch problems, but still has. According to the S/N, there are 164 units between the first and second one. I must guess this is a serious problem over a lot of units (or I have the fortune of negative "lucky punch").
I really hope Michael can provide all of us which are affected with replacement foils as he wrote on 14th Feb. That would be really the easiest way to fix it.
As said before, if that's what I received, it didn't solve the problem, so don't hold your breath :(

At this point for me, the DM42 is a curiosity and a bad investment, nothing more.
MGA
Posts: 1
Joined: Tue Jul 09, 2019 3:44 pm

Re: Improved Keyboard????

Post by MGA »

Michael wrote:
Thu Feb 14, 2019 5:54 am
The problem has been identified. It seems the metal sheets from which the metal domes were stamped weren't cleaned properly.
An oil film prevents reliable contact. The domes and the contact area on the PCB can be cleaned, which significantly improves the reliability.
We encourage anybody having such issues to do so, but of course this is not what customers should need to do.
We're working with a new supplier for new foils with the metal domes. Once available replacement foils can be obtained.
Hi everyone,

I'm interested in buying one DM42 unit, but for the time being, I havn't done it because of this keyboard issue. We are now in July, and I would like to ask Mickael if the new supplier of the metal sheet has been incorporated in the production unit already or not?

Thanks a lot in advance.
Guillaume
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