errors in 17" macntouch install instructions

[bongoherbert]

tool / shipped - wrong size torx wrench provided. the keyboard shipped with a size 10 or 11. The screws in the 17" i have are torx 9.

throughout - "Torc" screws are improperly
named. They are "Torx" screws.

part 1 para 5-6 - there are 4, not 3 screws on the side of my 17"

para 9+ - there is significant amounts of tape covering wires, etc. do i lift it / cut it, etc.

Unnumbered "removing mech kbd" section para 2 - there are 14 screws on my 17"

furthermore, and more importantly, there is a strip of heat sink tape over two chips that needs to be in contact with the back of the aluminum top cover.

"threading" section. my squishy pad is one big piece covering the FW and USB port.

finally - what do i do with the short ribbon cable? it should really be properly folded to make it flat, imho, but the instructions just tell me to do nothing (wad it up in there?)


Bad things-

One of my mounting holes didn't match up with the Macntouch holes. I couldn't fasten the nylon screw to that one.

The RHS of the keyboard surface has a subtle arch to it. The left hand side is level / flush with the left hand side of the case. Running your finger down the right hand side of the keyboard reveals a slight curve in the surface, it is flush at the to and bottom but bulges up subtly in the middle.

Mine seems to be at least a little better centered than the previous poster's, but it still has a bigger gap on the LHS than the right.

Now, if I can teach myself to use it along with the LP in my office (there are slight differences that, at first glance, seem to be annoying, but hopefully i'll learn my way around them.

[bongoherbert]

by the way, lest i sound negative about the experience, it was not that difficult to get everything put together, even with a few breaks to service my new-born girl's demands. (she wanted to help)

there is a good sense of humor throughout and they are reasonably complete.

[DoctorJack]

Thank you for the feedback. We really appreciate it!

Some answers and questions are embedded below.

Originally posted by bongoherbert
tool / shipped - wrong size torx wrench provided. the keyboard shipped with a size 10 or 11. The screws in the 17" i have are torx 9.

FW: The wrench included with the MacNTouch is a size 15. At least, that is what it is suppose to be. Did this wrench work although it was too large or did you have to find a smaller wrench?

throughout - "Torc" screws are improperly
named. They are "Torx" screws.

FW: got it!

part 1 para 5-6 - there are 4, not 3 screws on the side of my 17"

FW: yep, the photo is actually from a 15" which only has 3 screws.

para 9+ - there is significant amounts of tape covering wires, etc. do i lift it / cut it, etc.

FW: You should only have to lift off the tape covering the keyboard connector. After removing the keyboard flex cable you can put the tape back where it was.

Unnumbered "removing mech kbd" section para 2 - there are 14 screws on my 17"

FW: oops - 14 it is.

furthermore, and more importantly, there is a strip of heat sink tape over two chips that needs to be in contact with the back of the aluminum top cover.

FW: How new is your PB? We have not seen this before. In any event you should make sure that any heat sink tape on the back side of the keyboard cavity is in its proper place when you re-assemble the PB.

"threading" section. my squishy pad is one big piece covering the FW and USB port.

FW: Lift off the big pad and put it back after you thread the short cable.

finally - what do i do with the short ribbon cable? it should really be properly folded to make it flat, imho, but the instructions just tell me to do nothing (wad it up in there?)

FW: You shouldn't have to do anything with it. The cable will fold up in a wad when you mate the top and bottom enclosures together.


Bad things-

One of my mounting holes didn't match up with the Macntouch holes. I couldn't fasten the nylon screw to that one.

FW: We will have to fix this in the next revision. Because of the stiffness of the MacNTouch it really only needs 4 screws to hold it in properly.

The RHS of the keyboard surface has a subtle arch to it. The left hand side is level / flush with the left hand side of the case. Running your finger down the right hand side of the keyboard reveals a slight curve in the surface, it is flush at the to and bottom but bulges up subtly in the middle.

FW: It should be flat and the nylon screws should keep it that way.

[bongoherbert]

tool / shipped - wrong size torx wrench provided. the keyboard shipped with a size 10 or 11. The screws in the 17" i have are torx 9.

FW: The wrench included with the MacNTouch is a size 15. At least, that is what it is suppose to be. Did this wrench work although it was too large or did you have to find a smaller wrench?


nope -- wayyy to big in my case.
i had a torx 9 lying around from previous excursions into various macintosh.


furthermore, and more importantly, there is a strip of heat sink tape over two chips that needs to be in contact with the back of the aluminum top cover.

FW: How new is your PB? We have not seen this before. In any event you should make sure that any heat sink tape on the back side of the keyboard cavity is in its proper place when you re-assemble the PB.


this is an original 1st gen 17". i got it about 3-4 months after introduction. there is a nice hole in the plastic sheet for the tape, right over the two large chips on the left of the keyboard area. i can send photos if that would help.


The RHS of the keyboard surface has a subtle arch to it. The left hand side is level / flush with the left hand side of the case. Running your finger down the right hand side of the keyboard reveals a slight curve in the surface, it is flush at the to and bottom but bulges up subtly in the middle.

FW: It should be flat and the nylon screws should keep it that way

thats what i figured. it appears that the top surface of the board is arched up to the point where the bottom of the typing-sensor board is even with the case 'deck'. the top of the board is flush at the upper and lower part if the keyboard. i may take it back apart this weekend to see if there is something unseemly going on underneath it.

[DoctorJack]

Originally posted by bongoherbert

this is an original 1st gen 17". i got it about 3-4 months after introduction. there is a nice hole in the plastic sheet for the tape, right over the two large chips on the left of the keyboard area. i can send photos if that would help.




Yes, please send photos to support@fingerworks.com. Thanks!

[bongoherbert]

Originally posted by bongoherbert
...
it appears that the top surface of the board is arched up to the point where the bottom of the typing-sensor board is even with the case 'deck'. the top of the board is flush at the upper and lower part if the keyboard. i may take it back apart this weekend to see if there is something unseemly going on underneath it.

indeed this is in fact what is going on. i totally disassembled the mac today and the top sensor board has an arch. so much so that one of the rubber spacer pads between the two boards is nowhere near in contact with the top board.

i have noticed that the mouse tracking dies on the right hand side of the keyboard on occasion as well, requiring a flatpalm reset a few times a day.

i'm not sure that is too unusual, i need to reset my LP in my office a few times a day as well.

i've forwarded photos

[DoctorJack]

From the photo it looks like the rubber spacer is not in the correct place thus causing the top surface to bend up. If the rubber spacer was not placed correctly it will interfere with the nearby circuitry causing the top board to bend up. If this is the case you can move the spacer over a bit so it sits in a clear area. You'll need tweezers to grab the rubber spacer. Just be careful not to hit/damage the nearby integrated circuits with the tweezers.

Alternatively, we can replace your unit. Just send an email to support to make the arrangements.